PowerMatch Experiences

I’m running 1x11 with front chainring 42, rear 19 tooth. Sometimes I’m under 20W, sometimes over 20W which is really annoying, but at least I’m aware of that and it’s recorded in training. The biggest issue i had with short overs and unders where power is changing. Even short sprints were ok. I hope TR will be able to fix it.

I feel like I already know the answer to this, but is it possible to use PowerMatch using the following setup:

iOS app without ANT+ dongle
Garmin Vector 2
Wahoo Kickr

I’m pretty sure I could using my ANT+ stick and my Macbook, but can’t do this using the iOS app on my phone without the ANT+ dongle. If there’s a way, someone please let me know.

It might be possible. I agree with others in this post that using the Wahoo app’s “Use Ant+ Power Meter” setting sort of worked.

You could try this:

  1. Make sure the TrainerRoad app is closed
  2. Open the Wahoo app, and go into your Kickr settings and Enable the “Use Ant+ Power Meter” and put in the Ant+ ID of your Vector 2s
  3. Go back to the home screen and open the TrainerRoad app.

There seems to be some questions on if you need to keep the Wahoo app running to make this work, or if its just something you set and forget, but it cant hurt to try.

I’m not sure going this route will report any Cadence reading to TrainerRoad though.

1 Like

I’ll give it a try. Getting a cadence reading is the tell, as I currently can’t get cadence to read unless I’m using the Wahoo cadence sensor. I’ll report back tomorrow. Thanks Spots.

If you’re using Wahoo’s cadence sensor then you shouldnt have any issues there since it transmits in Bluetooth.

If I’m not getting a cadence reading using only the Vector 2, doesn’t that mean it’s not pulling the power data using the Vector 2? If it was using the data using the pedals, it should register the power and cadence.

the Vector 2 only use ANT+ so that would be the only way to register them. I think earlier in the thread they said its possible to set up your Kickr to take power from an ANT+ device, so in theory if you do that set up through the Wahoo Fitness app then connect to the Kickr in the IOS app it should work…

The Wahoo isnt going to rebroadcast the Cadence to TrainerRoad so you wont see if it’s using it or not.

Wahoo trainers do not measure cadence, there is nothing to broadcast. For that reason Wahoo provides a separate cadence sensor for you to install on left crank arm. Or you can use another cadence source (e.g. a crank or pedal power meter).

Yes, its possible however in my testing it isn’t reliable and therefore I recommend using TR’s PowerMatch.

@justinm, Why are you using the Wahoo Fitness App? I have the same setup (Stages L PM, Kickr17,) and have never found a need for using the app with TrainerRoad (using Erg Mode with PowerMatch on via iPad Pro with Bluetooth). I experience some delays +/- 15-20 watts, for 10-15 seconds at times, but otherwise find the PowerMatch feature to be ok if I’m consistent with my cadence.

2 Likes

The Wahoo app is used to configure certain things with the KICKR, like firmware updates, power smoothing, etc. I don’t use it at the same time as TR. I posted about it as standard trouble shooting procedure to check if there was a known bug in the Wahoo app conflicting with TR.

I had much the same experience with my elite Direto and P1 pedals.

I now only use the trainers power in erg mode and find it a lot better, Especially the rams test which was grim to do in power match.

I used Resistance mode at 27/28%

I set out to duplicate GPLama’s test, and discovered a 6-10W difference between Kickr power and Stages LR power:

So it acts like its working, but it really isn’t doing any power matching as you can see.

I called Wahoo support and reported, and they said Control w/ANT+ is not fully supported as you can only set it using iOS app. I asked “would you call it beta” and he didn’t answer. So I said “its beta” and again no real answer. So I said “its not fully supported because it can only be setup using iOS” and he said yes.

And thats why I went back to using TR’s PowerMatch. Because it generally works well for me with this setup:

  • Kickr 2017 direct drive
  • Stages LR
  • 53x15 gearing

Every once in a while there can be some lag, and it usually seems the reason is because I’m lazy responded to a large resistance increase from rest interval to work interval. It hasn’t impacted any workouts.

1 Like

My Problem is, that at the start of the frist jump, my power doesn’t jump it slowly increases. At the second jump it tracks very well.
What could be the problem?
Is my gearing to high in the first part so the trainer is at the absolut lowest resistance and because of this the power match function couldn’t really work?
Does every one else have the same problem?
I have a Tacx Flux and some Favero bePRO Power Meter pedals.

grafik

1 Like

Had an absolute nightmare with powermatch ERG mode yesterday.

Setup is Assioma DUO with Tacx Vortex smart trainer over ANT+ to Win10 PC

It’s like its not even trying! What hurts the most is it not slackening off the resistance after the intervals.

Power readings measured from both devices not too far off when viewed in the “devices” screen but did notice that the power from the assiomas lag behind the vortex by around 4 seconds.

Any advice on a way to improve things? If i turn powernatch off can I still have power recorded from the pedals with the vortex adjusting resistance? I’d rather it be stable at a slightly incorrect setpoint than what happened above.

Also do you think it would be any better using bluetooth instead of ant? For the last too intervals I switched to my phone and connected via bluetooth and it seemed a bit better - i was able to maintain a roughly consistent cadence but then the signal to my pedals dropped out because my phones bluetooth antenna is so poor…

Awesome that you can switch device and resume a workout by the way - totally didn’t expect to be able to do that!!!

1 Like

I have the exact same setup as you and experience the same although not as bad from the looks of your workout. if i knew how to upload a photo then i would show you. I cant help with why though but would be interested to know. I always set my workout intensity to at least 101% intensity for anything other than VO2 in which i set to 102% to make sure that i always hit target.

I get my new Core tomorrow and plan on testing the Core vs my Vector 3 dual sided PM. If the power readings are within, say, 5W or 2-3% consistently, it seems like it’d be simpler to use the Core power and maybe record Vector power for comparison periodically, rather than using PM. If there is some substantial difference, then consensus seems to now favor using TR powermatch with the Vectors rather than Kickr Ant+ control. Does that about sum it up for the smart trainer noob?

For me using the Kickr with Power match disabled is so much smoother. But the Kickr does read 3-7 watts lower at times. If I can still do the intervals I leave it alone and figure I’m just getting a slightly harder workout if I’m to believe my PM is more accurate.

1 Like

Following up here, I got my Core set up in about an hour. I warmed it up for about ten minutes, ran a couple of spindown calibrations (which eliminated the minor noise the unit was making at the start), and then did a little free riding in resistance mode to compare the Vector 3 power with the Core. Just eyeballing the two, it appeared the Core was 15-20W lower than the Vectors, which one might expect given drivetrain losses.

So, I turned on PowerMatch and did my workout for the day (Donner). While the power was probably a bit “spikier” than when I controlled it all on the Fluid2, I don’t think it was too bad, and any lag didn’t really bother me. I definitely noticed the need to stay on top of cadence, but that was just a shift of my focus from staring at power to staring at cadence. As I got the hang of it, things really smoothed out the second interval and then got a little more hectic in the third interval as I started to fatigue. I’ll continue to play around with it, but for the first ride my experience with Powermatch was positive.

3 Likes