distance and file name incongruency

[rogerthepilot]

For some reason two seperate rides have resulted in two phantom 8km rides files. Two different days resulted in 4 files, and in both day rides an 8km ride was mysteriously created.

It is as though the days riding has been split into two ride files. Please note the ride file autoname is correct as the ride was 53km long, but the data shows 8km short of that. The iPro still has the second file and uploads it.

N.B. Ihave firmware version 4.02 in my iPro and I am using the lastest iBike 3 for Windows.

I will upload under seperate post the mysterious 8km file. I am suspecting the barometer has failed and is splitting files in an incongruity?

iBike_2009_10_27_1406_53_km.csv

file name and actual distance erroneous

(1.39 MiB) Downloaded 411 times

[rogerthepilot]

here is the mystery file

[racerfern]

There is a feature in the iBike that if the battery voltage goes below a threshold the following happens:
1) There is a LO BATT warning that pops on the screen. Of course if you're not looking at that moment you won't notice it.
2) The data up to that point gets written to a file and new ride file is started.
3) Note that the displayed screen data continues as if nothing went awry.

Back at a computer you will see two ride files with the second one having the last portion of the ride but with the total distance. Just open the first file then append the second file to it. Click yes to force the elevation to match and you're home free.

Check your battery, it may be recovering to the point that you get a BATT GOOD message but in cool weather it may drop below the threshold.

[rogerthepilot]

Is it then recommended to keep the iPro in the refrigerator to enable an accurate indication of battery reserve upon start up?

[racerfern]

I don't think that's a very good idea. If you're riding in cooler weather it's worth taking the time to check the battery voltage even though you get BATT GOOD. If you're riding in cold weather then I think checking the actual voltage should be part of your routine.

Don't discard those batteries, they'll be useable either indoors or when the weather warms up.

[rogerthepilot]

I have read the online manual for 'speed fail' displays. When I make a temporary stop of ten minutes, the speed and CAD fail display will result. They will reacquire when the bike starts moving again.

Confirm for me this is normal operation?

[racerfern]

This is normal operation. If you stop for 10 minutes or so, when you're ready to ride again just spin the wheel and hit the center button. At least that's how I do it and I don't have issues finding sensors. If the iBike goes to sleep remember that it will do an AUTO WIND calibration first. Just cup your hand over the front and let it finish. All of this is assuming you have a Gen3 unit.

[Velocomp]

This operation is normal. iBike wireless sensors can go to sleep in as little as 5 minutes, causing spd fail (or cad fail) messages.

With FW 400+, as soon as you start moving the sensors will pair-up automatically. It is not even necessary to click the center button.

Note also that, depending on where your sensor is located, when stopped at a traffic light your body might block the communication path between your wireless sensors and your iBike. This too can cause a "spd fail" or "cad fail" message. This message will disappear the instant you start moving again.

[rogerthepilot]

I have gone for my first ride after updating 4.04 firmware and I no long suffered a low batt warning and subsequent 'two file creation' as I did previously on two rides.

Now if we could only get a more accurate wattage going down hills while pedalling! Roger

[rogerthepilot]

Once again I suffered a file incongruity presumably due to low temperature issues. I was able to append the two files.

In addition, I continue to have a consistent average tailwind component in the vast majority of rides. The unit needs to have a remote pitot source mounted forward of the pressure bubble of the rider. I am simply not willing to pay for another fix (remote sense tube).

I suspect I have to go out and do another coast down ride. It's just becoming too much work and too inconsistent.

I'm afraid, am ready to give up. I will buy the $1,000 Metrigear torque power meter as soon as it's available.

Frustrated, Roger

[Velocomp]

$0.50 for a CR2032 battery and $54 for an RWS, or $1,000 for a DFPM with unproven technology and at least $300 for a computer head to read the data.

Whatever...

[racerfern]

Roger,

I'm not going to try and sway you but I did succeed in getting a remote battery connection working. A CR123A Duracell photo battery, two feet of 24 gauge two strand wire and a tiny piece of thin copper sheet from whimsie.com. Search the postings here for a picture. Sure it's a bit of a chore to do this home made project but I think I still have a product that is a tremendous value. I have a CR2032 battery that has held steady at 2.77v for the last three weeks with this setup.

I relish being on the cutting edge of new technology so I'm willing to do a little extra work, others are not.

[rogerthepilot]

$0.50 for a CR2032 battery and $54 for an RWS, or $1,000 for a DFPM with unproven technology and at least $300 for a computer head to read the data.

Whatever...

John, I think you'll agree we have both compromised greatly in this iBike path. You've done well to bring a decent product to market and acted ethically in upgrading customers who suffer deficiencies.
Perhaps I was hasty in giving up hope on the specific issue of processing power in cold weather. I believe the temperature was around 4C for the hour plus ride. But you will agree, if the unit gets air data blocked by the rain and now the cold function is problematic, the iBike (the battery had less than 5 hours of riding on it) has diminished value.

N.B. The iPhone has inclinometers, GPS and now a function to measure wind speed with microphone sound. You can see some future competition here I suspect.

I still see lot's of potential with the iBike, provide audible feedback data i.e. "cadence low""power too high", make it rechargeable, allow it to mount different ways (on aero bars), make it environment proof, make it display on other devices. You could also market your software expertise in a smartphone app.

For now let's make this work. A pitot tube with a static vent to drain captured water will alleviate the rain issue. I have attempted and failed to install a frangible straw to attain a satisfactory 'equivalent airspeed' in the air data port. Will your remote sense kit plug stay fixed in the air data port with a straw affixed?

[Velocomp]

The RWS stops the problem of rain compromising the wind sensor's performance. That is because the RWS traps water before it reaches the wind sensor. Also, there's no need for a vent to drain trapped water, because the trapped water in the RWS tube is a movable piston that compresses the air between the water and the iBike's air pressure sensor. So, with the RWS the iBike's air pressure sensor works as if there is no water in the tube.

Note also that the new iBike 4 software can repair rides where the wind sensor acts up.

Over the past 3 years we've worked continuously to improve our products in response to customer requests; the iBike 4 software released yesterday is just the most recent example. FYI: we're no where near the end of our projects for improving the iBike even more!

PS: Anyone who creates a power meter using an inclinometer and wind sensor infringes directly on our patents. It doesn't make any difference where the sensors happen to be located.

[turbomentor]

I have ridden a road race in pouring rain with my iBike using a RWS and had it work perfectly the entire race. What John mentioned about the RWS acting as a piston is way over my head, but I can tell you that it works. I also rode pre-RWS and did get the wind port clogged...much to my chagrin.

iBike has made dramatic improvements in it's hardware and FW in a very short time. By contrast, the product life cycle of other PMs out there has been very static. I enjoy the enhanced information that ONLY iBike offers (wind, temp, NP, TSS, IF etc) and the amazingly sleek design of the unit. There is still lots of room for improvement (cold weather operation, battery life etc) but the iBike still works best for me, especially at the price.

[rogerthepilot]

Previously I had my iBike Pro mounted on the protruding left hand bike handle bar. No longer willing to abandon my bike position symmetry, I moved the iBike back to the stem position. Consequently, air data and wattage is corrupted while in the aero position on the bike.

I need a RWS.

I have hesitated so far as I will have to attach it presumably to my aero bar ends near my bar end shifters. This puts me back in the situation of having to disturb my body symmetry with a misplaced hand on the aero bar. Ideally, I would like to have a frangible rigid RWS tube to extend well out in front of the rider or perhaps down to the front axel where relative wind is stable.

Any thought or movement on that idea before I ask for a RWS kit?

Roger

PS Perhaps it's cheap CR2032's I'm using, but I keep a very short life out of my batteries and resultant split files occur during rides. Is there a potential west coast rain is seeping in and draining batteries? Looks dry to me. I DO however store my iBike outside in +5C weather so the sensors are ready to go when I step out for a ride.