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Garmin Edge 520 - Calorie count drop 50% on same route, after changing to Trek Emonda Etap bike with power meter

Garmin Edge 520 - with latest firmware update - crazy 50% change in calorie burn.

I purchased a new bike, 2022 Emonda Etap - which has a built in power meter.
I rode the exact same route yesterday as a month earlier. But the calorie count dropped by 50% with the new bike / power meter.

Ride w/o power meter - 490 kcal (16.1 mph)
connect.garmin.com/.../6952420105

Ride w/power meter - 256 kcal (17.4 mph)
connect.garmin.com/.../7135973660

Compare:
connect.garmin.com/.../6952420105

0 El_Dorado_Mike over 3 years ago

Personally I've found the Calorie function and reporting to be erratic at best. I've never considered it to be accurate and I never use that metric as a reliable reference point.

0 CraigJD over 3 years ago in reply to El_Dorado_Mike

Interesting. Thanks for the note.

I found this link which provides and equation for calorie burn based on known wattage or joules output and a given burn time.

According to the set of equations (at that link), the calorie burn with the power meter calorie burn is correct. This assumes of course that the power meter on the 2022 Trek Emonda Etap is accurate. Which assuming it is reasonably correct, means that the Garmin Edge 520 "estimate" of calorie burn (without a power meter) is way, way off, 100% off (over-reporting).

0 El_Dorado_Mike over 3 years ago in reply to CraigJD

I can only speak anecdotally but the calorie burn results that I get without using a power meter can be all over the place. The calorie burn and elevation inconsistencies seem to be at the top of the list of things that don't seem to be calibrated properly.