For as long as I can remember, people have told me how great the Saris/PowerTap customer service is when you call them with a problem or technical question. From what I've heard, they are supposed to be the "Nordstrom" of cycling products. Recently, my PowerTap was having issues recording heartrate (i.e., intermittent dropouts or no recording at all). I changed the batteries in both the CPU and the heartrate strap twice, thinking that perhaps even the batteries were old, having sat on the shelf and all.
So it was with guarded optimism that I contacted Saris about this problem. First, I sent an email with my dilemma. The reply? The HR strap and the CPU were no longer compatible. I needed to buy a brand new computer and strap...but they'd give me a break...only $199. Wait. You're telling me that my three year-old PowerTap no longer gives me HR (who needs HR when you're training with power, right?!) because of a programming glitch? I didn't break it or kill it myself. It's system issue and I should shell out $200 for a new one?
I then tried a live person. When I called Saris, I pretty much got the same response. No sympathy (or is it empathy?)...no proposed workarounds. When I inquired about whether they would warranty the CPU, the Saris rep asked, "Why?"
Oh, and did I mention that the Mavic Open Pro wheel on which the PT hub is mounted leans to the left and occasionally will rub against the frame or brake? It's a problem that teammates Junk and Squirrel also have been experiencing with their PT wheels. In fact, Junk is still waiting for his wheel to come back from Plum Grove (who've been great about working to find the cause/fix for the defective wheel).
Maybe it's just easier to go back to PE and HR as a means of training. SRM is too expensive...PT has issues...iBike doesn't really give you accurate power...and Polar is a complicated set up and also only provides estimated power.
Thanks for letting me rant,
Fish
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
18 comments:
You should do the Ibike. You will finally see 500 watts on a down hill. But I like mine with the occassional screw up. But most of the time it is consistent in the numbers it posts. As long as it does that I can use it as a reference.
You are obviously frustrated, and understandably. I have to say though, at what point can you expect a company to stop just bending over for a customer? Yeah, it sucks that you've been caught out on a product update (and lack of support for previous versions, because they don't make it anymore), and the guy you talked to, even if he didn't have any other solutions, shouldn't have been on the short side with you.
On the other hand, saying "Powertap Sucks" is pretty cry-baby, and if that is the same attitude you called Saris up with, you can half-expect to get the sort of response you did. Obviously, nobody won in the exchange, and I hope you can find a positive solution.
Could you please explain the issue you are having with the wheel being off alignment?
Pete -
Fair enough. My frustration with the situation obviously spilled over into my entry. For that reason, I've changed the title of the entry. Overall, I like the PowerTap product and will most likely suck it up and order the upgrade. However, both customer service reps couldn't have been more apathetic. I don't think that I was a cry baby in the email exchanges and the phone call. I just asked for suggestions on how to get around this issue. None were offered, other than, "You have to buy a new computer." I don't know what I expected in terms of a response from them...maybe a "Yeah, this sucks. But there's nothing we can do about it." or "We've seen this before and here's what others have done." I suppose the extent of my frustration comes from the failure of expectation (i.e., what others have told me about their customer service) to match up with my personal experience. I'm sorry if that came off as me being a cry baby. That was not my intent.
As for the rear wheel, it looks fine when you're off the bike. However, when you sit on the bike the wheel leans to the left (away from the drivetrain side) and will occasionally rub against the brake and the chainstay. Two friends of mine have sent their wheels to Saris to be fixed and both came back with the same problem.
Fish
I had a Powertap in 2006. I eventually sold it and went to SRM. Yeah, it's expensive but it is frigging bullet proof. My Powertap stopped recording all the time in the cold - and I'm only talking in the 20s. That was with a fresh battery. After 3 calls, I finally got someone who told me: yeah that happens when it gets cold - below 30. WTF? So if you train in the cold, no power data? What a joke. That was well over a year ago, so I'm not so sure they have their shit together at Saris. Just my 50 cent(s).
Question: will Quarq be an answer / player in all this? Sure looks good on paper if they ever ship the damn thing: http://www.quarq.us/
Hey -
Yeah, I realize my comment sounds like I'm trying to bust your balls, but I promise I'm not!
I'll vouch for Saris, as I work for a shop and have heard more stories than you can imagine, but you've got to assume that they can't always hook everyone up. Again, you are the unusual case where they didn't make it right.
I was actually more curious about that wheel problem; so you think it is a spoke lacing, or does the hub have something to do with it? I know that the torque actually comes from the non-driveside from the powertap, which is why you cannot have radial lacing on the non-drive side.
I have a Powertap 2.4 laced on an Open Pro (built by Saris, not a third party) and have yet to experience problems, but mine is 3 years younger than yours.
Hope you can get your stuff fixed...at least all this crap takes some frustration away from the knee :-P
-Pete
Get an ergomo. I've had mine for over a year, and love it. Never had a problem (except for when the download cable broke and they replaced it for free).
The only problems I've read about are as a result of improper installation.
Forgot to add
Plus you get altitude and you can use what wheels you want.
Pete -
No worries. Looking back at the tone of my post, I did come off as a cry baby. Shit happens and you're right, they can't hook everyone up.
Local bike shops and Saris have looked at both the spokes and the hub. In fact, I think one of my friends' wheels was rebuilt practically from scratch. It's odd, really. All three wheels in question are Open Pros (mine was built by Saris). My rubbing issue is more intermittent than the others', however.
Thanks for the feedback. And thanks for helping me see my whiny ways.
Fish
heh, I'd be throwing a fit if my 1500 dollar bicycle wheel didn't work and they told me to cough up 200 bones.
Can't you buy a whole new bike at WalMart for half that? Geez!
Bryan-
I need to turn in my power geek membership card...I never heard of Quarq. Thanks for sending the link my way. Looks very interesting.
Damn! Something else to read up on and ultimately purchase!
Fish
Ray -
Thanks for the input. I must confess that I didn't do much research on the Ergomo. Our team gets a good deal on 'em, but I was under the impression (wrongly, I believe) that the power was estimated, not actual. It might bear some additional investigation. However, that Quarq thing that Bryan referred to looks like it might be the second coming of the SRM.
Fish
Kyle -
Thanks. I've always wanted to go downhill at 500 watts...will it help me go uphill at 800 watts?
Honestly, there are so many different iterations of the power meter with so many different accuracy levels and price ranges that it's almost worth it to go back to HR.
Fish
Fish,
I can personally apologize for the issue you are dealing with. Until we implemented the 2.4 wireless technology all PowerTaps used a non-coded heart rate receiving chip inside the computer. This technology, as often happens with such things, became outdated very quickly. To address it, we switched to a coded system that is much more robust and durable. The trade off, as you are faced with, is that it is not compatible with older systems. Because the new technology is that much better we moved away from it completely.
Our customer service staff is trained to offer the highest degree of technical information possible and to treat people fairly. They're all (we have 8 dedicated customer service staff in Madison, WI) passionate cyclists and would like nothing more than to be able to hook people up all day long because it makes their job easier. But we have a business to run and by keeping answers short and sweet we avoid inconsistent service (the squeaky wheel gets the grease kind of thing). I hope you understand.
In regards to your wheel issue, I wasn't sure from your post but I suspect you have the older Pro model with the yellow cap?? In which case it seems to me you may need a new axle, cones and bearings to snug things up etc. Especially if your hub is a few years old and has not had this sort of maintenance.
Hope this helps and hope you don't mind me posting here....
Good luck with the knee.
Jesse Bartholomew
PowerTap Product Manager
Saris Cycling Group
I used powertaps for 3-4 years and had to constantly send them back. While they would fix or replace stuff, I cannot tell you how many batteries I purchased to problem solve, the shipping issues I experienced, or the 2 week turnaround to get the powertap back. Worse of all, 2 weeks with no data sucks when you are training with power.
I had the same issues. No heart rate (and that is still important to monitor!), not working in anything under 40 degrees (which is everyday in DC in the winter), and intermidant data.
I purchased an SRM Amatuer and life has been good ever since.
Sorry Saris.
Jesse -
Thanks for your comment and for explaining the issue with the PowerTap. I think if it was explained that way, instead of "Sorry, that's just the way it is." I would have been a little more satisfied with the customer service experience.
And the hub is the SL, not the Pro.
Thanks again,
Fish
Fish,
Sorry to hear about your issues. I have been using the Ergomo for 2 years and it's been fine (it actually measures power in the bottom bracket, it's not estimated). That said, I'm thinking of selling it as I'm just going to go back to using HR and PE exclusively...I had more fun racing and had better results when I wasn't so concerned about analyzing power numbers, TSS, etc. Just my $.02
Beef
Post a Comment