I’m due to ride Clark later today for the first time on my 2017 KICKR in ERG mode. Looking back I did this workout in Jan 2017 on my 2016 KICKR, but I can’t remember it distinctly and I want to optimise the session.
Reading the instructions in the ride description today it says before the High Force Stomps manually change to a bigger and later change back. I doubt I would have done that before, or I would have remembered, so that’s old text for using a trainer in Resistance Mode, yes?
I’m guessing that updated in-ride text will have said something like - “Smart Trainer ERG Mode users should slow down their cadence down to about 60RPM and then stomp” - Would that be about right?
Anyway, in tandem with this, I have recently switched to training in the Small Chainring to reduce flywheel assistance in Sweet Spot efforts, whilst reducing the lag in engagement after Form Sprints. So, should I stay in the lower ratio for Clark, or go back to the Big Ring for this type of session? I can see advantages/disadvantages for both.
I rode clark in ERG mode last week. I have a low-end smart trainer (tacx vortex) and noticed that with low cadence in a reasonably high gear, the trainer could not provide enough resistance to get up to the prescribed watts. So I ended up doing the stomp efforts at a high cadence …
I presume the kickr perhaps can deliver higher watts, but it may be that on the small chainring it perhaps won’t (combination slow wheel speed-slow cadence. Maybe you can test this beforehand?
The KICKR doesn’t seem to have any trouble requiring plenty of pedal force when you slow down the rpm’s. Not sure on changing your gearing, I’d use what you’ve been doing and see how it feels.
I’d not let the rpm drop too much, as you probably already know if you get down too far it’s hard to come back up without reseting/pausing/backpedaling etc, not that any of those would be that big of a deal if you’re getting the work done anyway.
Any update on how this went? I’m due to ride Clark later today for the first time, and will be trying in erg mode too. Did you just slow your cadence down?
Hey, yes the stomps worked fine. Just let the cadence drop to whatever level you feel appropriate. My ride analysis doesn’t track well though, but that’s because of my KICKR. It needs too much of a lead into sudden power changes and even if I jump early to allow for it, it knocks the power back too soon and skews the effort. But again, as said that’s a Wahoo thing, not TRd.