New Wattbike Atom Announced

[Hoppy]

In my experience there is slim chance of the Atom hitting any power requirements sub 30 seconds…

I find if I move the interval to 35 seconds il get within 5/10% of prescribed power and then the longer the interval stretches the closer it gets… But under 30 secs and it never settles enough to get close enough to prescribed power…

@Pete I was advised by support you were product owner that would look at implementing gear resistance from the atom… Do you know if there is anything specific that would cause TR erg workouts to be more sensitive than other apps in erg?

[Tom_Gurden]

It’s recorded simultaneously, 2 diff power meters connected to 2 diff devices, doing the same workout starting at the same time.
With trainerroad the 2 workouts are shown as separate workouts in your in as they are 2 diff files.

I don’t use the hub so I don’t know

[dcrainmaker]

@Tom_Gurden

I don’t know if these are the issues that DC rainmaker was talking about and how they are getting on resolving them with updates but I’m confident they’ll fix them

Yup - those are the exact same issues (slow to respond, then overshoot/undershoot).

I was just given another new firmware version to give a whirl around ERG mode, so we’ll see how it goes. I suspect either way, I’ll get on with publishing a final review the week after (this upcoming week is far too big a @#$#@ for new releases to get this tucked in too).

Cheers!

[Jackc70]

Tracking this thread with interest. As I mentioned above I ditched my Atom2 order to buy a Tacx Neo Bike but now I’m concerned about the issues with the Neo (erg and belt) plus I’ve read some horror stories about how Garmin UK are dealing with warranty issues. Check out Tacx FaqX on YouTube. I’m still not happy with WB for releasing what was effectively a beta with the Atom V1 but their service was pretty decent.

Have I made an error? Is the NEO likely to be a lemon? Should I beg WB to let me back on the bus?

[acliffalay]

I think all providers, including Tacx, Wahoo, Saris, Wattbike, and others have had issues.

Ideally the products would be perfect, but as they are not, the customer service becomes pretty important.

Wattbike seems to be pretty good compared to others?

[wysbf2]

I’m not denying that there are sometimes problems - but the internet makes it easy for the dissatisfied few to make lots of noise compared to the many contented customers. They’re all good products - read the reviews and pick the one that seems best for you.

[bazcurtis]

I don’t race and never had a smart trainer/bike before. For what it is worth, I chose the Watt Bike Atom (last November) as it had been out for some time and Wattbike have a history of making bikes. I found it interesting that @GPLama and @dcrainmaker said that a smart bike is not a frame with a smart trainers attached. I was surprised to hear about the Neo issues considering their history with trainers.

The other bikes weren’t available in large numbers and for the extra £1000 didn’t seem worth it for me. I spoke to support a couple of times as I waiting for my Atom to come and they were really good.

[GPLama]

@bazcurtis

I found it interesting that @GPLama and @dcrainmaker said that a smart bike is not a frame with a smart trainers attached. I was surprised to hear about the Neo issues considering their history with trainers.

You’ll need to quote your source on that from me. The NEO Bike is exactly that. A frame built around a NEO.

[benji]

I am having the same issues with my Atom V2, especially at lower watt recovery intervals. It is slow to react and overcompensates resulting in an endless oscillating loop that is near impossible to get out of. Example below - similar workout V1 versus the new V2.

V1:

V2:

[bazcurtis]

I wasn’t saying that wasn’t how it worked, but I am sure you both mentioned on the podcast that from a manufacturing point of view it wasn’t as simple as bolting them together. Ray mentioned Stages experience building bike where Tacx and Wahoo don’t.

[PD216]

There is a longer seatpost available for taller riders

[Hoppy]

On a side note, I took my Atom apart on the weekend to rotate the bars a little - Having put it all back together a considerable number of the squeaks and rattles have gone.

As a comparison to the original Wattbike it really is poorly built.

[acliffalay]

I was thinking of changing the handlebars to narrower ones to emulate my road position better.

Deda Piega bars should fit the 26mm clamp, should be easy enough to do?

Also contemplating removing the iPad mount and adding a more permanent Zwift/TV solution.

[Hoppy]

You have to remove the bar adjustment piece which is 3 hex screws and then you can lift the bar out and make the relevant changes. Fairly simple to do once you get the adjustment piece out of the war.

[Johnnyvee]

interesting (but i’d still not buy one).

[Jackc70]

Exactly what I have done with Piega bars. I did find it hard to get the bars where I wanted them to be in terms of the tops to hoods transition. The front of the WBA is ridiculously over-engineered!

[kevstraining]

DCR: I’m going to publish the review with ERG mode as it is*
Wattbike: Please no we can fix it we just need more time!!!*
DCR: You have 1 week.*

*may or may not be actual dialogue

I feel a bit invested in the new Atom - i really want it to work well and think it will fulfill my requirements nicely if ERG gets sorted.

[benji]

New firmware focused on ERG issues was released yesterday (v1.03.20). It makes a big difference. They are definitely getting closer to getting this right.

[kevstraining]

That’s great news. Do you have an example workout with the new fw you can share?

[benji]

Old firmware:

New firmware:

It still has a tendency to drop off a cliff when it moves from interval to rest period and I had 2-3 weird drops in watts in the last interval but apart from that felt a lot better than before.