Is the software that’s included with the PT system “good enough”? Is there any software out there that would allow me to combine the data collected from my FR305 with that collected from the PT Comp, so that I have it all in one spot? (I use SportTracks with my FR305.)
The description says the PT Comp will collect HR data from a coded strap, and specifically mentions the Garmin strap. So, does that mean it will collect the HR data from my FR305 strap? No. Confirmed. The Saris HR strap is ~$60.
The description also mentions cadence and speed. It looks like it has a wired candence (crank magnet) sensor. Is the speed from a wheel magnet or ???
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
What do you think of the deal and the wheel parts/build for the system I posted? Is there a better deal out there? This would be used for both training and racing (with a cover).
What am I giving up by going with the Power Tap Comp over something like the Power Tap Pro+, which retails for twice as much? I know the Comp is wired (which I can live with), weighs 110g more (big deal) and doesn’t have the onboard analysis features (not sure how important this really is???) and included HR strap (which may not matter, if my Garmin strap will work) of the Pro+. Is there anything else?
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
Steve
From the saris website:
*Please note: system does not include heart rate monitor strap. CPU will display and record heart rate (current, average, max) ONLY with additional purchase of heart rate monitor strap.
#1 - you need to get a WKO+ software it combines your running activities in the FR305 with the cycling activities in PT. There is not possibility to merge garmin files with PT files.
#3 - The speed is calculated upon hub rpm and wheel size. For cadence you can use a second wire + magnet or use an estimation based on hub rpm (not to good)
#5 - I can’t tell you. Maybe you can found a better deal in ebay
#6 - An A+sport unit will provide you the possibility to use different Ant+ head units (garmin 705, garmin 310xt, PT cervo, PT joule, i-bike, etc)
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
Steve
It appears that it only reads non-coded heart rate straps so it’s likely it won’t work with your Garmin strap.
Probably not going to need the data from the Garmin anymore.
I just bought the PT comp a few months ago and it works great. Like the 305 I am now addicted to it, I find it hard to do anything on the bike without it. The PT uses CODED HR straps, and the garmin does strap does work with it.
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
Steve
It appears that it only reads non-coded heart rate straps so it’s likely it won’t work with your Garmin strap.
Probably not going to need the data from the Garmin anymore.
I just bought the PT comp a few months ago and it works great. Like the 305 I am now addicted to it, I find it hard to do anything on the bike without it. The PT uses CODED HR straps, and the garmin does strap does work with it.
Interesting… Page 8 of the manual I linked above seems to indicate that the strap is not coded… But you’re sure it does work with coded straps? Very cool…
I think this powertap comp is an amazing deal. I wish it would have been on the market in december, I would have spent a lot less money on my PM!
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
Steve
It appears that it only reads non-coded heart rate straps so it’s likely it won’t work with your Garmin strap.
Probably not going to need the data from the Garmin anymore.
I just bought the PT comp a few months ago and it works great. Like the 305 I am now addicted to it, I find it hard to do anything on the bike without it. The PT uses CODED HR straps, and the garmin does strap does work with it.
So, the Forerunner strap does work with the Comp? The guy at Competitive Cyclist told me it didn’t.
Do you still use your FR305 on the bike, now that you have the Comp?
Have you found the speed on the Comp to be accurate (ie. match the FR305)?
I just ordered that wheel this morning. The only similar option I found was from a firm in Colorado for the same price. It appears that the computer software that comes with system is the same across all of the powertap models. The difference among the models appears to be wireless, then axel, hub, and bearings.
On my road bike i have s shimano flight deck that also infers cadence while my tt bike has an actual cadence sensor. Based on feel it seems to me that the implied cadence from the shimano system is about 5 rpm higher than a similar effort on the road bike. I assume there will be something similar here. However, i am planning to leave the wired cadence on the tt bike for the next few months and should be able to tell exactly the difference since I will have both on the bike. As long as the difference is consistent i am not terribly concerned about it.
I am not planning to use this wheel for racing and instead will go with my ZIPP 404s and wheel cover. However, if I was going to use it for racing I would want a deeper rim to mount the wheel cover (maybe something like 30 mm) and tape it in place. I suspect they would build one like that for a slight upcharge though I could be wrong.
It appears to me the biggest gain from going wireless is the potential to use a different computer (e.g. the sleek one from Garmin). Personally, this did not seem worth the extra bucks as i have three kids and the power meter is a luxury bike good anyway.
My wheel arrives next week and I will be happy to give my feedback at that time if you would like.
Interesting... Page 8 of the manual I linked above seems to indicate that the strap is not coded... But you're sure it does work with coded straps? Very cool...
I think this powertap comp is an amazing deal. I wish it would have been on the market in december, I would have spent a lot less money on my PM!
I tried using an non-coded strap and it would not work, so I called Saris and they said I needed to use a coded strap.
If the PT Comp will collect HR data from my Garmin strap, and has cadence/speed, I’m not really sure that I’d need the FR305 on the bike anymore. Thoughts?
Steve
It appears that it only reads non-coded heart rate straps so it’s likely it won’t work with your Garmin strap.
Probably not going to need the data from the Garmin anymore.
I just bought the PT comp a few months ago and it works great. Like the 305 I am now addicted to it, I find it hard to do anything on the bike without it. The PT uses CODED HR straps, and the garmin does strap does work with it.
So, the Forerunner strap does work with the Comp? The guy at Competitive Cyclist told me it didn’t.
Do you still use your FR305 on the bike, now that you have the Comp?
Have you found the speed on the Comp to be accurate (ie. match the FR305)?
Thanks.
Steve
I actually have never tried using the 305 on the bike, just never found the need to do so, prior to the PT I had a cateye on the bike.
Is there any software out there that would allow me to combine the data collected from my FR305 with that collected from the PT Comp, so that I have it all in one spot? (I use SportTracks with my FR305.)
I use RaceDay which imports both tcx files from Garmin and csv from the PT.
The description also mentions cadence and speed. It looks like it has a wired candence (crank magnet) sensor. Is the speed from a wheel magnet or ???
Speed comes from the hub itself.
What do you think of the deal and the wheel parts/build for the system I posted? Is there a better deal out there? This would be used for both training and racing (with a cover).
It’s a good deal, if you’re OK with the answers to #6 below. I have a few friends using the exact same unit and they are very happy with both the price and the functionality.
What am I giving up by going with the Power Tap Comp over something like the Power Tap Pro+, which retails for twice as much? I know the Comp is wired (which I can live with), weighs 110g more (big deal) and doesn’t have the onboard analysis features (not sure how important this really is???) and included HR strap (which may not matter, if my Garmin strap will work) of the Pro+. Is there anything else?
With the comp you’re not getting wireless, or ANT+. If wires are not a problem, then wireless is no big deal. The ANT+ allows you to use the stock PT CPU/Head/Cervo/“Little yellow box” or any other ANT+ compatible head unit like the new PT Joule, or a Garmin unit, or any of the other ANT+ head units rumored to be coming. If you’re OK with the standard head unit, then no big deal. The wired units will most likely be getting fewer upgrades down the road as it is clear ANT+ is the path for the future.
This is an amusing thread for me, because a month ago I was in exactly the same situation as you. For fun, let me tell you a long story of where I ended up and how I got there. Warning: it isn’t going to save you any money.
I’m a bit of data nerd (ok, a lot), so I have a 305+hr+bike cadence sensor (+Quick Release kit +Footpod! - I should have bought Garmin stock).
I’ve somehow managed to stay away from power until now (could be the 3 kids), but found the same CC deal a month or so ago and thought “I’m finally going for it.”
I felt a twinge of guilt, so emailed my LBS (great guy/great shop, has really taken care of me) just to see what it would cost me to get it from him. He basically said “I can’t touch that price because they deal directly with Cycleops”
I told him “screw it, I’ll buy it from you anyway, because I don’t think CC is going to fix my bike the next time I screw it up trying to fix it”
I made the mistake of doing some research after sending that email.
The Garmin 305 strap (which is coded Ant+) apparently does not work with the PT Comp. For the Garmin HR strap to work, you need to go to the wireless PT (cheapest being the Elite+ - it ramps pretty steeply form there with the Pro+>SL+>SLC+). But Comp vs Elite+ is a pretty steep upgrade for HR alone. Although the wireless is nice and probably more future proof.
So then I thought “Hey, I could get the shiny new Garmin 310XT and use that as my head unit, save a few bucks by not getting the PT head unit, and have everything in one place.”
I paused at that point and waited the last month or so to read some reports from the field regarding how the 310 is compared to the PT head unit from a data accuracy perspective. Long story short? It seems like it may not be perfect, but it’s more than enough for my purposes. Reviews have the usual “love it/hate it” you always see with Garmin, but it looks pretty good to me and I’ve always loved my 305 (and liked the 301 before that).
So, to make a long story short, I think I’m going to get this locally:
-Elite+ Hub only + Mavic CXP33 - no PT head unit
-310XT
-I’ll probably add a wheel cover someday.
So race day logistics would be:
-HR strap under wetsuit
-QR wrist strap on
-Turn on 310 before I head to the swim so it’ll have sat lock. Go flail in the water.
-I probably won’t bother with the 310 for the swim (no HR, and questionable GPS, and even if it did work, I know how bad my sighting is already without seeing it with military grade precision later).
-T1, hop on bike, hit start, ride
-Coming into T2, QR 310 onto wrist, hit “whatever” (depending on whether I dial multisport in)
-Run
I like the relative simplicity and consistency of it. One device, one HR strap, one computer, one download. Now all I need to do is finish before cutoff or battery life could be sketchy by the end.
Yes, I have nickel and dimed myself to death, but I would have eventually bought a 310XT anyway, so what the hell.
From a software perspective, I swear by SportTracks (despite the impenetrable interface), but I think it’s time to finally delve into WKO+ as well.
The Garmin 305 strap (which is coded Ant+) apparently does not work with the PT Comp. For the Garmin HR strap to work, you need to go to the wireless PT . . .
This is just plan wrong. The Comp works with the latest CycleOps strap, and the Garmin strap is identical to the CycleOps strap. While the wired Powertap models of several years ago would not work with the Garmin strap because they were not ANT+ straps, CycleOps stopped making CPUs with those straps years ago. All Powertap CPUs work with ANT+ straps, even the wired comp model.
The Garmin 305 strap (which is coded Ant+) apparently does not work with the PT Comp. For the Garmin HR strap to work, you need to go to the wireless PT (cheapest being the Elite+ - it ramps pretty steeply form there with the Pro+>SL+>SLC+). But Comp vs Elite+ is a pretty steep upgrade for HR alone. Although the wireless is nice and probably more future proof.
Dont tell that to my PT Comp (Wired) computer, because it works perfectly fine with my 305 strap. On a side note I wonder if my PT Comp computer will work with an Ant+ PT hub, since my 305 strap does say Ant+ on the back and it does pick up the signal.
The Garmin 305 strap (which is coded Ant+) apparently does not work with the PT Comp. For the Garmin HR strap to work, you need to go to the wireless PT (cheapest being the Elite+ - it ramps pretty steeply form there with the Pro+>SL+>SLC+). But Comp vs Elite+ is a pretty steep upgrade for HR alone. Although the wireless is nice and probably more future proof.
Dont tell that to my PT Comp (Wired) computer, because it works perfectly fine with my 305 strap. On a side note I wonder if my PT Comp computer will work with an Ant+ PT hub, since my 305 strap does say Ant+ on the back and it does pick up the signal.
Sorry, but the only ANT+ signal it will pick up is from a HR strap.
