Re: Veloreality proposes feature please respond
Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:26 pm
Probably a bit late but if this was optional then normalizing power would be a good addition bugt I doubt I would personally use it.
How would normalizing power on FTP alone equalize the playing field? When riding with others it seems that there are many variables as well as FTP that can influence the outcome. In VRide these would include gradient reduction and elimination of downhills. What about differences in wheel diameter setting?
The default setting on gradient reduction is 7-10% as I recall. I use 10-15% which would mean that two people of similar FTP would not cover the same course in the same time if the gradient exceeds 10% (in this example one uses 7-10%, the other uses 10-15%). Similarly I eliminate downhills to make the downhills 0%. Again if some one sets their downhill to -3% then this setting affects virtual speed. How would these differences be normalized?
To give an example I rode Almeria first with 10-15% and -1% downhill with FTP of 259 then the next time I rode it with 10-15% gradient reduction but with 0% downhill. After 45 minutes of staying ahead by increasing my lead (over my prior performance) on each uphill (very pleasing to do this) but loosing a bit on each downhill with over the first ride (working harder downhill as its "flat" in the second time on the route) my prior effort's virtual circle went past and there was simply no way to stay ahead on this undulation route. The downhill setting of -1% made a difference. Same rider same/similar FTP but two different elimination of downhill settings and the out come is predictable.
Parameters like gradient reduction and elimination of decent therefore can influence outcomes and since multi rider currently does not show what each riders setting are two riders with the same FTP but different gradient settings will not ride equally (or will the neutralizing also change the gradient and elimination of downhill settings to equalise them as well?) Having the option to neutralize the playing field would be interesting but how would normalizing on FTP alone counter the differences in speed that can accrue from different elimination of decent settings unless a raced route was only uphill?
I tend to agree with Might Mac that its fun to ride against other riders real metrics. If you can chase them down you do feel good and if they get away its just the way it is in real life too. So having the setting as an option as you have planned is good. We can use it or not and feel good about it either way.
How would normalizing power on FTP alone equalize the playing field? When riding with others it seems that there are many variables as well as FTP that can influence the outcome. In VRide these would include gradient reduction and elimination of downhills. What about differences in wheel diameter setting?
The default setting on gradient reduction is 7-10% as I recall. I use 10-15% which would mean that two people of similar FTP would not cover the same course in the same time if the gradient exceeds 10% (in this example one uses 7-10%, the other uses 10-15%). Similarly I eliminate downhills to make the downhills 0%. Again if some one sets their downhill to -3% then this setting affects virtual speed. How would these differences be normalized?
To give an example I rode Almeria first with 10-15% and -1% downhill with FTP of 259 then the next time I rode it with 10-15% gradient reduction but with 0% downhill. After 45 minutes of staying ahead by increasing my lead (over my prior performance) on each uphill (very pleasing to do this) but loosing a bit on each downhill with over the first ride (working harder downhill as its "flat" in the second time on the route) my prior effort's virtual circle went past and there was simply no way to stay ahead on this undulation route. The downhill setting of -1% made a difference. Same rider same/similar FTP but two different elimination of downhill settings and the out come is predictable.
Parameters like gradient reduction and elimination of decent therefore can influence outcomes and since multi rider currently does not show what each riders setting are two riders with the same FTP but different gradient settings will not ride equally (or will the neutralizing also change the gradient and elimination of downhill settings to equalise them as well?) Having the option to neutralize the playing field would be interesting but how would normalizing on FTP alone counter the differences in speed that can accrue from different elimination of decent settings unless a raced route was only uphill?
I tend to agree with Might Mac that its fun to ride against other riders real metrics. If you can chase them down you do feel good and if they get away its just the way it is in real life too. So having the setting as an option as you have planned is good. We can use it or not and feel good about it either way.