doctorSpoc

Pros:
- inexpensive
- seems like it gives fairly good results

Cons:
- rough roads completely messup the readings on this device and no fix for this
- can't use inside on a trainer

curveship

I read that at Interbike, all they had was a mockup with numbers decaled to the display. It seems really interesting, but I think it's a long way away from any details.

Slightly OT: I've always thought someone should develop a "PowerSpoke" -- a spoke with a strain gage embedded in it. You could get speed, cadence and power all from one sensor. It would take some careful signal processing to sort it all out, though.

curveship

Heh, I can't pass up this chance to flog my web utility for using an iBike on a trainer: https://curveship.dyndns.org/trainerpower . You have to splice in a little extra cable to the wheel sensor to get it to reach the rear wheel, though. And bear in mind my note on that page about accuracy ...

DXchulo

Here's more info on the MicroSport: https://teamhealthfx.com/blogs/dave_h...0/09/1939.aspx

Looks like you'll be able to use Cycling Peaks with it. Definitely something to keep an eye on.

NoRacer

It is being used on trainers--and rollers.

In fact, here is my iBike roller ride from tonight--~20 miles, Level 2 w/many accelerations thrown in w/speed topping out at 40 mph (data is from CyclingPeaks). The iBike was calibrated to track with the wattage chart at www.kreitler.com :

Entire workout (151 watts):
Duration: 1:02:47
Work: 568 kJ
TSS: 57.1 (intensity factor 0.739)
Norm Power: 162
VI: 1.08
Distance: 20.217 mi
Elevation Gain: 476 ft
Elevation Loss: 480 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (0 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 321 151 watts
Speed: 0 40.7 19.3 mph
Pace 1:28 0:00 3:06 min/mi
Altitude: 264 289 275 ft

Peak 5s (309 watts):
Duration: 0:05
Work: 2 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 288 ft
Elevation Gain: 0 ft
Elevation Loss: 0 ft
Grade: 1.0 % (3 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 304 312 309 watts
Speed: 36.4 39.7 38.7 mph
Pace 1:31 1:39 1:33 min/mi
Altitude: 275 275 275 ft

Peak 10s (301 watts):
Duration: 0:10
Work: 3 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 576 ft
Elevation Gain: 4 ft
Elevation Loss: 0 ft
Grade: 0.7 % (4 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 283 312 301 watts
Speed: 36.4 39.9 39.0 mph
Pace 1:30 1:39 1:32 min/mi
Altitude: 271 275 273 ft

Peak 20s (283 watts):
Duration: 0:20
Work: 6 kJ
TSS: n/a
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 0.205 mi
Elevation Gain: 1 ft
Elevation Loss: 3 ft
Grade: -0.2 % (-2 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 240 305 283 watts
Speed: 27.6 39 36.9 mph
Pace 1:32 2:10 1:38 min/mi
Altitude: 272 275 274 ft

Peak 30s (269 watts):
Duration: 0:30
Work: 8 kJ
TSS: 1.2 (intensity factor 1.223)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 0.289 mi
Elevation Gain: 7 ft
Elevation Loss: 3 ft
Grade: 0.3 % (4 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 209 295 269 watts
Speed: 22.1 38.2 34.6 mph
Pace 1:34 2:43 1:44 min/mi
Altitude: 277 281 279 ft

Peak 1min (218 watts):
Duration: 1:00
Work: 13 kJ
TSS: 2 (intensity factor 1.091)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 0.47 mi
Elevation Gain: 10 ft
Elevation Loss: 15 ft
Grade: -0.2 % (-5 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 154 295 218 watts
Speed: 19.1 38.2 28.1 mph
Pace 1:34 3:09 2:08 min/mi
Altitude: 277 284 279 ft

Peak 2min (207 watts):
Duration: 2:00
Work: 25 kJ
TSS: 3 (intensity factor 0.948)
Norm Power: n/a
VI: n/a
Distance: 0.914 mi
Elevation Gain: 13 ft
Elevation Loss: 12 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (1 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 136 281 207 watts
Speed: 18.2 37.3 27.4 mph
Pace 1:37 3:18 2:11 min/mi
Altitude: 274 279 275 ft

Peak 5min (190 watts):
Duration: 5:00
Work: 57 kJ
TSS: 6.6 (intensity factor 0.887)
Norm Power: 195
VI: 1.03
Distance: 2.044 mi
Elevation Gain: 40 ft
Elevation Loss: 48 ft
Grade: -0.1 % (-8 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 130 307 190 watts
Speed: 17 38.9 24.5 mph
Pace 1:33 3:31 2:27 min/mi
Altitude: 267 284 279 ft

Peak 10min (182 watts):
Duration: 10:00
Work: 109 kJ
TSS: 11.7 (intensity factor 0.837)
Norm Power: 184
VI: 1.01
Distance: 3.938 mi
Elevation Gain: 81 ft
Elevation Loss: 85 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-3 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 307 182 watts
Speed: 0 38.9 23.6 mph
Pace 1:33 0:00 2:32 min/mi
Altitude: 267 285 277 ft

Peak 20min (178 watts):
Duration: 20:00
Work: 214 kJ
TSS: 23.6 (intensity factor 0.842)
Norm Power: 185
VI: 1.04
Distance: 7.718 mi
Elevation Gain: 188 ft
Elevation Loss: 185 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (3 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 321 178 watts
Speed: 0 40.7 23.2 mph
Pace 1:28 0:00 2:35 min/mi
Altitude: 264 289 277 ft

Peak 30min (175 watts):
Duration: 30:00
Work: 315 kJ
TSS: 34.5 (intensity factor 0.831)
Norm Power: 183
VI: 1.04
Distance: 11.314 mi
Elevation Gain: 285 ft
Elevation Loss: 282 ft
Grade: 0.0 % (3 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 321 175 watts
Speed: 0 40.7 22.6 mph
Pace 1:28 0:00 2:39 min/mi
Altitude: 264 289 277 ft

Peak 60min (153 watts):
Duration: 1:00:00
Work: 551 kJ
TSS: 55.6 (intensity factor 0.745)
Norm Power: 164
VI: 1.07
Distance: 19.617 mi
Elevation Gain: 456 ft
Elevation Loss: 460 ft
Grade: -0.0 % (-4 ft)
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 321 153 watts
Speed: 0 40.7 19.6 mph
Pace 1:28 0:00 3:03 min/mi
Altitude: 264 289 275 ft

This ride was simply messing around in Coggan's Zone Level 2 territory, but throwing in accelerations using the large chain ring and in different cogs. 40 mph was hit using 11T cog. I was afraid to go higher--I could have--but the back tire started to slide out from under me whenever I pressed the speed too high.

NoRacer

Here's the graph that goes with the CyclingPeak summaries:



And, here's independent verification of my max speed on the rollers. The iBike has it's own sensor and magnet on the front wheel; the CatEye has it's own sensor and magnet on the back wheel. The difference in speed is probably from the rear wheel slipping:

LT Intolerant

I've been using the iBike for 6 months with great results. Over the past 6 months I've seen my FTP (think one hour sustainable power) go from 245 watts to 280 watts by following Hunter Allen's Spring Training program (available at Training Peaks) and gauging my workouts using the iBike. But the real proof is I'm seeing wheels in group rides I wasn't seeing 6 months ago. When I use analyticcycling.com to check the validity of the data the iBike is spitting out the variance is MAYBE 2% on average. Those that say the iBike doesn't "work" are dead wrong and I would bet haven't used the iBike, or haven't used it over a long period of time, or are trying to rationalize why they spent $ 1,500 plus.

Is the iBike perfect? Nope. But is the SRM perfect? P Tap? Polar? Nope. All use some kind of interpretation to assess how much power you are putting out and the arguments about the iBike being accurate or not are moot. Who cares? Maybe the iBike isn't as accurate as a calibrated SRM, but if you are using a device that is off by 5% (the average variance between a PT and iBike as reported by many that have tested both side-by-side), and it's ALWAYS off by 5% then what's the issue? I've got the baseline I want and it works every day.

And let's not get on the issue of reliability. Go to the power forums and read how many "my PT doesn't work" show up each week. For the person who thinks Polar is the answer talk to Polar users and they will tell you if you are mechanical and patient it works, if not avoid it like the plague. The thing to remember is ALL these powermeters are first generation, all have their flaws, and all will be dinosaurs when the next generation comes out.

So here are the pros and cons of the iBike based on my experience (YMMV)...

Pros
easy install + set-up, it works every day, use the wheels you want to use, weight penalty is minimal, amazingly responsive support from the iBike team, "wicked" inexpensive as they say in chowdah town, works with CyclingPeaks (a must have w all power meters)

Cons
looks like an iPod on steroids, wattage and time aren't on the same screen (needed when doing short intervals, doesn't have "live" TSS like the Ergomo, no heartrate (this may be a positive becuase it's meaningless anyways)

Good luck but if you buy an iBike and follow a reasonable program you will see reults and you WILL be able to measure/manage those results (with more than enough accuracy) with the iBike.

gene r

rabbott47

I've had my iBike since last August. It gives useful data that compares well with power metered trainers and other power meters I've used. It's flexible, it's easy to shift from bike to bike (I can live with losing a little data on chip sealed roads in return for the ability to use it on all my bikes - including my touring bike! with full bags.) Once you have done a good "coast down" for any given bike, you store it on your computer and reload it the next time you use that rig/configuration (i.e. TT with training wheels, TT with disks and full aero "kit", touring bike with full bags).
Yeah, if you did your coast down on the hoods, then shift to the drops you'll appear to have picked up some wattage - amount varies with speed. But, this is way cool: it's easy to do some simple tests and figure out how much wattage you "gain" by riding in the drops at a variety of different speeds! Or, with a disk wheel, etc.
I don't weigh myself for every ride: I either live with the couple of watts error, or, adjust the stored weight (takes about 10 seconds) based on winter fat, extra clothes, took kit, 2nd water bottle, whatever. I've got a little list of wheel weights, accessory weights, etc. in my garage and just add them up in my head.
The battery issue is way less than was my experience with a polar power meter that I have - the Polar just didn't work at temps below 40 and only lasted about 45 minutes between 40 - 50. My iBike lasts longer that, and if I'm desperate for data, I take a break and change batteries while I'm munching a bar.
So, yep, I could complain that it's a little "fussy", or that it's an indirect calculation of power, that it doesn't like chipseal or strong crosswinds, that it's not ideal at temps below freezing. But, for a very good price I can use it on all my bikes, in all their different training and racing configurations, and I can "play" (experiment) with stuff like aerodynamic and rolling resistance in various configurations, rider positions, tire pressures, etc. and get lots of feedback that I find interesting and useful.

And, I've learned an awful lot about my self-perception! For instance, when I started a TT, I always thought I went out a little hard then "throttled back a little" to my LT to cruise home. Wrong, I found that I started out for a couple of minutes about 150 watts over threshold and then throttled back a full 100 watts under threshold and took 10 minutes before I recovered enough to get back up to threshold! Unfortunately, I found that out at the last TT of the year - can't wait to use that info this spring. I never would have found that out with a power tap (not available on a disk), or on an SRM (can't afford it), or on an ergomo (I could only afford one, and it would be on my road bike). But the iBike goes with me on my training rides, my tours, my races, my TT's. OK, not on cyclocross races (though, I'd like to do a coast-down in the sand - just kidding!).

Did I mention that I like this thing? You betcha!

Rick Abbott

rule

You guys have sure been working on your shill pitches, I'll say that for you. Do you have those saved for cut and paste yet?

jslopez

HOw do you set it up on a trainer?

NoRacer

I believe it's covered in Topica including Curveships' link to a utility to use when riding a trainer.

For sure, you'll have to splice in extra length of wire so that the speed sensor can be mounted by the rear wheel.

jasonod

I'm new to this forum and new to the iBike. In fact, I only set it up this week and have used it on 2 rides. I've read thru this thread and it looks like there's mostly negative comments.

From the 2 rides I did- 1 solo and 1 group, I'm pretty pleased with the data. I supplement my winter training with a Computrainer (another argument waiting to happen there) so I know what my power output is and what I'm capable of doing. For me, the data was pretty consistent and accurate. You need to have the mount ROCK SOLID. Today's ride was 50% dirt with some nasty washboards and my readings weren't jumping around one bit.

For me, cycling and racing are a hobby; I don't make a living off it and don't want to spend the $$ on the more expensive power meters. I've got 2 teammates who have Power Taps and both have had problems with them. I'll post more on this when I've got more experience with the iBike.

Cheers,

Jasonod

johnny99

I'm surprised you got good results on a group ride. I've heard that the IBike is especially inaccurate in a pace line.

jasonod

Remember, this is only my 2nd ride and 1st group ride using the thing. Again, with all of the info it can display, I wasn't watching it like a hawk. It's certainly still a novelty for me. I'll have more of a review after I'm able to use it more. BTW, our group ride was rather small today, 7 guys. The forecast called for snow, so that probably kept people away. It was windy tho; the iBike recorded 30mph wind gusts.

Jasonod

NoRacer

From the iBike Pro Topica Discussion List: