# How many seasons did your powertap last?



## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

Just curious.

Bought mine beginning of 2008, currently on my second rim and hub stopped working a month ago. So 4 seasons.

Working with my LBS and lowest cost option is to send hub back to Saris, install new internals, and get the new Joule Computer which is compatible the new hub (old yellow computer is not compatible?).

What kind of life did you have with your PT?


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## shawndoggy (Feb 3, 2004)

About 3 seasons per cycle. I'm on my second $350 out of warranty service/refurb. Bought original hub in 2005, had it replaced in 2007, again last year, it failed under warranty and I got the rebuild with new internals and new computer deal in September.


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## seppo17 (Dec 7, 2008)

My SL+ made roughly a yr. I just got it back with the internals replaced under warranty.


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## Poncharelli (May 7, 2006)

seppo, did you also have to get new computer?

I guess I'm lucky mine lasted that long. For the big money they cost you'd figure they'd be more reliable.


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

About 2 full years. Sent it in under warranty and they replaced all the internals with G3 stuff. The only part that was original was the hub shell. Even if I had to pay the $350, it might be worth it.


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

My SL from 2007 is still working. It's been upgraded to an SL+ so it'll talk ANT. Garmin rebuilt the hub once under warranty. I replaced the bearings once. It's been built up in five different wheels. Yes, five. I ride a lot and until I got a Quarq for my race bike the PT wheel got ridden all the time except in a few climbing races. Now it's on my rain/backup bike.


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## seppo17 (Dec 7, 2008)

Poncharelli said:


> seppo, did you also have to get new computer?


Nope, I use a garmin edge 500.


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## brady1 (Aug 18, 2011)

Well, there goes my plan of adding a PT to my training program...


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## Got Time (Jan 23, 2009)

Poncharelli said:


> and get the new Joule Computer ...


If you are talking about the Joule 1.0 (not Joule GPS): I have a bad experience with that one: it drains batteries in about 15 hours of riding (instead of the "estimated" 300 hours). I'm not sure yet whether I'll return it to the shop where I bought it or try to exchange it via CycleOps (the shop doesn't have any Joules anymore).

Moreover, the Joule doesn't do "power smoothing" (3s average) for its display, which makes is hard to use with the PowerCal, but maybe that's not needed for the PowerTap?


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## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

How long do crank based systems last?


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

My first one lasted a bit more than a season (7000 - 8000 miles) before I cracked the hub flange. It was out of warranty by the time it happened (I don't use it in the winter), so I had a $400 replacement cost with everything new (I sent in the computer and strap as well and they replaced those in the cost).

My second one is still going strong.


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## 2Slo4U (Feb 12, 2005)

I love the Internet. 8 people reply to a thread and someone decides a powertap is crap. Too funny...


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## Srode (Aug 19, 2012)

I think with the G3 hub you just need to send in the cap not the entire hub, correct? Guess it depends on what's wrong with it. I've had mine 3 weeks and a couple hundred miles so of course it's still working.


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## BeeCharmer (Apr 30, 2003)

I've got an Pro+ with about 25k miles on it. Just putting in my fourth set of batteries. I've found the outer bearing on the drive side fails every 7000 miles or so, but the unit still works.


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## jspharmd (May 24, 2006)

My first one lasted all of two weeks. Sent it back under warranty. Since then (2008), I've replaced the batteries twice and it has worked fine...knock on wood.

2Slo4U, I would suggest that Brady1 didn't conclude that powertap is crap, just that they now realize the maintenance cost of a powertap is more than they realized. I remember thinking a powertap wheel wasn't going to be worth it if I had to send it back all the time.


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## AndrwSwitch (May 28, 2009)

Wookiebiker said:


> My first one lasted a bit more than a season (7000 - 8000 miles) before I cracked the hub flange.


What spoke count were you using?

I've been coveting one of these things lately, but it seems like something to buy new/with warranty...


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## brady1 (Aug 18, 2011)

2Slo4U said:


> I love the Internet. 8 people reply to a thread and someone decides a powertap is crap. Too funny...


That was meant to be sarcasm. I guess that doesn't always come through on the internet.

I suppose I could have used a smiley...or winky...or something completely random.

:crazy:


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## ericm979 (Jun 26, 2005)

No power meter made these days is 100% trouble free. The PT hub is as good as it gets. It's trouble free for many people, and the majority of trouble with it is bearings that need replacing, which isn't the fault of the power meter. I've had to replace bearings in my non powertap hubs too. Sometimes after only a few months.

The thing to look for in a power meter, since they are expensive and chances are good that you will need it serviced, is the quality of service. Saris (powertap) and Quarq both have excellent service. That rebuild I got from Saris? Totally free, done under warranty. They even put on a new freehub body.


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## Sumguy1 (Apr 5, 2008)

It will be three years and around 32000 miles next month for my SL+. No issues but replacing batteries. 
And I almost forgot the 3 freehub bodies I've had to replace at $70 per. Do those count?


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## Alaska Mike (Sep 28, 2008)

I would think that a crank-based system would be slightly more durable. The big wear items are the chainrings and bottom brackets, which in the case of my GXP Quarq are common, off-the shelf parts. I swap out the coin battery every 8 months or so, just to make sure I don't lose data and to check that the terminals aren't corroded. Other than that, I don't do anything.

With a wheel, you have components that see a lot more shock loads than with a crank-based system. Rims, spokes, bearings, and all sorts of items that aren't actually part of the power meter itself still directly contribute to the "reliability" of the power meter in the eyes of the user.

I'm biased, although I probably would have bought a Powertap if I didn't need a crank-based system with my trainer. I'm looking very hard at picking up a Stages Cycling crank-arm system for my commuter if they are half-way decent, just to get data from those rides as well. 

I'm kinda hooked on power as a metric, even if I don't completely geek out on the numbers (that's the coach's job).


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

AndrwSwitch said:


> What spoke count were you using?
> 
> I've been coveting one of these things lately, but it seems like something to buy new/with warranty...


My training wheels are 32 spoke, DB 14/15, Open Pro rims ... which is the one that cracked.

I'm a bit at the extreme end of the users for the hubs though since my race weight is 190's ish, I have a 5 second power in the low 1400 watt range and 20 minute power in the low 390 watt range ... So I'm a good person to look at for long term testing of products for durability


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## ACree (Feb 5, 2006)

How's your luck been with the freehub bodies? I've had a G3 since June, and have put only 5 or 6 rides on it in that time (I mostly mtn bike). Went to change the cassette this week and found it grooved worse than any hub I've ever owned. Sari's response was 'alloy is softer, we make a steel one you can buy instead'.



Wookiebiker said:


> My training wheels are 32 spoke, DB 14/15, Open Pro rims ... which is the one that cracked.
> 
> I'm a bit at the extreme end of the users for the hubs though since my race weight is 190's ish, I have a 5 second power in the low 1400 watt range and 20 minute power in the low 390 watt range ... So I'm a good person to look at for long term testing of products for durability


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## Wookiebiker (Sep 5, 2005)

ACree said:


> How's your luck been with the freehub bodies? I've had a G3 since June, and have put only 5 or 6 rides on it in that time (I mostly mtn bike). Went to change the cassette this week and found it grooved worse than any hub I've ever owned. Sari's response was 'alloy is softer, we make a steel one you can buy instead'.


I put grooves in every aluminum freehub body I've ever owned ... sometimes, pretty severe. The only time I didn't do that was on older steel freehub bodies.

I know Saris makes one for the Powertap and it's only $30.00 or so ... A former teammate of mine went that rout and never had a problem with grooving his freehub body again. I just haven't purchase one yet, but when my current one is done ... I likely will.

A cassette like SRAM's old Red unit with the wider contact point likely won't groove as much ... though it's louder.


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## ACree (Feb 5, 2006)

The steel freehubs are $50 now, just ordered one last week after discovering how quickly this one was grooving.


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## King Arthur (Nov 13, 2009)

A better question would be "how many miles do you get from your power tap?" If you only pedal 1,000 miles per year, it will certainly last longer.....


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