Copyright Velocomp LLP 2005-2015
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APPENDIX 3: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHERE DO I FIND THE SERIAL NUMBER FOR MY NEWTON?
The serial number is stored in your Newton’s internal memory. Connect your Newton to
ISAAC and use the command “Device/SN and FW version…”
HOW DOES THE NEWTON
®
POWER METER WORK?
The iBike Newton power meter uses a revolutionary approach to power measurement that
is based on Newton’s third law:
“For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”
In bicycling terms, this means that the factors causing the cyclist to expend power during a
bike ride (hill climbing; opposing wind; tire, bearing and other losses; bike acceleration)
are equaled by the power applied through the pedals by the rider.
With the exception of the Newton, all other high performance power meters determine
power by measuring the forces
applied
by the rider to the pedal. Directly measuring applied
pedal force is an accurate way to derive power, provided the cyclist is willing to accept the
weight, cost, installation, inflexibility, and operational penalties that are characteristic of a
direct-force power meter (DFPM).
In radical contrast, the Newton uses state-of-the-art sensors, along with new and patented
technology, to measure the opposing forces that cause
the cyclist to
expend
power:
opposing wind, hill climbs, bike acceleration, and rolling friction of the bike and tires.
A powerful microprocessor, programmed with proprietary DSP filters and real-time
solutions to the dynamic power equation, processes the output from the Newton sensors
many times per second, computing the total power demands created by hill slope, wind,
etc. And thanks to Newton’s third law, measuring the power consumed by hill climbing,
overcoming wind resistance, etc. provides a comprehensive and accurate measurement of
the power generated by the cyclist.
The Newton uses four sensors:
o
an accelerometer to measure hill slope and bike acceleration/deceleration
forces,
o
a differential pressure sensor to measure wind speed forces,
o
an absolute pressure sensor to measure elevation gain, and
o
a wheel pickup to measure bike speed.
All sensors except the wheel pickup are located within the Newton housing,
making it possible to use the Newton, quickly and easily, on all of your bicycles.
HOW IS HILL SLOPE CALCULATED?
When you climb a hill your bike’s movement has two components of motion: the total
distance traveled forward on the road, and the vertical distance traveled up the hill. The
“Hill Slope” is the ratio of vertical movement to forward movement, expressed as a
percentage.
Example:
You travel 1000 feet forward and climb 100 feet vertically. Your hill slope
is 100/1000 x 100% = 10%
The accelerometer in the Newton measures hill slope instantaneously, much faster and
