As the patent for the original cycling power meter, the PowerTap H1, neared the end of its term, Saris wanted to extend its market share by releasing a new product that measured power with the same accuracy and lower cost but at a different spot on the bicycle.
Based on a history of successful collaborations and our deep understanding of the product and patent space from creating the original hub-based device years earlier, Saris asked us to develop a new power meter to offer its customers.
The technical challenge with these sorts of devices is to very accurately measure the productive torque transmitted from the cyclist to the road while being completely insensitive to all other loads that can occur, such as wheel forces from hill climbs or radial forces from rider weight and impacts.
Leveraging research done during a previous engagement with Saris, we determined a crank-based solution would be the most cost-effective solution while providing the necessary accuracy using strain gauge-based sensors.
Through our understanding of the fundamental physics of how materials behave under shear stress, we determined the arrangement of the sensors, developed an associated algorithm, and strategized how to calibrate the system in production. The resulting PowerTap C1 accurately measures torque while being insensitive to other factors.
Various prototypes
PowerTap H1
Awards
Interbike 1998 – Best New Product of the Year
Patents
6,418,797
The PowerTap story started in 1998 after Gerhard Pawelka, co-founder of Cooper Perkins, left IDEO to found Tune. He read a book by elite cyclist coach Joe Friel, who made a convincing case for training with power (instead of heart rate or other metrics). While developing the product, Gerhard interviewed dozens of cyclists asking if they would buy his product, as he described it, for $700. No one (yes, no one) wanted it.
Gerhard asked them to read Coach Friel’s research on the benefits of training with power and asked the cyclists again. Every one (yes, every single one) wanted it. Customers wanted what Joe was selling, not the hardware Gerhard was hoping to sell. But to get Coach Friel’s promise fulfilled, they needed to get the PowerTap. That early learning was absolutely key to what the PowerTap became. The developers listened, thought about what they heard, then built the product.
Cooper Perkins has continued to develop products and technology for Saris after Tune’s acquisition, including the conceptual design for the next version of the PowerTap hub and future power meters.
With these innovations, a rider can jump up and down on the bicycle or pull the wheel from side to side to simulate the stresses of a hill climb, and the output will read zero. But lay as much as a finger on the pedal, and the PowerTap will register a barely perceptible 1 oz-in of torque.
PowerTap P1
Tapping into our expertise in measuring power on a bicycle, Saris partnered with Cooper Perkins early in the development of the PowerTap P1. We helped develop the math model of this fairly challenging archetype. Saris engineers and designer went on to develop a remarkable product that represents the highest level of technology in power-measurement on a bicycle.
The PowerTap C1 device was released in 2015 with great results; mirroring the successful release of the original H1, it received Best New Product at the annual Eurobike show and has continued to receive great reviews from cyclists since. By offering its customers another accurate way to gain insight into their training and racing, Saris maintained its long-held position at the top of the market.
