powerpod lite calibration and Isaac settings help.

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shmoesmith
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:15 pm

powerpod lite calibration and Isaac settings help.

Post by shmoesmith »

So I'm experiencing some bizarre power readings.

1.) Much of the time my downhills tend to drop to 0 -20 watts(even mild downhill) even when I know I'm pedaling in the big ring with close to/ all the effort my legs can push. Based on power readings from my smart trainers (I have two), I would suspect my short duration 2min max type efforts, (downhill or not) to be in the 280-380 range. Every now and again I get huge numbers on my downhill, which I know is wrong and based on forum research is somewhat of a known issue?

2.)Which brings me to my uphill efforts. My Kickr shows my ability to hold over 190-200 watts for any more than 3-5 minutes pretty limited, yet I find myself holding over 200 watts on a nasty hill climb for 20+ minutes on the powerpod lite which should be next to impossible considering my recent FTP is only 160 (confirmed on both a Wahoo and Kurt Kinetic smart trainer).

3.) Also any time I'm pushing in crosswinds my power will swing wildly between 0 and 300+ watts.

My Kickr and my Kurt Kinetic Smart both produce similar numbers for FTP (warm up, 20 min test, cool down), max efforts, durations of time I can hold over 190 watts, etc within 5-10 watts of each other, so I feel like something is up with the calibration, the settings, both, or the powerpod lite itself.

Despite being a weakling, I need these numbers to be accurate because I tend to do multiple long bike races (50+ miles) and triathlons per year so its critical that I get my pacing right - which means correct power downhill, uphill, in crosswinds, and in any other conditions I might get myself into. To push too hard early on in any of these types of races means disaster and sometimes a DNF and I'm trying to rely on the powerpod lite to keep me in check.

My wind port isn't blocked by anything and the powerpod lite is level and cranked down on the stock mount below my handlebars. Even when in an aero position on my clip on aero bars, it hangs well below my hands and shouldn't be getting blocked. It's pairing successfully with my speed and cadence sensors and transmitting power to my Garmin Fenix 5x successfully. The firmware (7.03) is up to date according too Isaac. Calibration DOES NOT appear to proceed as per the instructions that came with the pod - specifically, the red light does not stay on and the power does not pause at 50 when doing the out and back calibration ride and reaching the turn around point (best I can see is the light blinks red once at 50, but power keeps climbing?). I have changed the setting for the powerpod lite in Isaac to' best' which should have required this out and back, but no matter what I do, the power just keeps climbing past 50 until it reaches 100 then starts transmitting regular power (which I think is what is supposed to happen under the 'better' setting?). In any case it seems like I'm getting some sort of successful-ish calibration?

I've tried re-calibrating on my hoods, in my drops, or down on my clip-on aero bars. I have a bad elbow injury, so the reality is I spend equal time in all of these positions on the bike when riding/racing so I can change the types of pressure my elbow gets and somewhat manage the elbow pain. Typical use is up on the hoods while climbing to open up the hip angle, and on the aero bar 65-70% of flats and downhills (with the remainder mostly on the hoods, but occassionally in the drops). Which setting should I have my position as in Isaac? I live on the shoulder of a mountain so no matter what direction I go for an out and back, I'm climbing in one direction and descending in the other. Is this messing up calibration?- finding a flat spot near me is next to impossible. Road conditions are everything from great asphalt to good asphalt with lots of cracks to cement highway with lots of expansion cracks to garbage asphalt. Depending on my training route, I may get 30% -50% or more bad asphalt one day, then only 5% bad asphalt the next. What should I put for a setting here? I'm riding Vitoria Rubinho pro tires for training, but run continental grand prix's when racing so I'm not sure if I should be putting utility or racing tires. I CAN'T use Isaac to 'check my calibration' because the lite seems not to record enough of the ride and Isaac complains that it can't check it because it wasn't an out and back ride. I can't show you guys my full ride so you can see me riding a flat, vs. a big uphill or big downhill, or the various wind conditions I experience (its always windy here) so I'm not sure if uploading my files is worth anything...

Any help on what settings I should use, or how I might achieve a good calibration under these varied road, bike, position, and slope (when calibrating) changes would be extremely helpful.
Thanks.

edit: I updated the profile on my bike last night to good asphalt, utility tires, and position in the drops with tire pressure at 120psi. Power readings today were much more inline with what I expected when I rode pretty good asphalt today with 90%+ of my time on the aero bars (my aero position on the Aerobars isn't much different than in the drops anyway..maybe a hair lower and arms obviously a bit closer together). On a side note though, my power did go to 0 and wouldn't come back regardless of pedaling uphill, downhill, flat. I checked my Garmin and it said it was still connected to the powerpod, but it wasn't getting any data. I disconnected the Garmin, reconnected, tried clicking the powerpod 5 times to turn it off and then click to turn it on, but the powerpod was. unresponsive. Even a 4second hold wouldn't re-trigger sensor pairing and calibration. At the end of the ride I held down the button for probably 12-15 seconds and it flashed red and seemed to turn off. I clicked it again and it seemed to come back on and when I pedaled I got power readings that seemed about right. Any idea what is going on here? Do I need to do a re-pairing and re-calibration?
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