Power values jumping around

[flahutewannabe]

First couple of rides after calibration and I'm seeing a lot of power fluctuation while I'm riding at a fairly steady speed on what I think are fairly flat roads. Using a Garmin magnetless speed sensor on the front wheel. What should I be checking/doing? Latest ride attached.

add'l info. Garmin 800 set to 3s power; Isaac profile is set to 0 sec smoothing. Also using a dual mount, with wind scaling at 1.038 -- not sure if that's the default or what it should be. (I'm hoping this needs to be changed, or my pathetic power output is even worse than I had feared! )

[Velocomp]

You might do much better with your PowerPod set to Dynamic Power Smoothing, and your Garmin set to 1 second averaging.

Your wind factor looks fine.

Are you using a cadence sensor? If so, make sure it is on (you see cadence in your Garmin display) then do a new scan with your PowerPod.

Don't worry too much about your average power; half of your ride is on a downhill, where it is more difficult to maintain high levels of power output (unless you want to ride really fast). You kept the same speed on the downhill as the uphill, so this would drive down your watts.

[flahutewannabe]

Thanks for the quick response, John.

candence sensor has been installed and connected to Garmin for all rides. I will rescan as directed.

To be clear on the mount, it's a K-Edge outfront dual mount. Wind factor should be at 1.038 with that mount? What should the aero and cda setting be?

I'll reset to dynamic smoothing and Garmin to "power" (current power; I don't see a 1 sec setting, only 3s, 10s and 30s.

[Velocomp]

It looks like you used Isaac the setup wizard, so CdA and aero have already been set.

[flahutewannabe]

John, it appears I still have something not set up correctly. Attached are the last three ride files. The power readings I'm seeing (dynamic smoothing on the PPod, no smoothing on the Garmin 800) don't seem to match my perceived effort at times. I'm open to being less in tune with my riding than I thought, Overall my sense is that the high values may be too high, low values too low. I'm also seeing drops to zero watts then incrementally building back up.

I have not removed the PP between rides, and it is fastened securely to the mount -- not able to move it by hand without really pulling hard.

Suggestions? Thoughts?

[flahutewannabe]

It's been a week since I posted my follow up question, and I've also emailed support with a link to this question.

I've been iffy about the PowerPod, and with a limited time for return I've had to make the call for myself that this wasn't ready for prime time, or at least that it was more than I could make work. The unit has been returned.

Too bad; I think it had potential but I wasn't able to get enough confidence that I knew how to set it up or use it.

[Velocomp]

Sorry, I was traveling and did not see the original posting.

I looked at your ride files. I don't see anything wrong with them; your unit appears to be calibrated and functioning properly.

When using Dynamic Power Smoothing, there is a 10 second averaging period over which power slowly changes This is intended to make the readings smooth when going at constant efforts. On power surges, the PP will respond nearly instantly. The "trigger" for switching from long to instantaneous response is about a 100W differential.

For your style of cycling and power output level, it probably would be better to turn DPS off, and to use 3 second averaging on the Garmin.

If you want to give it another try we will send back the unit to you and extend your trial period. My apologies for not responding sooner.

[Yost]

Can I just check, when you say switch off DPS, does this mean set Newton Power Smoothing from Dynamic to 0 sec?

[Velocomp]

Yes