AeroPod, PowerPod and Newton

I have a Newton+ with the latest firmware (5.02), TT mount, RWS, with only about 730 miles of riding on it.

Lately, during a ride, the Newton screen will simply stop updating (freezes) and the buttons are non-functional. I then have to reset the unit, which messes up all my data during the ride. It has happened during more than one ride, usually once during the ride. Yesterday it happened twice during my 30 mile ride.

Any idea's on what could be happening?

Do you remember which screen you were on when this occurred? Had you been pushing any buttons when this happened?

It happens while looking at the screen which displays trip time on the bottom. I have the middle screen set to Normalized Power, and top screen set to Speed. I think this is Screen 1? I always leave it on this screen for most of the time. Once in a while I will switch to screen 2 (which is Speed (top), Power (middle) Cadence (bottom)), or to Enviro, etc, but always switch back to screen 1 with display as noted. It has only frozen while in this screen (however as noted, I spend 99% of my time on this screen). Total recorded ride time is 38:29, and this has mainly happened about 4 or 5 times, within I'd say the last 6 hours or so of usage.

I should also clarify that my Newton does not have the "+" on the casing. I was mistaken, and only have the regular Newton.

Thanks.

nicholsjon wrote:It happens while looking at the screen which displays trip time on the bottom. I have the middle screen set to Normalized Power, and top screen set to Speed. I think this is Screen 1? I always leave it on this screen for most of the time. Once in a while I will switch to screen 2 (which is Speed (top), Power (middle) Cadence (bottom)), or to Enviro, etc, but always switch back to screen 1 with display as noted. It has only frozen while in this screen (however as noted, I spend 99% of my time on this screen). Total recorded ride time is 38:29, and this has mainly happened about 4 or 5 times, within I'd say the last 6 hours or so of usage.

I should also clarify that my Newton does not have the "+" on the casing. I was mistaken, and only have the regular Newton.

Thanks.

Have you ever had your unit freeze when, after starting riding, you have not moved to an alternate screen; that is, you did not touch the unit after beginning riding?

No, I tend to click around to look at wind, temp, power, cadence, once in a while. So I do change screens, and on all occasions I would have started on Screen 1, clicked to view other data, then clicked back to Screen 1. I can say that there might be a pattern where it tends to freeze after a coasting situation down a hill. I can't say for sure that each and every time it happened during a coasting event, but I do remember that it seems to coincide with it. I also can't remember if I was on a particular screen each time before I clicked back to Screen 1 and it froze soon after. It has never happened while I was looking at it. I just look down and see that the clock has stopped, and want to say it more or less correlates to after a coasting event.

Yesterday I rode 40 miles with no screen/Newton lockup. On this ride, I never switched screens during the ride - left it in Screen 1 the entire time.
Screen 1 being: Speed (top), Normalized Power (middle), Trip Time (bottom).

I can't say that this means much. Just thought I'd let you know. I will ride again today and try to only switch screens near the end of my ride. However I don't know if that will tell us anything either. Even if it doesn't freeze (or if it does), I've had plenty of rides w/o screen freeze so it's hard to figure out a pattern for it yet.

nicholsjon wrote:Yesterday I rode 40 miles with no screen/Newton lockup. On this ride, I never switched screens during the ride - left it in Screen 1 the entire time.
Screen 1 being: Speed (top), Normalized Power (middle), Trip Time (bottom).

I can't say that this means much. Just thought I'd let you know. I will ride again today and try to only switch screens near the end of my ride. However I don't know if that will tell us anything either. Even if it doesn't freeze (or if it does), I've had plenty of rides w/o screen freeze so it's hard to figure out a pattern for it yet.

Thank you for the update. This is helpful; please keep your experiments going!

Today I tried different things to make the screen freeze - no luck, all worked fine.
I left it on Screen 1 for most of the ride. The last 2 miles I clicked to Enviro, then back to Screen 1. I clicked to Hill-Wind and back to Screen 1. Clicked to Screen 2 then back to Screen 1. Tried coasting during all of these. No problems. I guess I'll keep on trying things.

nicholsjon wrote:... I can say that there might be a pattern where it tends to freeze after a coasting situation down a hill. I can't say for sure that each and every time it happened during a coasting event...

A long coasting period will idle the ANT+ connection to cadence. I note you did not try a coasting event with latest test.

I did coast during the recent testing, but maybe not long enough? When you say a long coast, what sort of time length are we talking about?

I usually don't coast for long periods of time (try to pedal as much as possible).

texmurphy wrote:

nicholsjon wrote:... I can say that there might be a pattern where it tends to freeze after a coasting situation down a hill. I can't say for sure that each and every time it happened during a coasting event...

A long coasting period will idle the ANT+ connection to cadence. I note you did not try a coasting event with latest test.

For combined speed/cadence sensors (what we ship with the Newton) the sensor will stay awake whenever the bike is moving, irrespective of cadence.

Another ride today - not screen freeze. I guess this is good - however I wish I could figure out why it happened before.

Today I tried to click to other screens just like I have always done in the past (during my ride). Coasting periodically while in other screens. And then coasting after clicking back to Screen 1. So far nothing has repeated the screen freeze. I guess I'll just keep going to see if it happens again.

Thanks.

Update on this issue.
It hasn't changed, and might actually be getting worse. It basically locks up on almost every ride now. I don't have to click to a different screen, it just freezes and I have to reset during my ride. It happens at various times during a ride. Sometimes twice in a 2 hour ride. Very frustrating. Not sure if I'm getting any use from this device other than my speed when it's working. What shall I do now?

nicholsjon wrote:Update on this issue.
It hasn't changed, and might actually be getting worse. It basically locks up on almost every ride now. I don't have to click to a different screen, it just freezes and I have to reset during my ride. It happens at various times during a ride. Sometimes twice in a 2 hour ride. Very frustrating. Not sure if I'm getting any use from this device other than my speed when it's working. What shall I do now?

We'd like to test your unit. Please contact Tom Gore at tgore@velocomp.com We will swap out your unit for a new one.

Thanks John.
Email sent to Tom.