Internal Mono(b)log

Powermeters have been the tools of the sponsored and well-heeled.  A few years ago, Stages shook the market with a $800 powermeter and now 4iiii Innovations has gone even further!

Checkout this press release:

4iiii INNOVATIONS ENTERS THE POWER METER RACE WITH A BREAKAWAY DESIGN

INTRODUCING PRECISION FOR UNDER $400!

LAS VEGAS (September 9, 2014) — The world of power meters is about to be rocked with the launch of 4iiii Innovations’ Precision here at Interbike 2014.  The company’s crank mounted power meter was designed with every rider in mind, expanding the opportunity for all cyclists to use power to train more effectively.

“Due to a cost prohibitive price point, power meters have been a performance tool that up until now was restricted to a small segment of the cycling population,” said Kip Fyfe, CEO 4iiii Innovations.  “We have designed a power meter that delivers uncompromised accuracy at an affordable price.”

With a MSRP starting at $399.99, Precision opens up the door for all cyclists looking to improve their performance.  The meter is easily installed on most existing cranks and gives athletes the opportunity to choose a left only module, or a left/right option dependent on their specific needs.

The features of Precision abound with it boasting bilingual communications — both via ANT+ and BLE, a coin cell battery life of 200 hours and the benefit of active learning temperature compensation.

One of the key designers and engineers behind Precision is Keith Wakeham.  Prior to joining 4iiii Innovations his educational and professional career has been devoted to using strain gauge sensors for testing under stringent requirements in the nuclear industry.  His passion for cycling inspired him to develop this patent pending technology.  His dual sensor design uses both primary and secondary sensors to reduce error to well below 1%  for torque measures making Precision more accurate than most power meters currently available.

“I just always felt there was a smarter way to design a power meter,” said Wakeham, Mechatronics Engineer for 4iiii Innovations.  “My goal was to bring this technology down to a price where it would be accessible to all avid cyclists and I feel we have definitely achieved that.”

4iiii Innovations is taking reservations now for the first run of Precision, expected to ship in Q4 2014.

DCRainMaker has already managed to take one for a test ride.  His initial thoughts are on his blog here.  I’m expecting my test unit to arrive soon.  This will definitely shake up the powermeter market!  Well done 4iiii!