Advanced Power Calibration System

for Team Ineos

Advanced Technologies

Advanced Power Calibration System for Team Ineos

We were asked to design a bespoke Power Calibration System for Team Ineos, one of professional cycling’s most successful and well-known teams. Our previous work with elite cycling clients enabled us to quickly understand the brief and develop a practical, cost-efficient solution.  

The aim of the Power Calibration System is to precisely measure and record the power output of all Team Ineos athletes, ensuring the data’s reliability as a key tool in evaluating a rider’s performance.  

The goal was to create a robust on-site test rig enabling the power meters used by Team Ineos to be checked regularly for accuracy and in a user-friendly way by non-technical staff.

The challenge was complex. The system needed to be designed to allow technicians to quickly access data, with the potential to be rolled-out across all Team Ineos training hubs around the world to ensure a consistent measurement and calibration approach.  

The design needed to use industry-standard Ant+ communications protocols and be future-proofed so any new power meter technology could be evaluated and recalibrated if required. 

A key aspect of the project was to evaluate the meter’s accuracy and repeatability over a wide range of settings rather than, for example, checking for accuracy at a maximum or minimum output. The team cited single figure percentage accuracy as the target for the calibration system.  

The meters are used to record a rider’s power output through a range of 100W to 1200W, with a very specific power range targeted for evaluation of power and cadence for crank rotation speeds. 

We developed a robust and simple-to-operate solution that allows for quick and accurate assessment of the bike’s power meter output.  

It was imperative that the system did not require the involvement of a rider, the use of pedals, rear wheel, or a derailleur gear system, so our team designed a stand-alone test rig that could drive the pedals through a combined motor gearbox unit containing a high accuracy sensor package that can take power readings from the crank of a static bike frame. The design allowed for the precise alignment of the equipment to be maintained by in-built laser, and can accommodate a variety of frame and crank sizes. 

Information is relayed via wireless communication protocols to specially developed software to assess the evaluation of the meter’s accuracy based upon manufacturer-provided calibration data. 

Several hundred tests of the system were conducted before the project was approved and many considerations had to be carefully studied during the development process. For example, our engineers developed support structures to counteract the flex that became apparent under load in the static bike’s frame that could have skewed the results.

.

The end result of the Advanced Power Calibration project for Team Ineos provides a unique opportunity to gain reliable, accurate data to aid riders’ development, and is a practical way to assess the accuracy of their power meters without complex set-up procedures. In addition, the project can be easily rolled-out to other training centres as required.

.

“D2H Advanced Technologies responded quickly and effectively to our brief. We wanted the ability to check the accuracy of our power meters but without requiring on-site technical support or complex set-up procedures: we needed each assessment to be as straightforward as possible. This was fully achieved and underlined D2H’s strong track record in working with elite, professional sports customers to deliver excellent results within deadline.” 

back to case studies
contact us