With Eurobike in full swing, Quarq has lifted the veil on its new DZero range of power meters. Named after the DZero detector and experiment — a worldwide search for subatomic clues about the building blocks of the universe — the new range of power meters get a new strain gauge design and revised circuitry for better performance, and a simplified product range.
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Quarq DZero features
- New circuit board for improved accuracy and additional battery life
- Improved manufacturing techniques
- Improved bottom bracket compatibility
- Compatible with Quarq Prime power ready cranksets
More accurate and more compatible
According to Quark, the DZero has 150 documented improvements over its previous units, but the biggest update comes on the circuit board which has received a total redesign for improved accuracy and an extended battery life — claimed at 200 hours of riding time.
Quark has also switched from a red status LED to a multi-color LED to offer a more concrete measurement of the power meter's health.
Improvements have been made too to Quarq's manufacturing techniques, which includes the use of robots for additional repeatability and a better build quality overall.
The DZero's spider has been optimised for compatibility with more bikes and will now work with BB386EVO (except for the models with forged aluminium cranks), as well as all the other bottom bracket standards that previous units have worked with. MTB cranksets are now available in Boost spacing too.
Most exciting however is the new power meter's interface with Prime power ready cranks, which will come stock on bikes from Trek, Fuji, Canyon, Felt and more in 2017. The Prime crankset allows the DZero spider to be installed via an 8-bolt contact point to the crank, with the idea being you can buy a bike and a power meter at the same time and have it installed before you leave the bike shop.
The new power meter still takes its measurements from the spider and also sees Quarq's 10k temperature compensation, which means thats there’s no need to recalibrate if the temperature changes. There's also AxCad, which allows the power meter to determine cadence without magnets and take left-right power readings from the spider, and OmniCal for changing chainrings without compromising accuracy. Battery changes can be made without tools, too.
Alongside the DZero, Quarq has also released a free companion app called Qalvin for both iOS and Android. The app can set zero offset, check battery life, run diagnostics and update firmware.
The new unit will also simultaneously broadcast a low-energy Bluetooth signal, and ANT+ will open up the DZero to work with just about every computer and watch on the market.
Available as spider only and cranksets versions, the DZero comes with SRAM's Exogram carbon crankset (in Quarq or Red branding) as well as alloy crank arms in both 110mm and 130mm BCD.
Available on 15 September, the DZero with ExoGram cranks will retail at £858 / US$1,079 / €929, and with alloy cranks £693 / US$779 / €779 . Australian pricing and availability is to be confirmed.
DFour power meter upgrade
For those with Shimano four-bolt asymmetric chainrings, the DFour power meter is a bolt-on upgrade for Shimano’s 11-speed Dura-Ace 9000, Ultegra 6800 and 105 5800 drivetrains. It will cost £968 / US$1,179 / €1,029 and will be available on 1 October. Australian pricing and availability is to be confirmed.
On the MTB side, the DZero is available with SRAM’s Eagle carbon crank arms, or those compatible with Eagle's 104 BCD Xsync chainrings. Available in both standard and boost spacing it will cost £913 / US$1,129 / €979 with Australian pricing and availability still to be confirmed.
Finally, the standalone DZero spider will be available on 1 November in 130 BCD and 110 BCD; hidden, non-hidden and asymmetric bolt patterns; for upgrades and to pair with Quarq Prime for road; and 104 BCD, conventional, and Boost, for upgrades for MTB — they’ll need to be paired with Quarq prime 8-bolt cranksets and start at £583 / US$679 / €679 / AU$1067.