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Tech news: Garmin acquires Metrigear

published 23 September 2010

Vector power meter may finally become reality

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The sensor itself is designed to fit into a Speedplay pedal spindle with only the ANT+ transmitter residing externally.(Image credit: Metrigear)

The MetriGear Vector power meter design is among the tidiest and easiest to move across multiple bikes that we've seen - plus it's superlight.(Image credit: Metrigear)

The MetriGear Vector's unique ability to discern the direction of applied forces provides trained physiologists and trainers with valuable information previously unavailable with most consumer-lever power meters.(Image credit: Metrigear)

The tiny MetriGear Vector power meter uses a four-sided strain gauge array that measures both the amplitude and direction of applied forces.(Image credit: James Huang)

GPS powerhouse Garmin has announced the outright purchase of MetriGear, inventor of the highly promising pedal-based Vector power meter first seen at last year's Interbike show.

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Unfortunately, the subsequent release of the Vector has been repeatedly postponed from the original target date supposedly due to various development delays but this latest move provides much more confidence that the clever power meter will actually see the light of day - and probably relatively soon.

Even as of last year, the hardware in the MetriGear Vector - all housed inside a Speedplay pedal spindle - was impressively finished-looking and company representatives told us several times that they only had some software and firmware issues to iron out before the product was ready.

The last company communiqué before the acquisition suggests that most, if not all, of that work is completed and given the ready ANT+ compatibility with Garmin's range of GPS-enabled cycling computers, a complete package probably isn't far off.

"From the start, our vision has been to deliver an easy-to-own cycling power meter with unique capabilities," said MetriGear CEO Clark Foy in a press release. "Garmin's world-class engineering, wireless, manufacturing expertise and their ability to deliver an end-to-end solution from sensors to displays will be instrumental in realising this vision.

"We can't imagine a more capable partner to bring Vector to market, and we are absolutely thrilled to join the Garmin team."

We'll post more concrete information once it becomes available but in the meantime, this is very good news for consumers who have been eagerly awaiting the Vector's release - stay tuned.