Originally Posted by
spelger
not really getting the hate. the typical power meter measures force at the cranks (as an aside, not sure how a hub meter works) and converts that to power. this other meter measures the force of air and uses speed/cadence/weight/math to convert to power. just different. it ft really works i think it is pretty cool to be able to accomplish the same thing cheaper. bringing the price point down would open up to more users. just wonder if it is really reliable. here is something i just found, (most) everybody likes garmin... https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a29788744/garmin-vector-air-news/ -scott
Nobody hates you, or your opinion. People disagree, that's very different than hate.
Bathroom scales can't actually measure weight. They measure deflection, caused by weight. Most people would say that's a distinction without a difference, I bet you're one of them. Power meters measure deflection caused by force, and they measure how quickly and often that force is being applied. Know those things, and you know power with absolute certainty. That's why a lot of PMs can deliver accuracy and precision with with a maximum 1% error.
Air pod meters are
not doing the same thing. They're measuring one of many things needed to derive ("back into") power, asking a couple other, and using standard assumptions about the rest. It's more like trying to guess what a person weighs from their clothes size, except even less accurate. What's the maximum error spec for a PowerPod?
A bike example. You can use a power meter to do aerodynamic testing. A PowerPod doesn't know if you're sitting upright in parachute pants or wearing a skin suit riding on the aerobars.