Hi.
I have created a personal workout on the Garmin connect website and uploaded to my edge 520. I am using my edge 520 to control my kickr when this workout takes place, when its on it only uses erg mode and i cannot find any options to turn it into resistance mode. Is there any way to change it from erg mode to resistance mode on the edge 520 while in this workout mode state or a work around?. I am not a fan of erg mode it is too strict to the way i ride.
Thanks
Not quite sure why you want to do that. To me, the whole point of creating workouts and letting a device control a trainer is to use erg mode.
If you just want resistance mode, can’t you just turn the kickr on, start pedalling, watch a clock and so your 5x5min or whatever that way? No point to program anything if you’re then not letting it control things.
I agree, it is a total great theory but that is not how my body works, when i ride i seem to ride in pulses that fluctuate at about 10 to 15 watts if i don’t get that fluctuation my legs just give up. It might also be that i need to focus on something like maintaining the power to divert my brain from the pain. I am sure i am one of the very few people that have this problem.
I am sure just watching the clock is one way to do it but i want to find out is there other ways around this too.
Thanks
Not many people, if any, can hold a perfect wattage in ERG. Everyone has the power oscillating around target power to some degree, meaning it falls and rises around the power target.
If your cadence is all over the place, ERG will be constantly trying to adjust the power to match your cadence. ERG usually wins this fight.
A good (smooth) cadence helps a lot and means ERG leaves things alone.
Here’s a snap of a 20min SS interval I did recently. I focus on a smooth, steady cadence and power remains pretty stable. Even so, you can still see the power moving over and under target.
Do you have a power meter?
If you do, you could pair the edge with the PM, but not the Kickr
That would allow you to just see the power and the workout graph, but not have it control the Kickr, so you can have it resistance mode.
I don’t know if there is a way of just pairing the power or the cadence from the kickr, but not the trainer itself. I don’t think you can pair it in resistance mode, because that wouldn’t let the edge control it.
I’m not familiar with Garmin device pairing, but the only way I think your idea can work is to pair the Kickr as a “Power Meter” specifically. If the 520 sees the device as a “Smart Trainer”, I think it will likely default to ERG mode.
Misread splash’s response but it’s possible as I’ve done it with a 520 Plus and 1030 on a KICKR. Fairly certain it was the method @mcneese.chad mentioned of not pairing as an indoor trainer but it’s been a while since I’ve done it. I’ll try it tonight again.
I do most of my workouts using my 1030 on a KICKR in ERG mode. Out of curiosity I analyzed a 7 minute period of a recent workout. Cadence varied 87-91 and the power varied 195-231 so there’s a bit of a swing there you say you like.
I understand the resistance desire though. Not quite your reasoning but from a training standpoint it helps the rider sort of build muscle memory, for a lack of better words, of what each zone feels like.
A somewhat janky work around but it works - I’ve been loading workouts on my Garmin but using the Wahoo app on my phone to control the trainer. Its really easy to switch between modes and adjust targets or resistance on the app. You can change modes or dial in a specific watt target in erg mode. I let the Garmin run in erg mode, then when I need a target adjustment or to go into resistance mode I do that on the app. You have to start the workout timer in the app then slide over 3 or so screens to get to the trainer control page…
The Garmin sets erg mode with the target power at the beginning of an interval but if you make a change on the Wahoo app, the app takes over the trainer until the next interval starts.
Yeah i never thought of that, maybe i can pair the power, cadence and speed as separate devices on the edge 520. Hopefully then it will offer me a resistance mode. I will try that after work. Thanks for the tip.
Hi STP
I did try that yesterday and it worked, i used my smart phone with Wahoo app to control resistance and then used my Ultegra crank power meter with the edge 520 as a power source. That is definitely on way of doing it, but @mcneese.chad suggested or more elegant way of doing it. I am yet to try it out, i will do it this afternoon after work and post my result .
So on my 1030 here’s what I do to use resistance.
Don’t start the workout, just have it loaded and go back to…
I can now start the selected workout and use resistance mode to vary the trainer. I didn’t connect the trainer as an Ant+ power meter. My 520+ is borrowed at the moment so I can’t test unfortunately.
I managed to try this out yesterday and it works. I can now ride the workouts with resistance mode on. Thanks for your help
