Maximum Power on Trainer?

On a smart trainer, is it better to use erg or standard/resistance mode for these type of sprints? Workouts like striped have enough rest between intervals so I’m thinking of using erg but not sure because of the power change. Up the cadence few seconds before interval starts? @mcneese.chad

I’d say it depends what your goal is. I wouldn’t say the efforts in Striped are ‘sprints’ - I’ll happily do Striped in Erg on my Neo … but if I was aiming to do 1 to 15 sec all-out efforts at up to about 1000W I’d do that in resistance mode, partly because the effort will be so spiky that Erg might hold you back.

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I use a kickr snap. I think the max power is somewhere around 1500W. The issue for me is not the max power, but the side-to-side rocking. I am afraid it will break the trainer. So no sprinting for me. My max efforts have been done seated. I easily hit 1200W for 5 seconds in resistance mode. Maybe that is something you can try.

@wysbf2 hit the nail on the head.
My trick for most ERG kicks and sprints is to actually lower my cadence 10-15 rpm about 20 seconds before the effort.

This causes the trainer to increase the resistance unit setting because of the lower cadencr. When the interval hits, i jump and wind up cadence and power. This give me more overhead o. Cadence and usually hits the prescribed power faster than waiting on ERG from a higher cadence to start.

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Ok, that’s the opposite of what I thought I had to do cadence wise. Think it might even make the intervals a bit harder because of the higher power push at the beginning. Definitely going to try it next time. Merci

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Cool, let us know how it goes. :smiley:

If you’re aiming for max wattage, no matter the duration then you need to use resistance mode.

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i’ve done 1150w on my kurtkinetic road machine with a trainer tire, had to spin up to that because sharp spikes in power give me wheel slippage even with the knob cranked down really far

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Even if weren’t on a dumb trainer, I’d switch to resistance mode. In TR workouts they ask of 200 % of FTP or so, but to me that is way too low. Plus, you can’t pace a sprint within a few watts and is done to exhaustion anyway. If TrainerRoad tells me a 10- or 20-second sprint is on the menu, I sprint for that duration, properly paced.

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Don’t have to worry about max power on the trainer if sprint your is pathetic… Like mine :wink: :wink:

I can’t sprint on my Flux 2. I’m not sure if it’s my technique or the trainer. I think in resistance mode I’ve just about managed to get into the 800w range, but could fairly easily hit 900w+ at will outside. Then again my all time max is pretty crappy

Current AQI levels in the twin cities are over 100 with PM2.5. I’m amazed how many people I know are still riding outdoors, one buddy logged a 6 hr ride yesterday when the AQI was well over 100. It’s mind boggling.

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