I have been using trainerroad for a while and now have a query and a request for advice.
The query first of all. I am using an Elite Digital Smart B+ turbo, Garmin Vector 2 power meters and a Polar hrm controlled thro’ trainerroad on a windows 10 pc with an ant dongle. When I set up trainerroad indicates 5 devices, I assume that the turbo and the hrm are recognised twice once as bluetooth and once as ant. So my query is should I be concerned by this - I could turn off the bluetooth but not the ant as the power meters require ant. I have run it without bluetooth but having it on appears to make little difference - except it may be improving the control thro’ erg mode - but that may be my imagination. I assume trainerroad has some preset protocol as to which to use. So the query is should I worry about this?
Now for the request for advice. It usually takes me a minute or two for the power to settle down to the level required by trainerroad using erg mode, which is OK for longish sets at a given, or relatively slowly changing power. However, in short sprints it never settles down - is this normal or can anyone advise how I might get closer to the target.
I have a kicker core and there is a slight delay before the PM sets the tension properly. I’ve experimented with cadence to help the matter and it seems like using couple points less going into the interval then spinning up a bit higher help to even it out. I haven’t really noticed a difference by using Bluetooth or ant and for what it’s worth I think trainerroad uses the Bluetooth connection if it’s available over ant.
If you’re using a Smart Trainer, it’s possible TR is seeing it as multiple devices
-Smart Trainer
-Power meter
-Cadence sensor
-Speed sensor.
You should be able to see what devices are connected under the Devices interface in the Win10 version of TR. I prefer ANT+ over BT so I disable BT in the TR Win10 application.
Depending on the smart trainer you use, your power tracing will not look like perfect rectangles. It’ll be noisy. If you’re using an external power meter and powermatch , which it sounds like you are, it’ll be even more noisy. Usually there is a lag as you ramp up to the target, then an overshoot of the target, then eventually you settle in a few percent of the target if you are holding a constant cadence. In short (15"-30") intervals, you may never get to exactly the target. As long as your power is within ~5% of the target for such intervals, you’re fine… it’s anaerobic work and you’re getting the desired stimulus even if the numbers are not exact.
It’s probably obvious, but if you do any TR workouts outdoors your numbers will be even more noisy, still effective though.