Power Meter Calibration?
Garbage In ~ Garbage Out
If you've bought a power meter, you've bought one for one reason and one reason only.
You're serious about your cycling and you value the data and information it can provide
for every pedal stroke you make.
But how accurate is that data? And if the data is wrong, how can you trust the information you deduce from it? Are all those hours on the bike actually driving you towards your goal? If your power meter is out, so is your training.
If you have wavering numbers, or worse still a blank screen, it could be a battery issue in either the crank or the head unit; check here to get that issue sorted.
Scientific Instruments
A power meter isn't a bike part, it's a piece of scientific
equipment that's bolted to your bike. It needs "calibrating"
every time you ride your bike. Taking it from inside a 20
degree warm house to the 10 degrees outside, will seriously affect
it's accuracy.
So you need to check the Zero Offset every ride, and calibrate it, preferably, every Spring and Autumn.
Zero Offset
Before you set out on every ride, take thirty seconds to re-synch your Zero Offset, which is effectively
telling the Power Meter this is where you measure "zero" watts when there's nothing pushing on the pedals.
If the screen isn't "awake", pedal backwards, the cadence switches will sense movement and wake the screen.
▼ Press Mode & Set ~ a pair of
three digit numbers will appear
▼ Pedal Backwards ~ the top one
will change (this is the new number)
▼ Wait for numbers to settle
▼ Press Set
and the top number
will replace the bottom "stored" number
Job done, you can now ride, climb and sprint knowing full well that all the data you are collecting on your cold winter's day, is as objectively accurate and as comparable, as that you collected in the height of summer.
Full On Calibration
Twice a year, in my opinion, you should re-calibrate your power
meter to make sure it's measuring like for like.
You've spent around two grand on this equipment, shouldn't you spend £20 to make sure it's telling you the right numbers. Otherwise, you just have a very expensive chain set or wheel!
It's a little time consuming and needs a fair amount of kit, but we have it, and when you know the answers it's easy. Bring your meter or your bike, drop them off, come back the next day and job's a good 'un. You're good to go for another six months.
Use the contact details to email us or call 780363 and we'll fit you in.
