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Velocomp PowerPod V5 Power Meter

Josh Matthew May 27, 2023
4.52 out of 5 based on 27 customer ratings
(27 customer reviews)

$299.00$358.95

Affordable, accurate, easy to use and compatible with all bikes!

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Velocomp PowerPod V5 Power Meter

The PowerPod, made by Velocomp, isn’t your ordinary power meter. Unlike traditional direct force power meters that attach to your drivetrain (crank, crank arm, pedals, etc.) and measure your power directly, the Velocomp PowerPod V5 Power Meter attaches to your handlebars and measures your power through wind measurement – the forces that oppose the rider. This is called opposing force technology. The PowerPod uses an accelerometer, a wind pressure sensor, an elevation sensor and a speed sensor – all to measure power.

PowerPod’s accuracy is on par with the more expensive, traditional type units. In addition, the benefits to this type of power meter are numerous. The PowerPod power meter is much easier to move between bikes, there are no compatibility issues, it’s simple to set up and you don’t have to change out any of your prized components, and perhaps best of all, at $299 it’s one of the most affordable power meters on the market.

The PowerPod works on virtually all bikes and transmits power data via the ANT+ and BLE, and can therefore be used with any bicycle computer or watch.

Please note: Requires ANT+ speed or speed/cadence sensor.

 

Key Product Details

Compatibility:

This power meter mounts to 31.8 mm handlebars (or 22 mm if used with the TT mount), and therefore works with just about any bike. This includes road, track, CX and MTB. See Compatibility tab for more information.

What’s New with PowerPod V5!

The new V5 has the following improvements:

  • A new 24-bit wind sensor which provides better and higher resolution wind measurements
  • A new 24-bit barometric pressure sensor which provides more accurate elevation measurement
  • New Firmware 9 which uses 24-bit data to deliver better power measurement accuracy
  • New Velocomp app for iOS/Android lets you set up as many as four bikes directly from your smartphone
  • The new app also includes a bike computer screen which displays current power, average power, speed, calories, distance, cadence, and also provides a graphical display of your power zone as a percentage of your FTP

Power Measurement:

The PowerPod measures opposing forces, so it’s able to measure the power that is generated from both legs (rider’s total power).

Key Features:

Affordable, works with any bike, can be moved between bikes, measures a rider’s total power, 15 hours of battery life, rechargeable battery, ANT+ and Bluetooth compatibility. See Specs tab for more information.

Advice From Our Staff:

The PowerPod is a unique power meter. Unlike other power meters that mount to the drivetrain and measure your direct power, the PowerPod measures your power by wind resistance. This has some pros and cons. It’s affordable, it will mount to any bike and you can move it between bikes. However, in some cases, it won’t be as accurate. In addition, it can take more work to get it set-up and configured properly. So, if you’re looking for an affordable power meter that will give you a nice approximation of your power (and is sometimes very accurate actually) and are willing to spend some time getting it set-up, then it might be a great option for you. You can read the many positive reviews on the Reviews tab. However, if accuracy is very important to you and/or you want a power meter that is easier to use, we might suggest a different option.

 

PowerPod Mount Options

You have four different handlebar mount options to choose from:

Included:

The PowerPod comes with the Velocomp Standard Handlebar Mount. The Standard Mount works on 31.8 mm road and MTB bars. It mounts the power meter only and you must mount your bicycle computer on its own mount, next to the PowerPod.

Upgrades:

If you would like your power meter and Garmin or Wahoo bike computer to be on the same mount for a cleaner look, or have a TT bike, you can choose to purchase an upgraded mount.

Note that you save $10 if you bundle the PowerPod with an upgraded mount

 

Other Versions to Consider

PowerPod with PowerStroke: We also sell the PowerPod V5 Power Meter with PowerStroke Upgrade. It costs a bit more, but comes with an upgraded software package that allows you to analyzing left/right power data, your pedal stroke, and more.

Velocomp PowerPod V5 Compatibility

The PowerPod Power Meter mounts to 31.8 mm handlebars (or 22 mm if used with the TT mount), and therefore works with just about any bike. This includes road, track, CX and MTB.

PowerPod V5 Power Meter Specs

NamePowerPod V5 Power Meter
Bike TypeAll
Power Meter TypeOpposing Force Technology
Weight65 grams (including mount)
Battery TypeUSB-rechargable
Battery Life15 hours
Communication ProtocolANT+ and Bluetooth SMART
Accuracy+/- 3%
Warranty1 year

PowerPod Power Meter Set-up Video

In the Box

  • Velocomp PowerPod V5 Power Meter
  • Standard Mount or upgraded mount if purchased
  • USB charging cable (attach to computer or USB charger)
  • Pitot tube for improved wind measurement
  • Quick Start Guide

Tools Needed for Installation

  • All tools required for installation provided in the box
27 reviews for Velocomp PowerPod V5 Power Meter
  1. Art Z. (verified owner)

    I love all of the data. I’m a computer engineer so data rule! Install the Isaac software and you’ll be in heaven. Oh yeah… it’s nice to know how much power I’m generating while cycling. Seriously, though, Isaac can do stuff like break down total power into how much is spent overcoming wind, how much overcoming gravity (climbing hills), and how much overcoming friction in the drivetrain. The PowerPod also reports on gear ratio since it pairs with the cadence sensor.

    Set-up (pairing with the speed + cadence sensors and the calibration ride) is finicky. Take your time and follow the instructions carefully. Once done, though, the PowerPod is great.

    • Power Meter City

      Awesome! Thank you so much, Art! I agree with you, PowerPod is really great. We hope you will continue to enjoy them! Please let us know if there is anything else we can help you with!

  2. John (verified owner)

    it was a pleasure to purchase from Power Meter City. The company deserves five stars. My order shipped promptly and I received exceptional support from their staff when i had questions about another possible purchase. Perhaps I should have availed myself of their aid surrounding issues with implementing Isaac on an M1 Mac (which is only grudgingly supported by Velocomp).

    As noted above, the setup instructions are provided on what are essentially two sides of a post-card. As such, they are decidedly limited. Videos online proved helpful, if not essential.
    Interpreting the single flashing LED during setup was a trial for me, but in the long run things progressed without my full understanding….
    It can be difficult to mount the Powerpod tightly enough to prevent its movement, which is imperative if one wishes to avoid frequent recalibration rides. Even recharging and syncing with a micro USB cable risks displacing the device enough to require recalibration. The connecting port itself seems a bit flimsy. Be careful.
    The Isaac software is not compatible with an M1 Macbook, and the Velocomp website workaround PDF instructions (for installing a Windows 7 emulator) harbor at least one error. Be prepared for a tedious afternoon. If you are lucky.

    However, once the setup was completed and I became familiar with the Powerpod it has proven straightforward to use.
    It’s a great product if your finances, anatomy, or knees won’t support the purchase of strain-gauge based platforms.

    I’d give five stars to the Powerpod V5 if it came with better software and documentation; a bayonet mount, and a better connecting cable.

    • Power Meter City

      Wow! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the V5 power meter, John! It was a pleasure doing business with you too! If there is anything else we can do to help, please let us know! Ride safe!

  3. Cole C (verified owner)

    So far so good. The key to success with this product is to take time and learn about the software. You can get good insight into your performance with it and help tune your profile. I especially like the Newton Tracker phone companion, which helps add GPS data to my overall PowerPod ride data. You can compare two metrics (I prefer speed and power) on a Google Earth overlay and have a nice visual as you recall the route.

    I don’t have another power meter, so I can’t speak to accuracy in relation to those, but really, as long as this remains consistent, I’ll know how I’m performing and improving.

    • Power Meter City

      Thanks for this great, detailed review on your new Velocomp PowerPod v4 Power Meter, Cole! We hope you will continue to enjoy them! Let us know if there is anything else we can do! Ride safe!

  4. Eric

    Do you have to calbrate the powerpod v3. everytime? Is there a way to skip calibration and ride and still get the watts?

    • Power Meter City

      Hi Eric. The first time you ride outdoors only. If you set up additional bike profiles, a one-time calibration ride will be needed for each additional bike as well. Thanks!

  5. Rick (verified owner)

    Great When it Works, which is not enough
    I’ve had the PowerPod V3 since May. Erratic readings, mounted securely, on smooth roads. For no apparent reason during long steep climbs, 0 watts. Regularly. Maybe user error but I’ve a LOT of time on it. Have come to the reluctant conclusion in six months I’ve spent far more time trying to make it work than I have getting useful data from it. If only it worked consistently.

    • Power Meter City

      Hi Rick. Thanks for the review. Sorry to hear it’s not been consistent. If power is dropping to 0, there is an issue with set-up. Please feel free to send us a ride file or two so we can help you troubleshoot it. It’s true these take some time to get set-up correctly but once dialed in, you should get consistent power data. Thanks

  6. Joe (verified owner)

    It’s a huge pain to set up. Its only indicator of any status is flashing lights that all are in the same spot. So it’ll flash red and green, or yellow, or just green, or just red. And there are things that the manual in the box doesn’t tell you. Like it says to go into pairing with your cadence and speed sensors and what it doesn’t say is that if you’ve got two separate ones it’ll flash red and green instead of just green while it’s connecting to the first sensor and then only green when it’s done. When you do the calibration ride it really just feels like you’re pressing the buttons and hoping it’s going to work right but not knowing for sure.

    That being said, I use my bike for commuting sometimes and need the flat platforms so I can use regular shoes, so clipless power meter pedals aren’t an option. And there aren’t crank options for my folding bike. Besides that, the crank type power meters aren’t something that I could switch between bikes like with this.

    Once you get it calibrated though, it works pretty well. I have no real reference, but it feels accurate. The best I can say for sure is that my average power over a ride is in the ballpark of my Strava estimated power. But there’s no denying there’s a ton of room to potentially improve ease of use.

    • Power Meter City

      Hi Joe – agreed! Thanks for this brief and on point review on your Velocomp PowerPod v3 Power Meter – Power is the key! Good luck on your future rides and we are here if there is anything else we can help you with!

  7. Bob C (verified owner)

    I have only had this for a short time and have had some issues. The battery was low after only 9 hours when velocomp says it should go for 20. When I first pair it to my Garmen Edge 500 the readings made no sense (up to 20,000 W)for about four miles then it settled down and the readings seemed reasonable. After 9 hour I had to charged it and when I started it again the readings were wild again for about four miles then it settled down. I’ll use it some more and see how it goes. Power City delivery was great by the way.

    • Power Meter City

      Hi Bob. We saw it, if ithe result is still the same we suggest you contact Velocomp for more information and of course we are here if there is anything else we can help you with!

  8. David E (verified owner)

    First a note about power meter city: this is my first purchase with them and they did everything right. shipping was fast and my entire experience with them was excellent.

    About the power meter: Now that I’ve got this unit up and running, I really enjoy it. The instructions that come with the unit are limited to a two sided postcard. There is no troubleshooting guide or anything like that. This is a pretty serious limitation. I went to the velocomp website and got a bit more information, but it still wasn’t great. I recommend you go to YouTube and watch the videos. Once I did that, it was easy to finish the setup and start riding.
    This unit has a bit more lag in data reporting that I am used to having, but other than that, it is consistent and seems to be very accurate. I certainly agree with a couple of other critiques that show up in the reviews. First, the micro USB port is pretty frustrating. Plan on multiple tries before getting it to plug in and connect. Second, don’t count on pulling this unit on and off the bike quickly and easily to connect to your computer. The mount is good and sturdy, but a bayonet style mount like Garmin uses would be a huge improvement.
    Overall, I’m happy with it and would buy it again.

    • Power Meter City

      Hi David. Thanks for leaving a review on your Velocomp PowerPod v3 Power Meter. Yes, We agree! Youtube videos are great help too! We are happy it turned out fine and you liked it! We hope you continue to enjoy them and we are here if there is anything else we can do!

  9. Jason Krummel (verified owner)

    Great power meter for the money. Was a little difficult to set up. With everything being so plug and play just not what anyone is used to, having to do work. The company has great support and responsive feedback so you will get it up and running quickly. The free software is very nifty to look at as well. Once it is set up on the bike it is much easier to take a lab top to the bike and hook up to get info and charge than to take the device off of the bike.

    Enjoy and ride safe

    • Power Meter City

      Hi Jason. Thanks for the great review and I think you summed it up pretty nicely. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do!

  10. sis (verified owner)

    All what I want to say has been entered by rtj above. Once set up after a few tries and after I understood the use of 0s, 4s, and 12s button pushes, it has been providing what seems like accurate data. Isaac SW also takes a while to understand and use. Better, consistent manuals will significantly help improve the product adoption.

    • Power Meter City

      Hi sis. Thank you for the review. We’re happy to hear you are getting valuable data from your PowerPod and we hope you continue to enjoy it. We also understand and agree with you that the manuals could be a bit simpler to understand and have mentioned that to them before. Thanks again!

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