cycleops powertap pro wheelset?

Shadow78

Anyone got one of these? Have been trying to find reviews or recommendations. Are they worth getting or is there a better alternative of a power meter?

Beasty

Yes - I have the old version. It's fine - the cheapest option for Powermeters, but it means you are stuck with the one wheel.

There are plenty of other options already available (crank based suystems - Power2Max, Quarq, SRM), and a couple of pedal based systems (Polar and Garmin Vector) are due out shortly (although the Garmin launch date has recently been put back to the summer) - the advantage of the pedal systems they can be transferred without having to have compatible BBs

There's also the Brim Brothers cleat based system, which as yet does not have a launch date, although I think there were rumblings they are getting nearer to a final product (but we've been hearing that for some time now)

fran83

I had one of them and I have to say they work fine never gave me trouble.The only thing is your restricted to that wheel only if u want a powermeter all the time.
Try power2max they have cheap crank based system which I purchased and find very good too.

Lumen

You don't need a "wheelset", just a wheel.

The pricing of the Power2Max has made the higher end powertaps look very expensive.

The Pro is £612 here:

http://www.cyclepowermeters.com/cycleops---powertap-21-c.asp

That's almost €750, which is getting quite close to Power2Max territory.

My own experience with Powertaps is that the bearings don't last very long and it's a PITA getting the wheel trued or rebuilt every now and again.

I have used a SRAM Quarq Cinqo for almost 2 years. It was much more expensive than the Powertap, but yesterday the crank bolt seized and sheared off inside the spindle (probably junking most of the chainset in the process) and Quarq and cyclepowermeters.com are sorting it out for nothing under their 2 year warranty. Excellent service.

I ordered a compact Power2Max recently, the new BOR version. It looks very versatile due to the BB design, but the wait time was very long (several months) so I haven't gone through with it yet.

moggs1972

I have a powertap built with a mavic cosmic carbon clincher and it gets around the stuck with one wheel scenario, the cosmic is tough enough to be used on the rear as a training wheel or used for a race wheel if needed....at least thats the plan. its a bit more expensive but its a one wheel does all option.

levitronix

i have two powertaps now a pro+ and SL+, it all depends on what way you look at it cost wise
My SL is laced into a FFWD rim the rim was 300 euro, spokes 65 euro and power tap sl+ 500 euro, so all in 865, i was going to buy the wheel anway which costs 699 euro i needed new race wheels !
So 865 - 699 = 166 euro is all it cost me to get a new powermeter !!

But lumen is right the smaller bearing on the non drive of the powertaps are crap but you can solve the problem for about 17 euro i put SKF bearings into my powertaps and never had a probelm since on my two year old powertap pro+

dermur

Don't want to go too far off topic but to ye lads really feel that power-based training is that much more effective than heart-based?

Lumen

dermur wrote: »

Don't want to go too far off topic but to ye lads really feel that power-based training is that much more effective than heart-based?

Power-based training is certainly more accurate, particularly for short intervals. It's also easier to track progress (or lack of it) as you're measuring actual ability rather than effort, and in my experience it's more fun and interesting, but effectiveness is 90% about discipline and a power meter doesn't help with that at all.

dermur

I agree it's certainly more fun than watching yourself edge closer to cardiac arrest. No doubt the best way to track power/weight ratio too.

Please Lord, don't let my next post be on the "Should have left the credit card at home" thread.