Cadence data not imported by iBike 3 for Windows

[dtrousdale]

I just got my new iAero Gen3, went for a spin, and uploaded the data to iBike 3 on MS Vista for analysis. However, no cadence data was visible. I opened the .csv file in MS Excel, and all that was there was a 0.001 for each recorded instance. Next I did several tests, including using my older iAero Gen2 on two different bikes. Same result: no cadence data showing up in the iBike 3 ride analysis sw. Fortunately, I had a version of the iBike 2 ride analysis sw on another PC (XP this time). The very same ride files from the iAero displayed the cadence data just fine on iBike 2, and opening the .csv in MS Excel, and the cadence data was there as expected. Finally, I did uninstall and reinstall iBike 3 on my Vista machine, and that made no difference. Prior to getting my new iAero Gen3, my older iAero Gen2 and the even older iBike ride data invariably uploaded just fine to iBike 2 ride analysis sw on my Vista PC.
Please advise. Sounds like a bug in the iBike 3 ride analysis sw to me. For you viewing pleasure, I've attached two .csv files: one uploaded to iBike3 from my original iAero, and the other is the same file uploaded from my original iAero to iBike2.

kuota_11_27_2008_1616_1_Miles_iaero-gen2-TEST-ibike2 .csv

ride file uploaded to iBike 2

(4.99 KiB) Downloaded 352 times

kuota_11_27_2008_1616_1_Miles_iaero-gen2-TEST-ibike3.csv

same ride file uploaded to iBike 3

(9.78 KiB) Downloaded 320 times

[Velocomp]

I think the issue is your very short ride. This happened to me once when I did a short test ride, but when I did a longer ride all was normal.

[dtrousdale]

I think the issue is your very short ride. This happened to me once when I did a short test ride, but when I did a longer ride all was normal.

What then would be a "short ride" versus a "long enough" ride? Attached is the file for my second iAero Gen3 ride that first got me concerned and that led to my tests noted in my first post. Not particularly long--8 miles--but certainly longer that the first files I sent. Even with 8 miles, I found there was no cadence data after I uploaded to iBike3 ride analysis sw or when opened in Excel as a .csv. This would seem to make the unit less useful for measuring short races like 5k and 10k time trials or a set of short, very steep intervals.

BTW I did a 31 mile ride today with my Gen2 unit and everything look fine in both the iBike3 and iBike2 ride analysis software...just what I hoped for. It still seems odd to me that I would need to put in more than 8 miles before cadence data shows in iBike3 but would show up in iBike2 with much less than 8 miles of ride data.

[travispape]

Yep, it turns out that a function was kicking in iBike3 that shouldn't have.

Here's what is going on if you are curious. Forget about iBike2 or iBike3 for a moment. Some folks don't ride with a cadence sensor, or the cadence sensor might not be working for some reason. What the FW has to do when you start your ride is make a decision about whether you have a cadence signal. If so, it will show cadence on the bottom portion of the display and it will use the cadence data to know when to clamp the power to zero. If you aren't pedalling, power should be zero. If no cadence data is detected at the beginning of the ride, calories will show on the bottom of the screen but the FW will go ahead and record any cadence data that does show up.

Therefore, just because iBike2 or 3 downloads cadence data doesn't mean that it was used during the ride. iBike2 and 3 have to make the same determination as the FW as to whether cadence was present at the beginning of the ride.

At one point a few months back, someone sent in a ride where the cadence detector should not have detected a signal, but it did and so I changed the detector in iBike2 (a later build than the iBike2 build that you have) to be more conservative about detecting cadence data. It turns out that I made it too conservative.

In your 8 mile ride, the thing that threw off iBike3 was the fact that you pedalled very slowly for the beginning portion of the ride. It almost looks like you just tooled around in a parking lot very slowly or something like that. In any case, you didn't pedal fast enough to please iBike3 and it made the wrong call.

I your short ride less than a mile long, the main problem was that the ride was so short combined with the low cadence at the very beginning.

Thanks for sending in you data, because we can only fix the bugs we know about. I've made the change and it will be in the next release. In the mean time, something you can do to help is to be sure to hit the ride reset before you begin the ride in earnest. Either that, or go ahead and get you cadence up to normal in the first few seconds--it only takes a couple of seconds of normal cadence at the beginning of the ride.

[dtrousdale]

Thank you for your detailed explanation, and I'll now follow your recommendations. There is sure a lot to learn about this device! Yes, you are right about diddling around at the beginning of the ride: my bike was making some strange noise (like the rim rubbing against a brake pad), so I was going slow and getting off to listen carefully.

[wellmt]

I've also just downloaded data from my first ride with the iPro and have no cadence data. I noticed during the ride that I was seeing Calories and not Cadence and was a bit puzzled. I thought it was maybe a new setting somewhere over the iBike Gen 2. My ride was 48kms but I stopped and started a few times at the beginning due to the other computer playing up.

Next time I'll make sure I reset the iPro. If I don't see cadence, I'll know something is wrong.

Thanks!

[Velocomp]

This is not an iBike 3 issue.

If you did not see cadence during your ride then your cadence sensor either was not operating properly or wasn't paired to your iPro.

Make sure your cadence mount is set up properly and that your cadence mount is paired.

The iPro will switch automatically from CAL to RPM when a cadence signal is detected.

[scotty]

The iPro will switch automatically from CAL to RPM when a cadence signal is detected.

John,

Does that mean as long as the Gen III (iAero or iPro) units are paired, when you stop for a few minutes and the sensors shut down, that the Gen III units will start recording data as soon as a signal is detected again from the sensors?

I know with the Gen II units you have to hit the center button, so that the unit will look for the signals.

[wellmt]

This is not an iBike 3 issue.

If you did not see cadence during your ride then your cadence sensor either was not operating properly or wasn't paired to your iPro.

Make sure your cadence mount is set up properly and that your cadence mount is paired.

The iPro will switch automatically from CAL to RPM when a cadence signal is detected.

The Garmin picked up Cadence just fine, so the sensor was working OK. The same sensor also worked OK with the iPro the previous day when I did the calibration ride. Like I said I'll watch for the CAL / RPM next time. Edit: I'm sure it's because I had a couple of false starts and forgot to do something, I'll go and double check things.

[wellmt]

OK I found out the cadence magnet had slipped on the crankarm. Today, neither device picked up the cadence - that gave me a clue.

[Landim]

Hello friends, just out on my first ride today, and I had the same problem, no Cadence shown on the ibike 3 software and no Power either, although I was getting the readings fine on the entire trip.

As I am new to this, I may be doing something wrong?

Thanks

[coachboyd]

There are a couple things with your file.

First of all, you had the bug that I described here http://www.ibikeforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=673#p3888. We are working on a fix.

Second, you have the default factory values for aero, friction, riding tilt and wind scaling. It looks to me as if you had just put the unit on your bike and rode without doing a calibration or any coastdowns or a wind offset.This will not give you very accurate results in using the iBike. You have to enter your weight into the unit and do the coastdowns and calibration ride. If you need help in doing these calibrations, let me know and I can walk you through it.

[Landim]

Second, you have the default factory values for aero, friction, riding tilt and wind scaling. It looks to me as if you had just put the unit on your bike and rode without doing a calibration or any coastdowns or a wind offset.This will not give you very accurate results in using the iBike. You have to enter your weight into the unit and do the coastdowns and calibration ride. If you need help in doing these calibrations, let me know and I can walk you through it.

You got that right, I just did the wind offset and the tilt calibration, put my total weight and Went for a ride just to test it. I will do all calibrations as soon as I can, I watched all the videos and I am just finishing reading all the instruction manual. Thanks for the attention.

[coachboyd]

No problem,

I just want to be sure that you get all the benefits and accuracy out of your unit that I get for all my rides.
But like I said, if you need any help, just send me a message.