No power data at start of ride

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Will
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:15 pm

No power data at start of ride

Post by Will »

Hi,

I've been happily using my PowerPod for a little over a month and just swapped it over to my winter bike last week. Everything has been going great until this morning.

I did my normal routine to wake up my speed and cadence sensors and then the PowerPod, "green means go" and then start riding. After a few minutes, I looked down and noticed that the power was at zero. I pressed the button on the PowerPod again, it went green for a few seconds and then went off but still no power data. I then stopped to see if it wanted the speed and cadence sensors to be reading zero (arrow on attached screenshot points to the stop) - still nothing. I started up again resigned to a ride with no power data.

Later in the ride, I looked down and saw that I was getting power data. Since the stop, I hadn't done anything to the PowerPod.

Here's what the data looks like from Strava. I can export the file from the PowerPod and upload if that's helpful as well.

Any idea what might have gone wrong and how I can prevent this in the future? It was the coldest weather I've had so far this year - was I out of the temperature range for the PowerPod?

Thanks!

https://content.screencast.com/users/dd ... 001663.png

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Velocomp
Velocomp CEO
Posts: 7793
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2008 8:43 am

Re: No power data at start of ride

Post by Velocomp »

What's going on is that your PowerPod's mounting angle changed between rides. In your case, PP was pointed "down" relative to its mounting position in the prior ride. So, PP thought you were descending a hill, and of course, that takes less power...

Whenever PP is bumped or repositioned (not reattached in the same position as the prior ride), or if the speed-sensing wheel is spun after the ride (such as mounting the bike on a bike rack for transport) it it takes PP 8 minutes to recalibrate itself at the start of the new ride.

Make sure that:

1) when attaching the PP, gently push on the button area so that the PP rotates "up" until it hits the stop. If you follow this procedure PP will be in the same angular position each time it is attached.

2) you firmly tighten the GoPro screw, so that PP cannot rotate
John Hamann
Will
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:15 pm

Re: No power data at start of ride

Post by Will »

Velocomp wrote:What's going on is that your PowerPod's mounting angle changed between rides.
:oops:

Ah! Thank you, this makes complete sense. I started commuting on the winter bike last week and got a flat on Friday before I had built my repair kit (shame on me). I must have bumped the PowerPod in the process of bringing the bike home in the back of my car and repairing the flat. I didn't check the alignment before starting my ride this morning because I've never had to worry about it.
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