Trainer issues

[Nicomrs]

Hi guys

im using a tacx vortex.

doing vo2 max intervals for instance,

Using garmin in erg mode to control the trainer, i find that it only follows the middle of a prescribed zone. This causes lower ftp and very low vo2max.

Today i did the same workout using my phone to control trainer in slope mode, only used garmin to record power,hr and cadence, got a better ftp, lower heart rate and vo2max went up.

is this normal or coul it be faulty equipment or am i doing something wrong?

i dont have a power meter so cannot compare wit anything else, it feels like a given whattage between slope and erg feels different but which one should i use?

[RobertWhitehead]

My diagnosis:

Ditch the phone and Garmin and

Download a platform like: 

1) Sufferfest 

2) Rouvy

3) Fulgaz 

4) Zwift

Then use the platform to control the trainer. The Vortex unit offer everything you need to get a proper workout 😁. KISS (Keep it Simple) 

[cadenceblur]

I assume you are loading a range for the specified wattage? I.e. Say 80 - 95% of FTP?

Most platforms will therefore default to the the midpoint.

So if 85% - 90% is 80 to 100W, the resistance will be set to 90W. 

Not really an issue if you ask me.

 

[Frosty]

Ditch ERG mode when doing intervals at VO2max and above, and learn to do it on feel.

If you say there is a slope mode, then use that rather. These workouts should be the highest power you can do for say 4-5 mins over the set of intervals.

So, to get progression, do 3x4m them 4x4m and finally 5x4m in the third week. Your average power for each interval should be within the VO2 range (105-120%) and you should be able to complete all sets. If you need to recover on the floor after the workout, it’s a sign you did it well. If you drop power in the last set, you’ve started out too hard. You’ll learn over time how they should feel.

In summary: ditch ERG mode

 

Edit: For normal ERG mode settings, in longer sub-threshold workouts, set the workout with smaller range, 90-94% instead of 90-105%.

But even that, if I’m feeling a little off, I’d rather push the lower end of the range (90-95%) than try force it at the target power. If I feel a little stronger, I would like to push the higher end of the range 100-105%.

Zwift allows changing from ERG to Incline in the workout. As I have a Wahoo, I can change from ERG to Level/Slope in the Wahoo app mid-workout. Not sure Tacx allows switching of if you’re stuck in one mode for the entire workout.

Edited June 2, 2022 by Frosty

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, Nicomrs said:

Hi guys

im using a tacx vortex.

doing vo2 max intervals for instance,

Using garmin in erg mode to control the trainer, i find that it only follows the middle of a prescribed zone. This causes lower ftp and very low vo2max. This is normal. Any IDT in ERG mode will try to keep you in the middle of the prescribed zone. If in doing so you are not seeing the results then either you not set your thresholds correctly or you have not calibrated the Vortex correctly. A wheel on Trainer also requires a 10-15min warm up before performing the calibration to ensure it applies the appropriate resistance.

Today i did the same workout using my phone to control trainer in slope mode, only used garmin to record power,hr and cadence, got a better ftp, lower heart rate and vo2max went up. this supports the above statement in bold. However the you're still adrift in a sea of misinformation. ow which is correct? Naturally you will er on the side of the higher Ftp but this could be just as wrong as the previous workout data

is this normal or coul it be faulty equipment or am i doing something wrong? you don't mention the calibration anywhere so I suspect its that

i dont have a power meter so cannot compare wit anything else, it feels like a given whattage between slope and erg feels different but which one should i use?

ERG is just the trainer maintaining what it thinks is appropriate braking force. Slope is still calculating the power from the trainer brake so both sets of power numbers are coming from the same source but likely under slightly different operating conditions.

Always:

1) Set your tyre pressure to the same for every workout

2) Warm up the trainer for 10-15min before starting the workout, Yes you can skip the warup phase , no need to repeat it. It doesn't matter.

What training analysis tool are you using? Training Peaks, Tacx Training App, Sufferfest, TrainerRoad, Today's Plan or derivative thereof, etc Interals.icu.

 

A word of caution, without the calibration phase and repeating this consistently all your data is likely to be junk in the short term. You will need a lot of data to start sorting out your norm and moving averages

 

[Nicomrs]

7 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

 

Thanks, I try calibrating once a week.

What gear should i calibrate in? And at what cadence? 
 

im following workouts from training peaks.

garmin doesnt allow switching between erg and slope, also havnt find a option to use slope mode and follow a workout. Thats why i tried the tacx app to control the trainer at a set gradient and follow the workout on my garmin aswell as recording the data.

slope mode feels easier also?

[DieselnDust]

4 hours ago, Nicomrs said:

Thanks, I try calibrating once a week.

What gear should i calibrate in? And at what cadence? 
 

im following workouts from training peaks.

garmin doesnt allow switching between erg and slope, also havnt find a option to use slope mode and follow a workout. Thats why i tried the tacx app to control the trainer at a set gradient and follow the workout on my garmin aswell as recording the data.

slope mode feels easier also?

It might because its trying to hold a constant resistance where as ERG tries to keep you at constant power so you're always fighting the trainer.

[Dexter-morgan]

Which Garmin, I had issues with a Edge 520 but 530 works like a charm.