I just bought some Vector 3 and started to have a lot bunch of new datas, the “Cycling Dynamics” after a few rides I am trying to make sense of them but I don’t see any usefulness, am I wrong to discard them ? (they consume more batteries when enabled)
Been fighting with the PCO(Platform Center Offset) and ajusting my cleats with no success, which was actually driving me crazy,
Everyone’s opinions on this vary, and it’s a question that has been asked before.
Here’s on thread with users’ opinions: https://www.reddit.com/r/trainerroad/comments/97uka9/dual_sided_power_cycling_dynamics_is_there_value/
And here’s DCRainmaker’s take on it:
If you’re not seeing any benefit to keeping Cycling Dynamics enabled, by all means disable them and save your battery life! 
Well it’s not that I don’t find them useful it’s just that I don’t understand them and don’t see anything concrete on other blogs around the internet that understand them so I was wondering if anyone else have started investigating it,
That thread on reddit is mostly about L/R balance which is standard on most dual sided powermeter and can see usefulness to it.
Ray don’t seem to be a fan of it too, from one of his latest blog :
quoting from his blog :
Now, longtime readers know that I’m hardly a huge proponent of Cycling Dynamics, mostly, because I think there’s not a ton of actionable information from it. Which isn’t saying that there might not be down the road, but rather that I simply haven’t seen much in the way of coaching/training/racing guidance that leverages it.
its a bunch of data for you if you’re a data junkie. if you tend to get OCD, its more stuff to make you go crazy. thats how i personally see it at least!
Ive had Garmin Vectors for a number of years and never really found much use other than the occasional PCO adjustment while on the trainer…
That has slightly changed, although it’s not the Cycling Dynamics I’m focused on, but rather the L/R power readings… I recently got a new bike and have found my balance has gone from nearly perfect to 45-55… I was fitted on the bike and then adjusted but still seeing the imbalance. Not sure if it’s me acclimating to structured training after nearly two years of run focused training or the bike fit. Been nearly two months and it’s driving me nuts.
Hi,
How can one add the Power Phase data to TR when training. I have TR running on Mac OS X, a Tacx Neo and Vector 3 dual sided power meter. I looked everaywhere, however I did not find an option within TR to activate the power phase stroke. I use an Ant+ USB antenna from Tacx) for the Ant+ link.
Any support is greatly appreciated!
BR,
George.
I think it is extremely useful. I ignore the pedal offset. But as a Time Trialler the Left/Right balance and power is important. As I change position my right balance drops, and it is due to a hip flexor problem.
So I monitor this carefully and look for reasons it is dropping or changing. Sometimes I am 50/50. Sometimes I am way out and if I am losing power I want to know about it.
I should emphasise it is a post ride analysis not something I look at as I ride. And I am looking for patterns over time or as my fit changes.
I don’t think TR supports any of the Vector 3 Cycling dynamics stuff. I have asked before and it was dismissed.
Hi Phil,
Ohhh, I did not know they discontinued this feature. I saw it mentioned on Ray´s blog, and actually on this post by one of the TR team members (larry), and then I assumed it was still an active and ongoing feature on TR.
Thanks for the info!
I feel the PCO is misleading and potentially detrimental to performance. Garmin don’t say PCO has to be 0. Also some some physiological reasons may account for differences. I feel a proper bike fit from a professional would be more useful than trying to hit that magic zero.
@GeorgeH We may be at cross purposes here, or I may be under a misunderstanding. Are you saying somewhere that TrainerRoad supported cycling dynamics and L/R pedal balance at one point?
I am sure in another thread someone from TR (Nate perhaps) said they did not think carrying across and displaying the L/R balance in TrainerRoad was any real advantage. However I can’t find it - there are so many threads.
They offered it over a year and a half ago:
so are you saying it was developed - then withdrawn?
Yes, it appears to have been removed. I don’t have the Vectors and can’t fully confirm the absence of the feature(s). But it sounds like they are not around now.
Hi Phil,
It s actually on this thread which makes a reference to Ray’s article. There is also a youtube video showing TR having cycling dynamics inplemented. This was late 2017… Check please this thread on the forum at the begining and you will see…
I remember seeing DCR’s post shortly after signing up for TR… When I did some digging I found a post from Nate that it was only in Beta which ultimately ended up being removed from developmental… Though dont remember for what reason exactly.
I know there is much debate on whether this metric is useful, but maybe you can still help me understand what is going on with my situation. It looks like most people have their peak power phase starting around 45 degrees and ending around 120 degrees. I have only been on Assiomas for about 20 rides, but all of my rides are showing my peak power phase starting at 90 degrees and ending in that 150 degrees range. This seems to be “off” from everyone else’s screenshots i’ve seen in different places on the internet. This particular screenshot is from my last ride, but again, all rides are the same plus/minus 2 degrees start and stop location.
