I tried ERG mode this morning for the first time with Zwift using SB20. I have previously used ERG mode with Kickr Core without any issues SB20 in ERG mode is totally useless with the latest firmware I started a workout with initially a warm up for 2 1/2 mins @ 100 Watts resistance seemed to be fully engaged I was in lowest cog and lowest gear and unable to change it was impossible to match the set wattage I stood up to peddle wattage went up to over 200 watts then message on screen that ERG mode had been disabled. My experience is with SB20 sim mode works perfectly well, ERG mode is not worth trying until new firmware(s) fix the issues unfortunately products get released prior to all features working correctly.
Just to balance this, ERG mode works perfectly for me in Trainerroad and Zwift, so Iām not sure the statement āERG mode is not worth tryingā is an accurate statement. Possibly you have an issue that could be resolved by Stages support but my own personal experience with the Erg mode is fantastic with both TR and Zwift.
Glad ERG mode is working for you I was only giving my experience I knew there was initial issues with ERG mode I thought that these issues may been resolved in recent firmware updates that is the reason why I have not tried ERG mode till now. I have not contacted Stages Support yet because of the known issues however as you can get it to work in both Trainer Road and Zwift then there is no reason why it should not work with me my setup is using IOS either by ATV or iPad thanks
My ERG mode works pretty well on TrainerRoad. I do have a few quirks where it does things differently from the KICKR and I need to learn different technique, but those are to be expected.
The only real āproblemā Iāve found so far is when ending an interval: target power drops (for example) from 150W to 80W, and even if I keep cadence carefully the same the actual power drops to 40W or so and takes up to 10 seconds to come back up. Doesnāt happen all the time, but probably once or twice per ride. Annoying, but Iāll report it to Stages and Iām sure theyāll work it out.
Do the smart bikes make noise when changing gear? Iām looking at buying a replacement to v1 kickr turbo. one of the main reasons is noise of both the kickr and the gear chain, esp changing gears. i mostly use ERG but want to be able to do sprints and race etc. I have a young toddler in the next room so i need to be quiet.
In general are people recommending the Stages bike?
the Facebook link posted above of rust frames, and all these issues make me stop. However i would have thought stages have been making bikes a long time so these are rare? Donāt need the tilting of a kickr bike and overall think the stages is more aligned to my requirements.
The rusted frame youāve seen on the Facebook group is a one off as far as we can tell, no-one else has had this problem.
I have the SB20 and itās practically silent, the gear changes are actually just a change to the resistance that the bike makes to the flywheel so itās just a virtual gear change anyway.
I personally have had an issue with a clunk noise coming from the flywheel and the Stages UK distributor have already agreed to send someone out the replace with an upgraded design, the customer service so far has been execptional. I see a lot of the other smart bike manufacturers asking for the unit to be shipped back to them but Stages due to their gym bikes, have companies that work with them to provide in home repair which makes a massive difference, imagine having to ship your smart bike back to Garmin or Wahoo potentially at your own expense (depending on warranty conditions)ā¦ Not cheap.
I love mine and even with the issues that Iāve had myself and seen others having, Stages have always sorted the issue. I wouldnāt hesitate to buy a Stages bike again and would happily recommend them to anyone I know.
My fans on low speed are louder than the bike. Clipping in and out of pedals is the loudest noise you will hear, virtually silent for me. I often ride while talking on the phone with clients and they canāt hear the bike either.
To be fair there has only been ONE report of rust, I and several others have removed our stems to check and canāt find even the slightest sign of rust.
Over 3000 miles on mine and really happy with the purchase.
ERG mode is working great for me with TrainerRoad on iPad and Zwift on Apple TV. Currently though I connect the bike in ERG to TR and the crank arm to Zwift to run them both simultaneously.
For me itās a strong recommendation, I love mine.
Iām very happy with mine as well. Some of the wild power variations I saw at first were actually caused by habits Iād acquired on the Wahoo Kickrā¦ learning the bike and some new habits over the first couple of weeks have made everything much better. And the bike is almost silent: my fans make far more noise than the bike.
I also feel like itās quicker/easier (as in, less overhead and prep) to get started with my training, which means that Iām more likely to do it! Intangible but huge benefit. And Iām comfortable enough on the bike that Iām doing longer sessions than I was before. Yes, Iād strongly recommend it.
Iāve had mine for three months now, and itās going well. As others have said, a pretty quiet bike overall, though I do notice if I suddenly start grinding (eg in a race), the wheel can make an almost groaning noise. Not annoying, just something I noticed.
Question for SB20 owners - is there any sort of regular maintenance weāre supposed to do?
Iāve had mine since June. Iāve done a number of TR workouts, a Zwift group ride, gotten some route badges and even done a Zwift century. The bike is awesome.
@AgingCannon hit the nail on the head with habits coming over from other trainers that donāt work with Stages. You really have to settle down when there are big jumps in wattages. The Stages bike just deals with them differently so you canāt fight that change. Itās not good or bad, just different.
Overall, itās been a fantastic purchase for meā¦and being able to keep my road bike ready for a ride at a moments notice is worth every penny I paid for the Stages.
Pulled the trigger and picked it up today. Barely got it in the car but saved Ā£100 delivery charge.
Wife and i got it into the house but not tried to carry up the stairs yet. its soo heavy!!
Cant wait to get it set up.
There is a Facebook group if you are on there full of other folk with the bike, great for support etc
Some teething issues with getting the software updated and working
Power is smooth etc and works well. Different behaviours with erg mode to the KICKR but prob more natural
Only issue atm is the noise. Below 60rpm and over late 70ās itās noisy. The below 60 is quite grindy and mechanical sounding but that mostly when getting the flywheel upto speed. over 75+ start to get a whoompf sound mostly left leg but itās louder then I was expecting. In between itās quiet. Is this what others are experiencing ?
Mine is pretty quiet (flywheel clunking aside) you have have the plastic shroud touching the flywheel which is a pretty easy fix. Have a look at this StagesBike flywheel making noise : StagesBike and if you canāt fix then get a video of it and raise a case with Stages.
There is a bit of a whump whump noise but you canāt hear this over a fan, this is mine - - YouTube there is no scraping noise.
I have a Fenix 5x and it wonāt pick up speed of the stages bike. I have a Neo 1 and it picks up speed no problem. Hopefully @jimstemper has an answer for me
Does Stages have a way to easily convert your Stages Bike coordinates into a Stack/Reach number for your handlebar setup? Wondering for ease of setting up the initial position as well as tweaking the indoor position and carrying that fit over to the outdoor bike.
No
they have a website that gives the various dimensions to measure on your own bike and how they converts to the parts on the bike. Its quite easy. The slight issue is the stem part on the bike, that raises the stack essentially and that requires allen keys. The rest are quick levers. This is only an issue if you have 2 people who are massively different in size. I have put it on the lower setting and Iām 6ft and 56" frame so for my wife this is good as she is also on the lower setting. if you have a high stack height and have multiple users then this could be an issue. Not as slick as wahoo scanning a bike etc
I have had some issues with the bike.
- The first one was the power went all odd and became easier, then suddenly nothing. Had to stop workout and reset power meters which fixed it. The Brakes didnāt work either at this point. only happened once but a bit disconcerting
- Cadence is low. donāt know why at this point
- ERG mode - e.g. a 15 sec at 600 watts canāt get it to go over av of 400-450 it just takes too long to ramp up!?
I need to play with it and try the gears etc. Built like a tank but just need to work out the bugs or my own lack of knowledge on how to best use the bike incase this is just my error