I bought this trainer, Tacx Vortex and it has something called Watts Setpoint, I have no clue what this is for. If I set it at 300 watts it’s tougher to ride and at 100 watts it’s easier. What do a put this at? I am ready to return this thing and go back to a plain trainer.
Somebody has to know what this is? I don’t train with a power tap either. Help me here please.
I bought this trainer, Tacx Vortex and it has something called Watts Setpoint, I have no clue what this is for. If I set it at 300 watts it’s tougher to ride and at 100 watts it’s easier. What do a put this at? I am ready to return this thing and go back to a plain trainer.
Somebody has to know what this is? I don’t train with a power tap either. Help me here please.
I assume you’re talking about in the tacx iphone or android app, correct? It’s to set the resistance of the trainer making it harder or easier to ride for a workout. It’s calculating of watts based on resistance against the tire and speed you’re able to turn the tire (or something to that effect)
This feature that you’re frustrated with is usually the whole point of purchasing a trainer like this…
I assume you’re talking about in the tacx iphone or android app, correct? It’s to set the resistance of the trainer making it harder or easier to ride for a workout. It’s calculating of watts based on resistance against the tire and speed you’re able to turn the tire (or something to that effect)
Yes, it’s the tacx iphone app. What do I set this at? Do I just increase and decrease depending on my mood at the time or does this have a specific purpose?
This feature that you’re frustrated with is usually the whole point of purchasing a trainer like this…
Okay, so what am I supposed to set this at or does it not matter? Personally, my speed is faster at 100Watts then at 300watts. I assume I am suppose to set this at some level, right?
This feature that you’re frustrated with is usually the whole point of purchasing a trainer like this…
Okay, so what am I supposed to set this at or does it not matter? Personally, my speed is faster at 100Watts then at 300watts. I assume I am suppose to set this at some level, right?
it’s up to you how hard of a workout you want. it’s like if you choose to walk a mile vs run a mile. One provides a harder workout. it’s up to you how you want to set that. You can do intervals where you do a certain amount of time at lower watts, then other intervals at higher watts.
You might do something like 10 minutes of warmup where you slowly increase the watts from 100 to 150watts. Then do a few minutes at a higher watts. followed by a recovery interval again at lower watts. It all depends on your fitness level.
I don’t have any good resources off hand but try googling for bike trainer workouts.
This feature that you’re frustrated with is usually the whole point of purchasing a trainer like this…
Okay, so what am I supposed to set this at or does it not matter? Personally, my speed is faster at 100Watts then at 300watts. I assume I am suppose to set this at some level, right?
It sounds like you are unfamiliar with training with power in general. I would suggest doing a little bit of research into what training using a power measuring device entails, and then all will become clear.
I did do a couple of 20 minute TT on a computrainer at a training facility and my best was a 360 watts average and I weight about 170lbs. So what does that mean in terms of setting my tacx trainer at?
Thank you very much.
20min power is NOT ftp in any way
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20min power is NOT ftp in any way
Oh, I don’t know these tech terms. I rode for 20 minutes and the dude “coach” said that’s my FTP.
FTP is typically calculated as 95% of 20m avg power. So your 360 20m TT = 342 FTP
Meaning if you can hold 360w for 20 mins you could in theory hold 342w for 1 hour. This varies slightly for some people but it’s the general rule of thumb.
FTP is typically calculated as 95% of 20m avg power. So your 360 20m TT = 342 FTP
Meaning if you can hold 360w for 20 mins you could in theory hold 342w for 1 hour. This varies slightly for some people but it’s the general rule of thumb.
Oh okay, thanks for the clarification.
FTP is typically calculated as 95% of 20m **avg **power. So your 360 20m TT = 342 FTP
Meaning if you can hold 360w for 20 mins you could in theory hold 342w for 1 hour. This varies slightly for some people but it’s the general rule of thumb.
you mean normalized power
if you did a 5min blowout right before, if not read the 7 deadly sins by alexS
my ftp runs at about 92% without the blowout and I have done lots of hour long efforts in my life(well close to an hour anyway)
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I would say buy and read Training and Racing with Power or take it back and get a regular trainer.
There aren’t simple answers to the questions you’re asking. The setpoint depends on what you are trying to aacomplish with that workout.
if you did a 5min blowout right before, if not read the 7 deadly sins by alexS
my ftp runs at about 92% without the blowout and** I have done lots of hour long efforts in my life(well close to an hour anyway)**
For anyone that is curious, THAT is how you humble brag. 
if you did a 5min blowout right before, if not read the 7 deadly sins by alexS
my ftp runs at about 92% without the blowout and** I have done lots of hour long efforts in my life(well close to an hour anyway)**
For anyone that is curious, THAT is how you humble brag.
Not really! I was going to say ask “What’s the conversion scale for around 50 minutes?”
But there isn’t one, right because 40K TT is 40K TT. Though I’m always confused by this. No matter what definition of FTP is given, even copy-and-pasted from “Training and Racing” I think Coggan will come on and say it’s wrong.
But there isn’t one, right because 40K TT is 40K TT. Though I’m always confused by this. No matter what definition of FTP is given, even copy-and-pasted from “Training and Racing” I think Coggan will come on and say it’s wrong.
The definition of FTP is max 1hr power. Everything else is just a method to estimate it without actually doing a 1hr TT. 40k TT is often referenced as a good estimate because a lot of people can do that in the 1hr ballpark. FTP is not necessarily the same as power at LT.
To the OPs question - I’m not specifically familiar with the tax trainer but it sounds like you are supposed to use the app to vary the resistance rather than changing gears or increasing cadence like you would on a traditional “dumb” trainer. SO you would change the power set point throughout your workout based on whatever you are trying to accomplish. I don’t think it’s a “set it and forget it type of thing.”
ok, I did an hour effort on the road bike a week or so ago. NP was 5 w higher than AP, but I could not have gone much, if any, harder for this time of year. so it was an FTP effort(question is, which number?) normally my VI is 1.0 that day it was 1.03
so I do occasionally do hour long efforts. it was not 40k tho