Rotor dropped an updated version of their modular spider-based INspider Road power meter, and it’s literally better in every metric, while also being about 10% cheaper. Lighter, thinner, more aero, more precise, and able to fit on more bikes with its thinner construction and still entirely made in Spain. Mix and match carbon or alloy cranks, 24mm or 30mm BBs, and either round or oval 1x or 2x chainrings to suit any dropbar setup from road to triathlon to gravel…
Revamped modular Rotor INspider Road power meter
Rotor’s modular direct-mount spider-based INspider power meter has been around since late 2019 to early 2020, and frankly this new Road iteration looks almost the same at first glance. But a closer look reveals that pretty much everything inside has been updated. And this new version is much better in almost every way.
What’s new?
At 128g for the spider alone, that’s a 21-28g weight savings. And it is half as thick, now just 12mm overall. That of course helped with weight reduction, but also reduced area into the wind, making it more aero, too.
That also helps with universal fit. Rotor says the new INspider Road is compatible with pretty much all PressFit BB standards, BSA threaded, and now T47, as well. Plus, their compatible modular crankarms that can be fitted to the new spider power meter are available to fit either 30mm or 24mm axles, to really fit just about every bike at this point.
From a power measurement standpoint, INspider Road now has a claimed accuracy of +/-1.5%. We don’t really know how much more accurate that is than before, as Rotor used to be reluctant to make accuracy claims. But Rotor claims “enhanced precision and intelligence” because of updated electronics, now recording power 120x per second and outputting more data to your connected device. It also is said to pair faster and gets a 75% longer runtime, too.
Plus, the old version was selling for 709€ just a week ago, and now this better one is just 599€.
Tech details
The Rotor INspider Road power meter fits between your crankarms and chainring, thus measuring total combined power.
- 100% CNC-machined in Spain from 7075 aluminum alloy, with IP67 water resistance
- standard 110×4 BCD
- OCP direct mount interface for round or clocked oval chainrings
- now just 12mm thick overall
- measures total combined power – right & left leg power outputs combined
- standard outputs: Power, Cadence & Power Balance
- Rotor Power app (Android or iOS) outputs: Combined pedaling analysis using Optimum Chainring Angle (OCA) and Torque 360 metrics
- newly fully compatible with Garmin Cycling Dynamics
- 2.4 GHz ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart connectivity
- increased +/-1.5% power measurement accuracy with 120Hz recording
- simplified “user-friendly” calibration process
- longer 350 hour battery run time with a rechargeable lithium-ion polymer battery via a proprietary magnetic USB cable
- 128g weight, for spider without chainring bolts
Rotor INspider Road powermeter – Pricing, options & availability
The new INspider Road is available now directly from Rotor for 600€ for just the powermeter spider alone. But of course, you need a set of crankarms and chainrings to ride with it (but probably the same BB already in your bike). Officially, Rotor says this is compatible with their Aldhu Carbon or alloy Aldhu or Vegast crankarms because of the OCP direct mount interface.
But it looks like you could probably mount it to one of Qo’s new carbon road or gravel cranksets that appear to use the same 45-tooth DIN spline. Not a huge surprise, as that new company was created by the original founders of Rotor.
I priced out a Shimano or SRAM AXS road-compatible setup with chainrings and alloy Vegast crank arms, totaling up to 817€, which is about 10% cheaper than when a similar option debuted in their Power Pack range more than 4.5 years ago.
A similar alloy Vegast + INspider Road setup with a 1x chainring for gravel would be 795€. And it’s the same price for either conventional round or Rotor’s own oval Q Rings chainrings.
Swapping in those carbon Aldhu crankarms would add about 236€ on top of either road or gravel setup.
Mix and match your ideal power setup now, direct from Rotor.
