First attempt at powertap numbers. Meanings?

[RapDaddyo]

Most topo software (if that's what you're using) is complete **** on these scales (short bike rides). Interpolation from coarse USGS topographic maps isn't accurate.

DeLorme TOPO USA 5.0 is hideous. Case in point... Hurricane Ridge, WA. TOPO USA says it's a 11% climb with sections of 20%. Complete BS. I've ridden it three times and there's no part of that climb any steeper than maybe 8%. My Polar 710i and Vetta 100A both agree with the well-established numbers of 5.5% for the main climb and 7% for the first bit from sea level to the park toll booth.

The generated gradient maps from TOPO USA are laughable... Hurricane Ridge looks like a sawblade. The reality (verified by my Polar data) is that it's a very consistent gradient.

Maybe it varies from route to route, but I've also been checking out some of my regular training routes with DeLorme's Topo USA and have found it to be pretty accurate and in agreement with published data (e.g., the 17.5 mile Mt. Charleston Hill Climb -- DeLorme says 5% vs. published data says 5.2% and the DeLorme program may be rounding to 5% from 5.2%), although if you zoom in to great detail you can find some clearly overstated grades as you mentioned (e.g., the climb from Hoover Dam to Boulder City). But, at a slightly broader zoom rate, it appears to be pretty accurate. I haven't yet compared DeLorme's topo profile for a given course with that of USGS, but I plan to.

 

[lanierb]

It is easy to install, unless your installation doesn't work, or a piece of the system is defective and you have to figure out which piece...

You forgot about half the wiring, there is a cadence sensor too.

I've ridden different bikes with this exact compenentry on it, and it was fine. There is something missing, something not right. Cycleops is working on it. I've gone through about 300 zip ties.... and a whole bottle of stresstabs...

You don't need the cadence sensor so it's only one wire. Keep things simple until you get it working: clean setup, one computer (powertap), one wire, probably five zip ties. Once you get things working you can add the second wire and second computer if you want. (However, most people I know don't use cadence sensor anyway because the hub cadence is pretty good.)

Lanier

 

[stormer94]

You don't need the cadence sensor so it's only one wire. Keep things simple until you get it working: clean setup, one computer (powertap), one wire, probably five zip ties. Once you get things working you can add the second wire and second computer if you want. (However, most people I know don't use cadence sensor anyway because the hub cadence is pretty good.)

Lanier

Actually, I think having the cadence wire hooked up is a positive thing to leave. By having the cadence work and show on the display, it proves that the connection between mount and computer is solid, so you can leave that out of the equation (poor connection between computer and mount).

 

[RapDaddyo]

Actually, I think having the cadence wire hooked up is a positive thing to leave. By having the cadence work and show on the display, it proves that the connection between mount and computer is solid, so you can leave that out of the equation (poor connection between computer and mount).

Don't you have two complete systems (hubs, receivers, computers)? Why don't you hook up both receivers and computers? You could tack down the wiring with masking tape if you don't want to use the zip ties. Then you could try both hubs. If both hubs and both receivers/computers are having the same problem, you should get an award for defying the laws of probability. Personally, I wouldn't screw with the cadence sensor until you get the hub transmission problem sorted out.

 

[stormer94]

Don't you have two complete systems (hubs, receivers, computers)? Why don't you hook up both receivers and computers? You could tack down the wiring with masking tape if you don't want to use the zip ties. Then you could try both hubs. If both hubs and both receivers/computers are having the same problem, you should get an award for defying the laws of probability. Personally, I wouldn't screw with the cadence sensor until you get the hub transmission problem sorted out.

Now THAT seems like a reasonable idea. I'm not sure why I didn't try to get both systems running at the same time. I suppose it's because I wouldn't have parts to rob from one to the other.

Well, now that I think of it, part of it is that I'll have broken **** on a bike I'm trying to train on... The TT bike I don't ride as often and seem like a better test mule.

 

[RapDaddyo]

Stormer, you have probably been tracking this thread http://www.cyclingforums.com/t274980-pt-sl----loss-of-signal-when-coasting.html. But, if not, I think this vibration issue causing interference with the receiver is very interesting. Have you tried dampening the vibration at your receiver mount?

 

[stormer94]

Stormer, you have probably been tracking this thread http://www.cyclingforums.com/t274980-pt-sl----loss-of-signal-when-coasting.html. But, if not, I think this vibration issue causing interference with the receiver is very interesting. Have you tried dampening the vibration at your receiver mount?

Actually I've been watching it. I've got mine shimmed with a strip of tire rolled onto itself 3 times. But only one end. Maybe I should try it on both ends.

 

[lanierb]

Actually I've been watching it. I've got mine shimmed with a strip of tire rolled onto itself 3 times. But only one end. Maybe I should try it on both ends.

If you still don't have things working I'd suggest changing the hub batteries as well. That can cause intermittency and I've noticed that a couple other people have received new units with bad hub batteries. They will cost about $5 but the change is very easy.

 

[stormer94]

If you still don't have things working I'd suggest changing the hub batteries as well. That can cause intermittency and I've noticed that a couple other people have received new units with bad hub batteries. They will cost about $5 but the change is very easy.

yep, I had changed 'em.

 

[RapDaddyo]

yep, I had changed 'em.

Stormer, I don't know if you saw it yet, but you might want to read my post in the thread about PT SL dropped hub signal when coasting http://www.cyclingforums.com/t274980-pt-sl----loss-of-signal-when-coasting.html post #9.