Interbike Observations



RapDaddyo

Well-Known Member
May 17, 2005
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Having spent the last three days at the bike industry's premiere trade show, I have a few observations on the state of power-based training and racing. The first is that there was keen interest in the power products at both Saris and Polar. What's interesting about those two manufacturers of power meter systems is that they make many other, non-power products. So, it was interesting to observe the behavior patterns of those who stopped by their booths. I stopped by both booths several times and each time I had to wait my turn to get access to those in the booth with knowledge of the power products. Second, there were always people at the iBike and Ergomo booths. So, there was clearly lots of interest in the power meter products (SRM wasn't there).

Second, I had business reasons to talk with every wheel manufacturer about their current offerings with PT hubs. So, I talked with all the current wheel manufacturers who offer PT hubs and with all the other major wheel manufacturers who don't currently offer PT hubs. What I found interesting was that while only a few vendors currently offer wheels with PT hubs (e.g., Zipp, HED, Bontrager), all but one has investigated putting PT hubs in their wheels. The sole exception was Campagnolo, which has no interest in using any hubs other than their own. Personally, I think they will eventually regret that decision. And several major wheel manufacturers have spent a fair bit of time and money investigating the feasibility of putting a PT hub in their disc. I found that very interesting given the limited market for discs.

The bottom line is that I think power meters and power-based training is healthy and growing.
 
RapDaddyo said:
Having spent the last three days at the bike industry's premiere trade show, I have a few observations on the state of power-based training and racing. The first is that there was keen interest in the power products at both Saris and Polar. What's interesting about those two manufacturers of power meter systems is that they make many other, non-power products. So, it was interesting to observe the behavior patterns of those who stopped by their booths. I stopped by both booths several times and each time I had to wait my turn to get access to those in the booth with knowledge of the power products. Second, there were always people at the iBike and Ergomo booths. So, there was clearly lots of interest in the power meter products (SRM wasn't there).

Second, I had business reasons to talk with every wheel manufacturer about their current offerings with PT hubs. So, I talked with all the current wheel manufacturers who offer PT hubs and with all the other major wheel manufacturers who don't currently offer PT hubs. What I found interesting was that while only a few vendors currently offer wheels with PT hubs (e.g., Zipp, HED, Bontrager), all but one has investigated putting PT hubs in their wheels. The sole exception was Campagnolo, which has no interest in using any hubs other than their own. Personally, I think they will eventually regret that decision. And several major wheel manufacturers have spent a fair bit of time and money investigating the feasibility of putting a PT hub in their disc. I found that very interesting given the limited market for discs.

The bottom line is that I think power meters and power-based training is healthy and growing.
I was informed by a friend in bike retail, that Zipp were going to be selling a PT based disc wheel next year, can you shed any light on this?
 
AndROOb said:
I was informed by a friend in bike retail, that Zipp were going to be selling a PT based disc wheel next year, can you shed any light on this?
Yes. Zipp has done more work on getting a PT hub to work in their disc than anybody else and they initially characterized it as something that was "in the works." But, when I probed the true status of this project with both Zipp and Saris I learned that it will require modifications to the PT hub and that the project is neither under way nor is it funded by either Zipp or Saris. So, while both organizations recognize the market demand for the product, I'd say this is definitely not in the works for the immediate future (i.e., this model year). I think the earliest we would see a Zipp disc with a PT hub would be the '08 model year (Zipp's model year begins in October). The same is true at HED. They have looked at it but they would need Saris to modify their hub and Saris has no plans to do this. I will be meeting with Bontrager soon and will find out the status of their plans to offer a disc with a PT hub. If they also do not have a project underway, I would have to conclude that we're not going to see a PT disc this year (at least from Zipp, HED or Bontrager). But, there are some other interesting developments that may make it a moot point. More later.
 
Did you check out any of the little guys? There was a small booth tucked away in a corner staffed by two gentlemen that had an interesting idea. They had a footbed insert with some sort of strain gauge, a wireless transmitter that would clip onto your shoe, and a handlebar mounted computer. It seemed to be an interesting approach to measuring power- reminded me of the pedal system we've used in the lab. Anyone else talk to these guys?

Justin
 
xcmntgeek said:
Did you check out any of the little guys? There was a small booth tucked away in a corner staffed by two gentlemen that had an interesting idea. They had a footbed insert with some sort of strain gauge, a wireless transmitter that would clip onto your shoe, and a handlebar mounted computer. It seemed to be an interesting approach to measuring power- reminded me of the pedal system we've used in the lab. Anyone else talk to these guys?

Justin
Justin - this 'power meter' or strain gauge, is the subject of another thread.

check it out:

http://www.cyclingforums.com/t367031.html
 
xcmntgeek said:
Did you check out any of the little guys? There was a small booth tucked away in a corner staffed by two gentlemen that had an interesting idea. They had a footbed insert with some sort of strain gauge, a wireless transmitter that would clip onto your shoe, and a handlebar mounted computer. It seemed to be an interesting approach to measuring power- reminded me of the pedal system we've used in the lab. Anyone else talk to these guys?

Justin

If I'd had to talk to them, I would have asked them this: how do you zero the thing, and what happens if, e.g., you tighten or loosen your shoe* during a ride (e.g., when setting up for a sprint against some young whippersnapper that needs to be put in his place :D)?

*Singular, since apparently the system only uses one footbed.
 
xcmntgeek said:
Did you check out any of the little guys? There was a small booth tucked away in a corner staffed by two gentlemen that had an interesting idea. They had a footbed insert with some sort of strain gauge, a wireless transmitter that would clip onto your shoe, and a handlebar mounted computer. It seemed to be an interesting approach to measuring power- reminded me of the pedal system we've used in the lab. Anyone else talk to these guys?

Justin
I would have if I had known they were there. Interbike is so huge now that you have to know about these things in advance or you never find them. But, I am keen to know more about how their device works. Unfortunately, their website offers almost no details.
 
the first thing that popped into my head was different thinkness of socks and the dampning effect that that may have on the power reaching the footbed. They claimed it didn't need to be calibrated...

Justin
 
(e.g., when setting up for a sprint against some young whippersnapper that needs to be put in his place :D)?

Or some old guy who's about to romp you... :p
J
 
xcmntgeek said:
the first thing that popped into my head was different thinkness of socks and the dampning effect that that may have on the power reaching the footbed. They claimed it didn't need to be calibrated...

Justin
Any flex upstream of the cranks would be accounted for in a SRM readout anyway- This is just closer to the source.

I think if Im reading the website right they have a couple of different calculations that adjust "intelligently" base on how your riding. For standing I guess they just assume that there is a particular value for the up stroke based on how much your pushing down.

So I guess they just use the data available to make assumptions based on normal riding tendencies. That said Im sure you could trick it.
 

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