New Power Meter, with GPS!!



donrhummy

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Jan 5, 2006
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Quarq has developed a new power meter that will be fully unveiled at Interbike. To me, there's a few aspects of it that are really exciting:

1. The code for their power meter system is open source! That's really cool because it offers two opportunities:
* People might be able to help tweak the algorithms and make it even
more accurate, or just fix bugs
* People can make up cool apps to go with it or even make the screen
show other cool stuff.

2. It has GPS built in
* Couple this with the open source and the possibilities are endless. If
they have a developer's pack, programmers can write programs that
calcualate any number of things between the watts, feet climbed per
minute, etc.

3. It's just a wireless crankset spider, so it'll fit right into your crankset. That
sounds nice and clean.

What does everyone here think?

Qranium.jpg

CinQo_Spider.jpg


http://quarq.us/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
 
took a quick read and that looks pretty hot... rivals a lot of what is out their right now with lots of really nice features on head unit... going to the spider is likely a good direction as i think many bike makers will be going to integrated bearings in the BB (Pinarello, Canondale, Trek...)... nice stuff. now they just need to get it shipped.

competition is good!!
 
This looks really nice. Anybody care to guess what the announced price will be? I'll guess $2000.
 
Remember, until you see this at your LBS, this is vaporware. Remember the Microsport Tech 'Revolution' (the shoe-based) Powermeter presented at Interbike 2006, is now "delayed" until 2008. The home page is 'down'. SO, don't hold your breath waiting. Ultimately, we will also see how it tracks against the two gold standards (SRM and PT).
 
Crank arm compatibility seemed to be restrictive. Don't see Campagnolo nor Shimano in the list.

The CinQo is designed for attachment to production cranksets with separate spider assemblies. Versions of the CinQo are planned for:

FSA Team Issue
FSA Krono TT
Truvativ Rouleur Carbon (SRAM)
Cannondale Hollowgram
Specialized S-Works Carbon
Track arm are to be determined.
 
sogood said:
Crank arm compatibility seemed to be restrictive. Don't see Campagnolo nor Shimano in the list.
If the product comes out as advertised and at a good price point, I don't think that will be a problem.

SRM didn't have a problem making a name for themselves and becoming the "gold standard" of power meters even though they didn't have a Dura Ace version until just a few years ago (they still don't have a Campy version). And even the Dura-ace version replaces your current crankset, so the only compatibility benefit is that you can reuse a relatively inexpensive bottom bracket.

Now there may be some people who want cranks to "match" the rest of their grouppo. But again, if Quarq delivers on this at a reasonable price, I think even they will forgo a bit of bike vanity for an awesome power meter.
 
Uhl said:
If the product comes out as advertised and at a good price point, I don't think that will be a problem.

SRM didn't have a problem making a name for themselves and becoming the "gold standard" of power meters even though they didn't have a Dura Ace version until just a few years ago (they still don't have a Campy version). And even the Dura-ace version replaces your current crankset, so the only compatibility benefit is that you can reuse a relatively inexpensive bottom bracket.

Now there may be some people who want cranks to "match" the rest of their grouppo. But again, if Quarq delivers on this at a reasonable price, I think even they will forgo a bit of bike vanity for an awesome power meter.
I agree. And most Shimano bikes actually don't have Shimano cranks. Mine for example is Shimano 105 everywhere except crank/BB which is truvativ (which would be compatible). I'm pretty sure that until this year, almost all Lemonds/Treks except for the dura-ace ones didn't use Shimano cranks.
 
Uhl said:
SRM didn't have a problem making a name for themselves and becoming the "gold standard" of power meters even though they didn't have a Dura Ace version until just a few years ago

Actually, for a period of time in the mid/late 1990s SRM cranks were built using a cut-down 9 speed Dura-Ace crank arm. They then dropped that in favor of their own crank arms, and only brought back the modified Shimano version after the integral spindle/external b.b. stuff became the norm.

Somewhere on www.pezcyclingnews.com is a great article about a tour of Uli's place in Germany, which includes pics of many (all?) versions of the SRM that have been made...
 
I didn't know that...I've never seen any of those "in the wild". But now that you mention it, I do see them on SRM's history page on their web site:
http://www.srm.de/englisch/untern_erfolgsg.html

I guess my main point is that if a product provides enough of a benefit, people are typically willing to switch infrastructure components. A recent example in technology is people switching cell phone service just so they can have an iPhone.
 
donrhummy said:
I agree. And most Shimano bikes actually don't have Shimano cranks. Mine for example is Shimano 105 everywhere except crank/BB which is truvativ (which would be compatible). I'm pretty sure that until this year, almost all Lemonds/Treks except for the dura-ace ones didn't use Shimano cranks.

I'd wager that most people in the market for a PM aren't running 105. I'd also be very surprised if this came in under $2500. Read elsewhere (totally unsubstantiated) that the Quarq guy said "around SRM Dura-Ace" price. Add in the price of a new crank, since most people with that kind of cash run cranks by Shimano, Campy, or FSA K-Force & SLK - none of which have a separate spider.

I do really like the fact that it is strain-gauge based and users can both check and adjust calibration. IOW, a real, accountable power meter *theoretically* in the same class as SRMs and PTs. :cool: However, it is all theory at this point -no real pictures, no prototypes, and they're looking for programmers so one assumes the software is just as vaporous.
 
peterpen said:
I'd wager that most people in the market for a PM aren't running 105. I'd also be very surprised if this came in under $2500. Read elsewhere (totally unsubstantiated) that the Quarq guy said "around SRM Dura-Ace" price. Add in the price of a new crank, since most people with that kind of cash run cranks by Shimano, Campy, or FSA K-Force & SLK - none of which have a separate spider.

I do really like the fact that it is strain-gauge based and users can both check and adjust calibration. IOW, a real, accountable power meter *theoretically* in the same class as SRMs and PTs. :cool: However, it is all theory at this point -no real pictures, no prototypes, and they're looking for programmers so one assumes the software is just as vaporous.
True enough. But it's always exciting to see something new ont he market that hopefully makes more affordable options (as well as just other options) for people. Few people thought SRAM would get anywhere with their road groupset and now a bunch of bikes come standard with SRAM (Specialized, Cannondale, some Scotts).
 
It seems that the powersensor will be compatible also with a new garmin gps unit: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=160&pID=10885#

The interesting perspective is if functions are decoupled, so one can choose prefered units from different companies. I believe this is already partly the case - it seems to me that polar is already responsible for the heart-rate sensors of both garmin and suunto. But the manufacturers need to make communication protocols compatible and available. Hopefully this new product can stumulate that.

Since powertap sl 2.4 already use 2.4GHz to transmit the measurements, it should not be a big task to make it compatible with e.g. the new garmin. But I guess they need to feel the pressure to do so.
 
It would be a good move by Garmin to be compatible with the PT SL 2.4 because it opens the market for many current owners of the PT system.

To buy a head unit with gps maps and power output for $500 or less would be reasonable for current PT users that want gps and not have multiple units on the bar.

It would allow future power wannabe's (like myself) the option of getting a decent gps and cycling computer first and then the PT hub and wheel later splitting up costs. (noted that the seller is willing to sell or build the wheel without the PT computer included)

(currently I use the 305 and love the ability to preload a course on the gps. With the manner that I use the 305 I am not sure the maps are worth the price difference, but I do like the ability for power and gps in one unit.)
 
Felt_Rider said:
To buy a head unit with gps maps and power output for $500 or less would be reasonable for current PT users that want gps and not have multiple units on the bar..
$700 for maps.
 
Felt_Rider said:
It would be a good move by Garmin to be compatible with the PT SL 2.4 because it opens the market for many current owners of the PT system.
It would absolutely be a good move! I use the workout function on my 305 to do power based intervals using my 2.4, but I would love to be able to set a power range and have the invaluable audible alerts if I go under/over those limits on the power channel instead of just cadence.

That way I don't have to stare down at the PM the whole time. Makes it impossible to do structured outdoor workouts in my neighborhood.


Dave
 
Felt_Rider said:
It would be a good move by Garmin to be compatible with the PT SL 2.4 because it opens the market for many current owners of the PT system.

IIRC, the PT is 2.4ghz but it's not ANT, so the two won't work together. Shame that Saris missed the boat on this one.
 
ahaile said:
IIRC, the PT is 2.4ghz but it's not ANT, so the two won't work together. Shame that Saris missed the boat on this one.

This blog suggests the Powertap is ANT equipped:

Road magazine: Powertap wireless

I have emailed Saris to be sure ... I would have loved to ditch the Powertap 2.4 CPU for this Garmin 705.
 
jeff262 said:
I see the that Quarq is wholly owned by Garmin.

I think you misread the press release. ANT+Sport is a product of ANT TM - a division of Dynastream Innovations Inc., Cochrane, Alberta, Canada. Dynastream is a wholly owned subsidiary of Garmin International ...

but I don't think Quarq itself is owned by Garmin, only the ANT+Sport technology for 2.4GHz network.
 

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