Eurobike report: Polar and Look show a pedal-based power meter
- By Zack Vestal
- Published Sep. 3, 2010
- Updated Feb. 8, 2011 at 8:50 PM UTC
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2010 Eurobike, Look 586
Dropouts on the 586 are carbon fiber.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 586
The 586 is built as a monocoque single piece.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 586
In addition to the normal seat post, the 586 loses just a little weight due to construction refinements developed from the flagship 695 project.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 586
A newly available standard seat post option on the 586 will make travel easier.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 586
The 586 is now available with a standard seatpost instead of the extended seat mast.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal
Installation and removal of the power measurement would be easy.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal
If it works out, the Polar Look system could be the lightest power measurement option on the market.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal
Look and Polar's power pedal program is a work still in progress.
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2010 Eurobike, Look C Stem
Looks C Stem is adjustable for angle and length.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 695
The 695 from Look is its first road bike to incorporate the Zed cranks and BB system.
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2010 Eurobike, Look 695 Super Rigid
Taaramae rides the extra stiff, Super Rigid (SR) version of the 695.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedals
The Polar units plug into the pedal spindles from behind the cranks.
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2010 Eurobike, Rein Taaramae's Look 695
This is Cofidis rider Rein Taaramae's Look 695.
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2010 Eurobike, Look carbon bikes
Look Cycles is still primarily in the business of making fine carbon bikes.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal
Durability testing is still in the works for the Polar Look system.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal
With the addition of Polar's P5 sending unit, the pedals are wireless.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal, wired spindle
Look brought a wired pedal spindle to show what an early version of the system looked like.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal, Polar computer heads
The two Polar computer heads are already part of their power measurement suite.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal, separate output
One very cool feature of pedal-based power measurement is the potential to measure output separately from each pedal, thus showing any imbalance of pedal power in either leg.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal, P5 sending unit
A P5 sending unit must be attached to each pedal on the back side of the cranks.
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2010 Eurobike, Look power pedal, Polar battery life
Polar claims that battery life for the sending unit will be five months if used three hours per day, seven days a week.
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2010 Eurobike, Look-Polar PowerPoint
Look and Polar collaborated on power measurement and a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the system.
Look also showed a new crank system
There’s still too much tech on show at Eurobike for one reporter to manage. But a few bits and pieces jump out.
For example, a pedal-based power meter built around Look’s Keo platform and made to communicate with Polar cycling computers. According to Look representatives, early versions of the system were developed some nine years ago just to quantify the stresses exerted on pedal spindles. But a conversation with Polar around a year ago led to the collaboration that might bring to market the world’s first viable pedal-based power meter.
If you recall from Interbike last year, a company called Metrigear has been working on something similar called the Vector. It was built with Speedplay Zero pedals and relied on ANT+ wireless transmission to any compatible computer head. However, 12 months later there’s still been no announcement of pending availability, so observers might be forgiven for reacting with some initial skepticism.
Like the Metrigear, the Polar Look Keo Power system is still far from ready for delivery. Right now, the companies don’t forecast availability until spring 2011. Testing and validation in real-world conditions is still pending. Even then, estimated price for a complete system is somewhere between 1500 and 1800 Euro — that’s about $2,000, and that doesn’t include a Polar computer head.
But if it works out, the Polar Look system could be revolutionary. Similar to the Metrigear Vector, the Look system is based around strain gauges measuring deformation in the pedal spindle. Each spindle has eight strain gauges. A Polar P5 sending unit plugs into the back side of each pedal spindle (both left and right) and zip-ties to the crankarm. The Polar unit on each side is self powered with a user-replaceable, coin-style lithium battery and transmits data to a Polar handlebar computer (the CS600X, CS600, and CS500 models will be compatible). Transmission protocol is Polar’s own WIN, so unfortunately aftermarket ANT+ units like the Garmin Edge series won’t be compatible.
The companies claim total system weight at 450 grams. Each pedal weighs 170 grams, about 80 grams heavier than Look’s lightest option, the Keo Blade titanium. Compared to a standard Keo 2Max, the weight gain is only 50 grams per pedal. Add 20 grams per sending unit (one per side), and the weight penalty for portable power measurement could be as little as 140 grams.
However, we’ll have to wait and see whether the Polar Look Keo Power System project comes to fruition with actual availability.
Check the photo gallery for the pedal system and more from Look Cycles.
FILED UNDER: Bikes and Tech / Eurobike / Gallery / Road TAGS: Eurobike / Look / Polar / power meter / tech-news
Zack Vestal
Zack joined VeloNews in 2009, bringing 15 years of industry experience to the Tech Editor position. Most recently manager and mechanic for the Trek-VW mountain bike team (2004-08), he has an unused geology degree from Whitman College (and a well-worn Ph.D. from the school of hard knocks). Vestal covers the latest in cycling gear online, and brings in-depth perspective to the magazine.
