# Synapse BB30A and Power Options (Quarq Elsa R?)



## hoodriverlife (Sep 10, 2009)

I am looking to add Power, and i am looking at a Quarq Elsa R Power Meter BB30 (compact 110mm BCD) Crankset... but i see that this crank is built for a 68mm width. Do we know if this can fit on a new Cannondale Synapse (Hi-mod Carbon) with a 73mm BB width? 

Out of luck? 

It seems that (a disc ready) PowerTap would be the only way to go?


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## hoodriverlife (Sep 10, 2009)

hoodriverlife said:


> I am looking to add Power, and i am looking at a Quarq Elsa R Power Meter BB30 (compact 110mm BCD) Crankset... but i see that this crank is built for a 68mm width. Do we know if this can fit on a new Cannondale Synapse (Hi-mod Carbon) with a 73mm BB width?


Interesting, i found this in Peleton Magazine... perhaps 68mm will work...

"The split seat tube, new 73mm BB and asymmetric SAVE non-drive side chain stay. ...The bottom bracket is a new 73mm BB-standard. Dont worry all the same cranks work, they just took away 5mm of spacers for an asymmetric non-drive side, yet retained 10mm of ankle/crank clearance on both sides, something they feel is non-negotiable."


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## southpaw533 (May 29, 2007)

Another option is Stages Power Meter. My local shop has installed several for customers on the new Synapse.


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

What crankset do you have now? Stages, Garmin Vector, Rotor... and SRM, Quark, Power2max all make Hollowgram spiders with power and there seems to be a new player in the powermeter game every week...


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## hoodriverlife (Sep 10, 2009)

The crank that came with the (Synapse Hi-Mod Ultegra Disc) bike is the Cannondale HollowGram Si, BB30A, FSA Chainrings, 50/34.

While it would be a shame to throw away the Hollowgram, I do have a Quarq Elsa on my Tri-bike and I'd like to stick with one approach. So I have an affinity there. It is just a question whether the Elsa (68mm) would fit the 73mm frame.

Per the peleton article, it seems like it should fit. On my tri bike I have a serious amount of spacers.

So... seems the Elsa would work on the wide bodied BB Synapse.


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## southpaw533 (May 29, 2007)

hoodriverlife said:


> While it would be a shame to throw away the Hollowgram,


Why throw away the Hollowgram when as previously stated there are lots of Hollowgram options with regards to powermeters, Stages being one of those?


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## Dan Gerous (Mar 28, 2005)

From what I understand, the Quark cranks wont work with a 73mm wide BB (at least, their BB30 models)... But if familiarity is important, the best option would be to get a Quark spider for your Hollowgram (this). It will work just as a Quark complete crank would with the added bonus of the much nicer Hollowgram crankset. Best of both worlds. It's available in both 130 (standard) and 110 (compact) BCD. Your current chainrings are compact so 110 BCD, if you want to stick with those.

Personally, I have the Stages and when it works, it works well. But I had the common issue of the battery covers breaking or not putting enough pressure on the battery so it sometimes loses it's power, getting drops in the readings... but Stages have been very good in helping to solve it and just recently, they've updated their battery covers (again, it's a third revision since I got my unit) to make them stiffer and tougher and from what I've been told, they haven't had issues from consumers with this version so...

I'm not sure how the price compares, personally, I went with Stages as a non-driveside arm is very easy and quick to swap from one bike to another (compared to swaping the spiders) and I have 4 bikes with Hollowgrams so I can put it on my two road bikes or two cross bikes...


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