Has anyone used a Watt bike?

[postmanhat]

There's a load of them in the new velodrome gym here in Derby. Have read they're supposed to improve your pedalling technique amongst other things?

Am also going through my track accreditation and someone advised me to use old-fashioned 'rubbish' bike machine to build up power. He seemed to think the Watt bike wouldn't be much good for this?

Any info/experiences much appreciated!

 

[42x16ss]

There's a load of them in the new velodrome gym here in Derby. Have read they're supposed to improve your pedalling technique amongst other things?

Am also going through my track accreditation and someone advised me to use old-fashioned 'rubbish' bike machine to build up power. He seemed to think the Watt bike wouldn't be much good for this?

Any info/experiences much appreciated!

I don't mind them, they're the best ergo that I've used anyway. Most will have the spin scan function, which tells you how you're applying power through your pedal stroke, along with power figures. I think that the newer ones also have left/right power split if that's important to you.

IMO the best thing is that they use a fan for resistance rather than a flywheel or resistance unit, making the pedalling resistance feel fairly realistic. The ones I've used have been pretty adjustable as well.

 

[CoachFergie]

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

 

[backdoor]

Re:

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

What is meant by "Efficiency per pedal revolution"



Parameters Measured

The power of the Wattbike Performance Computer and the software that drives it becomes apparent when you consider the range of parameters that can be accurately measured. From version 2.50.42 of the Wattbike Expert Software a total of 39 parameters are measured 100 times per second.

As well as the basic parameters displayed on the monitor – time, distance, cadence, heart rate, power (watts), energy (Joules) and pace (time per km) – the monitor is also calculating the following parameters which can be displayed using the Wattbike Expert Software.


Name

Description

Elapsed time Elapsed time in turn
Elapsed time total Elapsed time in session
Turns number Ordinal number of turns in the session
Cadence Total number of turns per minute
Cadence Peak Peak revolutions per minute for the whole session
Circ. pedal velocity Circumferential pedal velocity
Velocity Estimated road bike velocity
Velocity average Estimated average road bike velocity
Distance total Estimated road bike distance in given time
Heart rate Heart rate
Force per revolution Average force per pedal revolution
Force Peak Peak Force
Force Peak/Revolution Peak Force per pedal revolution
Force average Average force for the whole session
Torque per Revolution Torque per Revolution
Torque Average Average Torque for the whole session
Pace/1000m Pace per 1km
Pace/1000m average Average pace per 1km
Efficiency per revolution [%] Efficiency per pedal revolution
Efficiency average [%] Average Efficiency for the hole session
Power per revolution Power average per pedal revolution
Power peak Power peak for the whole session
Power average Average Power for the whole session
Power/Kg per revolution Power/Kg average per pedal revolution
Power/Kg Average Power/Kg average for the whole session (running average for all revolutions)
Work per revolution Work in J (Force x distance in single turn)
Work total Total work obtained by summing up work at the end of each turn
Left leg percent Left vs. right leg force in %
Right leg percent Right vs. left leg force in %
Total left leg percent Total average left vs. right leg force in %
Total right leg percent Total average right vs. left leg force in %
Left time to force peak Time to reach left leg force peak
Right time to force peak Time to reach right leg force peak
Total left time to force peak Total average time to reach left leg force peak
Total right time to force peak Total average time to reach right leg force peak
Left angle to force peak Left leg peak force pedal position in degrees (°)
Right angle to force peak Right leg peak force pedal position in degrees (°)
Total left angle to force peak Total average left leg peak force pedal position in degrees (°)
Total right angle to force peak Total average right leg peak force pedal position in degrees (°)

Wattbike Ltd - Vermont House - Nottm Sth & Wilford Ind Est - Nottingham - NG11 7HQ

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Re: Re:

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

What is meant by "Efficiency per pedal revolution"

Whatever it is, it won't be a measure of efficiency since WB can only measure downstream energy output and not upstream energy input.

It's probably some ratio of torque measurements, mislabelled with the efficiency tag.

 

[backdoor]

Re: Re:

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

What is meant by "Efficiency per pedal revolution"

Whatever it is, it won't be a measure of efficiency since WB can only measure downstream energy output and not upstream energy input.

It's probably some ratio of torque measurements, mislabelled with the efficiency tag.

Hello

Thank you for contacting Wattbike.

The efficiency per pedal revolution metric is a metric that measures pedaling technique. This metric is an old metric that was available in an older generation of firmware but has recently been removed from the Wattbike Performance Computer. It compared pedaling technique to being able to pedal in perfect circles which we have found is not a effective metric. We have been researching pedaling technique and hope to have an improved metric in the near future.

Kind regards

Paul

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

What is meant by "Efficiency per pedal revolution"

Whatever it is, it won't be a measure of efficiency since WB can only measure downstream energy output and not upstream energy input.

It's probably some ratio of torque measurements, mislabelled with the efficiency tag.

Hello

Thank you for contacting Wattbike.

The efficiency per pedal revolution metric is a metric that measures pedaling technique. This metric is an old metric that was available in an older generation of firmware but has recently been removed from the Wattbike Performance Computer. It compared pedaling technique to being able to pedal in perfect circles which we have found is not a effective metric. We have been researching pedaling technique and hope to have an improved metric in the near future.

Kind regards

Paul

Hey Franky, if you're still lurking, you might want to get on to the guys at WattBike

 

[backdoor]

Re: Re:

Can't say I have been a big fan of the Watt bike. Never sure of the power measures and the pedalling data is just a guestimate.

What is meant by "Efficiency per pedal revolution"

Whatever it is, it won't be a measure of efficiency since WB can only measure downstream energy output and not upstream energy input.

It's probably some ratio of torque measurements, mislabelled with the efficiency tag.

Hello

Thank you for contacting Wattbike.

The efficiency per pedal revolution metric is a metric that measures pedaling technique. This metric is an old metric that was available in an older generation of firmware but has recently been removed from the Wattbike Performance Computer. It compared pedaling technique to being able to pedal in perfect circles which we have found is not a effective metric. We have been researching pedaling technique and hope to have an improved metric in the near future.

Kind regards

Paul

Hey Franky, if you're still lurking, you might want to get on to the guys at WattBike

it was a good idea but has a few errors. It should have been called pedaling effectiveness and explained as comparing pedaling technique to being able to pedal in perfect semi circles or the perfect circle when both legs are taken into account.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Calling something "effectiveness" assumes one knows what is most effective for each rider.

Suggest calling such measurements what they are, not what you think it might imply performance wise, since the performance implications are not clear relationships.

 

[PhitBoy]

Re:

The formal term used in the biomechanics literature is "pedal force effectiveness". It is calculated as the ratio of force directed normal to the crank to total force.
Cheers,
Jim

Calling something "effectiveness" assumes one knows what is most effective for each rider.

Suggest calling such measurements what they are, not what you think it might imply performance wise, since the performance implications are not clear relationships.

 

[backdoor]

Re:

Calling something "effectiveness" assumes one knows what is most effective for each rider.

Suggest calling such measurements what they are, not what you think it might imply performance wise, since the performance implications are not clear relationships.

I was referring to the effectiveness of the power application as regards the type of power that's required,(e.g.) Sprint or TT.

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Re: Re:

The formal term used in the biomechanics literature is "pedal force effectiveness". It is calculated as the ratio of force directed normal to the crank to total force.
Cheers,
Jim

Thanks for clarifying. Hence the use of effective in AEPF and in that sense it means the net propulsive force since that's what the normal force does.

I was coming from the angle that the use of the term effective in pedal force effectiveness implies a correlation with performance, when it's really just a ratio of forces. Once can presumably have a higher PFE but lower power.

 

[backdoor]

Re: Re:

The formal term used in the biomechanics literature is "pedal force effectiveness". It is calculated as the ratio of force directed normal to the crank to total force.
Cheers,
Jim

Why was this ratio not called efficiency ( as distinct from metabolic efficiency) ?

 

[Alex Simmons/RST]

Re: Re:

The formal term used in the biomechanics literature is "pedal force effectiveness". It is calculated as the ratio of force directed normal to the crank to total force.
Cheers,
Jim

Why was this ratio not called efficiency ( as distinct from metabolic efficiency) ?

Presumably because efficiency is normally used for an energy (or power) loss ratio.

force <> energy or power