Help -- head unit confusion

Triathlon Forum
1

I had a powertap that served me well from 2002 to 2007. Now it’s gone and I need a new setup. I’m getting a wheel with the G3 ANT+ hub. In the old days, the PT came with a head unit. Nowadays, head units are a separate thing and one must choose. Garmin, Joule, etc…

How do I choose?

I don’t need GPS. Can’t figure why I’d want it. But…one online seller is offering a free Garmin 500 with a PT wheelset. I have read what I can, but I can’t find a clear answer about the feature set of this unit. I assume it will display power, avg. power, time, miles, etc. Does it also display cadence (or do I need an extra sensor for it to do that?). If I get that Garmin, I assume I don’t need the Joule…?

I’ve been gone from these technology developments for a few years and now I can’t figure anything out.

Thanks!

2

how can you strava snipe without gps?? :slight_smile:

edge 500 will display cadence data from G3. will have all the avg powers/speed/NP/TSS if you want to see it

3

if you don’t need GPS, the $99 joule is a great head unit, and you can be sure there will never be un-addressed firmware issues with how it operates with your powertap, since it is the same company.

a garmin would be more configurable though, as to what and how is displayed on the screen.

4

The Garmin 500/Powertap combo will do cadence without an extra sensor. I’m guessing the Joule will too, as the data comes from the Powertap.

You can customize the fields in the Garmin 500 display to have 5 different pages (I think) with 8-10 items per page. So you can show anything and everything on it. And yes, if you get a 500, you do not need a Joule.

5

. I’m guessing the Joule will too, as the data comes from the Powertap.

Yes, though if you are using cadence for something where data needs to be accurate all the time, don’t count on it without an extra sensor.

Moments of smooth pedaling will confuse it.

6

Yes, though if you are using cadence for something where data needs to be accurate all the time, don’t count on it without an extra sensor.

Moments of smooth pedaling will confuse it.

Can the external cadence sensor work with the 500 for more accuracy if I decide later that I need it?

7

yep
.

8

Thanks for the tips. I found a good deal on a combo rear wheel/joule+HR monitor package from an ebay retailer.

In the end, having the head unit and wheel from the same manufacturer swayed me.

9

I respectfully disagree, the $99 Joule is the worst POS I’ve ever had. I’ve never be able to get more than 25 rides on one battery, I can’t clear the rides from computer and it randomly resets itself when I try to save a ride.

Yes, it’s been back to Saris and I’ve mentioned the problem on the PT thread.

Other than that it works perfectly.

jaretj

10

never had any of those issues.

one issue I do have, is you can’t start a new interval while not moving. this is a pain for time trial starts. workaround is to start an entirely new ride.

they may address this with a firmware update if twitter is to be believed!

I respectfully disagree, the $99 Joule is the worst POS I’ve ever had. I’ve never be able to get more than 25 rides on one battery, I can’t clear the rides from computer and it randomly resets itself when I try to save a ride.

Yes, it’s been back to Saris and I’ve mentioned the problem on the PT thread.

Other than that it works perfectly.

jaretj

11

Thanks for the tips. I found a good deal on a combo rear wheel/joule+HR monitor package from an ebay retailer.

In the end, having the head unit and wheel from the same manufacturer swayed me.

Bah!

I’d take the free 500 in a heartbeat. It has more data fields and display options than I’ll ever need. Although you’re a bit of a data geek, no? I know some folks aren’t thrilled with Gamin’s for high-falootin’ analysisy type o’ stuffs.

12

Well if you have an SRM the 500 in particular just makes your data bad because you can’t turn off the auto zero function.

So that isn’t good.

otherwise the head unit usually has little impact on data analysis.

I’d take the free 500 in a heartbeat. It has more data fields and display options than I’ll ever need. Although you’re a bit of a data geek, no? I know some folks aren’t thrilled with Gamin’s for high-falootin’ analysisy type o’ stuffs.

13

Well if you have an SRM the 500 in particular just makes your data bad because you can’t turn off the auto zero function.

So that isn’t good.

otherwise the head unit usually has little impact on data analysis.

Perhaps the SRM issue is what was rattling around in my head. I also thought I had read something about occasionally dropped/missed data points but I’m prone to mis-remembering and/or complete fabrication.

14

I feel like I hear about garmins dropping data a lot on the internet, but there are also a lot of garmins.

So I have no idea if that is a real problem or not.

Well if you have an SRM the 500 in particular just makes your data bad because you can’t turn off the auto zero function.

So that isn’t good.

otherwise the head unit usually has little impact on data analysis.

Perhaps the SRM issue is what was rattling around in my head. I also thought I had read something about occasionally dropped/missed data points but I’m prone to mis-remembering and/or complete fabrication.