Review: the Garmin Vector 3 pedals by Maloja Pushbikers Pro Cyclist Hannes Baumgarten
Pro cyclists know how to test products. Read on for more about how the Garmin Vector 3 pedals did.
bike-components has a great relationship with the pro track cycling team Maloja Pushbikers. Working with them gives us the chance to test products to see if they can stand up to a professional cyclists demand. Below, Hannes Baumgarten, who had the Garmin Vector 3 power meter pedals for 5 weeks, goes into detail about how well they performed.
From Hannes:
It’s been over 10 years since I first rode a bike with a power meter. Usually integrated into a hub or mounted to the most absurd places with cable ties. Magnets mounted to the cranks and spokes were standard and the power meter systems where still more expensive then my car at the time. Thank the heavens things have finally changed. The Garmin Vector 3 are on the cutting edge of performance measuring technology and they were a huge help when riding the Revolution Series track race in Glasgow, Scotland.
The Garmin Vector 3 pedals in Glasgow at a track race.
Unboxing, facts & figures
I first noticed the Garmin Vector 3 at the 2017 Eurobike. It especially caught my eye because there seemed to be nothing unusual about them. For power meter pedals this is truly a feat. There are no strange pods sticking out, like the earlier models and the bearings weren’t oversized like other brands.
Even the weight of the pedals slips through unnoticed. I measured them myself, and at 323g their pretty impressive. With both left and right leg measurements, an integrated cadence sensor, Power Phase stats (the different power outputs depending on crank position) and Platform Center Offset data (how much power is transferred at what point on the pedal axle), they offer reliable and helpful performance measurements for any cyclist. To analyze all the data, the Garmin Connect app is perfect.
The Garmin Vector 3 pedals on my track bike.
323 g light!
In the box.
Installation, coupling and use
Mounting the pedals is easy in the sense that they are just like any other pedals. The complicated pedal angle setup of the Vector 2 has been eliminated. Connecting to the Garmin Edge 1000 and Forerunner 935 was quick and easy via ANT+. The Vector 3 also uses Bluetooth to communicate with Smartphones (iOS and Android). The LR44/SR44 batteries should last up to 120 hours, but if they do need to be changed while riding, this can be done with a 4 mm hex key easily.
Performance
So how well do the Garmin Vector 3 pedals preform? Garmin promises a measurement tolerance of +/- 1 %, which is so precise there would be no way to tell from just simply riding. To test the pedals objectively, I used the third party power data analysis app Golden Cheetah and after over 2000 training/race kilometers, there wasn’t a single bit of data that could be seen as an outlier. Even using the pedals in conjunction with a Quarq dZero crankset power meter, there was only ever a few watt difference between the two, which is a result of the different positions where power output is measured.
Hammering down on these pedals is no problem.
Final Thoughts
Of course, this test isn’t without bias. After racing for 20 years on Shimano SPD-SL pedals, for me it is the one true cleat system and I really love my Quarq power meter, which has worked flawlessly for over 20,000 km. However, well thought out tech like the Garmin Vector 3 pedals does have its advantages. Their design keeps them flat so that shoe’s sole is as close to the axle as possible, just like conventional road pedals. Racing the track with Look cleats set with 0° float has also shown that the clipless system is extremely reliable and all of the data has been on point. The best feature is how easy the Vector 3 pedals are to mount to various bikes. In a matter of 5 min., they can be removed, put on another bike, reset and they are ready to go.
I am so into the Garmin Vector 3 power meter pedals, that after the test period, I couldn’t bring myself to send them back to bike-components. I can’t imagine another race without them!
