Powertap - questions

GettingFaster said:

OK so I had a bit of cash budgeted to buy myself a disc wheel for next season. I've been giving some thought to shelving the disc and buying a powertap instead. It seems that the consensus would be that I can take more time of my TTs next year through training with power over the winter than I can through adding a disc. Also I reckon I can recoup some of the cost by selling a) my imagic turbo (replace it with something cheaper as I won't need anything that can measure power any more) and b) my beloved Ksyrium SSC SL wheels, which this year I trained on all summer, but presumably I wouldn't want to bother with if I had a PT built into another wheel.

I have a couple of questions though:

1) what's the difference between the different models? It seems that there's the PT, the PT Pro, then PT Pro SL, and then a wireless model. The superlight looks out of my price range so forget that. What's the difference between the most basic (cheapest) and the Pro? It says on the cycleops website that the basic model uses virtual cadence rather than real cadence - what does that mean?? Are there any differences in reliability/accuracy between any of the options?

2) how bad is the PT in the rain? - I've heard they don't cope well in the wet. Is it a case of it just doesn't work while it's wet (which I can live with) or once it's got soaked is it jiggered (which would be more serious)?

3) what's the cheapest I can get it?!🙂 It seems to retail for $700/$900 (standard/Pro) in the US but considerably more expensive over here in the UK. As I'm heading over to the US soon anyway I could always buy it there - would have to pay import tax/VAT but it might still work out cheaper unless I'm missing somewhere cheap over here?!!

Cheers.

The PT Standard is no longer available in the UK, and the Pro is much better the hub is the same, but the computer has a bigger memory and is much faster for downloading.

Once you added on import duty and VAT it works out at virtually the same price as well sell it (give or take about £10).

ric

GettingFaster said:

1) what's the difference between the different models? It seems that there's the PT, the PT Pro, then PT Pro SL, and then a wireless model.

Go here:
trainwithpower.nettrainwithpower.netOpen ↗
Select Resources page and click link to FAQ for power based training.
In there is a table with all the descriptions on differences between the various models.

If you are likely to be riding in the rain, while some have managed to get their PT Pro to operate OK - I'd consider looking for some way to scrape up enough dosh to get a new SL. It will handle the wet much better. Also, the Pro and SL models have a much better CPU than the standard, more useable, more memory and better functions like intervals.

Of course Saris have descriptions on their web site. Don't think wireless SL is available just yet.

my suggestion is get the pro and keep the sl's for rainy days and racing. I am sure you could sacrifice a few days of info if your keeping your hub dry. Just train off speed and hrm in the wet.

you will only need the wireless or sl if you are racing on the hub and training in the wet which is a waste of time IMO...in races not many ppl worry about HR or speed or power its just FLAT OUT or your dropped.

dm69 said:

my suggestion is get the pro and keep the sl's for rainy days and racing. I am sure you could sacrifice a few days of info if your keeping your hub dry. Just train off speed and hrm in the wet.

you will only need the wireless or sl if you are racing on the hub and training in the wet which is a waste of time IMO...in races not many ppl worry about HR or speed or power its just FLAT OUT or your dropped.

potentially, race data is the most important data. not to use it for pacing or anything, but for post race analysis to ascertain what really happened in the race

ric

ric_stern/RST said:

potentially, race data is the most important data. not to use it for pacing or anything, but for post race analysis to ascertain what really happened in the race

ric

Only had my PT for 3 months, but the race data is by FAR the most interesting data!

GettingFaster said:

Also I reckon I can recoup some of the cost by selling a) my imagic turbo (replace it with something cheaper as I won't need anything that can measure power any more)
Cheers.

Yikes!! :eek:

I couldn't live without my I-magic.

The real life videos are the only thing keeping me on the bike during the winter...

tacx-video.comtacx-video.comOpen ↗

This will be the 3rd winter that I have had the unit and I couldn't begin to think about getting rid of it...

Jim

I have only a PT Pro and never have problems in the rain. The one time I did, the source was the harness. Plastic wrap over the harness/cpu is my low-tech solution.

ric_stern/RST said:

The PT Standard is no longer available in the UK, and the Pro is much better the hub is the same, but the computer has a bigger memory and is much faster for downloading.

Once you added on import duty and VAT it works out at virtually the same price as well sell it (give or take about £10).

ric

I have just managed to get a PT standard in the UK, last one i heard... but it worked out about £3 more expensive than importing from the US, It works out about £360 if you buy it in the US than usually VAT on top.

I think the rain worries for the Pro are overblown. I've had mine out when I was so wet that if I'd jumped into a swimming pool I would have been drier. The Pro worked just fine. One time water got under the little slide contacts on the computer head up on the handlebars and it went intermittent. I sprayed some cleaner in there and it worked great.