Needed: Instrumentation That displays Watt Output While Riding

[Joseph Kochanowski]

I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
out while riding.

 

[JayofMontreal]

When you can sustain 1000 watts you can get SRM to GIVE YOU a crank for sure
(not to mention your ability to win the tour de france and any other race
out there).


"Joseph Kochanowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> out while riding.


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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[Michael Fuhr]

[email protected] (Joseph Kochanowski) writes:

> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> out while riding.

Are you looking for measured power output, or will estimated output
suffice? Some bike computers estimate power output based on speed,
gradient (determined with the help of an altimeter), and weight.
However, the numbers are calculated over a period of time instead
of being instantaneous measurements, so they lag behind the rider's
actual output and they're flattened out (e.g., they don't show peak
output during a sprint). Unless the computer has an anemometer,
the calculations don't account for wind, so power estimates are low
in head- or crosswinds and high in tailwinds.

--
Michael Fuhr
http://www.fuhr.org/~mfuhr/

 

[G. Huang]

Joseph Kochanowski wrote:

> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available.

Another way of measuring the power that I have seen is a device (by
Polar) that measures the speed and the tension of the chain by
monitoring its vibration. I don't think it's as accurate as the crank or
hub units though.

 

[Andre]

1000 watts is mediocre over 10 seconds. I'm sure he was referring to
sprinting wattage being too low.

--
--------------------------
Andre Charlebois
AGC-PC support
http://agc-pc.tripod.com
BPE, MCSE4.0, CNA, A+

"JayofMontreal" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> When you can sustain 1000 watts you can get SRM to GIVE YOU a crank for
> sure (not to mention your ability to win the tour de france and any other
> race out there).
>
>
> "Joseph Kochanowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>>I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
>> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
>> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
>> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
>> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
>> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
>> out while riding.
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.760 / Virus Database: 509 - Release Date: 9/10/2004
>

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
says...
>
>
>I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
>TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
>that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
>there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
>all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
>would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
>out while riding.

polar also makes a power measuring device.
-------------
Alex

 

[Michael Fuhr]

Alex Rodriguez <[email protected]> writes:

> polar also makes a power measuring device.

Is that power *measuring* or power *estimating*? See my previous
message about the limitations of devices that estimate power output.

--
Michael Fuhr
http://www.fuhr.org/~mfuhr/

 

[Michael Fuhr]

[email protected] (Michael Fuhr) writes:

> Alex Rodriguez <[email protected]> writes:
>
> > polar also makes a power measuring device.
>
> Is that power *measuring* or power *estimating*? See my previous
> message about the limitations of devices that estimate power output.

Perhaps you're referring to the Polar Power Output Sensor, which
calculates power output by measuring chain tension and speed:

http://tinyurl.com/6oabp

Polar claims an accuracy of ±10%.

--
Michael Fuhr
http://www.fuhr.org/~mfuhr/

 

[Weisse Luft]

The Polar accuracy is far more "accurate" than what is represented. Why? Because it measure chain tension and speed, making it immune to variations in strain gauge measurements due to temperature and traixial stress measurements. Sure, they are compensated for these sources of error but it isn't perfect.

What is much better is the chain speed over wheel wheel of crank speed. Even at 40 RPM on the crank in te small ring, the chain speed sensor is still indicating 26 pins per second for a much better sampling frequency.

 

[Rik O'Shea]

[email protected] (Joseph Kochanowski) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> out while riding.

You have a few options for on the road power display, namely
- PowerTap
- Polar 720i

Most wattage riders tend to favour the PowerTap (which is a rear hub
based system) as it gives the best price/performance - as accurate as
an SRM pro (within 2.5%) and under one third of the cost of the SRM
pro.

 

[Andy Coggan]

"Joseph Kochanowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> out while riding.

Working from memory and listed in order of their entry into the marketplace,
there are currently four products that allow you to measure your power when
cycling outdoors:

SRM: www.srm.de
PowerTap: www.graberproducts.com
Polar: www.polar.fi ?
Ergomo: www.ergomousa.com

Andy Coggan

 

[Tim McNamara]

[email protected] (Joseph Kochanowski) writes:

> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my
> budget. Are TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a
> trainer from QBP that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low.

Too low for what? Fairly few riders can put out over 1000 watts for
more than a couple of seconds.

 

[almost fast]

[email protected] (Joseph Kochanowski) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> out while riding.

Ergomo is the name of the bb that measures power. It measures just one
leg and assumes your other leg is about the same.

Ergomo's site lists competitors on this page:
http://www.ergomo-usa.com/head2head.html

Any Wheels? Software Accuracy Price
Ergomo Sport yes excellent** +/- 2%** $1279**
SRM Pro yes good* +/- 2%* $2300*
Power Tap Pro no fair* +/- 1.5%* $799*
Polar Power 720i yes good* +/- 10%* $680*

*acording to Comprehensive Power Meter Review: One Geek's Perspective,
by Kraig Willett, as seen in the August 13th, 2003 edition of bike.com
magazine
**all values for the Ergomo Sport are accurately reported by
Ergomo-USA.

 

[almost fast]

Alex Rodriguez <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
> says...
> >
> >
> >I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my budget. Are
> >TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a trainer from QBP
> >that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low. I heard a rumor
> >there is some kind of BB that measures output. I would like to know of
> >all the different devices that anyone knows that are available. I
> >would prefer to have something that shows how many watts I am cranking
> >out while riding.
>
> polar also makes a power measuring device.

When using the Polar, I've heard the vibrations in many trainers
confuse the sensor and corrupt the power calculation. People report
that it works much better on the road.

 

[almost fast]

"Andre" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> 1000 watts is mediocre over 10 seconds. I'm sure he was referring to
> sprinting wattage being too low.

I'm certainly mediocre, and I've seen about 1150 Watts during a
sprint. Friend of mine recorded a peak of over 1800W in a local crit.

 

[Joseph Kochanowski]

"Andy Coggan" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Working from memory and listed in order of their entry into the marketplace,
> there are currently four products that allow you to measure your power when
> cycling outdoors:
>
> SRM: www.srm.de
> PowerTap: www.graberproducts.com
> Polar: www.polar.fi ?
> Ergomo: www.ergomousa.com
The ergomo is the device I was looking for. I guess that I will have
to look at all four to see what works the best. I will have to add
watt measuring instruments to the list of bike stuff to add to my
collection. I have not seen anything for sale on ebay or bicycles
marketplace recently. There should be more instruments to measure
watts on bicycles available at lower prices. I race with someone who
has a SRM crank. He told me his maximum power output is 1600 watts. He
holds several speed records. I tried a Cycle Ops trainer that only
goes up to 1000 watts. I do not have any problem producing more than
1000 watts for a short time. I design, build and race fast bikes and I
have a lot of questions this could answer.

 

[meb]

[email protected] (Joseph Kochanowski) writes:

> I know there are SRM cranks that are too expensive for my
> budget. Are TUNE Power Tap Hubs the only other way? There is a
> trainer from QBP that only goes up to 1000 watts. This is too low.

Too low for what? Fairly few riders can put out over 1000 watts for
more than a couple of seconds.

Too low for World Record attempts.

http://www.recumbents.com/whpsc2004.htm

Congrats to you and the Varnowski team on Ellen's women's world record last week Joe.