Campagnolo has launched a new chainset power meter named the HPPM which stands for High Precision Power Measurement. The brand’s first-ever power meter unit is crankset spider-based and joins the new Super Records Wireless groupset, sharing the same charging connector.
Campagnolo says that after ‘meticulous and in-depth studies’ it can present its own power meter dedicated to road bikes, expanding the Campagnolo range and pursuing the goal of providing the most precise data possible. Users will be able to carry out system calibration and battery checks using the new ‘My Campy 3.0’ app. Campagnolo claims that a full charge is achieved in under four hours and that a single charge will last over a month assuming around 500km of use a week.
The new HPPM power chainset uses ANT+ and Bluetooth tech and features a Campagnolo Ultra-Torque titanium axle and carbon fibre crank arms. Crankset arms will be available in 170, 172.5 and 175mm lengths. Three chainring sizes will be available, these will be 45-29, 48-32 and 50-34T. The unit also carries an IP67 waterproof rating.
The new HPPM is a spider-based power meter featuring 16 strain gauges and a gyroscope at the chainset spider. The strain gauges are housed in the ‘spokes of the crankset’ using a Wheatstone Bridge connection. Things get technical here but this four-way connection is used in electronics to provide accurate electronic measurements. The Vicenza-based brand says that power data is obtained from a real-time crossing of torque values alongside the angular velocity provided by the integrated gyroscope. A specific algorithm is said to provide + / -1% accuracy, whilst torque and velocity signals are measured every five milliseconds thanks to a 200-hertz frequency
A series of strain gauges exist in each of the spider arms (Image credit: Campagnolo)
The Super Record WR (wireless) groupset launched in May last year. At launch, the new groupset notably did not feature a dedicated power meter. Aftermarket power meters for Campagnolo chainsets have been available for some time from the likes of Stages and SRM but this is the brand’s first foray into the power meter world.
At the launch of the new groupset, we noticed the inner faces of the crank arms appeared to have cutouts for strain gauges of some sort with Campagnolo saying at the time that a PM would be on the way and would be “something innovative, a game-changer.” This new system though appears to be spider-based.
We speculated on Campagnolo’s brand direction recently with the brand claiming it was focusing on the ‘sport luxury’ category. It appears that with this new power meter bearing the top flight Super Record logo the brand is also still focused on performance road riding as well as bolstering its sport luxury spec options.
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Here’s the full spec list for the HPPM (Image credit: Campagnolo)
