Review: PowerTap P1 Pedals

[Iwan Kemp]

at what sample rate is that battery life claimed?

 

Yes, we can get very technical about this only to realize that no two batteries are the same and that different brands and different models yield varying results. OR the user can ride and gauge it himself and work from there. Again, to carry a spare AAA battery or two with you towards the end of the current one's life will not do any harm. 

[travisza]

Firstly Left and right measurement is not a necessity.

Secondly all the pedal based systems seem to have big  compromises. Look and Garmin have the ugly potentially vulnerable pods and PT has the bulky look and high stack height.

 

Crank base systems look cleaner, offer excellent accuracy , consistency, repeatability and reproducability at a lower cost.

These systems are also quite a bit lighter and far less vulnerable.

Agree with what you've written and while the size of the pedal isnt my favourite (just from a looks point of view, I can't see too much issue with vulnerability)  its the ease with which you can swap between bikes which is making me consider these (as soon as I manage to save the cash)

[travisza]

Yes, we can get very technical about this only to realize that no two batteries are the same and that different brands and different models yield varying results. OR the user can ride and gauge it himself and work from there. Again, to carry a spare AAA battery or two with you towards the end of the current one's life will not do any harm. 

We're looking at power metres....suggests that by our very nature we are concerned with the technical bits 

 

Reason I asked is that I found a number of complaints online regarding the battery life. Yes they could be using poor quality batteries but you wouldnt be stoked to spend R18k on a power metre and then find that based on your experience you need to replace batteries every month. Im not going to spend a large amount of money without doing full research,

[Iwan Kemp]

We're looking at power metres....suggests that by our very nature we are concerned with the technical bits 

 

Reason I asked is that I found a number of complaints online regarding the battery life. Yes they could be using poor quality batteries but you wouldnt be stoked to spend R18k on a power metre and then find that based on your experience you need to replace batteries every month. Im not going to spend a large amount of money without doing full research,

I get that. Using 4 rechargeables will be easy enough. 

 

Agree with what you've written and while the size of the pedal isnt my favourite (just from a looks point of view, I can't see too much issue with vulnerability)  its the ease with which you can swap between bikes which is making me consider these (as soon as I manage to save the cash)

 

The size of the pedal is a non-issue to me. Unless you are worried about the extra rotational weight. Once clipped in there is no way of knowing or feeling the extra bulk. The extra height can be accounted for easily enough.

 

But for the money it is worth looking at all available options and weigh up the pros and cons of each.

[BicyclePower]

at what sample rate is that battery life claimed?

every 1 sec.

[raptor-22]

@travisza: Yes swopping pedals between bikes is much easier but depending on the crank you use these is pretty simple as well.

 

@Iwan,

Sure we can technical and carrying spare AAA's is an option but I don't understand why you don't want to entertain discussion. Its like you lay down the law in a review and only praise and adulation is acceptable? 

Discussion is not a reflection on your review but a desire to understand the product in more detail. Many electronics goods company's list the best achievable battery life. Some provide battery life based on only a specific set of data that is being measured at a low sample rate and others provide battery life based on the amount of data sampled per second. its like mobile phones, with all the useful apps running you only get half the advertised battery life.

 

When one is considering dropping R20k on a power meter regret decisions is not an option. For me these are a nice option but they're not significantly cheaper than the LOOK system, but that system has pretty good battery life. Personally I don't like AAA's due to their lack of capacity and as you mentioned variability in that capacity hen new. CR2032's are pretty consistent and have good capacity and therefore life.

 

Yes there's lots of choice out there but hence the point of discussion......to choose.

[raptor-22]

every 1 sec.

 

 

 

Thanks, thats pretty decent.

And this will be for the full suite of measuring points available for display i.e. none turned off?

[BicyclePower]

every 1 sec.

So ALL powertap product will send data to head unit every 1sec however the smoothing fact you put on your head unit will not effect the battery life of the power meter. the new 5GHz caps that PowerTap is working on will mean that even more data is send in shorter durations of times however for the vast majority of users (99.9%) a 1sec transfer rate is good enough.

[BicyclePower]

Thanks, thats pretty decent.

And this will be for the full suite of measuring points available for display i.e. none turned off?

This is where the 5GHz transfer rate come in, i believe the P1's and C1's already have this built it, it just need to be turned on and this will happen in the coming updates. this is also where the active spin scan will be available. so the hardware is already built in its just a case of turning it on. 

Edited October 14, 2015 by BicyclePower

[Iwan Kemp]

@Iwan,

Sure we can technical and carrying spare AAA's is an option but I don't understand why you don't want to entertain discussion. Its like you lay down the law in a review and only praise and adulation is acceptable? 

 

I'm okay with discussion - hence my reply and hearing you guys out. And I quote

 

"But for the money it is worth looking at all available options and weigh up the pros and cons of each."

 

and

 

"I get that."

 

If someone doesn't like it or choose something else for whatever reason that is okay too. If someone disagrees with me 100%, that too will be okay. No need to get hung up. I take it when someone posts a comment in reply to me it is okay to reply with my opinion. That's all it is.

[Iwan Kemp]

When one is considering dropping R20k on a power meter regret decisions is not an option. For me these are a nice option but they're not significantly cheaper than the LOOK system, but that system has pretty good battery life. Personally I don't like AAA's due to their lack of capacity and as you mentioned variability in that capacity hen new. CR2032's are pretty consistent and have good capacity and therefore life.

 

From my side I will choose AAA's over

 

1. the risk of damaging the Look or Garmins 

2. Hassle of fitting the others

3. Ease of transfer between bikes

 

I'd rather replace batteries than have to spend more money to sort a busted pedal or pod. 

[Furbz]

Seriously loving my set of these!

I can recommend them to anyone.

Really a top quality product, and ease of use is tops!

 

Can't say the same for the joule head unit, to many software bugs. It just doesn't work with Mac.

[Iwan Kemp]

Seriously loving my set of these!

I can recommend them to anyone.

Really a top quality product, and ease of use is tops!

 

Can't say the same for the joule head unit, to many software bugs. It just doesn't work with Mac.

 

i have had these since they launched, used between 2 road bikes, no power variances , no issues. loving them.

 

Can you guys help with a report back on real life, long-term battery life?

[travisza]

Seriously loving my set of these!

I can recommend them to anyone.

Really a top quality product, and ease of use is tops!

 

Can't say the same for the joule head unit, to many software bugs. It just doesn't work with Mac.

Thanks for the "review".

 

How long have you had them? Did you have another PM before these?

 

Regarding the Joule, I'd be using my Edge 500 rather anyway so not an issue for me

[travisza]

@travisza: Yes swopping pedals between bikes is much easier but depending on the crank you use these is pretty simple as well.

 

@Iwan,

Sure we can technical and carrying spare AAA's is an option but I don't understand why you don't want to entertain discussion. Its like you lay down the law in a review and only praise and adulation is acceptable? 

Discussion is not a reflection on your review but a desire to understand the product in more detail. Many electronics goods company's list the best achievable battery life. Some provide battery life based on only a specific set of data that is being measured at a low sample rate and others provide battery life based on the amount of data sampled per second. its like mobile phones, with all the useful apps running you only get half the advertised battery life.

 

When one is considering dropping R20k on a power meter regret decisions is not an option. For me these are a nice option but they're not significantly cheaper than the LOOK system, but that system has pretty good battery life. Personally I don't like AAA's due to their lack of capacity and as you mentioned variability in that capacity hen new. CR2032's are pretty consistent and have good capacity and therefore life.

 

Yes there's lots of choice out there but hence the point of discussion......to choose.

Absolutely, but unfortunately for me I have an Italian BB on one bike and a BB30 on another so crank based isnt an option for me

[Furbz]

Thanks for the "review".

 

How long have you had them? Did you have another PM before these?

 

Regarding the Joule, I'd be using my Edge 500 rather anyway so not an issue for me

 

@travisza,

 

i've used SRM V5 and V6 in the past.

have a SRM V6 on my MTB.

i have also used the LOOK power pedals for a month or two.

 

all great powermeters, once you have the LOOK pedals setup they are great! not as easy to use as the P1's though.

and batteries for the LOOK pedals and not as simple to change or find.

 

So far i have done around 40 hours on my P1 pedals.

i must say swapping from the ultegra pedals to these was a little different.

1. the stack height of the P1's is higher so my saddle had to go up a few mm.

2. at first you definitely do notice that the pedals weigh more that what you are used to. but after some riding this feeling disappears. i do not think the extra weight of the pedals impacts energy expended - however logically the extra weight on your foot requires more energy to turn?

 

as for numbers, they reflect accurately. i didn't see any noticeable difference in swapping over from my SRM V5.

 

i bought these knowing that i can easily swap them from bike to bike never having to worry if they will be compatible.

also because they are so easy to live with. a AAA bat is a win!