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Power meter on a budget?
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sanrensho
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 835
Location: North Vancouver

3/25/17 3:28 PM

Walter/Jesus Saves: How reliable are the PowerTap hubs? Which model do you recommend?

I keep reading about bearing issues with PT hubs and the need to send it in for recalibration every time. The latter would get very expensive from Canada. Seems like only the newest G3 hub gets positive reviews for durability.

Just to add: I would not be using it in the rain.

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walter
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 4391
Location: metro-motown-area

3/28/17 12:56 PM

i have the full range of PT hubs.
a- current G3
b- rebuilt ANT+ with G3 axle/freehub/elecs
c- 15mm alloy axle ANT+
d- 12mm steel axle ANT+

a/b are nice because FH swaps are tool-free.
c is nice, it's an updated setup and seems more maintenance friendly.
d is perfectly fine, but weigh a little more and have smaller bearings.

for a trainer, get the cheapest PT you can find that's not abused...they all work the same in practice. i'd stay away from the 12mm kit (unless its truly pristine) simply because it's the oldest stuff and would just have been exposed to more life in the elements during it's life.

if you dont abuse them, i find them reliable -- they are my default hub for 99.9999% of the riding i do (road, gravel, mtb, modern, retro). i've bought some pre-owned in the past that had been ridden hard and put away wet over many years, so i had to get them rebuilt...but that got them up to G3 spec so basically new-build with most current electrics.

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sanrensho
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 835
Location: North Vancouver

3/28/17 4:44 PM

Thanks Walter, that's helpful.

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greglepore
Joined: 10 Jan 2004
Posts: 1724
Location: SE Pa, USA

3/29/17 7:21 AM

I had several as well, before I went to stages. Mostly shared walter's experience. They're cheap now. If they do fail electronically, its usually the torque tube, and the cost of repair now exceeds the value of used hubs in the market.

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sanrensho
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Posts: 835
Location: North Vancouver

3/29/17 1:34 PM

Thanks. Further research indicates that the bearings can be DIY replaced without affecting calibration.

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