New Shimano power meter not pairing with TR desktop app

Just upgraded my bike and left behind my single sided stages for an (infamous I know) Shimano dual sided PM. Specifically the R9100-P. It all works fine including on the TR iPhone app. But when I try to pair it with the desktop app it just pulses in and out of connection. it only stays connected for a second / disconnects for a second /then reconnects. to the point where I can’t calibrate it. I’ve tried it on Bluetooth and Ant+ / tried restarting laptop / ensured firmware is up to date on the PM and have latest TR app.

Ramp test due in a week and I love the desktop apps Live FTP function…

Help!

Have you contacted support@trainerroad.com to review your issue?

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I have not. Sort of thought that’s what this forum was for but now it all makes more sense. Cheers! :slight_smile:

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Forum is for some level of support, but the specific nature of yours, coupled with the more controlled process of communication within the TR Tech Support is the better avenue in this case.

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It sounds like it’s trying to connect to another device. Before starting TR on the desktop, make sure the TR app is closed and not running in the background on your phone to see if that fixes it.

ETA: Close any app that might be trying to connect to the PM

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Thanks dave. That’s pretty much what tech support told me to look at first.

So… I forgot it from my wahoo headunit, forgot it from shimano E-TUBE, closed every app and switched off Bluetooth on my phone.

The other thing is it does the exact same thing if I try to connect it via my Ant dongle.

Whereas on the TR iPhone app - absolutely no issue.

I’ll go back to tech support and let you know if I learn anything.

Meant to say, Finally got to the bottom of this.

Basically it was a hardware issue.

Confusingly The powermeter does use Bluetooth LE but it only works with Smartphones and the E-TUBE app. It uses ANT+ to send signal to the headunit

So whilst my MacBook Air and TR Desktop can ‘see’ it’s Bluetooth signal, it just doesn’t work with computers.

I’m not sure why switching to ANT+ Dongle didn’t solve it when I first tried, however an update to the beta version of the Desktop app sorted everything out.

Anyway. Hope that saves someone else wasting their time for days on end! TR support were super patient and helpful. Thanks!

Does the shimano Powermeter now work?

Because i dont know which one to buy on my BMC Roadmachine and TR Setup

Hey - it turned out it was a hardware issue. MacBook Air Bluetooth doesn’t seem to like the Bluetooth in the shimano PM. An ant+ dongle fixes the problem. Or in my case I just switched to using the iOS app which is bulletproof. Overall it’s a good reliable PM but two issues -1. the L/R balance issue doesn’t seem to have been solved from what I have read. And 2. It’s a pain not being able to switch it to my winter bike. I have a single sided stages on that and there’s a 5-7 watt difference which I need to account for in my settings. On balance I’d probably much rather have a pair of dual sided assiomas. Hope that helps!

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