A power meter is an invaluable tool for most professional cyclists.
SRM’s PowerMeter is almost ubiquitous in the peloton but there’s a new player, electronics manufacturer Pioneer, whose power meter is being used by the Belkin Pro Cycling team this season.
A selection of the team’s riders have been using the power meter since March and we found it on a number of bikes, including that of Jack Bobridge, at the RideLondon-Surrey Classic.
It’s a crank-based system, which measures power using two individual strain gauges, one attached to either crank arm, which allows real-time analysis of left and right pedal strokes, so riders can see if they have an unbalanced action. A transmitter, zip-tied to the chainring spider arms on Belkin’s bikes, sends data to any ANT+ compatible computer, including Pioneer’s own unit.
Pioneer’s left vs. right measurement is one benefit of their system over an SRM. It’s also a feature of pedal-based systems, including the Look Keo Power and Garmin’s long-awaited Vector pedals, which are due to be released soon.
What else did we see at the RideLondon-Surrey Classic? Open the gallery above for a closer look. Otherwise, you can see more behind-the-scenes tech from Britain’s biggest one-day race in our previous galleries here and here.
