Need advice on faulty Garmin Vector 2 readings

[Bateleur1]

So I got the new bike last week and my first Power Meter with it.  All excited I installed it on Saturday and with a quick test ride of only 10 km.  I noticed that something is not right on the power readings but also assumed as I cycled a very easy pace that things should not quite be normal.  So yesterday I did my first commute to work and back.  On both commutes the trend is the same on the readings and that is that I can pretty much cut off my left leg as apparently I hardly use it according to the pm.  The balance between left right is 15/85.

 

The second problem is the measurements in watts.  I am in no way a pro athlete so a sustained effort of 400 watts over 20 min is propably not for me.  But yesterday I put in a hard ride home into 30 km/h wind and still manage moving avg of 30km/h.  Somehow an avg power of 70 watts just does not sound right on all levels.

 

I would like the advice from hubbers as to what the problem could be.  I can only assume that the installation/calibration is not done correctly. Quite possibly it could be something simple as the pod not being agains the crank arm properly. Or maybe I should just hand in my man-card and swop the bike for a e-bike

 

[V12man]

Does seem wrong - go through the installation and recalibration steps again - if that doesn't work try someone else's head unit and legs, and if that down't work - take them back to the supplier

[Jehosefat]

Vector 2s are very sensitive to being torqued into the crank arms correctly. I'd check that as step 1. Then check the calibration. Otherwise what V12man said.

[JA-Q001]

Vector 2s are very sensitive to being torqued into the crank arms correctly. I'd check that as step 1. Then check the calibration. Otherwise what V12man said.

 

 

Agree, you have to space them correctly (according to given instructions) and then torque them down perfectly as instructed.

 

After this it would require a short settling ride and then it should read correctly.

[Schnavel]

As suggested above, make sure they are torqued to the correct specification. 

 

Failing that, they will need to be replaced. Good luck with that though - I know several people who have had to return both the Vector 2 and 3 pedals, with months of delays in getting replacements.

[Crankmeister]

this has happened to me before, i replace the pedal pod batteries and it was fine thereafter.  

[Bateleur1]

Thanks for the info.  I will redo the setup tonight and make sure all is set to the correct torque.  I bought them through Canyon with the bike and just spoke to Canyon on a unrelated issue and asked if I continue to experience a problem wether I need to take it up to them or Garmin and they said that since I am in Germany I can deal with them and they will sort it out with Garmin.

[Kona Kula]

When people say torque correctly, it means a lot!! of torque. In fact they recommend if you don't have a torque wrench to rather over do it than under do it.

 

Regarding what you will see if under torqued. you are likely to under read. I have found with mine that I can lose 20 - 30 watts if just slightly under torqued. The higher I go the closer to my kicker and I get to within 2% accuracy.

 

Your head unit should tell you if you need to replace the battery.

 

My suggestion based on your numbers is re torque. 

 

NOTE: Garmin recommends torque of 25 to 30 lbf-ft. (34 to. 40 N-m) - From the manual

 

Then unplug and re plug pods and re calibrate.

[Bateleur1]

Thank you all for the good advice.  So went and pulled it all off last night and re-installed it.  Making sure the pedals are torqued to 40 Nm.  After that I noticed that the one led wash flasing 5 reds every 10 seconds indicating a problem with the angels.  Redid that then only got a low battery warning (I replaced the other pod on the day that I installed it initially as it did give a warning on the head unit then already).  Then redid the angels and calibrated it.  Figures are looking more to what I expected it to be.

 

 

Now for the next more. Studying up what all these paramters and data mean and what to do with it.

[shaper]

First thing I see with an intensity factor of 1.257 your FTP of 200W is too low and needs to be upped....as your max Avg power was recorded as 256W, change it to that until such time you do a full FTP test.

[Bateleur1]

First thing I see with an intensity factor of 1.257 your FTP of 200W is too low and needs to be upped....as your max Avg power was recorded as 256W, change it to that until such time you do a full FTP test.

 

Thanks.  Will do.