From Polar to SRM

[robkit]

so, after 2 years with a polar power meter during which time it worked reasonably well for 8/10 rides, then mysteriously poorly for 2/10, it seems to now repoirt utter rubbish, even after a new battery.

typically i'd get what i beleived to be good data for several days, then one day it would just report wattage of half what i'd expect, or refuse to work for more than 5 mins while spending the whole ride beeping until i turned it off. so often that wuld be in a race when i really cared to see the data as well.

now it just insists i'm doing 50-80 watts, most of the time, except when i'm apparently doing 3000.

hence why its going in the bin.

i've now ordered an SRM (not without considerable anguish due to the cost angle) but at least soon i will be back to trusting the data i'm seeing and reapng the benefits of training with such motivational feedback. cant wait for it to arrive.

 

[RapDaddyo]

Why SRM? What other PMs did you consider? Which model SRM?

 

[robkit]

i ruled out powertap on account of needing to have the hub built into a wheel/wheels. i like to ride with different wheels for training/crits/road races.

also i hear the head unit isnt as good, nor as robust.


its a massive shame that SRM's are so expensive - this will continue until someone else makes a comparable chainset based system that undercuts them.


since my bike is dura ace equipped im going for the dura ace integrated professional system, it looks great. now theres another downside to using campagnolo - to have an SRM all your beautiful italian styling needs to be runined by the look of the standard SRM chainset!

 

[jws]

i ruled out powertap on account of needing to have the hub built into a wheel/wheels. i like to ride with different wheels for training/crits/road races.

You can buy one or two extra PT hubs, build wheels and still spend about half the amount of the D-A SRM. Plus you can buy extra receivers for $50 and have power on multiple bikes for virtually the price of one system.

also i hear the head unit isnt as good, nor as robust.

The PT is very robust and warranty and service is great. If money is no object, the SRM is great; even so, you have to weigh all the advantages and disadvantages.

 

[robkit]

techically, at least for the dura ace 10 model, it would be a 5 minute job to change the chainset between bikes (because its ridiculously easy to change a hollowtech crankset, requiring only an allen key), so for the price of another mounting kit i suppose i could get the benefit on more than 1 bike.

 

[Woofer]

techically, at least for the dura ace 10 model, it would be a 5 minute job to change the chainset between bikes (because its ridiculously easy to change a hollowtech crankset, requiring only an allen key), so for the price of another mounting kit i suppose i could get the benefit on more than 1 bike.

You would want more than one mounting kit. SRM recommends this. As with all power meters, you want multiple parts where possible so that one can diagnose problems when they occur more easily. It's like figuring out what's wrong with computers. This is one place where Polar made it really hard for end users.

It only takes about ten minutes to change cranksets ( just the right arm anyways) with any of the mounting methods. But if you go with the hollowtech cranksets it gives you an extra right crank arm or two.

 

[jws]

techically, at least for the dura ace 10 model, it would be a 5 minute job to change the chainset between bikes (because its ridiculously easy to change a hollowtech crankset, requiring only an allen key), so for the price of another mounting kit i suppose i could get the benefit on more than 1 bike.

Yes, I guess that's true. I think I heard once that you may have to change the offset when you change cranks, but that's very quick and easy.

Good luck with the SRM....it's a really nice unit, Jimmy