Powertap HR Display Disappears when pedalling

[sglasgow]

Has anyone encountered the following issue? I have the Powertap set to display Watts-Top,Cadence-Middle and HR-Bottom. HR displays fine until I start to ride it disappears as Watts and Cadence appear. When I coast HR reappears. Pretty hard to train with HR this way. The C (for cadence) on the bottom is also flashing. I appreciate any ideas on rectifying.
Thank you-Sean

 

[ric_stern/RST]

Has anyone encountered the following issue? I have the Powertap set to display Watts-Top,Cadence-Middle and HR-Bottom. HR displays fine until I start to ride it disappears as Watts and Cadence appear. When I coast HR reappears. Pretty hard to train with HR this way. The C (for cadence) on the bottom is also flashing. I appreciate any ideas on rectifying.
Thank you-Sean

i've not redone my display to be like this, and can't think why the "C" would flash off the top of my head?

more to the point however, is why would you want to train with HR when you have an accurate power meter...?

ric

 

[frenchyge]

My HR drops out occasionally as well, but I can't say it has really bothered me (ie, I'm not training by HR). It seems to happen more toward the end of the ride, and I've assumed that the chest strap has dried somewhat by the wind. I haven't taken the time to try to isolate the conditions or diagnose the problem.

 

[sglasgow]

i've not redone my display to be like this, and can't think why the "C" would flash off the top of my head?

more to the point however, is why would you want to train with HR when you have an accurate power meter...?

ric

I have been training with cadence and heart rate under defined parameters. I do not at this stage have power parameters defined. As a first step I would like to observe the power ranges for what I am doing before focusing predominantly on power. I always plan to monitor heart rate-- speed is the one to forget about for training. I also like things to work properly that I have spent a wade of cash on.

Thank you for confirming that the flashing C is odd!

 

[jws]

Thank you for confirming that the flashing C is odd!

It's not odd at all....the label that flashes indicates what's displayed on the middle line as described in the PT manual.

 

[jws]

I have been training with cadence and heart rate under defined parameters. I do not at this stage have power parameters defined. As a first step I would like to observe the power ranges for what I am doing before focusing predominantly on power. I always plan to monitor heart rate-- speed is the one to forget about for training. I also like things to work properly that I have spent a wade of cash on.

Once you learn to use power, you can ignore HR. Don't dismiss speed so easily, since it's what cycling is all about. After all, all else being equal, more speed means higher power.

Jimmy

 

[RapDaddyo]

I have been training with cadence and heart rate under defined parameters. I do not at this stage have power parameters defined. As a first step I would like to observe the power ranges for what I am doing before focusing predominantly on power. I always plan to monitor heart rate-- speed is the one to forget about for training. I also like things to work properly that I have spent a wade of cash on.

Thank you for confirming that the flashing C is odd!

I think you're missing the real value of training with power. HR may be what you're used to, but it is only loosely correlated with power. I have had a PM for 3 months and I have yet to display HR during a ride. I look at it after the fact but not during the ride. My display is current watts, current speed and current cadence. Since the HR data are obtained independently of the hub, you might want to check your batteries (both PT computer and your HRM strap). That could account for the dropouts.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

I have been training with cadence and heart rate under defined parameters. I do not at this stage have power parameters defined. As a first step I would like to observe the power ranges for what I am doing before focusing predominantly on power. I always plan to monitor heart rate-- speed is the one to forget about for training. I also like things to work properly that I have spent a wade of cash on.

Thank you for confirming that the flashing C is odd!

maybe spend a day or three comparing standard workouts and see how the data connects (if at all). then just switch to power

ric

 

[RapDaddyo]

I have now lost my HR data entirely. It began as an intermittent loss, which I attributed to the chest strap being out of position or something of the like. After a few days, I lost it entirely. I have a couple of different chest straps, so I tested both of them and put in fresh batteries in both the PT computer and the chest strap. All to no avail. The PT SL manual has a troubleshooting section but makes no mention of loss of HR data. Has anybody had this problem or have any ideas? I'm sure it's not the chest strap and I'm sure it's not the batteries. It's not a big deal because I don't use HR data during rides, but I like to have it available for post-ride analysis.

 

[fabiosav]

I have now lost my HR data entirely. It began as an intermittent loss, which I attributed to the chest strap being out of position or something of the like. After a few days, I lost it entirely. I have a couple of different chest straps, so I tested both of them and put in fresh batteries in both the PT computer and the chest strap. All to no avail. The PT SL manual has a troubleshooting section but makes no mention of loss of HR data. Has anybody had this problem or have any ideas? I'm sure it's not the chest strap and I'm sure it's not the batteries. It's not a big deal because I don't use HR data during rides, but I like to have it available for post-ride analysis.

I am in the same boat. HR just does not work on the Powertap. Some occasional data points, but bad bad bad...

 

[sglasgow]

I am in the same boat. HR just does not work on the Powertap. Some occasional data points, but bad bad bad...

I have solved my problem. The HR strap is not coded. I had to take the polar speed and cadence sensors of my bike. Now it works fine. I found this out by calling Cycleops tech support.

Sean

 

[fabiosav]

Alas, I don't have any Polar stuff on the bike. I do sometimes wear a Polar HRM on my wrist, and it gets the signal just fine....

 

[RapDaddyo]

I have now lost my HR data entirely. It began as an intermittent loss, which I attributed to the chest strap being out of position or something of the like. After a few days, I lost it entirely. I have a couple of different chest straps, so I tested both of them and put in fresh batteries in both the PT computer and the chest strap. All to no avail. The PT SL manual has a troubleshooting section but makes no mention of loss of HR data. Has anybody had this problem or have any ideas? I'm sure it's not the chest strap and I'm sure it's not the batteries. It's not a big deal because I don't use HR data during rides, but I like to have it available for post-ride analysis.

FWIW, I solved my HRM problem. I called Saris customer support and they unhesitatingly sent me a new computer. I tested it in my living room (all you need to do is wake up the computer with a quick spin of the rear wheel) and it worked fine with both my PT and my HAC4 straps. I transferred my odometer reading from my old computer and rode with it on a training ride. The HRM worked just fine. The wireless HRM receiver is in the PT computer and is completely independent of the other functions. It had just stopped working. While I'm disappointed that the HRM receiver went on the blink, I was impressed with Saris' customer support. Case closed.

 

[Squint]

I also like things to work properly that I have spent a wade of cash on.

Well, the PT is a fraction of the cost of an SRM. The money you save is balanced against all the time you'll have to spend troubleshooting a bargain basement powermeter.

 

[Woofer]

Well, the PT is a fraction of the cost of an SRM. The money you save is balanced against all the time you'll have to spend troubleshooting a bargain basement powermeter.

I have a PowerTap and a SRM and if you don't think you will spend time troubleshooting the SRM you don't know what you are talking about. I use the SRM on two bikes and the PowerTap on four bikes and there are issues no matter what you do with either system, unless you are fortunate enough to have enough money to buy a separate crank and head unit for each bike with the SRM and the time to calibrate both regularly. SRM recommends you buy an extra harness so you can troubleshoot problems a little bit before sending it in, for the same money invested you can buy an extra entire PowerTap set up to troubleshoot PowerTap problems.

 

[Squint]

I've used SRMs since '98 and have had essentially no problems with them. I've even changed the crank battery myself. Calibrations take all of 5 minutes to do.

In 7 years, I've never done a ride where I lost or couldn't record data (other than when I forgot to recharge the computer battery). I've submerged it completely in freezing, muddy water several times and ridden with it in heavy rain.

During that time, I've read hundreds of "help, my PT crapped out" messages on the Topica forum and I can't believe that people will put up with that to save $1700-2000.

And you're right, you'd need at least 2 PTs to have one working one on any given day.

7 years...no lost data ever...no downtime ever. Can a PT match that? I don't think so.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

I've used SRMs since '98 and have had essentially no problems with them. I've even changed the crank battery myself. Calibrations take all of 5 minutes to do.

In 7 years, I've never done a ride where I lost or couldn't record data (other than when I forgot to recharge the computer battery). I've submerged it completely in freezing, muddy water several times and ridden with it in heavy rain.

During that time, I've read hundreds of "help, my PT crapped out" messages on the Topica forum and I can't believe that people will put up with that to save $1700-2000.

And you're right, you'd need at least 2 PTs to have one working one on any given day.

7 years...no lost data ever...no downtime ever. Can a PT match that? I don't think so.

To clarify from the get go, I sell both units. I like them both. No product is perfect.

The amount of times i've seen poorly calibrated SRM data that's come either straight from the factory or has drifted over time is too much. So many poorly calibrated units it's been unreal.

The HR collection from the SRM has in my experience been atrocious. The only SRM i've seen that has collected HR data well is the Science model. The others are useless in my experince with quite a few SRMs. This includes from the riders i coach who use them.

It's not a case that the SRM is perfect and PT isn't. Both systems have their faults, and both have advantages over each other.

I've been collecting SRM data since '93.

Ric

 

[Rideastrong]

During that time, I've read hundreds of "help, my PT crapped out" messages on the Topica forum and I can't believe that people will put up with that to save $1700-2000.

.

Lots of us also can't afford a SRM. I wish i could spend and extra $2000 on a SRM. But when i get the chance i am going to opt for a PT and save the money.. It appears both units have problems occasionaly, that is life with mechanical devices.

 

[Roadie_scum]

During that time, I've read hundreds of "help, my PT crapped out" messages on the Topica forum and I can't believe that people will put up with that to save $1700-2000.

Clearly. Not. A. Student.

 

[jws]

I've used SRMs since '98 and have had essentially no problems with them. I've even changed the crank battery myself. Calibrations take all of 5 minutes to do.

In 7 years, I've never done a ride where I lost or couldn't record data (other than when I forgot to recharge the computer battery). I've submerged it completely in freezing, muddy water several times and ridden with it in heavy rain.

During that time, I've read hundreds of "help, my PT crapped out" messages on the Topica forum and I can't believe that people will put up with that to save $1700-2000.

And you're right, you'd need at least 2 PTs to have one working one on any given day.


7 years...no lost data ever...no downtime ever. Can a PT match that? I don't think so.

Well, if you're taking anecdotes, my 2 year old PT has worked absolutely flawlessly for about 800 hrs/13,000 miles. I think I changed the battery 3 times.

btw, I have 2 PT wheels (1 race, 1 training) and paid a total of about one-third of a D-A SRM!!