At Eurobike 2012, Rotor presented its first power meter, simply called the Power . It was designed to be highly accurate and also provide important details about pedaling efficiency. According to the manufacturer, it added only 30 grams of weight to the standard Rotor 3D crankset. How could that be, we wondered, especially since other well-known manufacturers often specify an additional 200 grams for their devices.
Over the past few months, I've had the opportunity to put the Power through a thorough test and also to benefit from the new service update.
Rotor integrates the eight strain gauges directly into the two crank arms. While this makes the system extremely lightweight, it also limits its use to the 3D crankset. The batteries are also located directly on the crank and are easily replaceable. Thanks to Rotor's new bottom bracket, the Power crankset with its stiff 30-millimeter axle is compatible with almost any frame standard.
Installation is quite simple and takes barely ten minutes. The system can also be easily calibrated via ANT+. Rotor thus enables the power meter to be compatible with many commercially available bike computers. For my test, I used a Garmin Edge 500, as it has the function to display the left-right distribution of applied power. This puts the device on the same wavelength as the Rotor Power.
Both power, cadence and right-left balance are displayed on the first try. After that, up to the service update, eight minor problems often occurred, which manifested themselves in a display delay or brief failures. However, with the current service update nine, Rotor has managed to eradicate these problems.
If, despite the new service update, there are still problems the first time you use it, this is most likely due to a gel-like liquid that can be found in the battery compartment. According to Rotor, this is production-related and will disappear relatively quickly. In my case this was also the case.
The power measurement is relatively accurate, even compared to other devices. Rotor specifies an accuracy of 98 to 99 percent and points out that the system is unaffected by weather conditions. According to Rotor, this is due to the placement of the measuring strips in the crank arms. Indeed, the power meter proves reliable and largely accurate in use. Compared to a calibrated ergometer or a PowerTap , the data is largely consistent. The deviations are usually less than one percent. Only in the lower wattage ranges were these deviations somewhat larger during my test.
Intervals, which are part of training to improve performance, can be precisely controlled with the power meter – as the example image shows. The right-left balance also works perfectly.
During my test, I combined the Power with Rotor's new QXL-Rings . Compared to the familiar Q-Rings, these are distinguished by their significantly more oval shape. The shifting performance of the QXL-Rings is beyond reproach. While the installation and fine-tuning take some time, you get used to the different pedaling feel relatively quickly, although I did experience some slight muscle soreness after the first few training sessions with the QXL-Rings due to the unfamiliar strain . The shape of the chainrings is optimized for the best possible pedaling ergonomics and is intended to reduce lactate levels in the blood at the same wattage, thus leading to increased performance. Furthermore, the closed design of our test version is supposed to improve aerodynamics.
//Conclusion
Weighing just 520 grams, the Rotor Power is an extremely lightweight power meter that boasts a multitude of useful features and broad device compatibility. It records power output with relatively high accuracy and is unaffected by weather conditions. Compared to other devices, the ability to split the measurement between the left and right sides (display depends on the specific device used) is particularly compelling, allowing for significantly more targeted training control. Therefore, despite its price of €1.695,00, the Rotor Power proves to be a reliable and valuable addition to everyday training and racing.
//Product highlights
- low overall weight
- very well coordinated right-left balance
- high device compatibility
- largely accurate reproduction of the performance provided (with system update nine compared to calibrated devices)
//price and web
- 1.695,90 euros (without leaves)
- www.rotorbike.com