AeroPod, PowerPod and Newton

Available now is a free firmware update 6.12 for PowerPod that adds Dynamic Coefficient of Rolling Resistance (DCRR).

Every cyclist knows that it takes more power when riding on rough roads. Traditionally, PowerPod assumes the road roughness never changes. With DCRR, that limiting assumption no longer exists.

PowerPod now measures road vibration with its accelerometer, then converts vibration measurements into rolling resistance corrections. These corrections are made at every moment of the ride--you don't have to do calibrations or anything else special.

So, for those of you who ride on changing road conditions, such as gravel roads, chip-seal, or chopped concrete, you'll get excellent results no matter how the road beneath you is changing.
In our testing with old PowerPod firmware, on gravel roads there could be as much as an 80W difference between PowerPod and DFPM results. With DCRR, on the same roads, the PP is now within 2W of the DFPM.

DCRR is a really cool addition to PowerPod, taking advantage of our patented sensor system.

You can get the free firmware 6.12 update using Isaac, "Device/Check Online for Firmware Update"

Wow that looks interesting. I'll be interested to see how this comes with sections of cobbles. Normally PowerPod just gives up. I've not tried PowerPod on a VTT Mountain Bike yet but I always assumed there would be a large discrepancy in reading between riding through mud and on gravel, as this is accelerometer based it would be interesting to see what it makes of that especially with suspension.

Anyway for road riding which is probably what most people her use it for it sounds a very good enhancement.

Is this update going to be available for the Newton?

ldmitruk wrote:Is this update going to be available for the Newton?

Yes, coming soon.

Did my first ride today with the new firmware.

Any chance that the DCRR adjustments can be shown in the CSV file created by Issac?

Would be interesting to see what variation there is in the DCRR.

MarkS wrote:Did my first ride today with the new firmware.

Any chance that the DCRR adjustments can be shown in the CSV file created by Issac?

Would be interesting to see what variation there is in the DCRR.

We don't have this in the plans, due to memory issues. But we DID in our testing create a version where the HR signal was, in fact, the DCRR signal.

Does this make the setup of the surface profile via Device/Setup in Newton irrelevant??

You'll still set up your device with your "normal" road conditions. From there DCRR will make adjustments as appropriate.

I did a very nonscientific test yesterday. In the center of some of the one of the roads into my village ( a very quiet road ) the is a line pave in the center of the road (Cobble stones) marking the center of the road and nice smooth tarmac either side. This allowed me to ride a certain wattage on the smooth tarmac and then change onto the pave section and then back off etc. Historically the PowerPod would have just given up on the cobbles but now with Dynamic rolling resistance firmware the wattage holds steady and was in line with riding on the smooth tarmac.
As I say, not very scientific but it proves it works. Well done for another improvement.

After having installed this update I'm seeing an immediate issue with my Garmin Edge 500. The cadence reading is pegged at 255. (I don't have a cadence sensor). This happens as soon as I turn on the Powerpod and the Garmin detects it. My power values are off the chart (which normally would be a great thing ...)

Kevin

Press-hold the button for about 10 seconds, until the light goes out momentarily then turns on. This does a hard reset of the unit.

If you still see cadence, then email tgore@velocomp.com

I performed the hard reset. No difference. I performed a reset using the application. No difference.

Please post an Isaac .ibr ride file. We might be able to use it to fix things.

Sure, here's one from this morning. Date is wrong on file name. Cadence shows 255 on the Garmin. Power was all over the place.

Something is wrong with your particular unit. Please email tgore@velocomp.com and reference this post. Tom will get your unit replaced.

Thanks, done!

Thanks John for this upgrade - very significant.

I have no idea how your did it, but it works perfectly. Yesterday's ride included new asphalt, chip-seal and rough broken pavement.
Power displayed on the Newton 6 screen on the rough surfaces was so much more realistic than the past.
The power trace in Isaac confirmed the accuracy of Dynamic Rolling Resistance - no more 250W efforts being recorded as 100W over chip seal.

Can't wait top see what you pull out of the hat next.

blp wrote:Thanks John for this upgrade - very significant.

I have no idea how your did it, but it works perfectly. Yesterday's ride included new asphalt, chip-seal and rough broken pavement.
Power displayed on the Newton 6 screen on the rough surfaces was so much more realistic than the past.
The power trace in Isaac confirmed the accuracy of Dynamic Rolling Resistance - no more 250W efforts being recorded as 100W over chip seal.

Can't wait top see what you pull out of the hat next.

Thanks for your kind comment! And yes, our hat is far from empty...