Phantom calories using power meter.

kesa

Hi!

Over the last few rides i have noticed something odd about my calories worked in that when i am stationery (i am having a rest mid ride with the bike resting against a fence) the calories continue to rise. This happens maybe 1 calorie per 10 seconds consistently. Is anyone else having this?

It reminds me of the heart rate algorithm watches/bike computers use without a power meter present to guess calories worked so i am thinking it might be a glitch in the software? I am using a left crank powermeter, heartstrap and a Garmin Edge 520 with the latest firmware update.

slowbike

Calories burnt is a pure guestimate - even with power meter and hrm.

you constantly burn calories anyway - just being alive does that.

SJH76

The average male requires 2500 calories a day and 2000 for a woman. Thats doing normal daily activities (not strenuous exercise) Problem is, average is a very broad estimation. Height, age, physical fitness, hydration, plus a dozen or so other things with effect this number. In this case I would say, take any device or test which says you burned X amount of calories with a pinch of salt.

cooldad

Slowbike wrote:

Calories burnt is a pure guestimate - even with power meter and hrm.

you constantly burn calories anyway - just being alive does that.

He might be dead and hasn't told us.

Matthewfalle

cooldad wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Calories burnt is a pure guestimate - even with power meter and hrm.

you constantly burn calories anyway - just being alive does that.

He might be dead and hasn't told us.

Did he actually ever exist - that should be the question............

sloppyschleckonds

SJH76 wrote:

The average male requires 2500 calories a day and 2000 for a woman. Thats doing normal daily activities (not strenuous exercise) Problem is, average is a very broad estimation. Height, age, physical fitness, hydration, plus a dozen or so other things with effect this number. In this case I would say, take any device or test which says you burned X amount of calories with a pinch of salt.

Watch that sodium level

Killerclown

The power meters found on most bicycles use a piezo electric strain gauge. To put it simply strain on the sensor results in a potential difference being created, and therefore an electric current, which is proportional to the strain exerted. The sensor doesn’t go truly ‘dead’ once you’ve started riding, there’s always going to be a small residual current produced, which is what’s giving the increasing readings on your device.

kesa

Thanks guys!

I did an experiment this morning and I found the problem. Powermeters are designed to automatically switch off after a period of inactivity. When i was having a rest the powermeter went to sleep and my Garmin switched to the heart rate algorithm which explains the phantom calories. I proved this when i rotated the crank to wake up the power sensor and then the calories stopped rising.

sungod

Killerclown wrote:

The power meters found on most bicycles use a piezo electric strain gauge. To put it simply strain on the sensor results in a potential difference being created, and therefore an electric current, which is proportional to the strain exerted. The sensor doesn’t go truly ‘dead’ once you’ve started riding, there’s always going to be a small residual current produced, which is what’s giving the increasing readings on your device.

utter nonsense as usual

beat imposter to it

imposter2.0

sungod wrote:

Killerclown wrote:

The power meters found on most bicycles use a piezo electric strain gauge. To put it simply strain on the sensor results in a potential difference being created, and therefore an electric current, which is proportional to the strain exerted. The sensor doesn’t go truly ‘dead’ once you’ve started riding, there’s always going to be a small residual current produced, which is what’s giving the increasing readings on your device.

utter nonsense as usual

beat imposter to it

Dammit..

imposter2.0

I should know better, but I've now had a chance to fact-check Milemuncher/Bikergrovish/Bottom Briquettes/Killerclown's post - and it appears to be utter, made up nonsense (as usual).