Stages Dash Head Unit and Link Software – First Look – Sea Otter 2017
Stages have been around for a number of years now, providing power meters for a number of top cycling athletes, including Jared Graves, Richie Rude and The Nomad’s out of B.C, just to name a few. Now they're going a step further and producing their own monitor/GPS device, which they’re calling the Stages Dash. The Dash is obviously built to work really well with their power meters, but it is also able to work with any other devices that use ANT+ or Bluetooth to share information.
One immediately notable feature to the Dash head-unit is the aluminum chassis. Stages went with this design because they found it to be a more durable option that also has more mounting options than the current quarter-turn attachment system that we’re so used to seeing and using currently. Initially, they will have an over the stem mountain bike mount, an out front road mount (which you can see on Stages XC racer Erin Huck's bike in the image at the bottom), and a tri-mount that secures between the aero bars. The mount is also open to third-party development, so anyone can use it for their various systems (think GoPro or light mounts, and of course, other GPS devices).
![Stages Dash alloy mount and base of the Dash unit itself.]()
![Stages Dash alloy chassis and the connection with the base]()
The dash unit itself has five buttons placed on the top surface of the device. Stages feel that placing the buttons on top makes them easier to access and use while riding (than options that are on the sides), They also looked into touch screens and were unable to find what they thought to be a cost-effective solution that worked well. In the short amount of time that we played with the device we found the buttons do have a very tactile and positive feel to them, plus the addition of the rubber coating to the buttons provided some grip so that fingers aren’t sliding off the buttons when trying to push them, which will come in especially handy when changing settings while on the move out on the trail.
Stages’ idea for the device is to be able to give the Dash to anyone from a novice rider to Pro and for them to be able to set the device up to do what they want from it, right out of the box. Stages say the device can be setup for any variety of cycling disciplines, and within them is the ability to setup activity profiles. A simple example would be to set up the MTB mode with a training day profile, a race day profile, and a casual ride day profile, selecting the appropriate one for the ride at hand. Each screen within the activity area can have between one and sixteen data fields and within this things can be moved and placed to where-ever desired. The size of a field can be changed as well.
![Stages Dash split screen example]()
Stages are viewing Link as a dynamic training plan, and they claim users of the software will have the ability to build out a custom training program that is based around their lives. Only able to ride 10hrs/wk, on Monday, Friday, and Saturday? The software can work with that to allow you to get the most out of your rides. Not interested in “training” but want to keep healthy? Include some data on those goals and where you’re currently at, and the software will give you something to work with.
The process to establish a rider in the software certainly sounds like it takes a lot into account, with the initial setup including a learning process from the software, including questions along the lines of whether you’re healthy, how much effort you want to put into a ride (easy, medium, full pinned/red lining) and so on. From there you can setup a goal if you like and begin working on a plan for an upcoming event, big day out for summer solstice or a series of races held every other Saturday and so on. From there what’s called an FTP test can be completed (Functional Threshold Power test. This represents your ability to sustain the highest possible power output over 45 to 60 minutes), or the software can be set to work on a theoretical FTP value.
Obviously the Stages Link component is all for the rider that is more concerned with their level of fitness and happy to pay a reasonably low-cost monthly subscription, but the device can also be used as a simple GPS tracker, like a Garmin, though there are obviously plenty of built-in benefits to pairing it up with some form of goal tracking, no matter how serious you are. The Stages Dash will retail for $399 USD and we’ll be putting one to the test in the coming months, for those that wish to learn more about the system.
 |
 Stages Dash top level menu options |
One immediately notable feature to the Dash head-unit is the aluminum chassis. Stages went with this design because they found it to be a more durable option that also has more mounting options than the current quarter-turn attachment system that we’re so used to seeing and using currently. Initially, they will have an over the stem mountain bike mount, an out front road mount (which you can see on Stages XC racer Erin Huck's bike in the image at the bottom), and a tri-mount that secures between the aero bars. The mount is also open to third-party development, so anyone can use it for their various systems (think GoPro or light mounts, and of course, other GPS devices).
Stages Dash alloy mount and base of the Dash unit itself.
Stages Dash alloy chassis and the connection with the base
The dash unit itself has five buttons placed on the top surface of the device. Stages feel that placing the buttons on top makes them easier to access and use while riding (than options that are on the sides), They also looked into touch screens and were unable to find what they thought to be a cost-effective solution that worked well. In the short amount of time that we played with the device we found the buttons do have a very tactile and positive feel to them, plus the addition of the rubber coating to the buttons provided some grip so that fingers aren’t sliding off the buttons when trying to push them, which will come in especially handy when changing settings while on the move out on the trail.
 |
| Stages Dash ride screen example |
Stages’ idea for the device is to be able to give the Dash to anyone from a novice rider to Pro and for them to be able to set the device up to do what they want from it, right out of the box. Stages say the device can be setup for any variety of cycling disciplines, and within them is the ability to setup activity profiles. A simple example would be to set up the MTB mode with a training day profile, a race day profile, and a casual ride day profile, selecting the appropriate one for the ride at hand. Each screen within the activity area can have between one and sixteen data fields and within this things can be moved and placed to where-ever desired. The size of a field can be changed as well.
Additionally, there is the ability to run a split screen function, with the best example being using half for a map of the route being undertaken on a particular ride, while the other half can rotate through a series of data screens, or simply run the one screen of core components that a rider feels they need. All of this can be done on the device itself, or on a computer using the Stages Link application, which should be more efficient than doing so on the small device.
Stages mention that they want inclusivity, and the Dash has been setup to work with any sensor on the market that utilizes Ant+ or Bluetooth—whether a power meter from another brand, a heart rate monitor, whatever, if it’s using these methods of sending and receiving information, the Dash will work with it. Stages have also developed the software to be similar to an app on a smartphone, making future updates as seamless as possible.
Stages are also working with former Olympic Cycling coach, Benjamin Sharp, on writing training programs for the Link software, that can be paired with the Dash head-unit. This software, which will be on a monthly subscription basis, is the only element of the new system Stages are launching that will be exclusive to the Dash device. They haven’t got any confirmed pricing on the subscription, but the goal is somewhere in the $8–10/month range, with new users possibly being open to a 60-day free trial.
Stages mention that they want inclusivity, and the Dash has been setup to work with any sensor on the market that utilizes Ant+ or Bluetooth—whether a power meter from another brand, a heart rate monitor, whatever, if it’s using these methods of sending and receiving information, the Dash will work with it. Stages have also developed the software to be similar to an app on a smartphone, making future updates as seamless as possible.
Stages are also working with former Olympic Cycling coach, Benjamin Sharp, on writing training programs for the Link software, that can be paired with the Dash head-unit. This software, which will be on a monthly subscription basis, is the only element of the new system Stages are launching that will be exclusive to the Dash device. They haven’t got any confirmed pricing on the subscription, but the goal is somewhere in the $8–10/month range, with new users possibly being open to a 60-day free trial.
Stages Dash split screen example
Stages are viewing Link as a dynamic training plan, and they claim users of the software will have the ability to build out a custom training program that is based around their lives. Only able to ride 10hrs/wk, on Monday, Friday, and Saturday? The software can work with that to allow you to get the most out of your rides. Not interested in “training” but want to keep healthy? Include some data on those goals and where you’re currently at, and the software will give you something to work with.
The process to establish a rider in the software certainly sounds like it takes a lot into account, with the initial setup including a learning process from the software, including questions along the lines of whether you’re healthy, how much effort you want to put into a ride (easy, medium, full pinned/red lining) and so on. From there you can setup a goal if you like and begin working on a plan for an upcoming event, big day out for summer solstice or a series of races held every other Saturday and so on. From there what’s called an FTP test can be completed (Functional Threshold Power test. This represents your ability to sustain the highest possible power output over 45 to 60 minutes), or the software can be set to work on a theoretical FTP value.
 |
| The head unit on Stages athlete, Erin Huck's bike. |
Obviously the Stages Link component is all for the rider that is more concerned with their level of fitness and happy to pay a reasonably low-cost monthly subscription, but the device can also be used as a simple GPS tracker, like a Garmin, though there are obviously plenty of built-in benefits to pairing it up with some form of goal tracking, no matter how serious you are. The Stages Dash will retail for $399 USD and we’ll be putting one to the test in the coming months, for those that wish to learn more about the system.
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Like colour clash says reducing the price of PM's would be better ! this unit is 350 in the UK add in a stages pm and it'd be around 800, The price of a bike nowadays; about 1 to 2 thousand = REALLY ACCESSIBLE sport N O T