2017 Buyer’s Guide: Power meters

It’s become one of the most popular additions to a triathlete’s training arsenal. Power meters have become the go-to method for athletes to gauge their training progress. There are lots of different ways to measure your power output these days – we check out some options you can add to your bike to get the most out of your training and racing.

PowerTap P1 Pedals - $1,620

Quarq DZero - US $779 - $1,079

Pioneer Dual Leg Power Meter - $2,000 DURA ACE

Power2Max Type S US $619 - 1,560

PowerTap P1 Pedals

$1,620 These super-accurate (just like the PowerTab hubs, they are accurate to 1.5 per cent) power-measuring pedals can easily be switched from one bike to another, making this a great option for those who have a couple of different bikes that they train on. Because the pedals measure each leg separately you can get detailed power information that helps you figure out how efficient you are and helps you work on any imbalances. And, thanks to the Ant+ and Bluetooth compatibility you can easily keep track of your data on a variety of head units and watches.

Quarq DZero

US$779–1,079 Quarq launched a new upgrade to their already super solid power meters last fall. The DZero line is more accurate, has longer battery life and offers more compatibility than earlier Quarq models. The DZero still measures power through the spider, and can measure left and right power output, so you can gauge your pedalling efficiency. As with the old models you can change the battery yourself and you don’t have to recalibrate the meter if the temperature changes. The new version is both Ant+ and Bluetooth compatible, so you’ll be able to use a huge variety of bike computers or watches.

Pioneer Dual Leg Power Meter

$2,000 DURA ACE Available for a variety of Shimano cranksets, Pioneer’s Dual Leg Power Meters use left and right crank arm strain gauges at 12 different points of each pedal stroke to measure force. Those forces can be displayed in real time when used with Pioneer’s cycle computer so you can keep track of just how efficiently you’re pedalling. All that pedalling data has made this a very popular power meter for roadies and triathletes who love to max out the amount of data they can measure. Weighing in at just 64 g it won’t add much weight to your ride. It’s Ant+ compatible, so it’ll work on most cycling computers and some watches

Power2Max Type S

US$610–1,560 Available for a variety of Rotor, SRAM, Campagnolo and FSA setups, the Power2Max Type S measures your output via the crank. You get reliable power measurement under all types of weather conditions. You can also change your chainrings without needing to recalibrate the meter and also change the battery yourself. Ant+ compatibility will get you off and rolling with many cycling computers.