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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize the standard ride profiles?
Of course! You can vary the duration and the speeds of the standard profiles, use the standard profiles as templates to create new profiles, or create new profiles completely from scratch.
You can save and load ride profiles to an xml file to share with others and you can even use a previous workout log as a ride profile and race against yourself to see if your fitness has improved.
You can also upload ride profiles to the TrainerMic website and download ride profiles created by other users here.
How is power calculated?
The actual power being generated by a rider for a given speed will vary from trainer to trainer. However unlike riding
outdoors where can conditions can vary greatly in the relationship between speed and power on a trainer is relatively constant.
Some trainer manufacturers will provide a power curve in the user documentation. By changing the value of the coefficients
in the equation below you should be able to closely match the resistance offered by your specific trainer.
Power is calculated from the rear wheel speed using the following formula:
Power (watts) = g * m * V * K1 + K2 * V * V * V
g = Earth's gravity
m = Bicycle Weight + Rider Weight (kg)
V = Speed (m/s)
Rider Weight - This is the weight of the rider including clothing, shoes, & helmet.
Bicycle Weight - This is the weight of the bicycling including water bottles and any other attached equipment.
K1 - K1 is a lumped constant for all frictional losses (tires, bearings, chain), and is generally reported with a value of 0.0053.
K2 - K2 is a lumped constant for aerodynamic drag and is generally reported with a value of 0.185 kg/m. For bike trainers that offer a linear or flat resistance curve set K2 = 0.0 and increase the value of K1 accordingly.
For more information of power calculations see the following web site:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_performance
This page has the settings for the most popular bike trainer types: Set Up
Does TrainerMic also track cadence?
Yes, Trainer has two sensors one for speed and one for cadence. If you purchased just the speed version there is an upgrade kit available. Contact info@trainermic.com
for more information. Cadence can also be calculated from the speed of the wheel using the gear combination entered in the user profile. This feature is more useful when using a track or fixed gear bicycle.
When using a road bike the calculated cadence will be off if the gear combination is changed from that which is entered in the program.
How are calories calculated?
Calories are calculated from the power output of the rider using the Human Efficiency percentage. The human body runs at about 24% efficiency for a relatively fit athlete,
so for every kilo joule delivered to the pedals the body consumes 1 kcal (4.2 kJ) of food energy. This percentage can be changed in the User Profile settings.
Can I connect with my friends and race online?
Yes, TrainerMic has multiplayer capabilities.
Click here for more info: Features
Can I download my ride data to other programs?
Yes, TrainerMic can export to pwx (xml) format which is compatible with TrainingPeaks and Golden Cheetah.
Can I use this with rollers?
Yes, but risky and it could result in damage to the sensors, wire, or your computer. Be sure to route the senor wire up and out through the handlebars and be sure to have plenty of slack in the wire just in case.
Does it work on a Mac?
Not yet. The Mac version is currently under development but will not be ready for several months.
My sensor is not working, what should I do?
The following steps should help you diagnose the problem:
1) Check all the connections and ensure that the sensor is plugged into the correct port (microphone).
2) Check you audio settings to ensure that the microphone port is not muted and the microphone volume is set to the highest level.
3) If you have a microphone, try using the Accessories -> Sound Recorder program to see if your audio settings are set correctly.
4) If step 3 works then try recording the "sound" from the TrainerMic sensor. You should hear a clicking noise every time the wheel magnet goes past the sensor.
5) There is a chance the fault is in the extension cable. Try the above steps with and without the extension cable to see if that makes a difference.
If the above steps do not solve your problem contact info@trainermic.com for instructions on ordering a new sensor.
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