"Look"s like it might have been a calibration issue... was fine on a quick test yesterday. So will monitor over the next couple of proper rides.

... lets hope for the best!

Sounds like a nice problem to have... for the rest of us who don't have snazzy new power pedals!

it's a polar product - lower your expectations of accurate readings:-)

Did lower expectations already...
Apart from having to get parallels software and a windows copy to make download possible with my mac :-((


wasnt happy at all with all the delays of Garmin Pedals... but with my old power meter dying on me and my planned (Road Bike) set up (Trek Madone with Compact Rotor Crank and 36/52 Rings) I had to commit to something and they were few alternatives (BB90 does not help!!)

Please keep us posted on how they go. My power tap just died and need to replace it completely and was thinking of either going with a quarq or the Look power pedals. The pedals seem like a very light option and you are then not limited by Wheels chois as in PT or crank choice as with the Quarq.

Which computer are you using? do you know when they will release a compatible watch?

...yeah, they're only limited by pedal choice :-/

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http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

They also restrict you to their proprietary bike computer and protocol. No ANT+, and no possibility to use a Joule or a Garmin bike computer.

And to adding to above restrictions:

The Polar Computer (CS600) can not provide average power readings while you ride (i.e. avg power per lap or per trip)!!!!!!!!!!!
You will need to retrieve this post ride on your pc / training software.

Amongst everything else this might be the major blow to me as the way I train I need/want to see and keep track of my lap/interval power averages while I am doing them!!!

If I had known/realized this before... Guess being a Garmin kid I take common sense for granted - while I shouldn't!!!

Re Pedals: I have been on Shimano all my life and found it no problem to switch over to the Looks.

Ok - So first real world outdoors test done:

Polar Pedals vs SRM

2 * 20min intervals on the exact same lap.
Recalibration between laps.

Lap 1:
Avg Power 283 Watts on Polar / 306 on SRM
Max Power 527 Watts on Polar / 535 Watts on SRM

Lap 2:

Avg Power 287 Watts on Polar / 311 on SRM
Max Power 565 Watts on Polar / 601 on SRM

Re: Max Power: With 1sec rec rates this might be of limited value...

So far:

I like the consistency but not so much the deltas between SRM and Look...

Thanks posting your results:

I am facing decision time now about which PM to buy now that my PT has died. Look Polar seem to have done how do you feel if you had to choose between a A Quarq/SRM and Look power pedals ?
in all cases even with the pedals I will ned a new crankset anyway as my current ZED1 cranks will not accept the pedals.

If you can afford it get the SRM!

I went out for a 4:30 ride on Saturday and the Polar/Look pedals gave me an average of 148 Watts versus 187 watts on my SRM.
Honestly this is a Joke!!
The SRM is about right for what I did.
But a device that is off by 10% on one day (first test) and 35% another day (yesterday) is USELESS to me.

I will pick it up with the Polar/Look service center when I get the time - problem is they have no clue since they have not seen one themselves and the online help center refers you to their manuals... well thanks for that!!!

Anyway, having owned and power tab sl+ which had 2 total failures (the second one I refused to have fixed for 400USD!) and an SRM that has been flawless for 3 years my preferences are clear... although the price indeed is questionable. On the other hand If you look at the second hand market for SRM (almost non existent) it seems that once you own one your are not keen on letting it go...

Cheers and be safe on the Roads!

Hello-

Having been using the Polar Pedals for more than a month now, I can say they are pretty accurate - but the trick is first getting the setup install done correctly. Which, can be the most difficult thing of the whole setup.

On your setup, do you have the little inside spindle notches point exactly forward? In other words, if the crank arm is up (at the 12 o-clock position), this little notch should be exactly level (i.e. at the 3PM position if viewed from inside the frame). I can't seem to find a good picture of it at the moment with it mounted (all dark and grainy like a Paris Hilton video), but, here's what the notch looks like:

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My tiny little slice of the internets: dcrainmaker.com

Hi - yes it is (unfortunately).
If that was the problem it would be great - but sees to be somewhere else..

:-(

And on initial calibration - are you doing it with anything clipped in, or just sitting there perfectly still?

(Sorry if asking simple questions)

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My tiny little slice of the internets: dcrainmaker.com

 
Hi dcrainmaker, where is the transmitter pointing on the right pedal / crank on you kit.
When my "pedal mark" is at 3pm the transmitter points backwards when the crank is in the 12o clock position - however as per instructions it should point forwards???

rechecked everything and indeed installation was correct and calibration was correct (was not even on the bike) - so my set is definitely not working properly..

When was the last time you statically calibrated the SRM?

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http://bikeblather.blogspot.com/

You know, first time that thing hits a curb or one of many other things I think that there will be tears shed. I was never a fan of Ergomo, not a fanboy of many of the other systems out there - however, this one has got to be the one with the most achillies heels out there. And, we all know why it is not ANT+ compatible....cause every time you went past the gym every damn treadmill would display your wattage!

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

SRM was calibrated in Germany last year and I use it when I am on the turbo and the variances are not to bad amongst these two. (tacx bushido)

And you will have to take my word for it... I am not doing a 148 Watts average on a 4:30hr bike ride!!

;-)

This would be a deal breaker for me.

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

I don't believe the Quarq system will work with Look's Zed 1 crank/bottom bracket. Check with your LBS.

You have them backwards.

Here's the quick and easy trick to remembering: When you use the ziptie, it should wrap around the full crank - not just a funky bit in the front. In the way you have it, you can see the zip-tie hole wouldn't give you much traction/grip. Wheras when you see below, it's rather secure:

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My tiny little slice of the internets: dcrainmaker.com

Interesting that it's even possible to install them backwards. Jeff Jones was getting oddball readings until he realized they weren't properly installed -- and the only way he knew was because he was checking them against another power meter.

Nice catch, DCR!!

ST to the rescue...again.

-Robert

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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank