GamJams Reviews: Computers - iBike iAero III

Today's review of computers is redundant for BRILF.net - the entire site acts as a sort of review of the iBike iAero III. If you've been here before you've seen how it represents power data, how it can be used to measure aerodynamic position, how well it captures power data - in draft-heavy race scenarios, over LT efforts, and even on short sharp power spikes.

I've been using the iAero III for about a month now. I switched to it because of the hidden cost of Power Taps. I train with power because I don't have a lot of time to train and want every pedal stroke to be purposeful. And because I have so little time to train, I have a zero tolerance policy for flats. That means there's no way I can train on the tires I race on, which led me to embrace the training wheels / racing wheels setup. Get a cheaper, heavier set of wheels for your daily grind and put some bombproof rubber on them, and have a light wheel / tire setup for game day. It's pretty common - in many cases to an extreme.

The trouble with going this route with PowerTap is that your cheap training wheels are still going to set you back over $1K, and because of the limited options available for PowerTap builds, your race wheels are either going to be about the same thing as your training wheels (Mavic Open Pros or the equivalent) but with nicer tires, or they're going to set you back $3K+ minimum for something aero. So PowerTap for the serious racer doesn't really cost $1K - it's closer to $4K - $5K. I actually wanted three sets of wheels: bombproof training, light aluminum racing, and aero racing. The damage? $7K+, because I would have had to upgrade my old wired versions to the new wireless, or else build up my aero wheels with 32 spokes around a last generation PT hub (which defeats the purpose).

I decided to abandon the PowerTap and look for another solution. Outside of my data needs, my principal requirement is that the software needed to run on Mac. Saris' PowerAgent does, but it sucks. WKO+ doesn't. If anything comes with SRM, that doesn't either. That really left me looking at Quarq, which doesn't have software, leaving you to work it out based on the head unit you pair it with. Most folks pair it with a Garmin and I considered that - but I'd be paying for a lot of GPS features I don't really care about. So I looked at the iAero as a head unit for the Quarq - runs on Mac, is cycling-specific, and has some neat aero features that would complement the Quarq data. Plus, the Quarq I wanted wasn't in stock, so going with the iAero would allow me to train with power (not direct force power) until it arrived. I leapt, got the iAero from my friends at WiredBike.com in Charlottesville, and set it up while I waited for the Quarq inventory to replenish.

I've since grown to like the iAero so much that I have no intention of pairing it with the Quarq, and will continue to use it on its own. After using PowerTap for years, I can tell you that the power readings from the iBike are indistinguishable, even in race situations with a lot of drafting. And because it measures wind speed and elevation and drafting and everything else, it gives you data I could never get from the PowerTap - like elevation gain, and how many watts I gave away during a crit by braking, and what difference my aero wheels have on my speed compared to my aluminum wheels. I haven't gotten to the intervals stuff yet.

If you've been here before, you saw also that I've tested out the company's customer service, relative to PowerTap's. When I contacted them with what seemed to be a hardware problem, they seemed surprised, which is good and bad: Good because they must not have many hardware issues; bad because they don't have a clear process for dealing with it. I sent it in and the guy who gave me instructions for sending it in told me that he doesn't handle shipping and that he would ask John about it. John is the CEO - that gives you an idea of their infrastructure. The Service / Tech guy then told me he thought it would probably go out this week. But there was no record of much of anything happening so I didn't know what the prognosis was, or when my iAero's ETA might be. Until yesterday, when a brand new one showed up at my door. They turned it around in a week - and that includes the July 4th holiday long weekend. (I actually got an email from the Tech guy on the 4th itself.)

So I'm a fan, unequivocally. My one reservation is that I didn't think I'd be able to use it on the trainer. But it turns out that I can (provided that your speed sensor is connected to the rear wheel). There's a piece of firmware that you can use with it that is calibrated against the resistance curves of popular trainers. So you choose which trainer you're on and the iBike knows - based on how fast you're going and the resistance afforded from your trainer - what your power output is. It's very clever, and a great example of how the iBike enters power-based training from the side door. Previously this firmware was available for $30, but now with the iAero III it's included for free. I think my replacement iAero that I just received has it, which would be delightful.

Comments

[HEF]

I race with a Powertap SL built with a Zipp 404 rim. Picked it up on ebay for $850. I have a PT DT Swiss clincher that weight 10 tons for training that I picked up used for $550. Powertap can be reasonably cost effective if you bargain shop...

[Mike May]

True, there are deals to be had on PT wheels. But then you're racing on used wheels or inferior equipment. How much would your 10-ton training wheel cost if it didn't have the PT? You can get a bombproof complete wheelset for less than half you paid for your bargain DT PowerTap rear wheel. That's the hidden cost - that even if you can get a discount on the hubs for using older versions or used wheels, you need to make that investment for every single rear wheel you want to run on your bike. Once you commit to multiple wheelsets AND using power for both racing and training, the more cost-effective solution is to run a single power meter so you only have to pay for that technology once.