Power Meters / Powermeters (SRM, Powertap, Quarq, Ergomo, Vector, Stages, power2max, P2M, 4iii, InPower, Cinch)

How long does it take to finish "updating mean maximal power curve" when you add a file?

I've tried Training Peaks, but didn't get on with UI.

Got some Garmin Vectors.

Nothing but hassle so far.

How long does it take to finish "updating mean maximal power curve" when you add a file?

Sorry, missed this- hardly any time at all, from memory.

P2M survey on a track powermeter

P2M survey on a track powermeter

Nice one. Hope they listen and make one!

Got some Garmin Vectors.

Nothing but hassle so far.

Keep us updated, is it just faff setting it up, or something more serious?

I managed to brake one of the battery pods through idiocy. Well it wasn't written in the quick manual so I used my incorrect intuition.
I guess with new things you never know the ins and outs of how it works off the bat.

They do seem okay now i've fiddled more and got used to them. But still, I think i'd prefer a crank based meter, with P2M being the same price.
They are just a bit fiddley with the pods, swapping between bikes. Also I store my bike on the stairs, so this is hazardous with the pods. Plus I dropped a curb without thinking and scratched one. You definitely have to think a bit more. Where as with a crank PM it's pretty much bullet proof.

I also can't decide how waterproof the pods are. I've been through fords with my SRM submerged. I doubt the Garmin would take that.

They do also seem to like to take ages to calibrate. Which is slightly annoying.

I'll update over the next few weeks. They'll get a good run in, once I've the new battery pod. And i'll write a less down review. I'm just a bit annoyed at my idiocy. I will run them at the same time as my SRM to being. Which I calibrated, so I know is bang on accurate.

When I got mine I was told I had to have training (no charge) in how to take them on and off etc which bits are delicate and stuff. This follows on from training the shop guys had.

Yeah. Whoever told you that did you a favor.

I should have called my mate. But thought I knew better and that the instructions would be enough, along with dc rainmaker article.

At a minimum go and watch the garmin viedos on youtube they did.

My LBS!

Shameless plug : Cycleworks Petersfield opposite the train station No connection save as a very happy long term customer.

So over a few rides with the SRM and Vector both seem to track pretty close. Close enough to call it the same. We're talking 2W as an average over 20min+ efforts.

Max power seems similar, though a few erroneous differences of ~10%. I'd like to test this further really, but don't often do sprints. So it'll take a while to test.

I'm pretty happy with the vectors accuracy. It's pretty good, as long as it's set up bang on.

How long does it take to finish "updating mean maximal power curve" when you add a file?

FOREVER! I've taken to grouping each year as a different athlete to both preserve my little patience and to prevent spontaneous combustion of my laptop. Supposedly the new version which will be released in 2019 will process data more efficiently...
Maybe I should get a faster laptop instead of spending on more cycle related kit?

I have a P2M and almost 2 years in it's been flawless. The replacement deal they have turned into a godsend, the unit got smashed by BA coming back from France a few months ago. Insurance claim aside, as far as I'm aware I'd have to fork out full price for a replacement from all the alternatives instead of 50% for a new P2M unit.

Glad it's not just me then. I do have quite a lot of data (even my data is fat) but it seems excessive. Nevermind.

Ok, so I think i went off a bit easy on that, but hopefully that leaves room for improvement without actually having to do any training but the numbers are as below - please don't laugh!

Time 40 Minutes
Avg Power 224watts, ,
Pwr/Weight 3.04w/kg,
Calories 658kcal,
Avg Cadence 96,
Avg HR155bpm,
Spd avg 38.5kmh,
Distance 25.65km,
Force L/R 52/48,
Pwr Pk 462w

I think the heart rate being 80% of Max heart Rate suggests I didn't go hard enough from the start, but it's a benchmark and untill I convince myself that just riding, running and swimming more isn't making massive improvements then I'll rely on the Wattbike and just do tests every few weeks, trying to keep other conditions as similar as possible...

So I repeated this test on the same watt bike tonight the major difference is that I didn't do a 7k tempo run this morning and obviously had a benchmark to start from, I think I still didn't get going quick enough as my heart rate for the first 10 minutes didn't get above 149bpm

Time 40mins
Avg watts 246
Avg Hr 159
Power dust l/r 51/49
Distance 26.60km
Cadence 87rpm
Watts per kg 3.32

So roughly a 9% increase in average power in a week, I'll take that ;)

Good workout that test too.

So keep it up.

22w for 4 more BPM. Win.

Seem the Movistar Campag P2M cranks?

P2M with Campag? feck thats pretty big news. I guess its a complete crankset swap. Gonna be popular when its realeased in 2023.

Today, pro cycling team Movistar announced that they’ll be using Power2Max Type S power meters for all their training and racing in 2014. The units will be running a new Power2Max Type S variant that was developed for Campagnolo 11-speed cranks. This new variant will be used by the team in both 135 and 100 BCD’s.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/01/2014-pro-team-powermeters.html

Purely speculation, but I wonder if part of the Stages-Sky deal is to do with the new Shimano crank-arm. Its a pretty viable new design and I'd imagine Shimano would have been pretty peeved that it wasn't being used by the pro-tour teams?

And another thought, although Stages have the crank based set-up for training as well (c.f DC Rainmaker comments), I wonder if they might stick a powertap wheel on every now and then to check the numbers?

Grrrrr, bloody Sky Stages deal makes it even less likely I'm going to be able to get a Stages PM for my Fred Whitton bike before The Big Day. Moan. Grump. FWP etc.

Purely speculation, but I wonder if part of the Stages-Sky deal is to do with the new Shimano crank-arm.

No, I'm pretty sure it was entirely down to the large amount of cash a second-rate PM manufacturer would be willing to throw at the world's top GC team to get their gear on the team bikes.

I'm not immune to such scepticism myself, but wouldn't accurate and useful power data be more significant than a bucket full of cash? If it meant the difference between winning and losing a GT (which according to Sky's marginal gains philosophy, which they obviously believe in even if others don't, it might) then wouldn't the financial implications of that outweigh any sponsorship cash? I can't imagine any financial 'contribution' by Stages is that much.

I don't think accurate rider power data is useful to anybody, but precise data is. I think the Stages PM probably has the capability to produce precise results.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision