Hi James, I was in this race (and got dropped by the surge after 6 mins in 
)
The winner seems legit, he’s a good racer from what I can tell and sometimes just helps push the pace for GC before backing off and letting someone else win.
Given this was a flat race, its more about watts/CDA, and he put out almost 1600 watts per meter squared of air resistance. Which will get you to a pretty high speed
I think that’s expected due to the C2 measuring at the flywheel so there’s bound to be a bit more loss of power before measurement.
Edit: Here’s an article from cycling weekly talking about the C2 BikeErg power:
Concept 2 BikeErg review | Cycling Weekly
From the article: " On a less positive note, taking power reading at the flywheel means that some watts are lost, when compared with more direct measurements - for instance at the crank or pedal. Attaching a pair of power meter pedals, you will see a +15 - 20% difference which is a big factor to take into consideration if you are intending to race online."
Every smart trainer that calculates power based on flywheel angular velocity inherently compensates for drivetrain losses. As a result, you won’t typically see the actual 15-20% power difference compared to other measurement methods.
However, the key issue lies in the lack of standardization for this compensation. Each manufacturer applies its own approach, leading to potential inconsistencies (Wahoo is known for making their trainers extra juicy on purpose). And if your drivetrain is more optimized than the average assumed by the trainer, it might overread your power output.
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Right, except in the case of the C2 BikeErg - those do tend to underreppresent wattage.
Not my experience - using one 400w was like pushing 150w…
They have a function, zwift and accuracy is not one in my experience.
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Yes, i saw a few people say similar things, and def got an overnight bump. The c2 also struggled massively with registering quick changes in power. As someone said, great but of exercise kit but not for zwift. An expensive mistake!
Quite easy to cheat using a c2 though. The old towel over the flywheel technique!
One of the things that threw me off the scent was borrowing a friend’s Wahoo Kickr Core, a wheel one bike stand trainer for an RV vacation early last year. It pretty much matched the power I was putting down with the WKB V1. And at the same time I was riding with a group of fast young punks and while my power wasn’t quite as impressive as my Zwift numbers they weren’t super far off. And I’ve tended to ride much harder indoors than IRL for the most part. A blob of accidents in 2021 put me off my prior aggression outdoors.
It’s a matter of finding the right place outside to ride hard. For me that’s finding hills and doing repeats of them. The effort is still there but the risks of going at really high speeds aren’t there, especially given in my area kangaroos are a risk and they are especially silly and will randomly charge across in front of you.
They won’t attack you - it’s just that they are scared and very unpredictable which way they will take off.
My new Wahoo Kickr v6 tracks almost identically with my Favera PM pedals.
If there is a difference (yesterday 2 watts average from a 2 hr ride) it’s the pedals that are higher (the highest difference I have recorded is 2w - 4 /5 rides have been identical)
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Are the two power recordings the same even with your initial start/stop pedalling style?
The start/stop style causes an erroneous elevated reported power of the pedals.
There are many new trainers using virtual shifting that are also over reporting.
The Assioma’s, with normal pedal styl, are considered accurate.
The Assioma’s will demonstrate if the trainer is accurate.
Yeah, they track almost perfectly with each other.
Not only on the post ride reports, but if I have the wahoo phone display (set to the Assiomas) the numbers almost instantaneously align.
i am not experiencing an over reporting due to virtual shifting.
If virtual shifting is an issue, it’s on Zwift to fix this. I’m not ditching the Ride too. The quest for accuracy has been expensive enough.
I mean, after all, this is a platform in which mid 50s riders beat Greg van Avermaet…
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So I have just done a 10min Vo2 max interval training - using the Kickr v6 - and in the first 10 min interval I beat the highest ever 10min average wattage that I ever scored in a race (using the pedal power meter and getting sticky watts). In fact this effoer beats the stickiest of my race efforts, which was the first ten minutes of a particularly brutal DIRT chase race.
366w average for 10 mins was recorded with constant cadence of 90-105, and the ERG mode was activated, so no stopping and starting.
The Assiomos and the Kickr v6 tracked really closely and the averages were identical.
Pedals calibrated before the session and crank lengths correct.
So, I do not consider myself a cheat, and anyone who disagrees can do one.
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This will only happen while pedals are connected to Zwift…if you record to Bike Computer they are accurate.
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my pedals are now connected to wahoo app.
Wahho Kickr v6 is connected to Zwift.
Honestly, aside from the fact i am using virtual shifting, I think my setup is totally fine, and certainly not giving me free watts.
WTRL disagrees. You’re a convicted cheater, buying stuff and yapping about your new trainer won’t change that.
Post duals!
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I think we are in the same part of the world.
I’m happy to travel.
Would you like to call me a cheat to my face?
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Honestly, it beggars belief to think that someone is tragic enough to be throwing around words like ‘cheat’ over 39th place in an online bike race.
Especially when the ‘cheat’ acknowledged equipment errors and unhelpful riding style in relation to this equipment and spent about a grand rectifying this.
It appears some people are just bitter that other people pedal harder than them.
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Ooooh! I was convicted by the AI of the WTRL!!!
4 year ban? Lifetime?
Get a life pal.
The problem isn’t that you pedalled “hard”. The problem is that you stopped for 3 seconds afterwards.
And obviously the whole “accidental” thing. Anyone who experienced the difference between a smart trainer and a power meter isn’t buying any of your excuses.
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I didn’t know the difference, and now I found out.
I had mistakenly assumed that using a PM would give me more accuracy than a budget trainer that has now been discontinued.
and you think it’s somehow OK to make accusations concerning my character and integrity based on this?
This says more about you than it does about me, mate.
I am located near Amsterdam, happy to provide you with the opportunity to call me a cheat / liar in person.
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