As a coach I have had one rider send their single side back and got a Favero Assioma. Another brought dual side Vector 3s. Whole slew of issues with frequent spikes, drop outs and rides where power reads high. I have his pedals on my Garmin Connect so frequently check firmware updated and that a zero offset has been performed.

I don't recommend them.

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Hamish Ferguson: Cycling Coach

I mentioned it somewhere else - I want to hate the pedals very much but they have not given me a single issue since all the fixes.

I would recommend them yes - I like using/watching all the metrics when on the trainer

I'm on month 11 of trouble shooting mine (been exchanged multiple times). I would not recommend them. If you do decide to buy them, make sure you do so from somewhere with a good return policy.

I am taking mine back in again tomorrow (third time in 12 months). Right pedal drop outs this time. Driving me nuts - wish I had not purchased them.

Teddygram, thoughts on using 1 Duracell 1/3n battery instead of 2?

I switched to the 1 battery vs 2 and I would recommend for sure.

I bought them then saw somewhere that garmin wouldn’t “recommend” using them? Not sure if the warranty would be voided? Not sure how they could tell anyway.

When I was having problems Garmin support suggested I try the 1 battery. (They sent new doors too.) The guy said many others had good results and suggested I try them. So I did and have not gone back to the double battery.

Good to know, thanks for the reply. I assume you followed they’d instructions and put oil st each end?

Well I did once....but was having slight issues after the next battery change so yes, I am now!
They also have New New doors and inside part replacement, not sure if anyone mentioned that above.

I have yet to try the 1/3n battery’s but I have heard a lot of success stories with it. I ran it by the Garmin techs and they said they also have had success and in some cases recommended it.

With that being said the 1/3n IMO are fairly expensive when comparing it to a L44. I have a pretty big stock pile of L44 and they are cheap and last a long time. I have not had a single issue using the 4 battery’s on any of my V3 systems since the door change and software updates.

I also quit greasing and oiling the batteries some time ago and didn’t see any ill affect from it.

Yup. Got that taken care of. Thanks again.

I agree, but i have a hard time finding “legitimate” LR44’s. Great deals, but many are the knockoffs. Where do you buy yours?

I bought the vector 3 1 sided over the winter just as they were trying to fix the battery door issue. So I rode indoors with them for about a month before Garmin sent me the replacement door. Since then...I've kept up to date on firmware, replace the batteries regularly (2 batteries) and things were going pretty well in that i wasn't seeing any drop outs. Then, about a month ago it started. No rhyme or reason, I'd just be riding along and I'd lose connectivity...then it'd come back...then out and back. Talk about frustrating. I then went online to see if anyone had any hacks as I figured Garmin sure didn't know what they were doing or the Vector 3 battery housing is a worse design then they even imagined. I found a hack where the guy put a super small piece of cork behind the metal "prongs" inside of the housing to push them out towards the battery. Now the batteries sit more snug and are in constant contact and I haven't had a drop out since! I'm going to try the 1/3n battery as I'm not a fan of having to hack the housing just to make the power meter connect, but for now...that's as cheap a fix I've found and I think demonstrates just where the problem lies.

I've been using a bit of folded aluminum foil between the back side of the battery holder (which moves the current from battery to pedal) and the inside of the battery compartment door. This has worked w/o issue, so far.

I figured I could most easily acheive the optimal spacing for this shim using layers of folded foil.
Do any EE's here think using foil is better/worse than using a non-conductive shim hack, like cork?

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no sponsors | no races | nothing to see here

Zero issues on my duals after a) upgrading to the new battery cover (Garmin sent free), and b) using the single cell batteries. Experienced most of what is mentioned here before these changes.

That’s an easy one!

I just buy a couple sets of these;

Energizer LR44 1.5V Button Cell Battery 20 Pack https://www.amazon.com/..._api_i_eCRaDb5BYB6YX

This is the same location/brand style that I have bought from the beginning. I have not had a single issue of dropouts myself. I’d be curious if these measure slightly thicker than the OEM battery’s or not.

I have not captured any data on how they last but I imagine it is upwards of 70hrs and if I’m ever in doubt of the remaining battery life I just pop some new ones in the pedals (like I said very inexpensive)

That’s a great deal!

I have had success with them so far - I am not sure if they are counterfeit or not but as said I have had success with them and at the cost if one is DOA I can just pop another one into my pedal (I have not had to do that yet though).