Bicycles

No-fuss power meter measures cycling metrics via the chain

No-fuss power meter measures cycling metrics via the chain
The CycleClick power meter provides data such as power output, torque, cadence and calories burned
The CycleClick power meter provides data such as power output, torque, cadence and calories burned
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The CycleClick power meter provides data such as power output, torque, cadence and calories burned
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The CycleClick power meter provides data such as power output, torque, cadence and calories burned
The CycleClick can be swapped back and forth between multiple bikes
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The CycleClick can be swapped back and forth between multiple bikes
The CycleClick is waterproof, and is reportedly not affected by wet or dirty chains
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The CycleClick is waterproof, and is reportedly not affected by wet or dirty chains
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While power meters are very handy tools for tracking your cycling performance, mounting and calibrating the things can be a fiddly process. The CycleClick is designed to change that, by mounting on the chain of any bike – without any tools – in a claimed 30 seconds.

Manufactured by Las Vegas-based startup BikeOn, the CycleClick is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign. It's reportedly compatible with any type, make or model of upright chain-driven bicycle, as long as that bike doesn't have a SRAM Flattop chain.

Installing the device is as simple as clamping the mount onto the seat tube, clamping the power meter itself onto the chain, then connecting the power meter to the mount … no subsequent calibration is necessary. From there, it's just a matter of wirelessly linking the device to an app on your cycling computer or smartphone.

The CycleClick is waterproof, and is reportedly not affected by wet or dirty chains
The CycleClick is waterproof, and is reportedly not affected by wet or dirty chains

Although the CycleClick certainly looks like it might produce a lot of drag – think of those chain-cleaning devices you crank your chain through – the folks at BikeOn claim that such is not the case. This is because the chain runs straight through a flexible metal channel inside the meter, where only the chain's rollers make any physical contact with the device.

As those rollers move across ridges within the channel, they cause it to subtly flex. Strain sensors measure the degree to which the flex is deflecting the channel, as determined by chain tension. That measured tension is in turn an indicator of pedaling torque.

The torque is multiplied by the chain speed (measured by a separate sensor) to determine power in watts, while cadence is calculated by tracking chain speed and pedal position over time. And should you be wondering, pedal position is determined by monitoring torque variation patterns throughout the pedal stroke.

The CycleClick can be swapped back and forth between multiple bikes
The CycleClick can be swapped back and forth between multiple bikes

All of this data (along with calories burned) is said to be ±1% accurate, and is transmitted by Bluetooth Low Energy to as many as three devices at once. There, it's displayed in real time on training apps such as Zwift, TrainingPeaks, and the dedicated BikeOnIQ app. Plans call for an additional sensor, along with a firmware update, to track the balance between left- and right-leg output.

The whole setup is claimed to tip the scales at 40 grams (1.4 oz), and should be good for 30 hours of riding per USB-charge. It's IP67 waterproof, meaning it can withstand being submerged to a depth of 1 meter (3.3 ft) for 30 minutes.

Assuming the CycleClick power meter reaches production, a pledge of US$184 will get you one – the planned retail price is $299. Its features are outlined in the following video.

CycleClick: Pro-Level Power Meter, 30 Sec Tool-Free Install

Sources: Kickstarter, BikeOn

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6 comments
6 comments
Daveb
I wonder how it will like my filthy chain
Trylon
I'm just wondering why it took someone this long to make such a device. My first e-bike, made almost three decades ago, used a similar sensor to measure rider power input and provide the right level of torque-sensing assist.
Bob
Has the polar patent expired?
itsKeef
Nice idea but surely a dwindling customer base, most ‘weekend warriors’ i come across are now riding ebikes. I hope to remain on my human powered machine as long as i have the breath in me. Until then..’from my cold dead hands’ as Chuck once said.
Daveb
@itsKeef: I ride road, today's club outing was 5 ebikes with myself and one other riding normal. I don't understand what these people are doing, they look fit enough. I just don't get the appeal and I wish I could just say no ebikes on some of these rides. Like it used to be. Even this magazine favors ebike articles 5 or 10 to 1 over normal cycling. Remember when it was all human power on unbelievably great machines? That was awesome. Do the e-cyclists really want to ride with normal cyclists? Seems like separate rides would be best. And no, I don't hate ebikes, I just miss the old way.
itsKeef
@Daveb: bit radical thought there? it might work…as they say ‘it takes just one crank to start a revolution’ !? . Would be nice to hear from some ebikers regarding the feelings of satisfaction and achievement after a couple of hours of work ‘in the office’. Maybe olde stylee riders should wear a jersey with the mission statement…’all my own work’?