Most Popular Stages SB20 Posts in 2023

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Welcome to 2024


I did 52 bike related posts on PedalSmart.blog in 2023. 40 of these posts apply to the Stages SB20 Smart Bike. 

Here are the 5 most popular SB20 posts based on views by my readers.




5. Comparing SB20 with another Power Meter 


Many of us are concerned about power meter accuracy. ZwiftPower users can easily do comparisons.

Comparing Power Meters with ZwiftPower

One Downside: Zwift keeps track of all these comparisons. They may use these tests to disqualify you in the future. For a totally private test, consider: 

Comparing Power Meters using a Spreadsheet 


4. Top 10 SB20 Modifications and Upgrades



Here are the 10 biggest improvements I've made for better indoor riding.

My 10 Indoor Bike Improvements 





3. Zwift Power Sources




What's best way to connect Zwift to the SB20?

It depends.

How to Pick a Zwift Power Source 





2. Measuring SB20 Power Meters 


Comparing the SB20 with the power meters is a good first step. But how do you know if the other other power meters you are using are accurate?

Here's the most definitive way to measure power meter accuracy:

Measuring Torque Against Factory Specifications 



1. Drive Belt Adjustments


Here's how I adjust the SB20 drive belt for maximum smoothness and best performance:

Stages SB20 - Drive Belt Adjustments



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Fastest Trending Posts 🚀

Stages SB20 - What's Inside? 

Batteries and SB20 Power Meters

Your Indoor Bike isn't as Powerful as you Think 

Indoor Riding - ANT+ and Bluetooth 

Wireless is Good - and Complicated 





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Stages SB20 - Drive Belt Adjustments

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Stages SB20 - What's Inside?

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The Stages SB20  indoor smart bike was released in 2020. Let's take a look at the electronics that enable it  on platforms like Zwift.com and TrainerDay.com. An external power supply routes power to different bike components through a series of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The bike also includes two battery powered crank-based power meters. Here's an overview the basic functions: USB Board - Wedged vertically under the phone tray. It powers 3 USB ports. Upper Board - Fastened horizontally under the phone support rail. This System On a Chip (SoC) handles wireless communication and controls the bike itself. Switch Board - This wire distribution board sits inside the aluminum handlebar stem. It routes connections for the brake level controls  and under handlebar tape "blip" shifter buttons.  Lower Board - This mainly analog circuit board is attached to the flywheel / electronic brake unit. It controls bike resistance and sends power to other PCBs. Power Meters - A
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Indoor Bike Improvement #10 - SB20 Rocker Plate

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10 of 10 - Leaning one way and another Rocker plates make indoor riding more realistic. I'm not entirely convinced. Indoor bikes struggle to recreate outdoor resistance, road conditions, pedalling dynamics and acceleration. I'm not sure that side-to-side movement helps with realism. My personal take is more conservative. Two years of rocker plate riding has improved my overall comfort and helped with out-of-saddle sprints.   My Journey I began experimenting with different rocker plate designs in 2021, starting with the following requirements: ✓ Progressive side-to-side movement that offers stronger resistance as you move from the upright or vertical position. ✓ Forward-and-back movement. Many riders claim this is a critical element in real-world riding simulations. ✓ Small footprint. Commercial products are often quite large to accommodate a wide range of bikes. A custom design for my particular bike should be smaller. ✓ It should remain easy to get on and off the bike.  
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Stages SB20 - Measuring Torque Against Factory Specifications

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Torque Measurement I previously documented how to compare SB20 power meters with a set of calibrated pedals. It gives you a good indication of how your power meters compare in actual riding scenarios.   This test  statically measures  torque with a pair of fixed weights. It tells you if your power meters meet factory specifications . This test does not provide the full calibration that you can perform with Garmin or Favero pedals. You can't change  offset  or slope parameters to get the Stages PM measure correctly in the future. Basic Testing Procedure The basic method involves two ( big ) steps: 1. P osition the cranks horizontally to get raw measurements produced by hanging 25 lb weights from each crank. 2. Use a spreadsheet to process raw measurements and get an average reading for both cranks. Compare these readings against expected values  (t he list of expected values is shown later in this post ). The test setup looks like this: With equal weights on each side, cranks can
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Smart Bikes, Zwift and Bike Computers are all WRONG

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My SB20 smart bike comes with an app that shows power, distance, cadence, L:R balance and current virtual gear. You can also use a bike computer like a Garmin 540/840/1040  to show similar data. When you use either at the same time as  Zwift, you see different numbers.  Who is correct? Answer: They are ALL CORRECT and ALL WRONG!  How can that be?   Let's find out. Before getting started,   it's a good idea to agree on basic parameters. Note: In this discussion, I use the term  Indoor bike  for smart bikes and smart trainers along with their related apps. RESISTANCE AND POWER 1. RESISTANCE - An indoor bike creates resistance that makes it harder or easier to pedal.  2. POWER - The harder you push against the indoor bike's resistance (measured in newton metres) multiplied by how fast you pedal (RPM) defines the POWER you are producing (specified in watts per second or just watts). POWER is a measured number and is EXACTLY the same if you are riding with Zwift, using your
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