I have an issue in ERG mode hard workouts if I need a break and stop or backpedal for a bit. When I come back to the workout the trainer is still in ERG mode it’s a Herculean effort to get my cadence up if the workout is still in a hard interval. The trainer is immediately trying to get to 125% FTP at my slow cadence as I spin up. Ouch. The only way for me to get back in is to stand and attack and try to get my cadence up to speed immediately.
The way a certain competitor handles this is if you stop or back pedal the workout automatically switches to resistance mode and only goes back to erg once you restart and your cadence holds steady for a few seconds.
Is this an option I’m missing in TR or do you just have to fight your way back into ERG?
Hey Nathan, sorry to hear you’re dealing with trainer clench! Can I ask which trainer you’re using?
We often see riders needing to backpedal in workouts, but in my experience with smart trainers like the KICKR, they usually release the tension and allow you to ramp-up into the interval.
We don’t currently have an automatic option to change trainer modes except within the 8min and 20min FTP tests. However, if you’re using the PC app you can use the “M” keyboard shortcut to toggle modes as you backpedal, or use the trainer mode dropdown in Mac or the Mobile apps.
It works well. Do recognize that it defaults to 0% in Resistance mode, so when you switch the first time, it can be a really bid difference. I use the Right arrow key and roll it up to about 25%. It holds that percentage in memory when you return to ERG.
So, if you toggle mode to Resistance again, it will be at 25% (or whatever you set) each time you come back to it.
I sometimes use this to “catch” the flywheel after those quick spin-up sprints. I swap the M key right before or right after completing the sprint. It pulls back to control faster than waiting for pure ERG to catch up.
same experience here on an Elite Drivo. Not pedalling is not an option as you need massive power to get it going again or have to manually switch from ERG mode to resistance mode. I’m on the mac app.
Not just pedaling easy… because that doesn’t work.
It literally means pedaling backwards. You use it as a break when you can’t handle an interval or choose to break it into small chunks.
It allows you to recover a bit.
It also allows ERG to reset, especially if you have ground down too slow in cadence. The back pedal allows the trainer to drops resistance. When you restart pedaling, do so and establish a higher cadence again (90-ish) as quickly as possible before ERG tries to clamp down again.