I use the KICKR with TrainerRoad and some Sufferfest mixed in. Works great and wouldn't change anything with that setup. If you are using TrainerRoad you can always increase the % in real time if you want to push it. You can also use your iPhone to control resistance.

I don't know anything about those trainers, but erg mode is probably the difference between me being a successful athlete vs, just average

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Well then you're not just a MNRunner! I'm a MN multisporter as well. Thanks for the feedback. I haven't tried it yet, but I just have an issue envisioning changing the resistance while I'm sprinting at 1000W and trying to function through the blood, sweat and tears.

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Shut up legs.

There is NO cheating in ERG mode. As long as your FTP is set correctly, I can assure you that during your 1000W sprints, you will be looking for the % decrease button....not the increase. You can also ride in Slope mode which gives you the flexibility you may be seeking but I never use it. With ERG it's really nice to just maintain cadence and let the computers talk/figure it all out for you.

I would unequivocally say that it is worth the $$ for the ERG mode. I just made the switch from a KK trainer and would not switch back for any reason. I too use TR/SF for all my workouts (or create my own in TR). I had never trained before on a Computrainer or similar and having the trainer automatically increase the resistance based on the workout is awesome. No worrying about shifting or constantly watching the screen to make sure you are not below (or way above) the wattage and especially with SF videos where you have attack after attack or a climb, just concentrate on grinding, not shifting. I only have a couple of weeks of workouts in, but I do believe that if you go above the target wattage it will just let you go. I have seen my power output exceed the target and it doesn't try to apply more resistance (at least within a few watts range). I have a Power2Max powermeter on the bike and in theory you can have the Kickr control the resistance and get the power/cadence output from the powermeter. Still fiddling around with Bluetooth on Win7 to try to get it to work effectively.

The Kickr is fairly quiet and the flywheel feel is very realistic. The resistance appears to react quickly based on the workout and is applied very smoothly.

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ERG mode is definitely worth the money, as others have said the main reason is that you cant cheat, once it locked in you have to output that resistance. This has been the greatest thing in my training especially when doing threshold or VO2 max intervals. I use trainer road to create my own workouts and also do their challenges (looking forward to the upcoming Tour of Sufferlandria) and I know that on some of their workouts and sufferfest video workouts it automatically changes from ERG to resistance mode where you can go as hard as you want and then back again. I spoke to them and they are working on building this feature into the workout creator which I am waiting for. You dont have to use ERG mode for the workouts if you dont want to you can do all the TrainerRoad workouts in resistance mode which will be just like doing it on a regular trainer.

After going from an Elite fluid trainer to a Kickr, I won't be going back to a fluid trainer.

With the Kickr, X watts at the beginning of the interval is the same at end and throughout the workout. After getting the Kickr, I realized the fluid trainer was getting easier as it heated up.

With ERG mode, if you want a harder workout, shift into a lower gear and keep the same RPM. The kickr will continue to put out the same watts. For intervals where I may want to exceed the workout plan, then I'll just use standard mode which functions like a fluid trainer would, faster you ride, harder the resistance.

I have noticed that kickr power does not correspond to my stages of power2max power readings. Kickr shows approximately 20-35 watts more. Have you noticed same thing?

This has been discussed a lot on Slowtwitch. Most people who have a Kickr seem to have this problem

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Same here.

Is ERG worth it? Absolutely from a training perspective. I just focus on cadence.

From an implementation perspective the Kickr falls short in accuracy. It does work a little better after warming up. So I created an Erg 20 minute warmup. After that I do a spin down. That seemed to bring it fairly close (9-12) watts to my stages.

Hearing mixed bag on controlling with another PM. I got the link for the new software but never used it.

Erg mode is great. Once you have it, you'll never want to not have it.

I will add though that it's no super solution to training. The small limitations, but which are real are -

- Once in erg mode you have to get 'out' of erg mode to change up the workout, or at least hit some buttons on your controller to up the intensity.
- Erg mode is not good for sprint efforts < 1 minute; takes about 5-10 seconds to ramp up to peak wattage if doing big power jumps
- Erg mode is not so great for "all-out" efforts. I go significantly harder on Sufferfest workouts on a fluid trainer compared to having it controlled in erg mode on a Kickr. For example, if Sufferfest says "10/10!!" in the final sprint, I'll be up over 400 watts on a fluid trainer or non-erg mode, whereas based on %FTP, it's only about 350ish for me as per the erg-controlled mode, which isn't at all a 10/10 effort, even on the last interval. The obvious upside though is that you pace much better through the entire workout thanks to erg mode.

Aside from the erg mode advantage, another big advantage the Kickr has:
- Can provide high levels of resistance to truly simulate steep hillclimbs. Like it or not, fluid trainers do a lousy job of this. You have to max gear it, and then be able to push the 280+ watts required to turn the pedals at a reasonable cadence just to simulate a steep hill. Whereas on a Kickr, it can in fact deliver both high or low loads to your pedals to realistically simulate a hillclimb. I never felt that my fluid trainer came close to approximate hillclimbs, whereas on the Kickr, it feels totally legit. (Like 50 cadence with power of 240 - you can't do that on a typical fluid trainer.)

Given that you've been willing to plunk down $$$ already for a Quarq and Lemond trainer, it's a no-brainer for you, as you can afford it. Just get it, you won't regret it, and plan on selling your Lemond trainer soon as you'll likely never ride it again after using the Kickr + software.

Yes and more yes.

My personal experience from trainerroad virtual FTP to p2m, I lost 60 watts in my FTP. It was very heartbreaking to say the least. Just have to set a new FTP and move along.

Is Wahoo working on the calibration issue? Seems to be a pretty big issue for a device costing $1k+. I also considered upgrading to a Kickr (currently have a KK Road w/Powertap).

According to my conversations they are not. They just acknowledge that all power meters have variances. Of course theirs is huge. Hence the external PM band aid.

It goes beyond software.

Kickr is best suited to someone who doesn't use a power meter on their bike but want the ability to train effectively. Doesn't matter what your ftp is on the kickr, if that's all you're using you can still train to it.

Kickr + power2max + Trainerroad + Netflix for me worked great so far for me. My Kickr is now after some adjustments relatively close (~7W above 160W, ~20W @ 110W) to the power2max.

Just the Kickr - I would think this will still help you improve your cycling, if you are not FOP and you are not racing with power, although given limited resources I would probably rather spend the cash on a power2max and a subscription to Trainerroad and make do without ERG mode and only get a Kickr if you mentally struggle without ERG mode.

If you do 5h per week on the trainer and spend $1,000, you would pay $2 per hour, if the Kickr lasts for 2 years. To me that looks like a good investment.

Perf pro and as of yesterday Trainer Road beta controls the Kickr in erg mode using information from your crank or pedal based powermeter. IMO this is the way it ought to have worked from day one. Obviously doesn't help with hub-based power users though.

FWIW, my outdoor tested FTP with a powermeter hub just last week tested within 3 watts of my indoor trainer FTP on the Kickr. And for given power outdoors vs indoors, my HR correlates really well. I don't think the Kickr is particularly inaccurate. I think it just happens a lot of people tested it against various powermeters; I haven't seen such comparisons done to such an extent with CTs.

Kickr inaccuracy is very well documented, especially in more recent units sold.

It has been done extensively or the CT. Once calibrated they track extremely well and are consistent.