I had to add my two cents about this company. I’ve used a PowerTap, hub-based, power meter during my training for years. Starting with their early versions, I have always been super happy with the product they produced and had never had an issue with any of the hubs I purchased from them. That was until they came out with their G3 and the new design of using a PowerCap. After purchasing one a couple of years ago, I’ve been unable to keep it sync’d to any of my Garmin devices. Looking at threads around the Internet, this is a common issue. After doing everything they recommended (new batteries, firmware updates, using different ANT+ devices), it was obvious the PowerCap was the issue. Still under warranty, I had to go around and around via email to get to replaced. OK, understandable. I understand that most companies today are hard to contact. I did get a new cap. Here is where the problem starts. The second cap worked for about 9 months before similar issues started. When I got the new cap (the 3rd in three years) from PowerTap, it came with no documentation. No receipt, no paperwork, nada! I no longer have the email from when I purchased it. Now, PowerTap is refusing to replace the cap with proof of when I purchased it. Talking with the company, I was basically told tough sh*t, you can just buy a new cap for $129.00.
It’s bad enough that I can’t seem to get a product from them that works for longer than a year. It’s even worse when they refuse to replace a defective product because I don’t have a receipt . . . something that was never provided by the company. I don’t know what experiences others have had with PowerTap or other’s experiences with their products, but this is just something to think about if you are in the market for a power meter and torn between them and another company. I’ll try another company next time I’m in the market for a new meter.
Sorry that you had a bad experience with them. I suspect on this board your issue will be the exception.
I have owned maybe 5 different powertap issues. I had an issue with the first one in maybe 2006. I have since dealt with then 6-7 times ranging from troubleshooting, upgrading and replacing an old LYC. I never had an issue. I always got someone knowledgeable on the phone. My calls were always returned in a prompt manner. And items shipped fast.
When I had an issue with my LYC they sent me a new one no questions asked. It arrived before I even sent mine back to them.
The stuff takes abuse and it sounds like you have gotten lots of use out of it. Quit being so cheap.
I had one for five years with no issues other than batteries. Sounds like he has had the new one less than a year. At $129 that is roughly 15% the cost of a new meter. Not sure I’d be too excited to drop that coin on something that should work more than a year. Unless of course it’s a Garmin product. Then the annual refurbished unit is just part of owning Garmin.
It’s the principle, not the money. My only issue it sending a replacement product with out documentation/receipt and then refusing to honor the warranty it is suppose to have because you can’t produce documentation of when it was purchased. I understand nothing works forever. Hell, if I could get a Garmin HRM Strap to work for 9 months I would jump for joy. The difference with Garmin is, when I’ve emailed them about my straps failing to work, they sent me new ones, no questions asked.
Did you pay by check or cash? If not, dig up your credit card statement and show it to them. Did you pay by American Express? If so, file a claim.
I’ve owned 4 PowerTap hubs over the years and the issues I’ve had are very small and infrequent (knock on wood). I keep waiting for the G3 I just bought in May to go belly up, because that’s what everyone is telling me will happen. But I’ve stuck ~2,500 miles on that hub in a short amount of time, changed the batteries once because I had a suspicion I was close to end of battery life, and haven’t had a single issue. The Joule GPS on the other hand is a piece of shit - I got low batt warnings at about the 190 mile mark in a double I did last weekend - 9 hours is all that device will last on a charge. And the book says it will last like 15 or 20.
Opposite experience from me. I’ve owned about 8-10 PT’s over the years. The first one that is an original PT and has < 50k on it still works to my knowledge.
I will say out of the 2x,000 power files I have, any power meter that has a native head unit seems to work better with the native head unit than a garmin.
IMO garmins, and yes I own a few, are pieces of shit.
Are you sure the problem isn’t on the garmin side? I know they have a bit of an issue with Quarqs & I’ve read about the occasional PT issue but in all the years i’ve been coaching people using PT’s I can think of 2 PT issues but I can think of many more Garmin issues from multiple athletes in multiple countries.
With the complexity of the electronics, interfaces, etc. as well as the abuse of the environment, it’s unreasonable to think that these devices are going to work perfectly for an indefinite period of time. As for customer service, I’m surprised that you’ve had problems. In my dealings with them, they’ve gone above and beyond, including after warranties have expired.
I do wish that bicycles and bike gear in general were as reliable as modern automobiles. I spend way, way more on maintenance per mile on my bicycle than I do on my car. And I’m constantly chasing little problems…noises, poor shifting, etc., etc. A 3500 lb car can certainly afford more robust designs, but I don’t think that explains everything.
I am with most everybody else, in that my experiences have been positive. So positive that I am reluctant to try other power meter options, that have come out since I started using Powertap (2008).
As someone else mentioned, it is unrealistic to expect an infinite lifespan- I have had a couple that needed rebuilt after less than a year, but a couple others that are going strong for 2+ years. I ride 8-10000 miles per year and frequently ride in the rain and on unpaved surfaces with my road bike.
I am with most everybody else, in that my experiences have been positive. So positive that I am reluctant to try other power meter options, that have come out since I started using Powertap (2008).
As someone else mentioned, it is unrealistic to expect an infinite lifespan- I have had a couple that needed rebuilt after less than a year, but a couple others that are going strong for 2+ years. I ride 8-10000 miles per year and frequently ride in the rain and on unpaved surfaces with my road bike.
-Physiojoe
My PT hub apparently died this summer after getting caught in a major downpour. I purchased it in March…2000, and have had it on my bike nearly constantly for the past fourteen years.
It’s the principle, not the money. My only issue it sending a replacement product with out documentation/receipt and then refusing to honor the warranty it is suppose to have** because you * can’t produce documentation of when it was purchased.***
Surely, you have *some *form of proof-of-purchase. If not, I have to go with PowerTap on this one. (…bogus warranty claims from defective/used devices purchased from ebay, CL, etc…)
I have had PowerTap hubs going on 6 years now. 3 different ones and not had any issues. Any questions or concerns were always answered quickly by PowerTap. Great product.
I have 5 Powertap wheelsets and have had to return three of them (older that I bought secondhand) for service. The last one they upgraded to the G3 internals at no charge. They always answer my calls and e-mails, and send the wheels back promptly. I would and probably will buy another one.
bogus warranty claims from defective/used devices purchased from ebay, CL, etc…)
What does it matter if the product was bought on CL or eBay? Warranty service does not terminate when the product changes owner’s hands. If I buy a watch, sell it on C List a week later because it sucks (it was probably a Timex Ironman), and a month later the buyer has a problem with it, he has the same right to request warranty service that I did when I owned it.
The problem is that if the product has a limited warranty for a limited amount of time, then the second owner might need the original receipt to prove when it was purchased. That’s the only issue I see there. If the product has a lifetime warranty, than no receipt should ever be required.
bogus warranty claims from defective/used devices purchased from ebay, CL, etc…)
What does it matter if the product was bought on CL or eBay? Warranty service does not terminate when the product changes owner’s hands. If I buy a watch, sell it on C List a week later because it sucks (it was probably a Timex Ironman), and a month later the buyer has a problem with it, he has the same right to request warranty service that I did when I owned it.
The problem is that if the product has a limited warranty for a limited amount of time, then the second owner might need the original receipt to prove when it was purchased. That’s the only issue I see there. If the product has a lifetime warranty, than no receipt should ever be required.
Saris Cycling Group, Inc (SCG), parent company of PowerTap, warrants our product to the original consumer to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. Please retain your sales slip for your records as proof of purchase will be required.
bogus warranty claims from defective/used devices purchased from ebay, CL, etc…)
What does it matter if the product was bought on CL or eBay? Warranty service does not terminate when the product changes owner’s hands. If I buy a watch, sell it on C List a week later because it sucks (it was probably a Timex Ironman), and a month later the buyer has a problem with it, he has the same right to request warranty service that I did when I owned it.
The problem is that if the product has a limited warranty for a limited amount of time, then the second owner might need the original receipt to prove when it was purchased. That’s the only issue I see there. If the product has a lifetime warranty, than no receipt should ever be required.
Warranty is void on quite a few products if you aren’t the origional owner. Garmin specifically says that they wont cover warranty on anything purchased online from an unauthorized dealer. Im guessing that would be most people on ebay. That being said. I had a problem with my HRM from my 910 that I bought on eBay and Garmin shipped me out not one but two, no questions asked.
My G3 with powercap has been flawless as has my customer service experience. I’ve contacted them (on here actually) several times with use questions and been promptly answered. I’m sorry you had a bad experience but I haven’t seen any prevalent complaints or problems with the G3. I use mine with both a Garmin 800 Edge & a 310XT without issue. I’ve had far more problems with Garmin over the years than Powertap.