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PC17: FSA adds Boost MTB & road disc wheels, updates dropper post & power meter cranks

FSA PowerBox power meter cranksets
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FSA PowerBox power meter cranks with carbon or alloy crank arms

FSA’s PowerBox power meter cranks are currently ANT+ only, which makes it difficult for iOS users to see data on apps like Strava it without a dongle. But, coming in September, there’ll be a $50 upgrade to make it transmit via Bluetooth, too. There’s also a $50 update that’ll let it send separate left and right power data via an algorithm update that estimates left leg while continuing to get exact right leg data. Both updates are software only, the hardware is already in there to make both work. Units start at $648.99 with a Gossamer level alloy arms and chainrings, up to $1,189.99 with K-Force level carbon arms and chainrings.

That’s not all they’ve updated, their room at PressCamp was full of small tweaks to road and mountain bike parts…

They’re offering a co-branded a stem-bolt mounted out-front computer mount from Topeak, which also has a slide-on camera/light mount.

FSA Vision Metron 55SL carbon fiber road bike wheels for rim and disc brakes

FSA Vision Metron 55SL carbon fiber road bike wheels for rim and disc brakes

New Vision Metron 55 SL wheels come in both rim and disc brake versions, both using the same rim, but with different treatments. For now, both use a 3K woven layer on the outside at the brake track, and rim brake versions will have the outer resin layer laser etched off for better brake pad friction. Eventually, disc brake models will get a cosmetic UD layer covering that, but the 3K section also offers strength improvements to counter the tire pressure pushing outward against the sidewall.

2018 FSA MOUNTAIN BIKE COMPONENT UPDATES

FSA dropper seatpost for mountain bikes

FSA Dropper post gets an updated cartridge with an aluminum body rather than steel, so it drops 90-100g. Look for it to get OEM spec on Devinci mountain bikes. It’s $248.99 and comes in 100mm and 125mm travel with 30.9 and 31.6 diameters. It’s got a black stanchion to match the post body, and only comes with cable actuated stealth routing.

Afterburner Wide R now comes in Boost models. It’s an asymmetrical hookless alloy rim with 27mm inside width. It uses just 24 spokes per wheel to keep weight down, but stays strong thanks to its offset rim profile. The hub has their PRA collar, which lets you adjust the bearing preload then lock it down. $628.99 for 27.5 or 29er, Boost or Standard.

SL-K is their carbon trail wheel with a 21mm internal width and also gets the Boost hub option. It, too, uses an offset rim profile and PRA feature. Price is $1,428.99 for 29er with either hub width, and $1,358.99 for 27.5 in standard, and $1,428.99 for Boost.

Hubs are available with XD or Shimano freehubs and have 54 points of engagement. Shipping now.

FullSpeedAhead.com

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Chader
Chader
6 years ago

A la carte pricing on power meter features, FSA? Totally lame since they are only flipping a switch and letting you use what is already there.

Hopefully, this plan fails miserably for them, or this sets a bad precedent in the market.

Sexy Igor
Sexy Igor
6 years ago
Reply to  Chader

That’s not FSA’s doing, it is Power2Max’s doing, they make the power meter part. Same for them and their own branded item. It is a firmware update to enable it through existing hardware, not a crippled feature you then pay to release. it was initially only developed for ANT+ communication, which let’s face it, is the most important.
Power2Max have spent considerable dev time to enable it to be upgraded to be BT compliant and also the L/R crank calculation.

Don’t need BT, and a tonne of people won’t, don’t pay for it.

Shafty
Shafty
6 years ago
Reply to  Sexy Igor

The cost is obviously to make up for dev time, but it doesn’t look good to people who don’t understand the complexity. I’d say it’s at least partially a price point move, since the powermeter market is getting crowded.

Chader
Chader
6 years ago
Reply to  Shafty

I get the development needed. But when looking at the competition (many other meters I have seen), most of them offer dual band for the same price.

That flexibility is great since things change over time and it’s great to have more options than less.

BLGMSTR
BLGMSTR
6 years ago
Reply to  Shafty

Besides the fact that they have to get their Dev-invested-time back one way or another,
bear in mind that Bluetooth(the company) has been asking a significant “Listing fee” for all BT enabled products since their license agreement change back in mid 2014.

Hardware wise an ANT+ chip including BT 4.0 is ~1USD additional over a ANT+ only chip.
However, enabling this BT portion of the chip will make Bluetooth company oblige you to pay the listing fee.

So including it hardware wise for future-proofness,
but not enabling it seems like a wise choice to me.

I totally get the frustration as it feels like paying for something you actually already have.
However, the people who already bought this product, bought it without probably even knowing it could ever have BT as well.

Nothing changed for them right?

Pay to upgrade to Win10 or stick with your trustworthy Win7 which will be supported for many years to come.
Isn’t that the same thing?
Update vs upgrade
Support vs new features

Dinger
Dinger
6 years ago
Reply to  BLGMSTR

I’m less concerned with the $50 Bluetooth activation charge.

Does anybody else think the $550 (!) price spread between alloy arms and basic rings to carbon arms and nicer rings seem like a stretch too far? I don’t think their carbon crank is worth that as a stand alone product.

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago
Reply to  Dinger

It has to do with the fact that supply is completely elastic for a firmware update, and they could have simply amortized it over the entire range of new production power meters at no cost per unit in production, and advertised it as a new feature, and go for increased sales, because people see a power meter as a tangible good, not access to intellectual property, even if firmware is intellectual property. Depending on marketing, it starts to look something like artificial price discrimination, or deceptive marketing, not showing you the “full” price up front. Furthermore, you don’t even know if the R&D costs have already been paid for with already purchased upgrades, at that point it’s not paying for R&D, it’s just a dubious pricing structure.

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago
Reply to  Sexy Igor

You are saying P2M set the price? Do you actually have inside info about this, or are you just guessing?

Sexy Igor
Sexy Igor
6 years ago
Reply to  PabloE432

The Power side is manufactured by Power2Max, not FSA, they make the crank and chainring part. So any and all costs associated with developing the Power side is via P2M. It is the same for their new P2M NG power meter, it will also have an upgrade cost in September.

PabloE432
PabloE432
6 years ago
Reply to  Sexy Igor

Well yea, that’s known. You are just bsing about how the economics of this deal worked. For all you know P2m provided the upgrade for free and FSA decided to charge. What are you talking about? The P2m NG already has BT.

Shafty
Shafty
6 years ago

Yeah, wtf, powermeter DLC? What, are they gonna bill you for every time you send data from it, too? Just price it to include everything.

Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago
Reply to  Shafty

Someone already did something like that.

https://bikerumor.com/2016/08/01/team-zwatt-offering-power-meter-cranks-200-long-youll-guinea-pig/

“Now, about that catch. In exchange for getting the low introductory price, they want your ride data to help them refine and update the software… If ordered during the Kickstarter campaign, the monthly fee is just $4.95 (€4.46), for a maximum of two years. After two years, you’ll get all future updates for free forever.”

Mark
Mark
6 years ago

So as far I understand this power meter not measuring power on both sides (left and right) but only on left and the calculate for right, same as Stages or 4iii? But even that needs to be upgraded for 50$? If this is really true than it sucks :/

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