Author Topic: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?  (Read 1518 times)

blueyork

Hey guys,
I was scrolling through Slickdeals today and stumbled upon this: a ThinkRider PP5 Spider Power Meter Crankset selling for $98.58 on Amazon US (using coupon code O7OOJADV).

Link here if anyone wants to check:
https://slickdeals.net/f/19795164-thinkrider-pp5-spider-power-meter-4-bolt-aluminum-crankset-110-bcd-ble-ant-lightweight-for-road-bikes-160-172-5mm-99-free-shipping

Honestly, a power meter crankset for under 100 bucks sounds super sketchy to me, but the price is definitely tempting for a cheap winter bike build. It claims ±1% accuracy and uses a standard 24mm spindle, weighing around 565g.

Has anyone actually bought or tested this thing yet? I'm standardly skeptical about cheap Chinese power meters when it comes to data accuracy and connection drops. Also, how is the actual crank stiffness? I don't want something that flexes like noodle when I sprint.

Is this worth a shot as a budget tool, or should I just save my money and buy a used Stages or Magene?

Appreciate any honest feedback before I waste my money.

kbernstein

Re: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?
« Reply #1 on: July 23, 2026, 05:04:56 AM »
make a forum search i beg you. it's a normal price and the PM has issues

oxidizer

Re: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?
« Reply #2 on: July 23, 2026, 06:07:34 AM »
IIRC the consensus is that only good chinese powermeter is Magene / Geoid. All other have accuracy issues.

blueyork

Re: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2026, 06:55:59 AM »
I checked Magene P515, but it’s around $299. Way over budget for a cheap winter bike.
That’s why I'm still so torn. An alloy crankset alone costs money, so $98 for the whole package is a crazy deal, even if the data drifts a bit.
The 3x price difference is making it so hard to decide.
I honestly don't know if I should just roll the dice or pass.

raisinberry777

Re: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2026, 07:33:10 AM »
I checked Magene P515, but it’s around $299. Way over budget for a cheap winter bike.
That’s why I'm still so torn. An alloy crankset alone costs money, so $98 for the whole package is a crazy deal, even if the data drifts a bit.
The 3x price difference is making it so hard to decide.
I honestly don't know if I should just roll the dice or pass.


You can get the Geoid PM500, which is just a rebranded Magene, for around $200 or cheaper during sales periods.

Da11as

Re: Is this ThinkRider PP5 power meter for $98 legit or a total gamble?
« Reply #5 on: July 23, 2026, 08:00:10 AM »
IIRC the consensus is that only good chinese powermeter is Magene / Geoid. All other have accuracy issues.
Sigeyi is also good, but at this price point Quark/Power2Max makes more sense.