I am upgrading from a wheel-on smart trainer to a direct drive. Do I need to do a Ramp Test? Or will my workouts be ok using ERG mode on the new trainer?
If you are using a separate power meter and powermatch then you should be fine but if you are getting your power data from the trainer then you should re-test.
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Unless you have been using a power meter on your bike and power match, then yes, you will need to retest.
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I think the guidance would to be to retest if there’s any change of setup. But I guess if you’re using powermatch (in both the old and new setups), AT will take up the slack and you might not have to then.
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Even if you have exactly the same bike and power meter, the flywheel inertia and related gearing to get your power can be very different from your old trainer.
That, and depending on what mode you choose for your test, can all lead to different test results. So a new test is the best practice.
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Just like you, I switched from a wheel-on to direct-drive trainer a couple weeks ago. I did the ramp test and gained 10 watts. I also think you should do a ramp test.
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You have no way of verifying that the wattage reads exactly the same on the 2 devices.
One could read 20 watts higher than the other, resulting in workouts being far too easy or far too hard.
Just re-test and you’ll be good
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Thanks everyone for the advice (and for confirming my deepest fears 
) .
Ramp Test on Tuesday it is!
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Just be thankful it’s just the ramp test rather than the old 20 minute test, that thing was definitely more brutal 
( And if it appears to drop, don’t fret, rather keep in mind, YOUR power didn’t drop, just the tool measuring it reads slightly differently, but if it went up, then time to brag, hahaha )
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There can be massive differences between wheel-on and direct drive trainers. Calibration on wheel-on can be inconsistent at best. Even if using power match, I would retest. Don’t be perplexed regardless of where your numbers end up. You are still at the same fitness. Different numbers, different trainers. You also have to keep that in mind when doing comparison over the years.
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@mcneese.chad Thanks for the advice on this Chad. One more question - when I set up the new trainer, do I do the spindown calibration in the trainer partner app, or within TrainerRoad? Or do I need to do a spindown in both? Same question for when I re-calibrate (once a month in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions). Thanks.
Either for the calibtation. The calibration is stored in the trainer, the different apps just tell it to “do a calibration”.
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Yup, only need to calibrate in either app.
I prefer to use the native trainer app in most cases, but that’s not the most convenient for some use cases.
Along as TR supports a device calibration, I think it’s fine to use as well.
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