Styrd Power Meter For Running

Tom Glynn

Wanted to know if anyone in the EN group has received or is about to receive one of the new Styrd Power Meters for running.  I funded the original kickstarter campaign and should be receiving my device in the next couple of days .

I listened to their webinar today to get a better idea of what was coming.  It sounds very interesting and I'm looking forward to using it and figuring it out.

dnesom

I should be getting mine in the next few weeks as well. Looking forward to putting it to the test and curious how it will work with my Fenix 2. Didn't listen in on the Web inr and not sure what to expect beyond what I've read in their updates at this point.

Dave

Peter Beauregard

Please keep us in the loop Tom...very interested to see what you (and others) think about it!

Ralph Moore

I am also in. I keep getting e-mails saying that it is shipping but I haven't seen that sucker yet. I have a 910 Garmin and am also very interested to see how it works. I find that pace and HR are pretty variable for me in the run based on temp, etc. and I really hope that this will give me a better and more stable "number" to track my training and racing.

tim cronk

Well I ordered one this am... looks like lots of unknowns for early adopters... below is a short exchange from strava where Stefan Reiter did a 1st test run with his yesterday...

Stefan Reiter
@Peter - you have to use the "Bike" profile to get the power data on-screen and recorded. To get the pace while in "bike" mode you have to use the Connect-IQ widget from Stryd.
@Earl - Well I was very impressed about the high power readings when running "easy" but I really need to collect more data in different workouts such as long-easy runs or interval stuff to get a better understanding for these values. First off I need to perform that "Critical Power" test ... but therefore I need to be rested so this will take some time

Tim Cronk
@Stefan- Since your garmin thought you were in bike mode. Did you just change bike to run within TP after download? Did TP calculate TSS via power or pace? Stryd says TP is a compatible partner but I cant see how to set power zones on the run?

Tom Glynn

I watched their Google hangout last night. https://plus.google.com/events/c11iri7isnk9sjaikcnpvgcpkbc Watch from about 6 minutes to about 14 minutes to see what the data looks like, metrics they are using etc. They tracked a top age grouper in Kona.

They are working with all the major watch manufacturers to get a power number in the running mode and I'm pretty sure there is a work around with Garmin, but not 100% sure. Look for lots of updates on a regular basis.

One of the cool things from last night was using the device to learn to run more efficiently, better stride, less time on the ground and tons of other stuff. It's probably going to be beta for a while. As more and more users come on board and the data set gets broader I think we will see some really cool stuff emerge.

Got my email today that the unit is on the way.

John Stark

Damn you, Tom! Another toy I have to buy. Curses.

Keep us all posted! Sounds very interesting.

Scott Alexander

Mine should be delivered today. I also got access to the coaching side for their "behind-the-scenes" goodies, but haven't actually dug into it yet.

Stephanie Stevens

Mine arrived, but I haven't had time to even open the box. Hopefully this weekend.

dnesom

Finally got mine today and hopefully will get it set-up for a run in the next day or so. Anybody tried there's out yet? any initial feedback?

Ralph Moore

Got mine yesterday, took it for a run in the rain this PM. Tried to use my Garmin 910 and the iphone app. Got GPS and HR data but no power. Not sure what went wrong but will talk to tech support.

Tom Glynn

My first run is tomorrow morning. Got the device to sync with my 910XT without a problem and did a firmware update with the ios app. Logged into their website and spent an hour or two trolling the forms.

FYI, biggest complaint on their boards is that the device was supposed to be a snap on that could be worn on a race belt or something similar. Most were surprised to see a chest strap in the box. Lots of people trying to figure out / reverse engineer the math behind the power meter and lots of "know what do I do with this now" comments.

Saw a FB post that Jim Vance is writing a book on running with power due out in the spring of 2016.

Peter Noyes

I have used it on 3 runs now. I use the Garmin 920xt. For now it needs to be used in cycling mode to record power. There is a Stryd Connect IQ App that provides a run pace field for cycling mode. I haven't done too much with the data yet. The Stryd people are still working on a model for critical power for running, and what zones might look like. They have indicated that it might be based on a 3 minute and a 9 minute test, which seems pretty short to me. I am running a Turkey Trot 5k soon which I will use as an FTP test.

So far I have done 2x1 mile @ z4, and a tempo run. I have roughly correlated what power numbers look like for me and its something like this:

200 watts = Easy
230-250 = Moderate
250-270 = Tempo
280+ = Threshold

I am 63kg currently.

So far what I like about it is that you can see in real time how changing your form adjusts your power. It could be a tool to learn to run more efficiently. I also like that the power number reacts more quickly than HR as terrain changes. If anything, it is sort of a real-time "Grade Adjusted Pace" field which I find useful.

I am doing some ultrarunning this year and I am excited to see if I can use it as a pacing tool in a race.

Tom Glynn

I used mine for the first time this morning. I did the suggested Critical Power Test, which is used in Golden Cheetah for cycling, I believe. So, 10 minute warm up, 3 minutes all out, 30 minute recovery, 9 minutes all out and then slug 3 and 9 minute data into their calculator.

For me:
CP Test
3 min 366.
9 min 362.
CP = 359

Not sure what to make of numbers, but this is about 60 watts higher than bike FT power.

Next up is a treadmill to see power as I change up form, grade etc.

I have a 910XT, which will not show pace on the watch (Just 920XT). Kind of bummed about that. Not sure I can do without that metric on my upcoming IM.

Phil Mills

Received mine on Saturday. I'm in the same boat on how to use it and still be able to track the numbers I need during training. I may add in an extra run sometime this week. I was hoping that I could sync it with my 810. It would pick up power, but not HR.

dnesom

Took my Stryd out for its maiden voyage this evening, like everyone else, I can't make much of the numbers yet. I did find that it responded very quickly to effort changes on uphills/downhills and speed changes. Even minor changes in steady running pace were quickly picked up. I took it out on a brick run on pretty tired legs with a few hills and the end of the run I was pretty fatigued--it did show that I was expending about 10 watts more power at the same speed at the end of my run than the beginning--I assume because my form was detiororating. Pretty cool so far--looking forward to diving in some more. Only negative I noticed was that when I walked for a short time it showed zero power output and zero cadence even though I was walking at 18:00/mile. I'll bring this up in Stryd's forums. (BTW. when I mentioned the no power registering while walking issue to my non-athlete wife her response was: "Why were you walking?")

One other thing is that I linked mine to a Fenix 2. I'm able to get power, cadence and pace. So I can get all my usual metrics while running.

Tom Glynn

@Dave, I looked at their forms yesterday and there was some information with regards to walking. Basically Stryd does not support walking data at this time and the information you may see is probably not accurate at that slower speed.

Phil Mills

First run out with it this afternoon. I set it up as its own activity mirroring my bike fields. The main issue I had was that the stryd pace had very little smoothing, so it was bouncing up and down. Hard to keep a steady pace by it. Other than that, all of the metrics flowed into TP and Strava, even when the activity was changed from bike to run.

I won't know anything about the power number until I do their Critical Power test.

Ralph Moore

Interested to see if my runs with barefoot shoes are any different power than my runs in regular shoes.



3 runs in and probably too early to tell.

I did my threshold test but I am at work so don't have the data with me, will post it later.

R2

So, I am 6'4" tall and 215 lb.  For my testing, I got 365w for my 3 min and 330w for my 9 min values but my long Wed run at a power of 245w was at a 9:38 pace.  That is just above my Z1 pace per my Run test Sat. a week ago. I would like to run a 5K in it and see what the values are.  I tend to be one of those who can go fast but not for long and often my long run paces predicted by 5k times are somewhat optimistic.  I am hopeful that the power metric can help me fix this problem.

Update 11/7/15 :  3.5 miles on a dead flat course (unusual for me) at 9:32 pace was 248 average watts.  seems pretty reproducible so far.

KonCity

I scored one also so would love to learn some about it also as we go down this path

Tom Glynn

FYI, from the Stryd website:

Stryd will be joining the weekly run hosted by Rocky Mountain Runners running up Green Mountain in Boulder, CO. Please tune in on Monday Nov. 9th from 5:30 -7pm MT to watch a few featured runners' running data LIVE streamed on stryd.com/powercenter/rmr.

ezellrh

While not an early adaptor, I'm following this thread / learning as everyone works on discovery learning with run power. The one question I do have right now is the hardware. While the version tested / demo'ed by DCRainmaker was a clip on, is the 'final' shipped version chest strap only? I ask because after struggles with HR chest strap chaffing (and abandoning HR as a metric for five+ years as a result), I will not go down that road again. I'm a wrist based HR person now (thank you Mio) and am not willing to endure more scar inducing chest strap fun.

Tom Glynn

@Roy, yeah, it's a chest strap. All the early stuff showed a clip on and a lot of people were pretty annoyed to find a HR strap in the box when they got the device. My understanding from what I have read is that the chest strap gave better data than the clip on. It also allowed collecting HR data so that runners could compare power to HR to better understand the data.

Peter Noyes

I would wait until they iron the kinks out, and the industry is setup for running power meters. Here is where I am at:

1. I have had errant power numbers while running up hill (which is where I would want power to be most accurate). The Stryd people want me to do some diagnostic running for them recording to a Beta version of the iPhone App. They are very much in field trial mode and problem finding / fixing mode.

2. Recording in cycling mode causes lots of problems in Strava. When the activity gets initially put in Strava as a cycling activity, segments, challenges and achievements get all mixed up. When swtching from cycling -> running, the running challenges don't count the mileage/elevation for the activity. I guess this could be viewed as a Strava bug, but ideally the 920xt could just record power in running mode. I am sure Garmin will make this update at some point.

3. The chest strap problem is annoying, especially because you give up other running dynamic data from the Garmin HRM strap. (Unless you wear 2 chest straps). I also want to get the new Garmin 630 which has some new features like Lactic Threshold calculations that I think rely on the Garmin HRM strap. It is a bummer that it is not clip on.

Anyway, I will keep you all updated with any new findings.

Scott Alexander

update from Stryd HR from yest:

We have learned that some combinations of the shape of the Stryd device, the shape of the chest strap, and the athlete's build results in skin irritation for some athletes. Most (90+%) don't run into problems, but we want to make things right for all our supporters. As a result, we redesigned the chest strap and are producing them as rapidly as we can. If you are having trouble with the strap, please go to

http://www.stryd.com/strap-replacement

 

so we can send you a new strap. Of course, we are doing this free of charge. For those who are partial to a particular type of strap, you can use Stryd with any Garmin or Polar compatible chest strap.

 

Thanks again for your support!

 

Phil Mills

I did my second run with the device on yesterday's Z1/2 w/o. Has anyone else had issues with the accuracy of the Stryd's Connect IQ pace field? I found that it displayed my pace 15-2o seconds slower than my actual pace, as indicated at each mile lap pace. There isn't an option for lap pace in bike mode, so it's kind of a crap shoot. It is the difference between running a Z3 pace over the intended Z2 pace.

Stryd's set up instructions indicate that power can be viewed in run mode by setting it up as a foot pod. Has anyone successfully done this? If so, how did you do it?

Tom Glynn

@Phil,

Are you using a 910XT? I sent them a note trying to get pace on my 910XT. You can push it through the footpod channel by selecting it in the sensor selection, I believe. The big problem though is that the 910XT tracks cadence with one foot, so typical cadence is around 90. Everyone else treats cadence as two footed, so 180 rpm. What happens when you push power the channel, it cuts the power number in half. So, they told me power can go through the footpod sensor, but they didn't recommend it.

Phil Mills

I should have indicated that I am using a Fenix 3.

zwuba

I've done a lot of miles on my Stryd now including a 5k-test as well as the prescribed 3/9min CP-Test.

At the moment I don't have a clear vision about how to use this data for my training guidance ...

All the things Peter mentioned about the Strava-mess is true but I don't care about this at the moment. TrainingPeaks allows you to have separate power-zones for run and bike so after uploading the data I simply change the activity type from bike to run and use the "recalculate" feature to get IF, NP and TSS corrected.

Here's a list of what I've seen pretty clearly so far:
- Running power is A LOT higher than on the bike (for me Critical-Power is about 50-60W higher!!)
- Running hills does have a super-massiv impact on power output
- Energy consumption is higher than calculated based on HR or pace!

thekidduxc

Sounds like a proper mess!

zwuba

I'll give you 2 examples of my latest run workouts:
1) a pretty "easy" trailrun with quiet some elevation which ended up with an NP of 327W -> http://tpks.ws/KrGF
2) the planned Outseason sunday long-hard ran with 2x1mi Z4 -> http://tpks.ws/XowIY