Product Availability, Sales & Support
How do I buy Quarq products?
What about distributors and retailers?
Quarq has established a dealer network. We are interested in working with shops and/or distributors who are knowledgeable in power measurement and sell other high end products. Please contact us for an application if you're interested in retailing or distributing Quarq products.
Since December 2009, SRAM has distributed the SRAM S975 CinQo through their distribution channels.
What accessories come with the CinQo?
The CinQo comes with a battery and a variety of cadence magnets.
If cranks are purchased from us at the same time, we will install the CinQo on the cranks. Garmin computers and CyclingPeaks WKO+ must be purchased separately.
What support do I get?
What kind of warranty is there?
Where are Quarq products manufactured and assembled?
Compatibility
Do Quarq products work with products from Garmin, PowerTap, SRM and Polar?
Quarq's products are interchangeable with any device that uses the ANT+Sport network.
The Garmin Edge 800, 705, 500 and 310XT all work with the CinQo and forthcoming Quatro.
The CycleOps' Joule works with the CinQo. Saris is currently working on a new firmware that will allow user calibration.
The SRM PowerControl VII (PC-7) uses a slightly different communication protocol, however, available upon request, there is a beta-firmware upgrade that will work with the SRM head unit.
The Polar CS600 cannot be used with a CinQo power sensor; the CS600 uses a proprietary wireless protocol called W.I.N.D.
See the CinQo overview for a full list of compatible computers.
What is ANT+?
What cranksets is the CinQo compatible with?
The CinQo is compatible with select cranksets that have a removable spider. The CinQo replaces the existing spider. Check our website for compatible cranksets. Since the CinQo replaces the spider on existing cranksets it is incompatible with cranksets that have an integrated spider like the Sram Red, Shimano 105, Ultegra, Dura-Ace and all Campagnolo models.
Which bottom brackets does the CinQo work with?
Do you have a list of bike-specific fitting problems or solutions?
With the new CinQo Saturn2 now available for the Cannodale, issues with the SuperSix and CAAD are no longer a concern. CinQo Saturn models require a special spindle and bearing cover to fit the CinQo for Cannondale Hollowgram SI / SL. Please contact us for further details.
The Scott Addict can have clearance problems between the power meter and bottom bracket when using a CinQo Saturn for SRAM S975 or CinQo Saturn for Rotor 3D. The CinQo Saturn for FSA SL-K Light will work on all Scott Addict models.
None of Quarq's current power meters fit on the 2010 and newer Wilier Cento Uno frames. We will try to have a solution in future CinQo revisions.
Calibration Information
How is the CinQo calibrated? Do I need to return it to the factory to be calibrated after purchase?
Each CinQo is individually calibrated before it is shipped. Quarq's in-house validation and verification techniques use both static and dynamic testing.
Do I need to send in my CinQo if I swap chainrings?
There are a few more things to know before answering this question.
- If you are replacing worn rings with a new pair of the same model, then No Re-Calibrations is required.
- If you are swapping between Road to TT or Road to CX rings, or Brand X to Brand Y, or converting to a single speed with or without a bash guard, then it depends a lot on the quality and stiffness of the rings. Re-calibration is highly recommended.
Keep in mind the quality of the rings. Some ring combinations do not calibrate well against one another, e.g. the outer calibrates to a different value then does its paired inner ring. Quarq prefers ring differences be < 2%, differences greater than that will result in skewed data.
If you are concerned about a certain ring combination, you can send in the rings for calibration, and they we will test them at no charge (return shipping will be your responsibility).
We do have a good collection of full-size and compact rings to calibrate against, and have a table of calibration we can refer to. Using the table we can a) inform you if re-calibration is required or b) provide you with the known difference so you can adjust your calibration with Qalvin. Please see the Qalvin pages for more information.
.What about field calibration?
Field calibration and diagnostics can be performed by using Qalvin. Please see the Qalvin pages for more information.
You can check the accuracy by hanging a known weight (>20kg is recommended) off the pedals. Below are the instructions:
- Do a Calibrate with no load applied (pedals should be horizontal). You will get a value like 53 (you may also get a negative value; this is normal). (53/32 Nm = 1.66 Nm)
- Apply a known torque (hang mass or stand on pedal - still in the horizontal position) and then Calibrate again. You will get a value like -867. (867/32 Nm = -27.09Nm)
- The change in zero offset is therefore (-867) - 53 = -920. Which means the CinQo measured 920/32 Nm (28.75 Nm) change in torque.
- Remove the load and Calibrate again. This will remove the zero offset that was set with the applied load.
To calculate the applied torque:
Weight (in pounds) x Crank Length (in millimeters) x 0.00444822 (conversion factor) = Torque (in Newton-Meters)
Example:
36 lbs x 175mm x 0.00444822 = 28.02 Nm
So for the example above, you applied 28.02 Nm, the CinQo measured 28.75Nm, so the error is 0.73 Nm.
That is the basic method. You will want to do multiple measurement on both crank arms and average. At some point we will make up a nice worksheet or online calculator to step through the process. The key information here is that the CinQo Calibrate return data is in 1/32 Nm.
My 'Manual Calibration' is approaching 500, should I be concerned?
The 'Manual Calibration' performed through a Garmin returns the 'Zero Offset', or tare value of the CinQo. Though most CinQo's settle well below 500, approaching or exceeding 500 is not a need for concern. What is more important is intra-ride calibration values. If your pre- and post- ride values are regularly more than 50 units apart or are quite erratic varying greatly by 100's or several 100's, then it is recommended you contact us.
Adjusting or the torque on chainring bolts may return the initial offset toward 0, but in time will most likely return to values previously seen.
Technical Information
What is the accuracy of the CinQo?
The CinQo will meet or exceed +/- 2% precision.
How many strain gages are in the CinQo?
There are ten strain gages with a total of 20 grids in a proprietary arrangement.
What pre-ride zeroing is required?
A simple pre-ride zero ("tare") function is provided.
Manual Zero - The CinQo samples torque at 60 Hz for 2 sec (120 measurements) and averages the result. The inverse of the result becomes the new zero offset. See your computer's specific instruction manual for details on how to perform this.
Auto Zero - The CinQo samples at 60 Hz and averages the measurements over each crank revolution. When you pedal backwards, the average torque for the backward revolution is stored. The CinQo then sets the zero offset as the inverse of the last 4 reverse revolutions. So to completely reset the zero offset with Auto Zero, you need to pedal backwards for at least 4 complete crank revolutions.
What is the sampling rate?
The CinQo will complete a power reading every crank rotation. So, if you are pedaling at 90rpm, power data will be received by the computer every two-thirds of a second.
The hardware is capable of higher sampling rates and we hope to implement this in later firmware versions. We know that track cyclists in particular are seeking higher sampling rates to analyze standing starts.
Firmware upgrades must be performed at the factory. This is a free service, plus freight.
Will it measure right and left legs separately?
No. The CinQo measures the combined output of both legs.
Future firmware upgrades may give users data of both legs.
How long will the battery last?
The CinQo's battery will last for at least 400 hours. The CinQo uses a CR2450 coin cell battery that is user-replaceable.
Sponsorship, Coaching and Beta-Testing
Who is beta testing your products? Can I be a beta tester?
Quarq currently has an extensive list of interested beta testers, ranging from professional cyclists and triathletes to commuters and recreational riders. We will make an announcement on our web site if we need more test riders.
How can I get sponsored?
Quarq was acquired by SRAM on May 4, 2011, and Quarq’s team, athlete and event sponsorship and ambassadorship programs are being evaluated in the context of SRAM’s overall sponsorship activity. No further sponsorships and ambassadorships will be awarded until this activity is complete.
Will there be a discount for coaches?
We currently have a coaches program available. Please contact us for details.
Quarq
What is 'Quarq'?
"Quarq" is just a hiply misspelled word. A quark is a subatomic particle (which, by the way, is really fast). The word "quark" originated from the 1939 novel "Finnegans Wake" in the line:
Three quarks for Muster Mark!
Sure he hasn't got much of a bark
And sure any he has it's all beside the mark.
Physicist Murray Gell-Mann enjoyed the allusion to three quarks and applied the term to physics, as the Standard Model predicts three generations of elementary particles.
Quarks can have one of two fractional electric charges (+2/3 or -1/3), yielding six "flavors": Up, Down, Strange, Charm, Bottom, and the elusive Top quark.
Top and Bottom were originally called Truth and Beauty, but that got a bit lame after the Truth quark proved difficult to find and folks started saying "the quark model has no truth". This didn't go over so well in some circles, so Top and Bottom became the preferred terminology.