SRAM Quarq power meter calibration

#1

Hi there,
I’ve got a new bike with a SRAM Quarq crank-based power meter (new bike is bitter-sweet as it’s a replacement for a stolen custom steel bike :frowning:).

My trainer is a Wahoo Kickr Snap (wheel on). Previously I would ride a 5-10 minute warm-up, then calibrate the trainer with the Wahoo phone app.

Now I think I don’t have to, because power is taken from the cranks, not the trainer, and SRAM is all hype on MagicZero:

Is it correct that I don’t now need to calibrate?

I’m sure this has been answered somewhere but I’ve not seen it. Apologies if this is old-news.

thanks much

#2

Sorry to hear about your bike :frowning:

I have one of these - it’s a great power meter! - and I calibrate it before riding. The MagicZero works by detecting when you’re not pedalling, and then using that value (actually a set of values) to adjust the zero point. This works well when you’re out on the road, but on the trainer doing a SUF workout there’s a good chance you’ll never be not pedalling so I can’t see how the MagicZero would work!

Having said that the readings are very, very stable, so if you calibrate it when you put your bike on the trainer, you probably don’t need to do it again until the next time you put the bike on the trainer, or maybe if there’s a large change in temperature or other environmental change that could affect the readings.

#3

Thanks much, for the advice and condolences. Yeah, losing that bike really sucked.

I do love my new bike already, though being back to home office and a cold snap have limited my outdoor kms.

Sounds like I can basically still do a short warm-up and coast a bit before starting a training session and that should zero-out the meter well enough.

Thanks again