Cycling VO2Max - without power sensor for non-pros

Former Member over 6 years ago

I wondered if anyone have been able to trick our Fenix5s to estimate cycling VO2Max as Forerunner 35 and other do without expensive power meters in our bycicles.

Perhaps an app or datafield that mimics the input of an external power meter that can trigger the logic already built in?.

This datafield (JMG-DTF Cycling VO2 Max) estimates a VO2Max that can be seen on Connect, but does not feed Garmin's logic on watch.

I know this is not perfect, but may help us (non-pros) with some metrics to understand/validate if we are improving our training status.

I've input the idea into Garmin's development funnel a year ago, and guess they've developed a way for entry level models to guesstimate a VO2Max (e.g. aforementioned Forerunner 35), but never released the firmware mod for our models.

Thanks in advance for any idea/alternative.

Cheers!.

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

Hi OnlyTwo , that would be personal experience with my wife's Forerunner 35 (firmware v3.5) :)

It can be checked on Garmin's Connect -reports/activities/cycling/VO2- (the watch does not have the option to show it on display).

ps. unless it is a bug, which I would like to have in my F5s :P

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

OnlyTwo , it may well be, but would like to think that they develop some shortcut to calculate it without power sensor. At least, under her same GC account, 'report/running/VO2max' appears empty (only VO2Max cycling is being calculated).

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

There is no way you can ever know your cycling vo2 max without a power meter.

Cycling vo2 max and running vo2 max are different, due to a different type of exercise.

That is why in your health performance specs they show running and cycling vo2 max as different stats

0 Former Member over 6 years ago

OnlyTwo , on her profile the only Garmin device is the F35 -as expected-. Anyway, do not worry, she is happy that the F35 is showing the vo2max for cycling, even if it seems to be a bug :P

Denodan , you are correct and I know the power sensor is required, but also certain that there should be a way to estimate "something" out of known variables (hr, speed, cadence, slope, rider weight) and some assumptions/inputs (common used gear ratio, wheel size, cyclist front area,bike weight,..). By no means it would be perfect, but variations of the index may reflect training status trend.

0 Ricko over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

I agree. If you don't have an expensive power meter, can you get VO2max and Power Curve information from manual data input of the activity on Garmin Connect?

0 outlaw24 over 5 years ago

I use the "PowerCal" for an inexpensive power meter. I just want to have something to give me a relative effort comparison between efforts. It will give you a VO2 max and all of the other information you would get from a "real" power meter. See the following link.

DC Rainmaker - PowerCal

0 RonHi over 5 years ago in reply to outlaw24

outlaw24 said:
I use the "PowerCal" for an inexpensive power meter

For my purposes, I would love something like this. Based on my internet searches, I have to conclude that these are no longer available. The DC Rainmaker review was from 2012

0 Torugo77 over 5 years ago

Try Doze Cycle from Connect IQ

It does the work for me (fenix 5)

0 RonHi over 5 years ago in reply to Torugo77

Torugo77 said:
Try Doze Cycle from Connect IQ

This looks interesting and the write up says it includes an, "Estimated Power Calculation". Does the existence of this data field cause Garmin Connect and Fenix 5 to compute a cycling VO2 Max?

0 Torugo77 over 5 years ago in reply to RonHi

Sorry, I mean

JMG-DTF VO2max Cycling

Doz Cycling is for power estimate