Curious what peoples opinions/experience are using two different power meters on two different bikes.
I have a quarq red22 on my road bike, but will have stages on my new TT bike.
Would i need to do two FTP testing on each power meter and have two sets of numbers to go by between the bikes? or the power should be relatively close that it doesn’t really matter? …thoughts???
Curious what peoples opinions/experience are using two different power meters on two different bikes.
I have a quarq red22 on my road bike, but will have stages on my new TT bike.
Would i need to do two FTP testing on each power meter and have two sets of numbers to go by between the bikes? or the power should be relatively close that it doesn’t really matter? …thoughts???
This is one of the reasons why it’s important that power meters are precise AND accurate, no?
Find a way to do the test with both pms at the same time? 
Even if you had the same (unit) power meter on both bikes I’d have an FTP that was bike specific. Throw in to the mix 2 different units of the same brand of PM and there is the possibility for even more variation between the two setups so I’d want a bike/pm specific ftp even moreso. Now throw in 2 different pm units of differing brands, l/r issues, etc on a road bike vs a tri bike and I would definitely want specific ftp’s for each bike/setup.
I personally set up mutliple users in Golden Cheetah (TT Inside, TT Outside, RB Inside, RB Outside) b/c my power curves are very different in each of those 4 scenarios.
CJ
Even if you had the same (unit) power meter on both bikes I’d have an FTP that was bike specific. Throw in to the mix 2 different units of the same brand of PM and there is the possibility for even more variation between the two setups so I’d want a bike/pm specific ftp even moreso. Now throw in 2 different pm units of differing brands, l/r issues, etc on a road bike vs a tri bike and I would definitely want specific ftp’s for each bike/setup.
I personally set up mutliple users in Golden Cheetah (TT Inside, TT Outside, RB Inside, RB Outside) b/c my power curves are very different in each of those 4 scenarios.
CJ
All of that above is completely unnecessary if you purchase a power meter that allows for at least the check of the torque slope (i.e. PT, P2Max?) or even better, allows the torque slope to be calibrated with a known weight (i.e. SRM, Quarq, etc.)
I have 4 different Quarqs (a Cinqo, 2 Reds, and an Elsa) on 4 bikes and they all read identically. I know this because I’ve calibrated the torque slopes myself. I also have an MTB PT hub and an old yellow cap PT Pro that both read accurately as well (as determined by a torque slope check).
Like I said, this is one of the main reasons that some of us beat the drum about not settling for power meters that aren’t accurate and precise.
I don’t doubt that you don’t have issues, etc. I can’t explain why, but I definitely have different power curves for each of those 4 setups (I almost nver ride my RB on the trainer) so it works for me, the trainer (Fluid II) and wired powertaps/LYC setups I personally use. This Sunday I held an outside power, for 2 1/2 hours, that I can barely hold for 20’ on my trainer. Like I said, I can’t explain it, but it’s real.
And, to add, it’s not a matter of having more wind/bigger fan blowing on me ;-).
CJ
ETA: and I’m one of those guys who can hold higher watts on my RB than TT, so aside from the inside/outside thing, I would be doing myself a disservice trying to hold/do intervals based on my RB ftp if I’m on my TT bike. Again, that’s just me and I know that’s not how it is for everyone.
making less power on the trainer doesn’t mean a power meter is off.
It means you are a normal human.
making less power on the trainer doesn’t mean a power meter is off.
It means you are a normal human.
This.
Yup. I have a different FTP inside than outside… it’s not the heat (bought the biggest fan I could find)… it’s not because I’m bored… it’s just harder on the trainer than outside. I stop trying to understand why and just accepted it!