Power meter specialist SRM has launched its first road crank with a user changeable battery (UCB) system, promising users they will get 4,000 hours of accurate data before the AA batteries need replacing.
It represents the German company’s first foray into UCB systems and follows a trend set by other power meter companies to make the instruments more user-friendly and accessible. It means users will not have to send the system away for a battery replacement.
The first compatible crank is an FSA K-Force Light BB386, and SRM maintains that the accuracy of the data is still within a one percent tolerance.
The new SRM uses two AA batteries inside the spindle and is good for 4,000 hours
The system weighs a claimed 784g including the meaty AAs which slot inside the spindle – a location that should keep the delicate internals safe and dry.
The first batch of SRM power meters are available with a compact chainring friendly 110 bolt circle diameter (BCD). A 130 BCD version is set to follow.
Early this year, Team Sky announced it had opted to use Stages Cycling as its power meter provider over SRM. At the time SRM told BikeRadar it had opted to reduce its pro team sponsorship roster.
The new unit costs US$2,845 (£1,700) – similar to the non-UCB model – excluding shipping.