Given the relationship Stages Cycling has with Team Sky and Chris Froome, the popularity of their Stages single (left) arm Power meter's, and the tremendous technical and training capabilities of dual-side power meter's, the cycling public has been left scratching their heads as to why Stages hadn't developed their own dual-sided power meter. Suffice to say that Stages has been working on this with the goals of creating a lightweight, highly flexible system for the end-user that could fit ideally within the Stages ecosystem of products like the Stages Dash or any other third-party, power enabled, ANT+ or Bluetooth Smart compatible cycling computer. With the release of the dual-sided, integrated Stages Power LR Meters, you have your answer, and possibly the ideal solution for a unified approach to cycling power with this cost effective Stages Power LR Ultegra R8000 Meter. Just as important to many Stages fans, the Gen 3 chip has increased antenna power and improved communications stability, especially with those who use watch-based head units.

Fitted to the Shimano road crankset, the familiar left-side power pod has gone on a diet, to a scant 15 grams. The new drive-side spider mounted pod weighs in at just 20 grams, adding a grand total of 35(!) grams to the crankset. Chainring replacement is no problem, the pod itself is compact, and the system is still powered by CR2032 coin cell style batteries that are not only easy to replace, but deliver about 175 hours of use. With this visually and technically clean system you get the highly desired individual measurement of both left and right pedaling inputs, including metrics for Pedaling Smoothness and Torque Efficiency. Stages applies their Active Temp Compensation (ATC) system to ensure consistent measurement regardless of conditions, coming in at +/-2% accuracy of total measurement at 100w/90rpm. Internal sensors measure cadence, omitting need for a magnet or pick-up, and keeping your firmware up to date is simple and quick through your smartphone via the Stages App.

So how exactly is Stages measuring power with the LR system? As you'd expect, strain gauges measure the force, while accelerometers know where the crank is relation to the pedal stroke, and the position and force measurements are taken 64 times per second. The data output for the power and cadence information is transmitted 4 times per second (per the ANT+ standard). The data is then received by your computer/GPS display unit and updated at a rate determined by the manufacturer, or by you if they provide options. Typically that data log takes place once per second. So the granular data is essentially averaged by your head unit in those one second increments. However, depending on the software system you prefer to use for collecting and examining data, deeper detail may be visible in those programs.

With the LR dual-sided power meter system, you are getting that data for each meter, not just a doubled representation of the left arm of the single-side system. It is in the specificity of that side to side information that you can begin to truly see, identify, understand, and work on the imbalances or ineffective areas of your pedal stroke. This information guides you to a better bike fit, potential ideal cleat position for each foot, as well as where in the pedal stroke you see variation of your left and right legs. While some of this natural and specific to your physiology, cyclists also learn detrimental techniques or compensatory strategies as a result of injury, fatigue, and other problems. Imagine if you can refine your pedal stroke to deliver 20w to your FTP be simply being more ergonomically efficient?

Stages has developed the Stages Power LR system to work seamlessly with their Dash Cycling Computer and Stages Link software to truly help you become better informed so you can manage your training and racing with the simplest ecosystem of data and information sharing. Yes, you can use whatever head unit, apps and software you prefer, but just like a Shimano drivetrain was optimized as a true system, so too has the Stages ecosystem been developed to make your experience and interaction as simple and seamless as possible.

As for the R8000 Ultegra Crankset itself, this is provided direct from Shimano, then each Stages power meter pod is precisely affixed to the proper arm or spider, then calibrated to the exact crankset it will live on. As mentioned above, you won't have any issues changing chainrings as the driveside unit is measured at the spider. Shimano delivers incredibly stiff 2-piece bonded Aluminum/ CFRP outer chainring and the anodized inner model and their lightweight, super strong hollow forged aluminum crankarm system. The 24mm Hollowtech II axle system has proven to be nearly ideal, and with various bottom bracket cup systems available for any frame specification, you won't be left holding the crank- so to speak- if you change frames.