FTP Test - Virtual Power

[Tin Pot]

Looks like I need to sell the bike, or I'm doing something wrong.

Did the standard Trainerroad 20 min FTP test...

My whole body was shaking, the bile starting to rise...I forced my eyelids open and peered through the tears and sweat:

"49 watts".

W.T.F.

From this its calculated my FTP as 131W. Now, I'm not exactly a racer I know, but something isn't right here.

Wahoo SC fitting here:
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tps-wahoo-blue-sc-fitting.194504/

 

[HLaB]

Looks like your power readings were dropping out and it was recording lots of 0w's! Try contacting TR support, they respond to emails fast and follow up. They'll probably diagnose the problem fast and might be able to calculate what your FTP should be.

 

[Tin Pot]

Looks like your power readings were dropping out and it was recording lots of 0w's! Try contacting TR support, they respond to emails fast and follow up. They'll probably diagnose the problem fast and might be able to calculate what your FTP should be.

They've responded quickly - reckon I need to get the magnets closer to each other which is going to be tricky...won't have time to do anything until Saturday though.

There should be some sort of sensor test in either the TR or Wahoo app to check its receiving, interpreting and transmitting properly.

When I turn the pedals the speed and cadence data starts coming up - how will I know it's good before killing myself on another FTP test? Frustrating!

 

[HLaB]

They've responded quickly - reckon I need to get the magnets closer to each other which is going to be tricky...won't have time to do anything until Saturday though.

There should be some sort of sensor test in either the TR or Wahoo app to check its receiving, interpreting and transmitting properly.

When I turn the pedals the speed and cadence data starts coming up - how will I know it's good before killing myself on another FTP test? Frustrating!

I understand the frustration; the first time I used it, it needed tweaking for some reason. The TR team were good and without me asking monitored the following sessions and told me what my FTP should have been. Since the initial teething trouble, touch wood, I've never had another problem . The devices tab might tell you might tell you about the magnet set up, it tells you the quality of the signal, it might say its poor if the magnets are too far from the sensors.

 

[Bollo]

This is just pure anecdote, but I always have more connection issues and dropouts on TR using Bluetooth devices (kickr in Bluetooth mode, Bluetooth HR strap) than with ANT+ (kickr using ANT+, ANT+ HR, speed and cadence). I'm more than certain this is a hardware issue rather than anything at the TR end. Because of this, unless I can't help it I stick to ANT+.

 

[stumpy66]

@Tin Pot I also experienced lots of drop outs what cured it for me was changing the channel my wifi was on, not had a drop out since. You will need to go into your particular router settings to do this.

Check out the technical problems help page, link re wifi channel http://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/201375484-Solving-WiFi-Interference-

 

[Tin Pot]

So it was just a configuration issue with the wahoo sc, sorted that out and did another test yesterday:

In the whole I'm not that enamoured with TR so I'll be cancelling.

The Wahoo SC was an expensive experiment, but I would have wondered if I hadn't tried it out.

 

[Citius]

You're cancelling TR because you don't like what it's telling you?

 

[Buck]

He didn't say that did he?

Not being enamoured with something doesn't mean you dislike what it's telling you.

 

[Citius]

He didn't say that did he?

Not being enamoured with something doesn't mean you dislike what it's telling you.

It was a question - not a statement. Hence the question-mark after the words....

 

[Bollo]

In the whole I'm not that enamoured with TR so I'll be cancelling.

What specifically has turned you off? I can understand that TR can appear sparse and feature-lite, especially compared to the snazzy graphics of Bkool and Zwift, but I like it's no-nonsense focus on clear training goals.

Not a loaded question BTW - I'm genuinely interested in your opinions.

 

[Tin Pot]

What specifically has turned you off? I can understand that TR can appear sparse and feature-lite, especially compared to the snazzy graphics of Bkool and Zwift, but I like it's no-nonsense focus on clear training goals.

Not a loaded question BTW - I'm genuinely interested in your opinions.

Yeah, I just can't see me using the turbo frequently enough. I like the idea of structured plans, measurement and the projected results which is why I tried it, but three or four sessions a week is never going to happen while I'm putting in 9-13 hrs a week in the road.

I might have another look when I stop commuting.

 

[Bollo]

Yeah, I just can't see me using the turbo frequently enough. I like the idea of structured plans, measurement and the projected results which is why I tried it, but three or four sessions a week is never going to happen while I'm putting in 9-13 hrs a week in the road.

I might have another look when I stop commuting.

Fairynuff. My biggest criticism of TR is that it's good at telling you what you need to do, but very weak at telling you the effect of what you have done. The analysis side is very limited, so you really need to export out to do any number-crunching. This becomes a problem when you mix and match turbo and real rides, because it then becomes difficult to replan/scale your turbo efforts to take consideration of your road miles. There are ways around all this, but it breaks the one-stop-shop appeal of the built-in training plans. There's no way I'm going to sit on a trainer if the weather's nice and I've been given a day pass by the Doris.

 

[stumpy66]

I'm sure I heard on their podcast or read on the blog that they are looking at how to integrate your road rides with their plans so that you can keep on track re the weekly TSS.

I like the structure of it and can see the progress I've made with a steady increase in my ftp since I started using it at the start of Oct.

I've always used the turbo for winter training, but my motivation wavered and could only last an hour max. Since having the structure of trainer road and changing saddles (selle smp) I know can do the 2-2.5 hr session at the weekend if the weather is poor out. I also stand and pedal every 10-15mins which helps.