SRM Powercontrol 7 benefits vs. Garmin Edge 705

[guga]

In a few weeks i will receive my new Quarq Cinqo. I already have a Garmin Edge 705 which i am happy with.

What is all the buzz about the Powercontrol 7? (which is just confirmed by Quarq to be compatible with the Cinqo in a near future)

Killing the Garmin will leave me on my own without GPS.
Owning and using both will... Hmm... Annoy my bank supervisor...
Riding with the Powercontrol 7 only will...?

Let me have your 5 cents on that.

Best
Benjamin

[DuncanG]

having used a pcv, garmin 705 and now the garmin 500, i have to say for the cost and features the garmin 500 is the hands down winner. you still get mapping when you get home too...it also paired way more consistenly with the srm than the 705 and i lost allot less data ( had a 705 early on )

[Maverick]

Having used both, battery life is about the only benefit, with maybe intervals a little bit better to display and review during your ride on the Powercontrol.

Basically any data you want from a PCVII can be displayed on the Garmin, but you might need to play around with it a bit to get what display you want.

If it helps, I basically copied my Powercontrol display info on my Garmin so they are exactly the same.

If you really like the GPS / mapping feature of Garmin there is no reason why you would choose PCVII especially given it is approx twice the price.

[Ypsylon]

The Edge has cost me a couple of interesting rides worth of data. It froze, recorded them in an useable lap format or switched itself to smart recording. Then apparently data is different if you use a map from a SD card while you ride. What in the world is that about? Most of that seems to be fixed, but I'm still a little paranoid, which is why I just scored a used PC VI.

The only feature I'm actually looking forward to is more acurate kJ numbers while I ride. AFAIK the Garmin uses some funky HR based calorie calculation, even when it has power at it's disposal, but they might have fixed that as well.

What is all the buzz about the Powercontrol 7? (which is just confirmed by Quarq to be compatible with the Cinqo in a near future)

Seriously? Will Quarq take care of it or SRM? Just the 7 or the VI as well?

[guga]

Yes, they will support some sort of "dual mode" - as almost confirmed by a firmware update which will allow you to use the PC7 (nothing said about the PC6) as a head unit. The firmware should be standard on 2011 Cinqos, but will be offered (not officially confirmed, but "said") as a "send-in-to install" option for current users.

The new firmware has another great feature. It allows you (even though Quarq firmware should be very stable) to update your Cinqo firmware directly from a soon-to-be-released iPhone app using a small ANT+ Sport dongle. Nice? Yes!

Benjamin

[wetpaint]

I have a PCVI and 705. I only use the Garmin, the thing that really sets the Garmin apart for me is being able to put instant and average power on the same screen for intervals.

[raiderr]

PC7 gives your bike pro-look. And that's what matters.

[Geoff]

Riding with the Powercontrol 7 only will...?

...ensure that: you will always (basically ) have reliable data when you go to download it; you will never lose a good file because the battery went on you (unlike PCV and PCVI); you will have a useful screen interface to view that won't be confusing when you are cresting a climb on your 7th interval and your eyes are so crossed you are seeing three PowerControllers; you will never lose your PowerController riding on cobbles or other rough surfaces, forcing you to backtrack for 5km to find the damn thing ; and, it weighs 40g less!

[guga]

Riding with the Powercontrol 7 only will...?

...ensure that: you will always (basically ) have reliable data when you go to download it; you will never lose a good file because the battery went on you (unlike PCV and PCVI); you will have a useful screen interface to view that won't be confusing when you are cresting a climb on your 7th interval and your eyes are so crossed you are seeing three PowerControllers; you will never lose your PowerController riding on cobbles or other rough surfaces, forcing you to backtrack for 5km to find the damn thing ; and, it weighs 40g less!

Why would i take the weight saving aspect as an argument on weightweenies ?

[Maverick]

The only feature I'm actually looking forward to is more acurate kJ numbers while I ride. AFAIK the Garmin uses some funky HR based calorie calculation, even when it has power at it's disposal, but they might have fixed that as well.

This must have been fixed some time ago because I have had my Garmin for nearly 12 months now and it definitely has two choices - calories and kJ - with calories representing the funky calculation data and kJ displaying true energy expenditure per powermeter.

[Geoff]

It is really all the same, based upon a calculated guess. Unless you happened to have some way to be able to determine from moment to moment what the gross efficency of your body was, you are really only able to make some assumptions. Using the SRM as an example, the assumption is that the human body's gross efficiency is about 25% on a bike. Accordingly, you take watts, multiply by 4 and presto, kJ. Since a calorie is 4.184 kJ, calculation of calories is almost as accurate.

[LarsEjaas]

It is really all the same, based upon a calculated guess. Unless you happened to have some way to be able to determine from moment to moment what the gross efficency of your body was, you are really only able to make some assumptions. Using the SRM as an example, the assumption is that the human body's gross efficiency is about 25% on a bike. Accordingly, you take watts, multiply by 4 and presto, kJ. Since a calorie is 4.184 kJ, calculation of calories is almost as accurate.

I really think it is a matter of which functions you value the most (by the way - it is quite weird to write in english when I know you are from Copenhagen ):

Garmin has of course GPS. The Garmin also has the ability to show average and instant wattage on the same screen when doing intervals (I like this a lot). Powercontrol is MUCH better if you need to review intervals while you ride. Batterytime is also a lot better on the Powercontrol (this is, in my opinion, really only useful when travelling).

Price of the Powercontrol is a lot steeper than the Garmin and of course: Powercontrol is smaller, mounts in front of the stem more "out of the wind" and weights less.

With an SRM Powermeter the Powercontrol can be set to auto-zero-offset while riding (I really do not know if this has any value with the Quarq Cinqo - but I am not sure).

Powercontrol needs a Speed-sensor where Garmin can measure this using the GPS (might not be a feature to you, but I like this a lot).

[Geoff]

Unfortunately, we have to spend quite a lot of time indoors during the winter. One of the benefits of the SRM PowerController is that with a rear-wheel speed sensor, you have speed and distance as well as time recorded.

[rgkicksbutt]

PC7 gives your bike pro-look. And that's what matters.

nailed it! i don't know why this thread even went past this!

@Geoff: you can turn the GPS function off and use just the rear wheel cadence/speed sensor with the garmin when training indoors

[mrlobber]

Unfortunately, we have to spend quite a lot of time indoors during the winter. One of the benefits of the SRM PowerController is that with a rear-wheel speed sensor, you have speed and distance as well as time recorded.

Not really a problem for Garmins as long as combined speed / cadence sensors can be bought separately in quantities easy (costs some money though, obviously).