gschreckchat@comcast.net
I had a lot of trouble with wired Power Taps, but I have found the wireless version to be fine. I have two and used them all winter, even in the rain and some snow and ice, and they was fine. My wired versions used to fail permanently when the pickup got wet.
As for SRM's, I bought the amateur version and it was not very accurate. If you are going to get one get the professional.
As for a comparison, the SRM allows you to use any wheel which is nice. On the other hand, you can buy more than one PT wheelset for the price of an SRM, like one for racing an one for training. Also, with the SRM, is is hard to switch between bikes if you get the wired version, but there is a new wireless version which should be easy to switch between bikes by moving the cranks, assuming you have the same crank system on your bikes. Still, very expensive.
There is the Ergomo system that is a bottom bracket that measures wattage. It is less expensive than the SRM, but I have not heard good reports about it. I would avoid it.
As for the Qwark, it sounds interesting, but like many new products, I owuld wait until the first iteration is out for a while. New products tend to have their problems. In fact, Qwark itself says pelase be patient as they expect there will be some problems. No point in bieng a test subject if you have to pay for the privilege.
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George Schreck
gschreckchat@comcast.net
(503) 502-0425
-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Russell @ Upper Echelon Fitness"
Melissa -
It's an endless discussion on which is better, or best for each person. I've used SRM and Powertap extensively for many years, and they both work well. From a reliability standpoint, the SRM is going to hold up better. Powertaps have gotten a lot better, though. For most people I work with, a Powertap is their choice. Why? $1500 Vs $4,000 is a big difference. SRM is out of reach for most. They both work fine, though. If you can build a wheel you can both race and train on, then Powertap is a good choice. The wireless is the absolute way to go. one of the most common failures in the system was the wiring harness, and this allows you to swap from bike to bike very easily. In the NW, being able to switch the wheels from race bike to rain bike is important. Because power data is good for objective feedback during your training and communicating this with your coach, if you have one. But data from every ride needs to be recorded if you are going to get everything out of it and inc
orpora
te the performance management applications. So, no right answer for everyone. I think it's best to have an SRM on every one of your bikes.... but that's not going to happen. So get a Powertap you can both train and race on, and go with it. That works for most. The Quark seems to be working alright for folks too, but I'm giving that some more time before I make any conclusions. The wattage forum is a great place to get questions answered since every questions. No doubt, if you are looking for clear, objective training data, power is the essential. And if you are communicating your data with someone else, then that's an even great reason to use wattage.
RC
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Russell Cree, DPT, CSCS
Upper Echelon Fitness
CONNECT Bike Fitting
Portland, OR
503-501-8121
On Tue, Aug 19, 2008 at 12:48 PM, Melissa Sanborn wrote:
I've been using a PowerTap on and off for about 6 years. First it was the standard model, then the Pro, and now the 2.4 wired carbon SL model. Power is a GREAT training tool when the tool works! Several riders/clients I know use both the PowerTap and the SRM with some mixed feelings. I'm thinking about the cost of these things and upgrading my wired model to a wireless model. However, I'm a little hesitant due to their reliability but I'm also not convinced an SRM is the answer either and an even greater expense than a PT. I am wondering what others have experienced and what their preference is for training and racing with power. Of course, training with power is only great if you can race with it, too... which is another problem in itself. What wheel to lace the PT to or what bike to install the SRM on? Is it easy to swap an SRM from the winter bike to the race bike? The wattage forum might be a helpful place to start as well and I think others on this list may be asking the
mselves the same questions.
Thanks,
Melissa Sanborn
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Russell Cree, DPT, CSCS
Upper Echelon Fitness
CONNECT Bike Fitting