I have the opportunity to borrow a friends I bike Aero. I was considering connecting it to my Quarq to do some position testing. I want to know if I would be simply wasting my time as it simply would not be a sensitive enough measurement, or would I get good enough data for some comparisons. Do the power gurus have any idea of the accuracy of this combination.
Kevin
I have the opportunity to borrow a friends I bike Aero. I was considering connecting it to my Quarq to do some position testing. I want to know if I would be simply wasting my time as it simply would not be a sensitive enough measurement, or would I get good enough data for some comparisons. Do the power gurus have any idea of the accuracy of this combination.
Yes. 
Based on that experience, I would say that you might learn something if 1) you have never done any formal aero testing and/or 2) it is always windy where you live. I’d be quite cautious, however, about drawing any hard-and-fast conclusions based on any measurements you make (a comment that applies to other approaches that seem to be gaining in popularity as well…simply put, I don’t think most people understand how difficult it is to get reliable data).
It measures, at best, to 0.1
So, using Dr Coggan’s ROT, it may be able to guess 40sec +/- improvements over a 40k TT
I attempted to use the iAero for testing last year, it was very challenging, YMMV
So I went to the LSWT instead
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edit: .01
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I have done some position testing in the past using a powertap. I just have never been able to find a suitable loop course that has no traffic or corners or any other kind of obstruction that influences the data. I really doubt I would be able to make a single change that results in a 40 second change so it sounds unfortunately like its not worth the work into doing the setup.
Kevin
I have the opportunity to borrow a friends I bike Aero. I was considering connecting it to my Quarq to do some position testing. I want to know if I would be simply wasting my time as it simply would not be a sensitive enough measurement, or would I get good enough data for some comparisons. Do the power gurus have any idea of the accuracy of this combination.
Kevin
My experience with the iAero was that when investigating different equipment/configurations, one needed to do a “formal” calibration ride for each config to really get useful results…of course, at that time I realized that it really wasn’t saving me any time over doing my normal “half-pipe” runs with just a power meter.
Then again, as AC says above, if you live somewhere were it’s NEVER windless (not even in the early mornings) it would probably end up being a better option than just other types of field testing with a power meter.
YMMV.
I have done some position testing in the past using a powertap. I just have never been able to find a suitable loop course that has no traffic or corners or any other kind of obstruction that influences the data. I really doubt I would be able to make a single change that results in a 40 second change so it sounds unfortunately like its not worth the work into doing the setup.
Kevin
How about an out and back “halfpipe” course?
edit: I believe the resolution that gtingley is referring to is when used in the “real time” mode…which I found to be too noisy to be of much use. I was able to see better than that when doing full calibration rides of each configuration and analyzing the results later…and they matched my VE calculations fairly well.
I have done some position testing in the past using a powertap. I just have never been able to find a suitable loop course that has no traffic or corners or any other kind of obstruction that influences the data.
There are other types of courses you could use. A straight out-and-back can work.
I’ve never used the iAero in “real time” – I’ve only analyzed iBike and iAero data post-ride – but I’ve heard from several riders that the on-the-fly mode is good for getting into the ballpark but not quite good enough to detect tiny changes unless you make special rides under carefully controlled conditions, i.e., it doesn’t eliminate the need to perform careful tests.