New Pedal-Based Power Meter

http://www.metrigear.com/products/

Thoughts? Comments?

Targeted at $1000, incluidng the speedplay pedal, but not the head unit (any ANT+ will do).

50grams
ANT+
Reason to finally get speedplays
$1000

I like where this is headed...

The best part is that this device might finally enable the world to understand what the heck N Crowley has been talking about with his linear pedalling style.

Looks cool.

Looks cool and I'm already a Speedplay user. As always, the devil is in the details. How the algorithm they develop samples/calculates/displays power is yet to be released. While I'm certainly interested in what these guys eventually release, I'll be holding on to my SRM for the time being.

Dave

Yup and me, my PT. I won't be an early adopter. I want to see some well executed head-to-head comparisons to PT or SRM first.

Yeah, I'll definitely be a late-adopter (probably never-adopter) on this one. Too many variables to be processed for my liking. I'll take the PTs conversion of hub torque and wheel speed and be done with it...

Pretty slick set-up if it works. However, I predict it goes the way of the iBike. Not takin' any bets though...

What about 'pedal float'??? I see it reducing a user's power readings versus using zero float pedals. I suppose there would a calculation to take that into account - more potential error introduced into the stream...

Are you referring to "wasted forces"? There was a discussion about this on another forum including "degrees of freedom" and my recollection is that there aren't any "wasted forces". That if/when one tries to minimize these forces, it takes more energy than simply ignoring them. It is interesting that it would be possible to view these forces - not sure of the value though.

Dave

I don't know for sure. I was referring to pedal float, which can be minimized simply by using zero float pedals rather than 5, 7, or 10 degree float pedals. This side-to-side rather than vertical movement/force would seem to me to cost some power in this application. I could be wrong, of course, as I'm no kinetic energy
expert.

Not to sidetrack this thread any further, as mentioned I'll be sticking with my wired PT for some time to come...

Saw it at Interbike looks real promising. The fact that it's a Silicon Valley based company made up of athletes and techi's gives it some street cred. Eliminates much of the downstream variables of existing meters. Easy to transfer between bikes and independently measure's force from each leg. Bad thing is it sounds to good to be true.

Speedplays are not for me I'm afraid, although I'd have to think about that some more.... as left/right data would be pretty fun to see.

I did a product review on zeros many years ago and didn't personally like pedaling with them. Even set to zero float was too wishy washy for me. But things are literally different now days.

As yet it's not tested in real world, so we'll see what comes of it.

__________________
Custom Training Plans -- cyclecoach.com -- My Blog -- Power Meter Hire in Australia

If the accuracy is anywhere acceptable it is very interesting product because of the versatility. PT is easy enough (especially wireless) to move from a bike to another but you're restricted to one wheelset and if you want to have power on a disc wheel or a track bike...

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"It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place."

First they are doing the "standard" Speedplays, then the Ti-spindled Speedplays and then their plan is to introduce a version for the Look Keo. I use the Keo and by that point we should know if it's a dud or not.

All of the power meters on the market came from entrepreneurial environments with a devoted geek or geeks.

But needed appropriate sound business practices and backing to survive and/or flourish. Many similar products never made it to market, or failed after getting to market.

I wish them well.

__________________
Custom Training Plans -- cyclecoach.com -- My Blog -- Power Meter Hire in Australia

I think it would be great to see some more competition in the power market. I agree that the ibike doesn't exactly deliver, and the Polar power unit has flaws with installation and reliability which have kept me from dropping $700 on it.

If this product comes in at just under the $1000 mark, it might be enticing enough to get decent market penetration - hopefully we'll have some idea of it's abilities by mid-season next year.

I'm curious if any teams are planning on testing this out in the field - a planned endorsement seemed to be the only thing missing from the website.