Quarq release next generation power meters
Crank-based power measurement system updated for 2013
1200px-Quarq-ELSA-10R-130-BB30-Hero-TT
Quarq have just announced two new crank-based power meters that offer a high level of accuracy.
The top level Elsa 10R (above, priced at €1,787 – we don’t have UK prices yet) comes with SRAM Exogram hollow carbon cranks and weighs 735g (that’s a GXP version in 172.5mm crank lengths with standard 53/39-tooth chainrings). It’s available in crank lengths all the way from 162.5mm up to 177.5mm.
What Quarq – owned by SRAM since 2011 – call their Power Balance technology captures separate data for each leg, so you’re given the ratio of power generated on the left and right side so you can address any issues with asymmetry.
Quarq reckon the system is accurate to +/-1.5% and that you can swap chainring size without affecting that accuracy. It uses a widely available CR2032 battery and sends the information via ANT+ so you can get a readout on all sorts of head units, like Garmin Edges, for example.
The Riken 10R (above, €1428) is similar but the carbon-fibre crank arms aren’t that Exogram hollow design so they’re a little heavier. You’re looking at a claimed weight of 823g (again, that’s a GXP version in 172.5mm crank lengths with standard 53/39-tooth chainrings). Both the Riken and the Elsa are available in compact (50/34-tooth) versions too.
They’ll both be available from 22 February. For more info go to www.quarq.com.
Beautiful. But does anyone apart from cat 1 upwards "REALLY" need to know the information that this can give you?
maybe if you are working towards a specific goal it could come in handy, but unless its pretty massive, think moving up a couple of CAT's in a short period and not london to Brighton, then its a nice to have rather than a need.
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I don't even race and I have a power meter.
All the gear and no idea!
Do you *really* need a carbon frame or a garmin? wherever you draw the line, it's a fairly arbitrary one. anyway, gives us all something to talk about 
want and need, always a fine line isnt there:-)
I don't have carbon or garmin 
I doubt carbon will be up to recumbent standards for a while yet, I know there are some, but not hearing good things about them.
Yeah, but you've got a kick-ass trike...
If the bicycle was invented tomorrow, it would be seen as the solution, not the problem
Yeah, but you've got a kick-ass trike...
This is true I should quit making stupid comments, I'm trying to fit a tiny bit of carbon somewhere through, I'm thinking a bottle cage 
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