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I'm having some issues maintaining consistent power on my trainer (in erg mode) during workouts. Sometimes my power will be consistently 3-4 watts under what the workout is directing me to ride but even if I try to push harder my rpm just increases without really effecting my wattage. It is getting frustrating because I know I can hold the target wattage but whenever I try to increase my power I just end up spinning faster. My power also seems to just jump all over the place (up and down by 5 watts in both directions) but I'm wondering if that is just normal for erg mode.
Now sometimes I can pedal a certain way (not really sure what I'm doing exactly) and get my power to reach or exceed my target wattage and sustain that for awhile but it seems to stress my legs more than normal. By stress I mean they just feel tense the entire pedal stroke rather than relaxing on my up stroke. So I'm wondering if when riding "tense" my pedal stroke is smoother, or maybe more round, so I'm transferring power more consistently or if something else is going on. Hopefully this makes sense.
I have a first gen direto and find that it is very difficult to keep the power level completely smooth like how the earlier gen Kickrs would. That is an artifact of the Kickr software/firmware and how it operates. That and I use Rotor QXL rings too I suspect. If you feel you are less than a handful of watts off the target why not just bump up the intensity 1-2%?
That is assuming you can do that like how it is on trainerroad (if you are using something else). Trying to pedal faster is just going to get you a futile effort of the trainer compensating for the higher cadence to try and match the target power level of the interval. It took me a few weeks to get used to trying just to pedal a consistent cadence/effort when I first got my Direto. Counter to how I used to try and match power using a fluid2 trainer.
To be clear + or - 5 watts isnt really jumping around that much. If you think about it, your trainer is 2% or 3% accurate so at 100 watts target your trainer has a 4 to 6 watt window to "move" around in. Now add the inability of the rider to apply power evenly around the pedal stroke and possibly a power meter on the bike with its own inaccuracies and it is a wonder that we only see power jump around as little as we do.
Also, my old Powersync trainer was better at holding target power at middle to higher wheel speeds so I would shift to the smaller cogs or the big ring. I wonder if this is still a thing with the more modern trainers?
Rich
I have an Elite Direto too. The issue with being a few watts under is quite common for two reasons; first the trainer is 2-2.5% inaccurate (so to speak) so this is within the known inaccuracies and the Direto is known have some slight issues (particularly in ERG mode) maintaining power. I have found that if you use the middle cogs then it works better and I have even heard (in the Elite Direto Facebook group) that using the small chain ring mitigates this somewhat.
"see the world as it is not as you want it to be"
Thanks for the information! Didn't know this was a somewhat known issue. It would make me feel better if it was a trainer issue instead of something wrong with how I'm riding, or whatever. I'll try the small ring tomorrow during my ride. I currently ride big ring up front and middle in the back.
Yea you are probably right, it's just a little annoying (and frustrating) when I am staring at the numbers while riding and they aren't steady. I think after awhile I will get used to it. I will admit that most of the time my average at the end of an interval is either right on or only like one watt off.