Power Meters / Powermeters (SRM, Powertap, Quarq, Ergomo, Vector, Stages, power2max, P2M, 4iii, InPower, Cinch)

My Vectors have been fine, albeit with low mileage. I've used them most on hire bikes (which is what I bought them for), one thing to note is that often the flight/journey rinses the battery, so take some CR2032's with you or risk having no meter for the first ride.

Powertap SL+ hub does't seem to zero/calibrate correctly, leading to it overreading or underreading.

I'm going to guess the generic Paligap response is, new torque tube needed, with a fat bill?

I'm thinking of getting a Stages left crank, ideally 6800 G2. Is the G1 worth looking at at all? Is a stages worth looking at at all? Anyone got a Stages on a 175mm HT2 crank for sale?

My Stages, Gen2 GXP, is pissing me right off, the range is awful and drops out quite a bit, can't use it on an out front mount (and it's crap on the stem too). Gonna try and get a replacement unit soon.

If you don't need to move between bikes, p2m or Quarq Dzero would be my choice right now. If you must go crank arm I'm yet to hear anyone ever say anything bad about Pioneer.

Dura Ace cranks are shipping in "6-8 weeks", FDJ have the final prototypes for TDF

Hmm, that doesn't sound too promising. The best deal I can find for the 6800 stages PM looks to be £444 from Merlin (with their 10% off offer until midnight).

I think I read that Pioneer has to be zeroed before every ride, but can't remember reading any other downsides to them. I also don't remember reading anything like your issue in any reviews of stages, but the stages reviews definitely aren't unanimously great.

I think I'd prefer a spider-based PM, but it's hard to justify the extra cost. I don't race (at the mo') and only have the one do-it-all type road bike, so it'd be more just for training/fitness/geeky stats.

I've got a Pioneer (double sided mind) it's been absolutely perfect in terms of function, very much in the "just works" bucket.

I suspect it is just my unit having a range issue but you do often hear people say 'my Stages did x but the customer service is great' which about sums up the product. You should zero all power meters before each ride, AFAIK.

If you want to keep cost down, have a look at the 4iiii and stick a 105 arm on (if your OCD can cope). It seems that Pioneers are hard to find in stock right now. There is a Dura Ace arm on CRC which would be about £460 with BC discount.
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/pioneer-single-leg-power-meter-dura-ace-9000/rp-prod150301

Depending what bike you have; BB and chainrings, you can get a Quarq Dzero for not 'much' more.

Yeah, looks like I could get a 105 stages arm for £363 as well, but that DA arm looks like a good option, especially with the BC discount (there'd definitely be the niggling thought of upgrading the other side of the crankset in future. Do they well the right hand crank with the Pioneer unit by itself?

I think I'm gonna have to do more research before buying anything... Too many options...

I've been out injured with one thing or another for about a year - and starting to get back into structured training (no coach for now). I've currently got a monthly Training Peaks sub, which was useful when I had a coach to share power files with - but $19.99 seems like a lot for something that I can't see much value in now (doesn't allow you to really do much digging into data).

Anyone got any experience using Strava Premium for looking at power data? What are the relative advantages/disadvantages? Are there other alternatives?

Strava premium isn't great for digging or dealing with historical changes. I'm pretty sure there are some decent BC discount codes about for Training peaks.

Also, you can get most of the premium Strava features for free with the StravastiX Chrome add on.

If you are willing to invest a little time/watch some youtube tutorials, try Golden Cheetah.

TABR

You know it's a long race if a brand new set of batteries doesn't last the whole event...

Golden Cheetah has a tonne of functionality that will probably give you what you need. Open source too.

Not according to @Velocio

Is £380 a good price for a Pioneer power meter, 6800 left crank only, new?

Edit: and how many different types/versions have there been of the Pioneer PM?

So I ended up buying the Pioneer left Ultegra crank only. Just been reading up on it a bit more and my only concern (so far) is that the only way to update the firmware on the PM is via the Pioneer computer. WTF?

@dammit, have you got the head unit or have you discovered another way to do it?

I forget how long they last, I think like 200h ish.

I've got notes about when I changed them so I could probably work out average mileage but I've got better things to do, like this fucking TCR route. RWGPS throwing errors for me so I've had to submit a support ticket. Ball Locks to routing...

What errors?
Try changing map base if you get routing issues. Go to OSM.

So, answering my own question regarding Pioneer firmware updates, there's apparently an application that Pioneer support will send you if you ask them, allowing you to do the update via a Windows laptop and an ANT+ dongle. The only support email address I can find is their US one.

Their support replied until I confirmed I'd purchased it in the UK but then went radio silent (at 2pm their time) so I don't know if they'll provide the app.

Haven't ridden the bike with the PM attached yet, but have already had to remove my bottle cage bolt-mounted pump to ensure it doesn't foul the PM on the inside of the left crank. Bit annoying, but not the end of the world.

had to remove my bottle cage bolt-mounted pump

Power Meters are all about suffering - get used to it.

So, answering my own question regarding Pioneer firmware updates, there's apparently an application that Pioneer support will send you if you ask them, allowing you to do the update via a Windows laptop and an ANT+ dongle. The only support email address I can find is their US one.

Their support replied until I confirmed I'd purchased it in the UK but then went radio silent (at 2pm their time) so I don't know if they'll provide the app.

Haven't ridden the bike with the PM attached yet, but have already had to remove my bottle cage bolt-mounted pump to ensure it doesn't foul the PM on the inside of the left crank. Bit annoying, but not the end of the world.

I bought mine in the US, had a convo with (a surprisingly rude) support person in the US.

Repped

Haha. I was deep in the pain cave whilst removing it :'(

Yeah, the initial response from them was something along the lines of "tell us your serial number, but as we haven't updated the firmware since December 2016 it'll likely be on the new one".

I gave them the serial and said mfd date on the warranty was July 2015 and their response was 'where did you buy it'. Told them I got it in the UK but there's no european/UK support email address (or even section) on their site and haven't heard a peep since.