History of the Pedalpowermeter
Classically, a power meter is understood to be a crank system as known from SRM and Quarq. In 2009, Clark Foy and MetriGear became the first company to develop a pedal power meter. This did not rely on strain gauges like many other systems, but on a silicon voltage resistor module. Since the idea also included measuring forces in all directions, a name was quickly found: MetriGear Vector.
This name is the idea behind it and still the cornerstone of the Pedalpowermeter market. Since the end of 2010, however, under the manufacturer Garmin. Metrigear was not able to finance the further steps to series production and therefore sold the company to Garmin. The acquisition of the Pedalpowermeter by the tech giant drove development tremendously. In 2011 the Garmin Vector Powermeter was presented for the first time at the Eurobike.
At the same time, the Polar-Look cooperation also presented a pedal power meter, the Keo-Power. However, this system was not very accurate and reliable and therefore could not establish itself on the market.
While the Garmin Vector pedal power meter enjoys great popularity on the market, especially because of a good price-performance ratio and the manufacturer developed the product accordingly, two new systems were launched on the market in 2015. The pedal power meters of the Italian manufacturer Favero and the US company PowerTap have since opened up a choice for the customer on the market. Since mid-2018, the traditional manufacturer SRM also offers a pedal power meter. Like the Polar system, this was developed together with Look.
The company PowerTap with the pedal power meter P2 was sold to the component manufacturer SRAM in April. SRAM had already bought the power meter manufacturer Quarq in 2011 and is now expanding its range with a pedal power meter. Currently, pedal power meters are the most versatile and sought-after power meters on the market.
Pedal systems
All pedal-based powermeter systems currently ship for Look-Keo like cleats. Only Garmin has offered here in the meantime times a conversion kit for SPD-SL pedals. There is currently no MTB pedal power meter from any manufacturer.
Price-performance ratio
Together with the pedal systems, the lower price limit in the power meter market has also fallen. This can be attributed, among other things, to the fact that mostly both single-sided and double-sided variants are offered. Compared to conventional systems, these offer the advantage of a right-left distribution. The pedal power meter market thus offers the right system for every customer. From single-sided entry-level models at affordable prices, to the double-sided variants which, however, also have a complete raison d’être with their advantages. Thanks to ANT+ and Bluetooth, the pedal power meters are compatible with all common bike computers.
Left-Right Distribution
This feature has not only become well known but also very popular due to the double-sided pedal power meters. It helps you pedal with both legs as evenly and efficiently as possible. Especially for people with knee problems, it can be very useful to eliminate any imbalances here through targeted training.
Rides