I read in a post here on ST (can’t remember which) a week or so ago that Ergomo is steadily losing market share to SRM and PowerTap.
Is this true? And if so, why?
Yes, it’s losing market share. Multiple reasons including;
- Lack of quality control-many users have to keep returning/replacing their units for whatever reason.
- One sided power measurement- it takes the power of only leg and multiplies it.
- Unreliable data- units have been known to produce erratic numbers out of the blue.
- Support is also all over the place since N. American distributors have been changing hands.
Basically there are other options out there with close to its cost but with better quality control or support(although everyone has their cons as well as pros). I think the most reliable and well supported powermeter right now would be the SRM but it obviously comes with a cost. The Quark seems to be having an awesome start though.
Yes, it’s losing market share. Multiple reasons including;
- Lack of quality control-many users have to keep returning/replacing their units for whatever reason.
- One sided power measurement- it takes the power of only leg and multiplies it.
- Unreliable data- units have been known to produce erratic numbers out of the blue.
- Support is also all over the place since N. American distributors have been changing hands.
Basically there are other options out there with close to its cost but with better quality control or support(although everyone has their cons as well as pros). I think the most reliable and well supported powermeter right now would be the SRM but it obviously comes with a cost. The Quark seems to be having an awesome start though.
All of the above points are correct, with great emphasis to be given to #1 and #3.
Talking about one sided power measurement, aren’t all powermeters used on bicycles one sided?
Don’t believe so. PowerTap gets it’s measurements from the hub, not from the torque of the crank. And I believe the SRM uses individual sensors for each crank.
…And I believe the SRM uses individual sensors for each crank.
Both Quarq and SRM get their power measurements from measureing the torque on the spider of the crank. No one has an individual sensor in the crank arm.
There some disgruntled former users of Ergomo PowerMeters on ST, who obviously have had issues with their Ergomo’s and dislike the quality. Not to discount their opinions, but I bought one last spring, AND IT HAS WORKED FLAWLESSLY for me since installation.
I know of several others on this site who like their Ergomo’s as well, and have not encountered any issues. I know of 3 people here locally who have them with no issues either.
For the record, I have an Ergomo Pro. I had it installed by my LBS. I love it.
Also to note, I live in a dry area and do not do much riding in wet weather. I was sort of wondering if that had anything to do with people’s lack of success with the BB / wiring going south, issues with corrupt readings data.
Don’t they still give individual leg power? Or does it multiply like the Ergomo?
I’ve got Ergomo Pros on 2 bikes, and they have worked flawlessly for me, too. My LBS installed them, and they’ve installed many of them and seem to know what they are doing.
And if so, why?
Cuz word travels?
Must be a chick karma thing with the Ergomo :). Love your blog, btw.
Sue
I used an Ergomo for 8 months sporadically and overall had no issue with the power readings for the most part. They were pretty close to my lab tested ones. However, the abovementioned issues were still present. I still saw erratic changes that come and go for no obvious reasons(it wasn’t in wet or humid weather). Support was a pain because it was changing hands and even though a percentage of Ergomo adopters got working units, a less than acceptable percentage got non working ones(hence the lack of quality control comment). In the end, I decided to sell it because IMO a buyer who is paying above a grand retail for a unit should have a VERY dependant tool OR at the very least get unwaivering support instead of being shuffled around.
Don’t they still give individual leg power? Or does it multiply like the Ergomo?
As Raptor explained, both the SRM and the Cinqo measure torque at the spider. The spider sits between the cranks and the chain, so it means they measure downstream of both cranks. The Ergomo measures at the BB, i.e., downstream of the left crank but upstream of the right. The Polar measures chain speed and tension, and the PT measures at the rear hub – so only the Ergomo needs to “double” the measured power. The iBike works on a completely different principle.
The iBike works on a completely different principle.
Yes, if SWAGing a guess is considered a “principle” these days. 
Yes, it’s losing market share. Multiple reasons including;
- Lack of quality control-many users have to keep returning/replacing their units for whatever reason.
- One sided power measurement- it takes the power of only leg and multiplies it.
- Unreliable data- units have been known to produce erratic numbers out of the blue.
- Support is also all over the place since N. American distributors have been changing hands.
Basically there are other options out there with close to its cost but with better quality control or support(although everyone has their cons as well as pros). I think the most reliable and well supported powermeter right now would be the SRM but it obviously comes with a cost. The Quark seems to be having an awesome start though.
This seems to be well supported from many other posts on PM threads on this board. I’ve been looking for a PM and will probably purchase one within the next 6 months. I hope Ergomo manages to sort out its reliability and support problems as I would seriously consider this system. I can live with the rightsidex2 issue. At some point it’s not the absolute numbers that mean anything, more the information and data from the same rider over a period of time that counts. So if my right side is 2% stronger than my left side, then it will probably remain that way however I’m cycling.
The +ve points for this system is the live calculation of normalised power and TSS provided to the rider during the ride. The importance of having this information during ride increases for courses with greater elevation. It’s less than half the cost of SRM and lighter. So I’m going to wait and see how Ergomo looks in a few month’s time. Yes there a pros and cons for all the systems. SRM seems to be the PM of choice, but if you really intend to use a PM to race and train with (as opposed to just collecting nice data) then live normalised power and TSS is a good thing to have. Now maybe SRM can provide this with a software upgrade and some point, but it still costs over twice as much.
At this point SRM are just coming out with their wireless version and with Ergomo you still need to route a cable from BB to rear wheel speed sensor and to the handle bar unit. It would be nice to have GPS speed and wireless power data delivery to the handlebar unit.
I can live with the rightsidex2 issue. At some point it’s not the absolute numbers that mean anything, more the information and data from the same rider over a period of time that counts. So if my right side is 2% stronger than my left side, then it will probably remain that way however I’m cycling.
- Left side, not right.
- For many, left-right balance is not constant. Which is not to say it’s not constant for anyone.
There some disgruntled former users of Ergomo PowerMeters on ST, who obviously have had issues with their Ergomo’s and dislike the quality. Not to discount their opinions, but I bought one last spring, AND IT HAS WORKED FLAWLESSLY for me since installation.
I know of several others on this site who like their Ergomo’s as well, and have not encountered any issues. I know of 3 people here locally who have them with no issues either.
For the record, I have an Ergomo Pro. I had it installed by my LBS. I love it.
Also to note, I live in a dry area and do not do much riding in wet weather. I was sort of wondering if that had anything to do with people’s lack of success with the BB / wiring going south, issues with corrupt readings data.
I was one of those people who repeatedly defended the Ergomo, usually in response to posters who had never even used one (which always cracked me up). I certainly will not bash the Ergomo, but, I cannot (personally) defend it anymore. I had mine for 18 months and about 18,000 miles. It worked flawlessly up until the last 3 weeks (which was 5 weeks from IMLP). Then, it died. It started with really erratic readings, WAY TOO high, then WAY TOO low, then, nada. The bb unit crapped out on me.
The warranty is 12 months, 12,000 miles, so no more warranty for me. Service support was very difficult b/c the US distributor had changed. My options were to send it in and get it refurbished for $400-500 or buy a new bb unit for $900.
I really like the unit and had no issues with it. However, I have to say, I am a little disappointed that a $1500 unit would die or need a costly overhaul after 18 months.
I know a few people that have had their’s for over 2 years now with no issues, so, mine could be a fluke. Cannot bash the unit (no basis for doing so), but, I am disappointed.
I did not replace the Ergomo. I decided to go w/ a wireless Dura-Ace SRM.
I can live with the rightsidex2 issue. At some point it’s not the absolute numbers that mean anything, more the information and data from the same rider over a period of time that counts. So if my right side is 2% stronger than my left side, then it will probably remain that way however I’m cycling.
2 thoughts: 1) that’s great, if you’re using the same brand of power meter from now to eternity. However, one of the great things about using a PM is being able to compare historical data. This becomes a lot more tricky if one of your devices is precise, but not accurate. 2) I think it’s really unlikely that a leg power imbalance will not be significantly affected by cadence, torque, fatigue and other things I’m not thinking about right now, so I think you’re working on a faulty assumption here.
SRM seems to be the PM of choice
I probably see 20 Powertaps for every SRM
but if you really intend to use a PM to race and train with (as opposed to just collecting nice data) then live normalised power and TSS is a good thing to have.
after using a PM for about 10 years, I can’t for the life of me think of what use this information would be during a ride–seriously…
Now maybe SRM can provide this with a software upgrade and some point, but it still costs over twice as much.
…but if you really want this, the new Quarq head unit will have it, and it should (ultimately) be compatible with both the new PT stuff and the SRM wireless
Ergomo got a bad rap for somewhat unreliable early units. Mine has been perfect, and the rolling IF and TSS is great. Ergomo probably deserves to do better than it does, but goes to prove that nothing can beat bad word of mouth! 
In Reply To I can live with the rightsidex2 issue. At some point it’s not the absolute numbers that mean anything, more the information and data from the same rider over a period of time that counts. So if my right side is 2% stronger than my left side, then it will probably remain that way however I’m cycling.
2 thoughts: 1) that’s great, if you’re using the same brand of power meter from now to eternity. However, one of the great things about using a PM is being able to compare historical data. This becomes a lot more tricky if one of your devices is precise, but not accurate. 2) I think it’s really unlikely that a leg power imbalance will not be significantly affected by cadence, torque, fatigue and other things I’m not thinking about right now, so I think you’re working on a faulty assumption here.
I think I can live with the range of potential error. I think it would still give me the correct power curve profile and identify my functional threshold etc. I think switching between any systems would introduce some error between new and historical data. However nothing that I couldn’t live with and work through during a transition period.
In Reply ToSRM seems to be the PM of choice
I probably see 20 Powertaps for every SRM
Yep, I’ll rephrase, SRM seems to be the PM of choice for those whom money is no object :-). I think it’s got the reputation as being the most accurate and reliable system on the market at the moment. I’m can’t fins the results of the ST poll on PMs
In Reply To
but if you really intend to use a PM to race and train with (as opposed to just collecting nice data) then live normalised power and TSS is a good thing to have.
after using a PM for about 10 years, I can’t for the life of me think of what use this information would be during a ride–seriously…
Well at the moment I have never used a PM. But I’ve just finished reading THE BOOK. Isn’t normalised power the holy grail so to speak. That’s the information you are after. So why no get it real time. OF course, if you’ve never had it, then you will not miss it I presume
In Reply ToNow maybe SRM can provide this with a software upgrade and some point, but it still costs over twice as much.
…but if you really want this, the new Quarq head unit will have it, and it should (ultimately) be compatible with both the new PT stuff and the SRM wireless
I’d forgotten about that. I can see myself waiting ofr ever to by a PM now 
Sorry to hear it died so close to LP. Who distributes Ergomo here in the US? What are the warranty and replacement costs for the SRM? I wonder if there are any published studies on reliability and reapir/replacement costs on the three units?