Garmin Power Meters: They're Coming

[Indurain]

Some good news re: the power meters. Looks like they could be here soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Garmin team are using them during the Tour de France. The usual place to advertise their new products prior to releasing it to the general public.

Garmin power meters: They’re coming…
• By Ben Delaney
• Published Jun 14th 2011 1:33 PM UTC — Updated Jun 14th 2011 2:25 PM UTC

Garmin’s pedal-based power meter will be out this fall, Garmin told VeloNews.
BOULDER, Colo. (VN) — Last year Garmin bought MetriGear, a small company that had been developing a pedal spindle-based power meter. Garmin has rechristened the product Vector, which works wirelessly with an ANT+ signal.
Garmin spokesman Justin McCarthy said the Vector is able to generate new types of power feedback, such as left/right differential from each pedal, out-of-the-saddle versus in-the-saddle power and more.
As to what brand of pedal Vector would be available on, McCarthy and Garmin were mum. Garmin-Cervélo pro riders were spotted riding Exustar pedals earlier this year, but McCarthy declined to comment on whether Exustar and Vector are related.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/06/bikes-and-tech/garmin-power-meters-they’re-coming…_178477

 

[ambrose]

this is exciting news. have been waiting for this to come out so i will finally have a power metre that i can transfer between bikes hassle free and without restricting my wheel choices. just hope that it isn't too overpriced.... (under a grand would be nice, but i think that is wishful thinking)

 

[Marva32]

I'm just guessing, but it would seem that they would be less expensive as pedals are generally less expensive than either rear hubs or cranksets.

 

[Race Radio]

Looking forward to the Garmin pedals, hopefully more then just speedplay

Also SRM has a Campy Record 11 crank coming next month

 

[Bala Verde]

Found THIS on slowtwitch:

I talked with someone yesterday who gave me a bit of inside scoop on what the latest is with the Garmin(Metrigear) Vector Pedal.

The pedal is going to be released at Interbike with immediate availability.

The pedal I think is going to be called The Garmin Vector Pedal.

The Price point on it will be around $1,500

From what I understand it will still only be available in a speedplay pedal, in fact it might not even be an actual speedplay pedal, but speedplay clips will work with these pedals ( for what that's worth).

We could start to see some information or hints about the product during the Tour de France.

Also each spindal in the pedal I believe will have 36 strain gauges, something like 9x's the number of strain gauges PowerTap & SRM use (Don't hold me feet to the fire on what Powertap & SRM have, I don't know for sure, this is just what I was told).

These pedals have been tested for the last year and are supposed to be very accurate at producing the same data over and over.

There will be some kind of a battery pack on the crank arms that is supposed to be very slick/slim. From what I hear the battery will be lithium Ion and the weight for these is supposed to be around 30 grams.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

So, $1500 for pedals. Hardly pushing the boundaries of power meter pricing.

I wonder how one checks their calibration?

 

[Indurain]

The news keeps getting more exciting with time. But I hope they don't use speedplay pedals as I use wedges under my cleats. Bit harder to do with Speedplay. The Exustars looked alright. Are basically a Look clone pedal.

 

[STODRR]

$1500 dollars? That is twice the price they originally said was their price point. I wonder if that is accurate

 

[egtalbot]

they do sound intriguing, though for $1500, I'll certainly pass initially. I think they'll limit themselves pretty heavily with having only Speedplay, though. The good news is that Garmin is not some startup and they can afford to sell poorly while they work the price point down and expand to more pedal options over time.

 

[Indurain]

With the US dollar the way it is at the moment, I think $1500 is quite reasonable, when you compare it with the price of other power meters. Especially if it does have more strain gauges than the others.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

With the US dollar the way it is at the moment, I think $1500 is quite reasonable, when you compare it with the price of other power meters. Especially if it does have more strain gauges than the others.

It most likely needs more strain gauges to overcome other limitations in order to attain data with similar level of accuracy as existing meters.

 

[ambrose]

i doubt that the number of strain gauges would have changed the price... they are generally dirt cheap. More likely due to difficulties to fiitting everything into a pedal. Otherwise it's more of a what they reckon they can get for them

 

[M Sport]

they do sound intriguing, though for $1500, I'll certainly pass initially. I think they'll limit themselves pretty heavily with having only Speedplay, though. The good news is that Garmin is not some startup and they can afford to sell poorly while they work the price point down and expand to more pedal options over time.

They ditched Speedplay long ago, that slowtwitch link or source is wrong. I hear it's either Shimano or Exustar.

 

[rgmerk]

They ditched Speedplay long ago, that slowtwitch link or source is wrong. I hear it's either Shimano or Exustar.

I've also heard it's Shimano.

 

[Houdini]

I love my speedplays. That said - I would never buy a $1500 speedplay pedal. Once the bearing surface on the spindle under the needle bearing is worn, you've got to chuck the spindles - I wouldn't want that to be a 1500 part.

 

[Martin318is]

I've also heard it's Shimano.

say its not so! Surely they have to be Look!

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

say its not so! Surely they have to be Look!

Look teamed up with Polar to make their own power solution, so it is pretty much a given that it will not be Look.

 

[veganrob]

Look teamed up with Polar to make their own power solution, so it is pretty much a given that it will not be Look.

Right you are. My rep tells me they are in use now and we may see them in fall. Wouldn't hold my breath though. MSRP $2000

 

[euanli]

They don't need to team up with a specific manufacturer. Just make the spindles.

 

[Bala Verde]

I found this piece of information (dated Feb 2011) on "cyclingtipsblog.com" which links (underlined) to various other sites with more information on the pedal-power device.

I’m very keen to try out this new pedal axel based powermeters from Metrigear called “Vector”. From what I understand there will be a Speedplay version of this pedal which is ANT+ compatible, and LOOK will be making a pedal compatible with Polar’s head unit. Garmin has recently acquired them and I think we’ll see some great things to come if the $1000 USD pricepoint is achieved.

 

[Indurain]

What concerns me is that I didn't see any of the Garmin team riding them at the TdF. Not a mention of them. If they are coming out in the next 3mths, wouldn't Garmin have had them ready for the Tour? I'm worried now. Waiting another year.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

What concerns me is that I didn't see any of the Garmin team riding them at the TdF. Not a mention of them. If they are coming out in the next 3mths, wouldn't Garmin have had them ready for the Tour? I'm worried now. Waiting another year.

Waiting might be a good idea anyway just to give enough time for any problems to be worked out.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

What concerns me is that I didn't see any of the Garmin team riding them at the TdF. Not a mention of them. If they are coming out in the next 3mths, wouldn't Garmin have had them ready for the Tour? I'm worried now. Waiting another year.

Why are you concerned?

 

[Martin318is]

Why are you concerned?

Pretty self explanatory - if a Garmin product is coming out, wouldn't you expect the Garmin pro team to be the ones to be live testing the prototypes? For example, the first time anyone saw the Felt AR frame it was under Garmin riders in races. Likewise Campag 11spd, Shimano Di2, etc.

Either it has only been used by the team in training, or it just simply isn't close to ready yet. There is VERY little on the company website. THe only good news is that they are evidently going to make versions compatible with any pedal type.

 

[ElChingon]

Well word from some of those close to the project, don't hold your breath.

The whole stress/strain gauge component is still not there, no word when either.