I’m new to trainerroad (3 weeks in) and somewhat new to using power meters. I have done a number of training rides so far in and tomorrow is my next one that will accompany AI FTP detection.
I realize just now that I’ve never gone into the trainerroad software to calibrate my power meter before any of my training rides. I’m going to calibrate it before tomorrow’s training ride, but if AI FTP detection uses multiple rides worth of data the calculate my FTP, have my past rides equated to junk data? Or at least bad data that may skew the results depending on how off the calibration may be?
I’m so early in training for next year’s race season that even if it’s off I’m assuming it will correct itself over time, but I’m just curious if I have goofed things up a lot or if it’s likely no big deal.
I will add that my FTP score when I started was marketably lower than what my Garmin software was telling me this past year before starting TR, but at the time I assumed that was just trainer road being able to calculate more accurately. I guess I’ll find out tomorrow
Did you calibrate your power meter in any other way, outside TR? The calibration is saved in the power meter, not in TR. You don’t need to calibrate in TR. TR just tells the PM “calibrate yourself”, you could use any other app to do that too.
Ah, yeah I have calibrated outside of TR. I was good about doing that via my watch when I was recording my rides outside via the Garmin software. It’s been a bit, but I have done it.
And that’s def a good to know re: the calibration being done and stored in the pedal. I was assuming a calibration was saying “hey pedal, calibrate yourself and tell me the offset so I can factor that into my math while getting the power info”, but yeah it makes much more sense to say “hey pedal, calibrate yourself and factor in the offset into the power data you’re giving me so it’s already included” instead. Thanks!
Yeah, from the couple of reviews I have read, these do NOT have auto calibration and Garmin recommends calibration prior to each ride (after pedals are warmed up), so whether you do that via TR or Garmin app is your call.
That said, as @ellsworth81 said and as you suspected, you should be fine and TR AI FTPD should correct itself if needed, provided you are honest with your post workout surveys.
The Garmin Rally’s will auto-zero automatically, after roughly 10 seconds of being left alone on a bike that’s upright. This will occur shortly after powering on, as well as just before going to sleep. Again, assuming the bike is upright. Further, there’s also a catch in there to reject any ‘major’ swings in zero values from the last value. Basically, in case it’s perhaps left with a cycling shoe hanging on it, etc…
TLDR, you’re totally fine in terms of calibration.
You haven’t messed up your data. People act like scientist the moment they get a power meter (not because you can that you HAVE to) sure it’s good practice.
Leaving the door open to my pet peeve of people who swear by torque wrenches but don’t calibrate them…
(giggle)