So first question, how long do you expect your powermeter to last?
Here is my situation. I bought a Quarq powermeter about 6 years ago and I have trained REALLY lightly since then. I would say that powermeter has had less than 1000 kms on it since I bought it. Last year at Barrellman it just completely crapped out. No signal, nothing. Since that time, I have periodically attempted to bring it back (new battery, calibrate etc), however, nothing has worked. So I got my LBS to take it off and they called Quarq and they told them to send it back, however, they don’t make parts for this model anymore so if they can’t fix it I will have to buy a new one. They have offered me a discount on both the new carbon and aluminum models, however, that is money I just don’t have right now. It is still a significant chunk of change. I think what is bothering me more is that the device didn’t even last over 1000 kms. If I had used that powermeter over the past 6 years and used it a LOT, then I would completely understand…the device just got overused, however, I barely used it. So I am quite reluctant at this point to put my faith in yet another device from this company. I know people like their quarqs so I thought I would ask…what would you do? I am not looking for a free device, however, $699 is still way more than I have right now. Am I being unreasonable to think this device should have lasted longer than it did considering how lightly it was used?
Mark
15 yrs for both of my srm units; the powertap wheel that i built and subsequently sold has been going strong since 2011, needing only a bearing replacement. SRM & powertap are the two brands from which i’d expect a long service life
I bought my Quarq in 2010. I needed to send it back for some kind of repair in 2012. However, it’s been working fine ever since. I did swap out the battery in 2015 just in case. I have a feeling that the powermeter is going to outlast my desire to keep this particular bike.
Powertap Pro+ bought in 2009, had one service a year or two ago when the bearings needed replacing, replace the batteries about once a year, other than that it just works. Currently in the LBS for a new Mavic Open Pro.
People balk at the price of an SRM, but guess what? It freaking lasts forever. I’m going on 2 years on my current DA9000 SRM and I haven’t even had to change the battery yet.
There’s a reason why is was referred to as the gold standard.
People balk at the price of an SRM, but guess what? It freaking lasts forever. I’m going on 2 years on my current DA9000 SRM and I haven’t even had to change the battery yet.
There’s a reason why is was referred to as the gold standard.
I get that, however, I would also like to have a cottage on a island up in Northern Ontario, however, I can’t afford that either at this point.
Although I could likely save up over the winter, however, that does nothing for my training for at least 6-8 months with a powermeter.
Thanks for the suggestion though. I do like products that last forever.
None of my Quarq units have made it to the end of the 2 year warranty without getting replaced.
IMO, their usable life is shorter than others.
Huh, not my experience. Bought a used quarq in 2011 and another used one in 2014. Have done all my riding with one or the other (got the second one so I wouldn’t have to switch the first between bikes). I believe I have ~45K miles in all kinds of conditions on the two combined. In that time I had one issue, the older one started acting a bit funny after a super cold rainy ride and I sent it to quarq for service. Apart from that the worst I’ve had is periodic battery changes and a battery cover change when the cover got cracked (which quarq kindly just sent me a new cover for).
Sometimes you’ll get lucky, and it will last forever. But a lot of times, it’ll just die, and it’s typically within 2 years. I’ve had 2 PowerTap hubs and 2 PowerTap C1 chainrings.
I have a powertap pro on my road bike on a wheelset from wheelbuilder.com, built in 2009. Both the wheelset and the powertap itself have been totally bombproof. My time trial bike has a Power2Max classic and is 2.5 years old; it has also worked flawlessly.
To answer the question about how long it should last… I think the electronics should outlast the mechanical parts of the system. So cranks or hubs should last just as long as those not containing powermeters in them, and the electronics are expected to work until the part needs to be replaced due to mechanical wear.
None of my Quarq units have made it to the end of the 2 year warranty without getting replaced.
IMO, their usable life is shorter than others.
x2. I’ve had two Quarqs for years, and every year I send one in for warranty-grade issues. So that’s about a 2-year lifespan. And it rains like twice per year here, and I’m not that hard on them (other than my extreme power).
That sounds bad. Except it’s all made tolerable by Quarq’s excellent customer service. They always repair or replace them free-of-charge, no questions asked. They just give me the RMA#, I ship it, and I get a repaired PM a few days later. Half the time it’s a brand-new spider. I’m not sure how the 2-year warranty works, but I’m like 5-6 years in and I’ve never been asked to pay anything but outbound shipping.
So they’ve got me as customer-for-life despite the product reliability. That said, I hope the DZero is a more reliable product.
