Because of my engineering background and 30 years of product development, what I personally don’t get , is how some people won’t even look at them until the get the GP Lama or DC Rainmaker stamp of approval and that is all they care about as gospel. Don’t get me wrong, as far as reviewers go, these guys are pretty damn good and I’m not throwing shade at them.
A lot of people don’t seem to be able to independently assess products, but I guess that what this new era of reviewers and influencers is all about. I still prefer to take their thoughts on it as input, along with my own judgement.
Right, because many of these potential buyers may be getting their first and only power measuring device. How does someone evaluate if a device is “good/bad” without comparable measuring devices?
Sure, they won’t have them even after getting it themselves, but the ability to see if the device has some repeatable accuracy and consistency via other users (and multiple whenever possible) they can more comfortably buy and “hope to know” that what they get will be equally good.
When I say independently assess I don’t mean hands-on test and comparison.
It’s the absoluteness of some of the comments that if one of these guys doesn’t approve it I’m not going to look and am writing it off, or how they didn’t give these guys beta units to get feedback so they won’t be any good and that is the sum total of the decision making process
Reviews are great and I treat them as resources and input to a decision as part of my own evaluation I don’t buy/not buy just because so and so said to.
It’s the large number comments that the ONLY thing that matters is a positive review by specific reviewers. There’s basically no analysis put into it as well as the number of people trying to say what a total mistake it was not to get their input on product development and therefore the end result will be no good.
I think this speaks more to the lack of true independent reviewers in this space than anything else. There just aren’t a lot of people putting out trusted, non-biased reviews.
Most of the major cycling websites do ‘reviews’ that are little more than ad copy.
The two you mentioned are respected for their impartiality for a reason. I’d gladly take a review from a broader source than them if there was anyone else out there
I don’t think they need to be included in the development process, but I do think their sales curve will look better the sooner they get a positive review from an impartial party - thus, the sooner they get it into the hands of someone with a solid, impartial, reputation the better
And that’s why I have been trying to not say they had had anything to do with it in my posts. They both seem like like good guys and do good reviews and certainly it isn’t anything against either of them. They have a huge influence and a check mark from these guys will also boost my confidence that I have made a good choice. But my decision isn’t made solely on their reviews.
It’s the near lack of independent thought and utter and total reliance on their reviews from some people who seem very vocal and angry that I don’t get.
I agree with you, but in this case I can’t go and buy a punch of power meters to decide which is best. For other products it is just another data point. If I was after a new bike computer then I have enough experience with the ones I have owned to take what they say into account and way up the pros and cons.
I have never had a smart trainer, these guys, along with this forum would be my go to place to help with my choice.
However, what else would you propose someone rely on when purchasing their first power meter? I’m genuinely curious what the alternative is for something that doesn’t really have an objective measuring process for someone without prior experience or another product to compare it against
Please, let’s move the “review & evaluation” aspect to a different thread if desired. It is a distraction from the main topic at hand. We should get back on topic with the PM in question for now.
Fair point, I wasn’t trying to make a statement about the reviewers, rather some of the consumers of said reviews. I just repeated the three mentioned in their update
Yeah! One’s a bleeding Aussie, from Straya, mate! Fair dinkum, and tie me 'roo down, Shaneo
Can’t trust them underarm bowlers… And getting all crazy chasing an oval ball like they’re a gaggle of seagulls after your fush and chups…what’s that all about???
