PowerBeam Pro by CycleOps Review

The PowerBean Pro Trainer by CycleOps

On my way home from work today, I remembered that winter indoor training was about to begin at Newington Cycle.  So I stopped by to see if they were still holding the session, and if I could try out the new  PowerBeam Pro trainer by CycleOps  that combines the smoothness of a CycleOps Trainer with the power meter in a PowerTap Sensor.  Since I was there so early Dave said I could give it a go, first come first served.

Photos

I went home and got my bike cloth on under my sweats, put my Tommaso on the back of the truck and was back at Newington Bike to meet Jon Lewis from Seris Cycle Group (CycleOps Rep).  He was as excited to have someone trying the unit, and I was to test it.  For a techno geek like me, this was heaven. He and Dave set up my Tommaso on the trainer and set up the PowerBeam head unit next to my Garmin 800. This set up the perfect situation for that geek in me...information overload.

The PowerBeam has many optional modes which you can set on the head unit, or control through the desktop software provided. A very cool feature is that you can send Garmin files to the units desktop software and link prior ride dynamics for simulated rides,  AWESOME! You can also set up your own interval workouts manually in the software. , However, since I was doing a Spinerval Training Video with Coach Troy, I decided to use it manually.
In manual mode you use the toggle button provided to adjust the power target.  The trainer automatically adjusts the tension of the fly wheel accordingly.  The PowerBeam Pro Trainer increases the tension if your power output is lower than the setting, and decreases the tension when you go above the setting.  I set it for 120 watts. On a bike watts or "Power" = Torque X Cadence (You can learn more about power at PowerTap's website: http://www.cycleops.com/en/getting-started/why-train-with-power.html ).

We were watching the Spinerval Workout: Recovery and Technique, so there was a lot of spinning.  No matter how fast my cadence, the tension adjusted to always provide 120 watts of resistance.  So when I pedaled slowly, the tension increased, and when my cadence increased above the 120 watt threshold, the tension decrease until 120 watts was achieved.  Working this way leveled my Heart Rate during the workout somewhat, never allowing it to dip to low during recovery bouts.  This provided for a great workout even when spinning.  For you monsters out there, you would need to set your threshold much higher.  I adjusted mine so that during hard spins my Heart Rate did not surpass my anaerobic threshold.

A plus for the PowerBeam is that it is Ant+ compatible, so I worked great with my Garmin 800.  I merely enable power in the setup, and it automatically detected the PowerBeam...Nice!  The Garmin then recorded my power curve, and after adding Power to my main screen, displayed my current power output in watts.  You can view the Garmin Connect file below and if you view details you can see the power curve that the PowerBeam provided. For us data junkies this is an outstanding addition.


The PowerBeam Pro trainer was silent and smooth, and was a joy to ride on.  It is basically the same unit as a CycleOps Pro with Power variable resistance.  It require a power to the training unit via wall plug, not a big issue for most situation.

PowerBeam's head unit is quite large, but has small font size on it readouts, making it hard to read while riding.  There is probably a font size adjustment somewhere, or should be.  This is a downer, but not a deal breaker, as I could read the power output through my Garmin 800, thanks to PowerBeam's Ant+ compatibility...HUGE!
The only other down side to the unit was the cost.  Like most Power Meter units, it has a heavy price tag, which for the recreational cyclist might be a deal breaker.  For the serious enthusiast looking for a leg up, the PowerBeam Pro would make a great addition to their arsenal. According to the CycleOps website, the PowerBeam Pro will set you back $1,199.00.

The good new for the rest of us looking to get into the power meter game is that CycleOps is coming out with a low cost alernative, the CycleOps PowerStrap Heart Rate Strap that is also Ant+ compatible for around $200 dollar sometime around January.  I know that I'm in.  The down side to this alternative is the accuracy. However if calibrated and used with the other Ant+ tools from Garmin, (speed and cadence sensor), this will provide a good alternative for the recreational cyclist.  Thank you CycleOps!
The advance club racer, olympic athlete and pro cyclist/triathlete may opt for the more accurate PowerTap Hub, or PowerBeam Trainer, but I vote for the PowerStrap HR Monitor.  Some say I'm cheap, I say I'm frugal!
Pictures of the new PowerStrap: (Jon I want to test one!)