Question about power meter data.

icemom011

I got power meter for my bike, and there're some problems that i was hoping to get help figuring out. My L-R balance is 12-88. I knew that my right leg doing more work, just didn't realize by how much. L-R torque effectiveness is 66-100. So i was wondering if anyone knows how to fix it, what can i do to bring it to 50-50 as close as possible?

NorthCascades

Most people have an inbalance, but I would get that double checked, it's extreme. Assuming you're using Vectors because of torque effectiveness, if so we're they put on with a torque wrench?

The usual advice is to ignore it, but the next most common is one legged cycling drills.

icemom011

It's Assioma, which is similar to Vector. No, i didn't use torque wrench. They do not require it, although you can, of course. What kind of one legged drills do you suggest, @NorthCascades ? Visually and by measurements my legs are the same, but right side is my dominant side. So i would accept some imbalance, but it does seem extreme. Thanks

sijomial

I have a significant R/L leg imbalance due to knee injuries but my power balance comes out to 49/51 mostly or sometimes 48/52. That cycling power imbalance is so insignificant that I've ordered the single sided Assiomas for my outdoor bikes.

Suggest you start from the assumption that the data you are getting isn't actually true and repeat the set up procedure and then contact tech support if that doesn't improve things.

I wouldn't start trying to fix an issue that most likely you don't have but one tip from an "unbalanced person" would be to ensure you have a good cadence as that does have a significant impact on my power balance when my cadence drops from a spin to a push/push technique.

icemom011

I think i suffer from using push-push technique, my cadence is in the low 80s, 84 or so. I keep that for most of the ride though (32 miles usually) unless it's really windy. Is that too low?

sijomial

icemom011 wrote: »

I think i suffer from using push-push technique, my cadence is in the low 80s, 84 or so. I keep that for most of the ride though (32 miles usually) unless it's really windy. Is that too low?

Between 80 & 100 is the range most people aim for, there's room for personal preferences and natural tendencies though.
My natural cadence was down in the sixties and getting it into the eighties made a big difference to my power, efficiency and reducing muscle fatigue. For long rides I aim to average about 85 but will try to spin up moderate hills higher than that.

Do you have access to either a stationary bike with a power meter (Wattbike for example) or able to briefly borrow another power meter equipped bike to validate or invalidate the very peculiar numbers you are getting?

NorthCascades

icemom011 wrote: »

I think i suffer from using push-push technique, my cadence is in the low 80s, 84 or so. I keep that for most of the ride though (32 miles usually) unless it's really windy. Is that too low?

80-100 is usually best. You're doing great.

Your PM doesn't require a torque wrench. It really does sound like one is underreporting though.

Mine can be anywhere from 60/40 to 50/50. Gets closer to even the harder I'm working. Does your vary with intensity?

I've never done one-legged drills. I think clipping out with the other leg is optional, it can "come along for the ride" but not work. (Don't do this your whole ride, do a free minutes at a time.) You can monitor your L/R balance in real time to keep you honest.

icemom011

sijomial wrote: »

icemom011 wrote: »

I think i suffer from using push-push technique, my cadence is in the low 80s, 84 or so. I keep that for most of the ride though (32 miles usually) unless it's really windy. Is that too low?

Between 80 & 100 is the range most people aim for, there's room for personal preferences and natural tendencies though.
My natural cadence was down in the sixties and getting it into the eighties made a big difference to my power, efficiency and reducing muscle fatigue. For long rides I aim to average about 85 but will try to spin up moderate hills higher than that.

Do you have access to either a stationary bike with a power meter (Wattbike for example) or able to briefly borrow another power meter equipped bike to validate or invalidate the very peculiar numbers you are getting?

No, I don't have access to other bikes with pm, but i can reset it again and see if that's going to change?

icemom011

NorthCascades wrote: »

icemom011 wrote: »

I think i suffer from using push-push technique, my cadence is in the low 80s, 84 or so. I keep that for most of the ride though (32 miles usually) unless it's really windy. Is that too low?

80-100 is usually best. You're doing great.

Your PM doesn't require a torque wrench. It really does sound like one is underreporting though.

Mine can be anywhere from 60/40 to 50/50. Gets closer to even the harder I'm working. Does your vary with intensity?

I've never done one-legged drills. I think clipping out with the other leg is optional, it can "come along for the ride" but not work. (Don't do this your whole ride, do a free minutes at a time.) You can monitor your L/R balance in real time to keep you honest.

Yes, i thought about trying that to see what the numbers would be, haven't had a chance yet

NorthCascades

I started flipping through my cycling data to find an example, but it seems like I'm a lot closer to 50/50 lately. I don't know when that changed, or why.

You zero the pedals before each ride, right? Your computer calls it calibrate.

There's a different thing that's also called calibrating a PM. I don't know how it works with your pedals, with mine you hang a weight from each pedal, one by one, and it tells you the torque. Then you use a calculator to make sure that part is indeed working correctly. I'd be shocked if there wasn't a procedure like that for yours.

You mentioned earlier that you expect an imbalance, and you know more about it than us. Maybe the PM is working exactly right, and we might be barking up the wrong tree.

The usual advice is to let there be an imbalance if that's what feels natural to you. But that's for people who aren't recovering for an injury.

icemom011

Instructions say zero if you reinstalled pedals, and there's a weighted test as well, i haven't done that yet. My right hip is the injured one, actually. But cycling is ok.

icemom011

Just checked, and they suggest to zero before each ride.

icemom011

So an update, feeling a bit stupid... After calibrating, the numbers have normalized. And it's 48L-52R, after a commuting ride (read- short) . So i guess i don't need to worry about initial problem, and probably because my right hip is the injured one, it feels like it's doing more work? Thank you, everyone, for helping!

sijomial

That's good news.
Hope they are trouble free from now on.

icemom011

Me too!

NorthCascades

Wow, what a huge difference!

Glad things are working out for you.

icemom011

Yes, @NorthCascades, huge difference. I also went for a longer ride later, and average balance is actually 50/50, yeah, so no worries there anymore. In retrospect, the 600 something watts for a power reading should have alerted me that something was off, lol. Well, it's my first pm, so a bit of a learning curve. Thank you for your input!

NorthCascades

I think the best way to get started with a PM is to just keep riding the way you always have with it, and just keep note of what the numbers feel like. You'll also be recording a baseline while you do this. They're expensive and people talk about them like they're the best thing since sliced bread (from a data perspective, they are), so when people get one, they want to start putting it to good use. But just riding around for a week or two first sort of "calibrates" you to what the numbers mean, and also gives you a starting point to measure your progress against. Then when you get into FTP tests and whatnot, hopefully it'll have lessened the learning curve a little.