Brim Bros Pre-Order for Zone - please explain 'display'

fixie fox · 24-01-2012 03:10PM #1

I see that Brim Bros have initiated a pre-order process for the Zone power meter.
I'm very interested in getting a power meter but I am a bit confused by the 'dispaly' item in their FAQ:

"The Zone works with any ANT+ compatible display unit that knows how to receive power, including units from Garmin, Timex, Bontrager and other power meter manufacturers. If the display supports left/right power balance then that will be shown too."

I have a basic Polar CS100 system on a couple of bikes with cadence and speed sensors (and HR strap). The only other data I want is power, but does the above mean I would have to get a whole new system, on top of the basic power meter, and how much would this cost? I am not interested in additional sattelite data etc - just power on top of what I have.

Thanks in anticipation of response, but please don't clutter replies by telling me that I should use some other power meter etc etc.

AstraMonti · 24-01-2012 03:13PM

No Polar does not support Ant+. As far as I know, all of Polar's gear uses their own proprietary system.

A Garmin Edge 500 that has Ant+ and supports power display is around the 220euro mark.

Morgan · 24-01-2012 03:13PM

Polar HRMs aren't ANT compatible, so you're out of luck there.

Lumen · 24-01-2012 03:58PM

The arrival of every new power meter has been met with speculation about how this one might be the one that brings the cost down to reasonable levels. It hasn't happened yet.

A used Powertap is likely to remain the "cheap" option for the foreseeable future IMO.

fixie fox · 24-01-2012 04:05PM

AstraMonti wrote: »

No Polar does not support Ant+. As far as I know, all of Polar's gear uses their own proprietary system.

A Garmin Edge 500 that has Ant+ and supports power display is around the 220euro mark.

OOOkk, thanks. Does that [package include HR tranmitter (strap), speed sensor (or is it sattelite), cadence sensor?
In other words, the advantage of the Zone (hopefully) is that you can use it on any bike, but what else will I need for a a couple of bikes on top of the Edge plus power meter.
Thanks again.

fixie fox · 24-01-2012 04:07PM

Lumen wrote: »

The arrival of every new power meter has been met with speculation about how this one might be the one that brings the cost down to reasonable levels. It hasn't happened yet.

A used Powertap is likely to remain the "cheap" option for the foreseeable future IMO.

I hope I'm not being rude but I did say "but please don't clutter replies by telling me that I should use some other power meter etc etc."
I want a system that will work on a number of bikes without changing wheels, cranks, etc etc etc

Lumen · 24-01-2012 04:20PM

fixie fox wrote: »

I want a system that will work on a number of bikes without changing wheels, cranks, etc etc etc

All systems are inconvenient in some particular use case. A hub PM can't be used with a fixed gear or hub gear. A crank PM can't switch between compact and standard chainrings or different bottom brackets. A shoe/pedal system requires that you use the same shoes and pedals on all bikes (inconvenient for usage across road/offroad/track).

fixie fox wrote: »

I hope I'm not being rude but I did say "but please don't clutter replies by telling me that I should use some other power meter etc etc."

I hope I'm not being rude by suggesting that you don't own the thread, you just started it

smacl · 24-01-2012 05:21PM

Lumen wrote: »

A shoe/pedal system requires that you use the same shoes and pedals on all bikes (inconvenient for usage across road/offroad/track).

While I don't know much about the technology, the description suggests everything is in the shoe based on standard cleats. You don't have to change the pedals once they're the same cleat system, and they don't seem to have cracked MTB cleats yet, so off-road is probably a moot point.

Like all pieces of new technology, the lovely shiny gadget that hasn't been released yet always seems technically superior to in-use older devices with their known limitations. That said, it'd be fantastic to see a local firm crack this nut with a cheap effective product that conquers a world market. Best of luck to them!

tunney · 24-01-2012 05:28PM

Hands up who uses speed plays?

Takes long enough to get your pedals *just* right to go changing for hardware that may or may not work.

Fingers crossed for the Vector.

Why would anyone pre-order hardware that has yet to be verified *actually* works?

Give a set to DCRainmaker or one of the heavy hitters from google wattage. Let them test for a month and then we'd get results on accuracy.

mloc123 · 24-01-2012 05:48PM

tunney wrote: »

Why would anyone pre-order hardware that has yet to be verified *actually* works?

Why would anyone pre-order before a RRP or even a launch date has been announced...

AstraMonti · 24-01-2012 06:01PM

It's probably a gauge for interest. Remove the 75% of it and you have the people that will buy it. It gives them a figure to work with.

fixie fox · 24-01-2012 07:27PM

Lumen wrote: »

All systems are inconvenient in some particular use case. A hub PM can't be used with a fixed gear or hub gear. A crank PM can't switch between compact and standard chainrings or different bottom brackets. A shoe/pedal system requires that you use the same shoes and pedals on all bikes (inconvenient for usage across road/offroad/track).

I hope I'm not being rude by suggesting that you don't own the thread, you just started it

No, you're not, but look up at the 'thread degradation' with people offering opinions that weren't asked for - the thread gets 'lost' very quickly. I'm not really complaining - I just appreciate answers to my questions.

morana · 24-01-2012 07:31PM

fixie fox wrote: »

No, you're not, but look up at the 'thread degradation' with people offering opinions that weren't asked for - the thread gets 'lost' very quickly. I'm not really complaining - I just appreciate answers to my questions.

thats the way we like it...we all have opinions and a lot OT....

(PS sorry for the degradation of the thread with this post

)

tawfeeredux · 24-01-2012 08:00PM

fixie fox wrote: »

OOOkk, thanks. Does that [package include HR tranmitter (strap), speed sensor (or is it sattelite), cadence sensor?
In other words, the advantage of the Zone (hopefully) is that you can use it on any bike, but what else will I need for a a couple of bikes on top of the Edge plus power meter.
Thanks again.

The basic Garmin 500 package doesn't include HR strap, speed or cadence sensor. It'll do speed by GPS. You'd have to buy a speed/cadence sensor separately (& one for each bike unless you want to be faffing around with undoing cable ties all the time) if you want these measured from the bike itself. HR strap also separate, but you only need one.

AstraMonti wrote: »

It's probably a gauge for interest. Remove the 75% of it and you have the people that will buy it. It gives them a figure to work with.

193 as of a couple of minutes ago.

fixie fox · 24-01-2012 08:20PM

tawfeeredux wrote: »

The basic Garmin 500 package doesn't include HR strap, speed or cadence sensor. It'll do speed by GPS. You'd have to buy a speed/cadence sensor separately (& one for each bike unless you want to be faffing around with undoing cable ties all the time) if you want these measured from the bike itself. HR strap also separate, but you only need one.

Thanks for that [note, all you degraders, an 'answer', 9 'replies' later :-).
It's more complicated than I thought, but it nearly always is. At least now I know what's fully involved and can work out the extra costs if/when Zone comes out.

billy.fish · 24-01-2012 08:42PM

As ever I'm still interested to see how they are going to get accuracy measures for this system without having to run it through a calibrated dynamometer system. The human body not being great at delivering constant applied force. I'm going to make an assumption of a rig based on a shoe foot interface that has been attached to a cam to make it possible. Calibrating to another power system that is calibrated to another system just adds another level of error into a system that has quite a few technical challenges.

Also interested to see how they are dealing with pulling forces on a cleat that is probably going to be in a different vecor to where it was applied. Also how far they are from Look/Shimano integration. And what sort of motes they are using for acceleration data.

Actually I'd love to see a load of things, but hey, its mk1 tech, so lets see what the early adopters say.

I'll stick with my SRM and Powertaps for now.

Beasty · 24-01-2012 08:59PM

The new Cyclops Joule 1.0 should be available in the next few weeks - it will provide power data via Ant+. It does not have GPS capability (the Joule 2.0 will) so a speed sensor is also needed

Brim Bros Pre-Order for Zone - please explain 'display'

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