What does the calibration number mean?

supermurph09

Hi

Simple question, when you calibrate a Stages PM, what does the number mean. I normally get something like 892 etc.

Also, on a Tacx Flow is there a way to calibrate it so it matches what the Stages PM is telling me?

Thanks

meanredspider

Simple answer is: Nothing. I get a number around 905 on mine. What is worth noting though is that if you ever calibrate and get a radically different number (say 600 which I once got) something is not right. In my case the meter gave ridiculous power numbers. I have no idea why it did it though I was having serious troubles with my (long-gone) Garmin 1000 that day (like every day) and it was also very hot.

I don't know the Flow. With the Tacx Fortius I have, if I calibrate it, I get numbers very close to the Stages. In the software I have there's also a virtual power setting which allows you to set a percentage of the actual power figure. I guess you could play with this to get the numbers to match if they don't already. I don't know if it's possible to manually enter the calibration number - I guess not. Another option might be to play with the roller pressure on the tyre if that's adjustable.

supermurph09

Thanks for this, I'll be doing an FTP test this weekend so will look how the numbers compare. The thing I wasn't aware of when I bought the flow is that you had no way to download the data, now I have the stages that doesn't matter but it would be nice just to keep my other bike on the turbo as opposed to having to swap the tyre on my good bike.

Tom Dean

So are you bothered about downloading the data or not?

supermurph09

Tom Dean wrote:

So are you bothered about downloading the data or not?

Yes but I'll do it from the Stages data from my Garmin. What would have been good is just being able to use the Flow computer to download from, but obviously even if the power matched the stages it's not possible.