Frequently asked questions
(Last updated: 3rd October 2009)
These are answers to some questions we get asked, and even to some we don’t get asked but we think you might want the answers anyway. We’ll add to this as we go. Some of the answers here are deliberately vague, but I hope you’ll forgive us. At this early stage we don’t want to give away information that might damage our ability to make the most of our innovative approach, and we don’t want to make promises about performance before we’re absolutely certain we will be able to fulfill them.
Don’t forget to read our news pages for more information about what we’re doing.
- Who are Brim Brothers?
- Brim Brothers Ltd is a private company founded in Ireland in 2008 to develop a new type of power meter for competitive cyclists.
- How does this new power meter work?
- It measures the forces between your shoe and the pedal, and calculates power based on that. The force sensors are in the cleat under your shoe, so the system will work on any bike you get onto, without anything special fitted to the bike.
- Does the new power meter need special pedals?
- No. It works with normal unmodified pedals. All the sensors are in the cleats, attached to your shoe.
- What makes of pedal and cleat will the power meter work with?
- We’re working on versions for different makes of pedal and cleat, but we’re not certain yet which ones we will launch first.
- When can you give us more details?
- We’ll release more details as we can, but our main concern is that we don’t reveal too much about our technology until we’re closer to a product.
- Have you patented the new power meter design?
- Of course.
- When can I get one of these new power meters?
- It’s going to be a while, probably mid 2010.
- How much will it cost?
- We don’t know yet, but it will be competitive with existing systems.
- Will it work with my road/TT/triathlon/track/mountain bike?
- Yes, it will work with any bike, any wheels, any groupset. It will measure the forces applied to the pedals so the type of bike won’t matter.
- Will it work on my turbo trainer?
- Yes. It will work with any bike, static or moving, that you use your pedals and cleats on.
- How accurate will the power figure be?
- Accuracy figures are not defined yet, but will be comparable with existing systems.
- Will the system measure power individually for each leg?
- Yes. Sensors will be fitted in both cleats, so the power for each leg will be measured separately.
- Will the system measure torque?
- Yes. It will measure forces and calculate torque continuously all the way round the crank revolution.
- Will it measure forces all the way around a pedal rotation? Will it measure down force on the up stroke? Will it measure pull-up force?
- The answer is yes to all these, although for simplicity our initial product may not include measurement of pull-up forces. The system will also continuously measure other details of how the cyclist is applying force to the pedal.
- Will the system be compatible with displays and sensors from other companies?
- The power meter will use ANT+Sport for wireless communications, so it will be compatible with other ANT+Sport devices such as the Garmin Edge 705 or Edge 500.
- Can I volunteer to help test the power meter?
- We’re not looking for public testers just yet. When we get to that stage of the project we will place a request for volunteers on this website, so if you want to be considered be sure to keep in touch with our progress.
- Are you interested in possible new applications for your technology?
- Yes. We’ve already had some interesting suggestions, so please contact us if you think you may have another use for our technology.
- Do you need encouragement?
- Yes! Developing this is a long hard uphill road, and encouragement from the sidelines helps us keep going. Send us an email!
- Are you interested in talking to potential investors or partners?
- Yes.