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The power meter market has exploded, they’ve become the must-have product, and one firm making inroads into this competitive market is 4iiii.
At Interbike this week the company unveiled its brand new Podiiiium (no that’s not a typo) power meter which is offered with both dual- and single-side options uses ANT+ and Bluetooth and has a claimed +/- 1.5% accuracy and 60-hour runtime.
We’ve previously tested the company’s Precision single-side power meter and were impressed with the consistency and accuracy of the data and a really good price with both stock crank arms or the option to provide your crank and have 4iiii install the pod.
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The new Podiiiium is claimed to be a ‘major step forward’ and is based on the same technology as used for the Precision we previously tested, but has a lower profile design with a rechargeable battery instead of the replaceable coin cell battery of the Precision, said to be good for 60 hours.
It’s claimed to be fully waterproof and delivers the +/- 1.5% accuracy in all temperatures. It’s said to work with any crank arm, aluminium or carbon, and is claimed to support a “dual compatibility not presently available from any other manufacturer.”
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It’s offered with both dual- and single-side option but is priced to put a dual-side power meter within reach of those cyclists with a single-side budget. There are full ANT+ and Bluetooth compatibility and there are iOS and Android smartphone apps available for saving workouts and receiving software updates.
We don’t have UK prices yet, but in the US a Ride Ready Dual Option costs $999 including the crankset, with current options including new Shimano R9100 Dura-Ace and R8000 Ultegra.
Factory install options, where you send in your existing crank, costs $749 for a dual-side installation or $399 for a non-drive side option and is currently offered on R9100, R8000 and R6800. They’ll be adding more model options in the new year.
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If you already own a Precision left-side power meter, you can upgrade to a dual-side power meter for $349.
And if you're wondering what those two screw threads are for, well we've no idea either. There's no mention of them in the press release, so we've dropped 4iiii a line to find out more.
Availability is scheduled for early 2018. More at http://4iiii.com/
David has worked on the road.cc tech team since July 2012. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds.