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- My wheel gets warm while riding. Is that normal?
- I hear a noise. What is it?
- Can I use virtual power with the STAC Zero?
My wheel gets warm while riding. Is that normal?
Yes, that's normal. All those watts you're generating have to go somewhere, and a lot of that energy ends up in your wheel rim as heat.
Don't worry, the trainer is incapable of heating your wheel to extreme temperatures. Wheel temperature should peak at about 60-70 degrees celsius. That's lower than when you apply your brakes during a hard stop.
Why do they peak? The faster you spin your wheel, the more power you can create. But as your wheel speeds up, it also encounters more airflow, which cools it off again.
I hear a noise. What is it?
We don't know! We have discovered that because the trainer is so quiet, many STAC Zero users suddenly discover rubbing brakes or other drivetrain parts that are out of tune.
But we can make some guesses, based on things our users have found.
If the sound is once per wheel revolution
- Immediately check if your wheel weight (if installed) is firmly held. The 2017 bar-style weights should be immobile and "trapped" between 3 spokes plus their velcro strap when properly installed.
- Check if your spoke magnet is tapping your chainstays as it goes around. See the article about spoke magnet installation.
- Check if your spoke magnet or bar weight is tapping the speed sensor as it goes around. See the article about spoke magnet installation.
- Check if your brakes are rubbing. Combined with an out-of-true wheel, brakes can make a ticking noise once per wheel revolution if they are rubbing.
- If you or your children have installed baseball cards between your spokes, they may make a sweet thunderous roar. Remove baseball cards and try again.
If the sound is once per crank revolution
- Your front derailleur may be bumping against your chain as you put pressure on the pedals and rock it back and forth. This is common and benign, but you can contact your local bike shop to get it fixed.
- Your bike shoes may be hitting the ends of your derailleur, your chain, or your chain stays.
Can I use Virtual Power with the STAC Zero?
No. The Powermeter and Halcyon record actual power so there's no need to use "virtual power".
Unfortunately it's not possible to use virtual power with the Base model.
Background: The "Virtual power" feature available in some training apps estimates your power based on your wheel speed and trainer model. For conventional trainers, the relationship between power and speed is approximately the same from unit to unit. With the STAC Zero, the power curve varies from wheel to wheel, and depending on how close the magnets are to the rim, making it impossible for the app to predict your power based on speed alone.