A few weeks back I noticed while halfway through a ride that my Average L/R balance was showing 60/40. I thought this was strange as I am at best 50/50 but usually 48/52 so I knew something was up for it to be so heavily weighted to my left leg.
The next ride I added live L/R balance into my data fields and it seems that when my cadence is zero my L/R balance would show up as 127/-27 or something similar that always adds up to 100w for the left pedal.
I checked my power files and this data showed in there also.
The good news is that the power would be zero during these zero cadence spells so overall power doesn’t seem to be affected even though it looks as if its +100w for the left pedal.
It also seems that when connected to my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt it is taking longer for the pedals to connect and even when they are only the left one is showing. When I Check them on Powertap app both appear.
I double-checked my batteries, changed them, checked for software updates (none) but this is happening on every single ride since. I have searched the internet but can’t find anything!
I am using the Wahoo Elemnt bolt, lithium AAA batteries and all software is updated to the latest versions.
Has anyone experienced this problem before?
I haven’t, but a friend of mine had the exact same issue. He ended up sending them back to powertap for a fix under warranty
1 Like
Sounds like a servicing is in order. I think I was quoted $300 last time I inquired about it. I think you are doing this but make sure that you are doing the zero calibration using the Powertap app. From my experience head units and other software frequently only set the calibration on the left pedal and just assume that the right pedal is the same. Way back when I did some testing with a Garmin Edge and found this to be the case. If the pedals very significantly in the zero calibration value, your data may be affected. Only way you can be sure that the calibration is being set correctly for both pedals is to use the Powertap app. Also when doing so you should see similar zero’ing values for both pedals. If the values are significantly different then this is indicative on a need for factory service.
Couple of other thoughts…
P1 had a known issue with poor connection with the battery cover causing dropouts. Powertap will provide replacements.
Make sure you have fresh lithium batteries. Just buy a new set and put them in no matter how recently they were changed…
You always have the option of just using the left pedal for power. The whole L/R thing is kind of over rated anyway (says the guy that has multiple sets of dual sides pedal power meters…)
3 Likes
Funnily enough I had them sent back under warranty here in the UK last July for a different fault (bearings) and they received a full service then including the new battery covers. I’m going to ring them tomorrow as although it’s now more than a year since then the fault has been going on for over a month and I have the data files to prove that (they guarantee the service for a year)
I always calibrate with my wahoo so I will check on the powertap app also but I wouldn’t think that’s the issue?
Like you say, worst case just use the left pedal!
So I am having the same issue. 128/-27.
I have factory reset my Bolt as well as recalibrate the pedals in Powertap for iOS.
Same issue persists.
I know I just had a firmware update on the Bolt though, but I never paid attention until my third ride after my extended break.
I’ve sent them a support email and will give them a call tomorrow. I sure hope it isn’t the Bolt as that isn’t under warranty and the pedals are. 
1 Like
So, interesting you say this as this issue only started happening since the last update on my elemnt bolt!
This IS interesting. I’d seen this forum post and at first I didn’t think I was experiencing this issue, but then I looked a bit closer. I’ve been riding mostly indoors lately and it never happens there (because I’m never coasting indoors), but I remembered some weird behaviour I’ve seen recently on outdoor rides. I shrugged it away as a battery issue at the time.
Now, having looked closer, it’s the same thing. I’m also on a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt with the latest firmware. I’m not sure if it correlates with a recent firmware update, but I can at least say I first noticed this happen on 13th July. I’ve also just gone back to an outdoor ride from 8th July and it didn’t happen on that ride. It probably correlates with ELEMNT WF48-4036 - 9 July, 2019, which contained some power meter updates (but nothing specifically about the P1) - https://support.wahoofitness.com/hc/en-us/articles/217285397-ELEMNT-Firmware-Updates.
This screenshot shows the issue via the Wahoo app - it’s not always 127/-27, but there are multiple periods where I’m coasting and it shows left value > 100 and right value < 0. You’ll see from the screenshot that it’s often on descents - I’ve correlated a few of the incidents with the power values and the total power is always 0w.
So yes, there definitely seems to be an issue with L/R balance when coasting. And it seems likely to be a Wahoo issue. The good news is that I don’t think these numbers will impact the total power values or average power for the ride, etc.
2 Likes
I’ve raised a ticket with Wahoo, will post back if I get a response.
I’d also be interested to know if people are pairing via ANT+ or Bluetooth. I’ve always gone ANT+ because it’s all that works for me indoors (I believe TrainerRoad only supports doubling the value of a single pedal via BT?). But I might give BT a go outdoors and see if that changes this issue.
Maybe the best workaround is to always keep pedalling 
2 Likes
Just to be clear on this - those numbers add up to 100% not 100w. You should see at this point in time that your overall power value is 0w, so you’re correct that the overall numbers shouldn’t be affected, just the L/R balance figure.
1 Like
I’d stick with ANT+ if I were you, double check it is connected over ANT+ and not Bluetooth since the update as that could cause the issues you are seeing?
For BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy or Bluetooth Smart) each pedal is paired individually to the display device and it is up to the display to combine the two power values. If a display device does not have the ability to pair to two individual power sensors (most do not) a user will see ½ power. Unless that display device has some built in smarts to double the value when only one pedal based power meter is connected.
https://powertap.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360022629794-What-s-the-difference-between-how-ANT-and-Bluetooth-read-data-from-the-P1-Pedals-
1 Like
When I look at my sensors page it’s started taking a while for my P1 to appear and then when it does it just shows left side only and shows my ant+ ID next to it.
I don’t think there is an option to select between ant+ and bluetooth, if so then I’m not seeing it?
I cannot remember before this issue if I could see both left and right pedals but I’m fairly sure I could.
Can anyone else on wahoo elemnt bolt confirm if they have this also as well as the previously mentioned l/r balance issue?
If so it could be a connection problem with wahoo.
I have had the issue of only one pedal showing - but for quite a long time. It didn’t start recently like the L/R balance issue. I tend to ignore it, since both pedals are obviously functioning (the L/R balance shows up). It’s just annoying as it only shows battery status for one pedal. Sometimes I’ve found halfway through a ride it starts showing both pedals, but I haven’t worked out why.
Over ANT+ the left pedal acts as master and sends data of both pedals to the head unit, so I assumed it’s to do with that, but it’s odd that occasionally I do see the other pedal show up.
To switch to Bluetooth I think you need to forget the sensor and re-pair the pedals via the app. I haven’t done that in awhile as I’ve been sticking to ANT+, but I might give it a try.
So before I contact the pedal manufacturer, everyone believes it is related to the Wahoo and not the pedals themselves?
When I paired them to the iPad, there is no such issue with the balance values. So I am pretty confident it’s related to the Wahoo and not the pedals themselves. 
Yep this is the exact same issue I have.
It started happening the very first ride since the wahoo update. Good work on contacting Wahoo, I shall do the same
When you connect to the iPad to check are you using the powertap app and checking left right balance? Does this work over Bluetooth?
Both pedals DO show up on the powertap ipad app for me but the right one took slightly longer to appear
1 Like
Both show up. All power metrics 0 when I stop pedaling. They sync up over Bluetooth I believe. I had Bluetooth off and the app asked permission to turn it on.
Both pedals appeared and firmware up to date.
So let me make sure I understand this correctly…
The only value skewed would be the left/right balance. Not the power number? I just want to make sure before I conduct any rides and rely on that info. I have a leg imbalance and it has been invaluable during tough climbing routines. 
Yes, just the left/right balance % is affected. Doesn’t seem to affect overall power
1 Like
I also have the L/R issue as well on my Bolt.
1 Like
Got off the phone with Wahoo.
It is a known bug and they are working through it.
Pedals are ok.
Unfortunate about the bike computer though.
They told me to keep an eye on the updates… 
3 Likes
Did anyone else reach out to Wahoo?
Apparently Quarq was also bought out by SRAM.
So any warranty stuff would need to go through them.
