Review: PowerTap P1 Pedals

Offering a unique solution, the P1 pedals by PowerTap are self-contained units, having all the electronics and battery contained in a 196g pedal. As with other offerings, Look Keo cleats can be used, but they ship with with proprietary 6 degree float PowerTap cleats and hardware. They also offer a 0 degree float cleat option as an extra accessory.

The P1 measures cadence through a digital encoder, as there isn’t an accelerometer. As with all PowerTap power meters, accuracy is claim to be +/- 1.5 percent. Communication with other devices is either through Bluetooth Smart (aka 4.0) or ANT+. The pedals are fully plug-and-play with the AAA batteries giving a claimed battery life of 60 hours. The right pedal is a “slave” pedal that passes it’s data to the left pedal to transmit to the head unit. Each pedal has a LED indicator that will flash green once woken and connected or red in various patterns if there is a problem. When battery life reaches 20%, the P1 sends a low battery flag to your head unit, this warning should help prevent complete loss of battery. If the right pedal battery dies, the left pedal will double its output to create a power reading. If the left battery dies, there will be no power reading.

Each pedal houses eight strain gauges in the steel axle, spinning on two needle bearings and one case bearing. According to PowerTap, the bearings should be good for many thousands of miles, but you can’t service them yourself. Serviceability is limited to external wear items like the claw, spring, pedal plate and battery cover o-ring. All other internal wear components must be serviced by PowerTap.

In addition to the strain gauges built into each pedal there is a “Multipole Ring” sensor with 20 magnets positioned around each pedal spindle. This measures the application of force throughout the entire stroke and identifies dead spots and pedal-stroke inefficiencies. To date, PowerTap is yet to find a way to display this data, but they are working on it and it’s certainly exciting to know the tech exists and comes already build in.

A green LED indicates that the pedals are on and connected. It turns red when there are complications.

Specs

• Weight: 398 grams (Actual weight of 421g on our test pair)
• Thread Type: 9/16″
• Cleat Interface: 3 bolt
• Cleat: Red, 6 degree floating
• Spring Type: Adjustable Elastomer
• Proven PowerTap accuracy
• Release Tension: 6-20 Nm
• Stack Height: 14mm
• Centre of Pedal: 53mm (measured from crank to pedal)
• Lean Angle: 25.5 degrees (based on 175mm crank length, 75mm BB drop and 147mm Q-Factor crank)
• Firmware Updates: Over the air
• Connectivity: ANT+ and Bluetooth SMART
• Battery: AAA
• Battery Life: 60 hours
• WARRANTY: PowerTap 2 Year Warranty
• Recommended Retail Price: R17,995.00

Accessories

PowerTap Joule GPS+

ANT+ allows the unit to connect with power meters, heart rate straps and other devices and sensors. With Bluetooth, the Joule GPS+ can do a wireless upload to PowerTap’s mobile app, which in turn can be linked to auto-upload to popular training sites like Strava and TrainingPeaks. With about 80 hours of internal memory your rides and info will remain safe until you next make it to your computer to transfer the data.

The PowerTap Joule GPS cycling computer allows you to upload routes and receive turn-by-turn directions while riding your bike. To do so, create the route using any popular map creation software or website, export the route in .GPX or .TCX file type, and upload to the Joule GPS using PowerAgent.

The Joule GPS+ was a joy to use. Simple to set up and understand, taking no time away from riding your bike. Pairing devices was quick and painless and once a connection was established it was rock-solid for the duration of my training. I didn’t use the turn-by-turn navigation often, but when I did it was accurate and can be a bonus to riders training a specific route or when out exploring on your bicycle.

The screen and the data views are highly configurable. In direct sunlight it does suffer a bit, but not to the extent where you can’t see the display. It’s route logging is accurate and the GPS signal is solid once acquired.

• VAM – How quickly the rider is climbing a hill. The rate of ascent in meters/hour. This feature is most effectively used in interval mode. Start an interval at the bottom of a large climb. Stop the interval at the top. See how quickly you’re gaining elevation.
• Normalized Power (NP) – An estimate of the power the rider could have maintained for the same physiological “cost” if the output power was constant.
• IF – Comparison (ratio) of a ride’s normalized power to the rider’s threshold value.
• TSS – Training stress score: an estimation of a ride’s total difficultly based on glycogen burned.

For more definitions and information, you can visit PowerTap’s Glossary.

Specs

• Unit dimensions: 48mm x 69mm x 22mm
• Display size, WxH: 30mm x 37mm
• Display resolution, WxH: Combo Dot Matrix
• Weight: 75 grams
• Battery: Rechargeable Lithium Ion
• Battery life: 17 Hours, typical
• Mount: Front of bar/Stem/Handlebar
• ANT+: Yes
• Bluetooth SMART: Yes
• Memory: 40 Hours second by second
• Downloadable: Yes – includes power, altitude, TSS, normalized power and other critical power training data
• Barometric Altimeter: Yes
• GPS: Yes
• Accepts data cards: No
• Intervals: Yes
• 1 second ride data: Yes
• Ride Reports: Yes
• Ride History: Yes
• History w/Current Ride Comparisons: Yes
• Workouts: Yes
• Extras: Out front mount, Stem/handlebar mount, Download/Recharging USB Cable, Quick start guide
• Recommended Retail Price (Joule GPS+ with PowerCal): R4,995.00

PowerTap PowerCal

The PowerCal is a chest strap that converts your heart rate into an ANT+ watts signal that can then be displayed on the CycleOps Joule or any other compatible unit. The calculation is done using an algorithm which quantifies your effort on the bike, providing a real-time ‘wattage’ number as you ride.

Specs:

• Signal Transmission: Bluetooth Smart (Cycling Power Service, Heart Rate Service, Device Info Service) or ANT+ (2.4 GHz)
• Operational Temperature: 0-40C/32-103F
• Battery Type: CR2032
• Battery Life: 400 Operational Hours (Bluetooth); 600 Operational Hours (ANT+)
• The PowerCal is not a waterproof device and should not be submerged in water
• PowerCal BLE is compatible exclusively with the PowerTap mobile application on iPhone 4S or higher.
• PowerCal ANT+ is compatible with android and iPhone/iPad devices with use of appropriate ANT+ adapter key
• PowerCal ANT+ is not compatible with cervos (little yellow computer) or older grey indoor cycle consoles.
• Recommended Retail Price: R1,495.00

I found the PowerCal a bit gimmicky. I think it will offer a rider a step into power training without the relatively high cost of a power meter pedal, hub or chaining, but for the serious athlete it is not accurate enough. By their own admission PowerTap say that the PowerCal is not as accurate as a power meter and is not intended to replace one. They say that research has shown varying degrees of accuracy based on individuals and types of riding.

Fitting the P1 to a bike

The pedals are calibrated at PowerTap’s US manufacturing facility and installation is the same as fitting regular pedals using a 8mm Allen key – no need for special tools. If you would like to use a torque wrench, make use of your crank’s torque guide. The P1 pedals automatically detect the installation angle, accurate to within 0.5 degrees, and they also learn the crank arm length after a few revolutions using the built-in gyro. The pedal knows its position in the stroke, as the gyro gives a precise north/south tracking. PowerTap recommends that you manually zero the pedals before each ride.

Release tension can be set using a 2.5mm hex wrench to adjust between a range of 6 – 20 Nm. The P1 pedal’s stack height is 14mm, which is about 3-5mm greater than some other popular pedal systems on the market, so remember to account for this with your saddle height when moving to the P1.

Elliptical or oval rings are supported with the P1. The P1 takes 40 individual angular velocity measurements and subsequently 40 power measurements per pedal stroke. Any acceleration/deceleration within a pedal stroke would be measured. Compare this to some other systems that assume constant angular velocity, which typically reports higher power when using non-round rings.

On the Road

Out on the road, the pedals work very well and in general use there is nothing that will give away the fact that they are not ordinary pedals. Clipping in and out is positive and, depending on the cleats you opt for, there is a good amount of float. PowerTap has ensured the pedals can stand up to plenty of abuse by testing them to extremes – from underwater to high weight loads, and they are confident the pedals can cope with whatever the most demanding cyclist can throw their way. To increase longevity, the metal plate on top of the pedal is replaceable.

Once you have the Joule’s screen set up to display the fields you would like to view, all you have to do is get going. The Joule GPS+ will start recording your ride as soon as it picks up that you’re moving and, as explained above, the P1’s will pick up crank arm length and exactly where it is in the stroke thanks to it’s host of build-in sensors.

Live left / right analysis while riding is great feature over and above pure power figures and that alone gave me enough to work on during the review period. It was especially interesting to see that one leg drops a greater percentage of power when the fatigue sets in. This information will not only help cyclists improve general strength and endurance, but help athletes recover from injuries and ensure that they do not put unnecessary strain on their legs or knees while recovering.

Ground clearance is a non-issue to me and should be for most, if not all, riders and so to is the increase in weight (keeping in mind what you gain out of it). I have read comments about their ground clearance, but can’t remember ever seeing any road bike rider scraping his pedals going around a corner. If you are that one in a million for whom it may be an issue, chances are that you will end up scraping the side of the pedal before the bottom.

Verdict

During my time using the pedals I have found them to be very accurate and consistent. There were no signs of spikes or false data on any of my rides, even though I used them in varying temperatures, on the road and on an indoor trainer. The pedals and accessories as tested are well made and the perceived quality is high, leaving me with the impression that it will last for many a season of riding and training.

Having access to cadence, power, heart rate and left / right power data while training opens up a plethora of training options. You can now monitor strength training, efforts during high intensity interval training, look after yourself during recovery rides and work on not only increasing base fitness, but ultimate strength and peak performance too. All of this in an easy to use and set up pair of pedals and cycling computer.

Left to right: Shimano PD-R540, PowerTap P1, and Look Keo 2 Max.

Pros

• Easy to install
• Can be moved between bikes in very little time
• Self-contained means less that can get damaged or lost
• Two-sided measurement
• Accurate
• 2 Year Warranty
• Crash Replacement Policy
• Connection to head unit is quick and rock solid
• User friendly

Cons

• Price?
• Weight penalty over standard pedals
• PowerTap app only available to Apple users at the moment