# Training Setup - power source: smart trainer or power-meter? **URL:** \ **Category:** Training\ **Tags:** power-meter\ **Created:** [April 15, 2021, 9:40am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343 "2021-04-15T09:40:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CConstTT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@CConstTT](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/CConstTT)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 9:40am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/1 "2021-04-15T09:40:16Z")
Hi! After a couple of years off TR I’m back to training. Now with a smart trainer and a power meter. - smart trainer: Zycle zpro (former Bkool smart pro) - power meter: left-only 4iiii The reason that I’ writing this is because I’ve found a huge power value between these two equipments (my math tells-me that it is ~15%… I’m yet to figure if this is normal or not. I don’t think I have a 7,5% leg inbalance). I’ve used scale on 4iiii precision to diminish this discrepancy, but… What I would like to know is: a) is it better to use smart-trainer power source for indoors training (with ERG mode) or b) should I user 4iiii as power source? While doing a structured training session on Zwfit (with ERG) I’ve found that if I use 4iiii as a power source it seemed almost impossible to achieve power target… I’ve not tried on TR yet, but I assume that it will be the same. Any thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![mrpedro](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mrpedro/32/59752_2.png) [@mrpedro](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mrpedro)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 10:03am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/2 "2021-04-15T10:03:05Z")
You should be able to achieve target power regardless of the power source. Do you mean that it fluctuates around the target with one power meter while with the other is is more stable? This is probably because of smooting, as the trainer might be transmitting a rolling average of the power, which will look more like a straight line on target. It doesn’t really matter what you use as long as you have estimated FTP using the same source. A consideration to use the 4iiii is that when you ride outside you can then better use the inside power numbers as a reference. ---
**Author:** ![JoeX](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/joex/32/6640_2.png) [@JoeX](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/JoeX)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 10:07am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/3 "2021-04-15T10:07:22Z")
> [@CConstTT](#): > > Any thoughts? The power meter is more reliable than the trainer. And use powermatch. ---
**Author:** ![tny](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tny/32/157032_2.png) [@tny](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tny)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 10:19am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/4 "2021-04-15T10:19:43Z")
That trainer is a wheel-on smart trainer. That means to have accurate power numbers you need to: - Have consistent rear tire pressure across sessions (within a couple of PSI) - Consistent environment (room temperature mainly. But also moving the trainer can throw off calibration) - Wait for the trainer to warm up for first ~15mins of riding before trusting the numbers - Do a spin down calibration regularly (every couple of weeks or whenever anything changes with your setup. And it should be done after ~15 minute warmup) If any of those are off with your routine, the power numbers reported by the trainer might be significantly off. Wheel-on trainers are also not as accurate in general, so ~5 percent difference to “real” power is not unexpected even when you do things exactly right (check the trainer specs) The left-only power may only report your left-only power, but majority of users don’t have that significant issues with L/R balance varying significantly. I would just use and trust the left-only power meter as your power source and ignore the power reported by the trainer. You can still use the trainer’s erg mode with Trainerroad if you enable the Power Match feature. This way you get consistent and comparable power numbers for indoor and outdoor rides as well. ---
**Author:** ![CConstTT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@CConstTT](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/CConstTT)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 10:22am UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/5 "2021-04-15T10:22:54Z")
Thanks! I’ll look into it. ---
**Author:** ![tavirapeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tavirapeter/32/157837_2.png) [@tavirapeter](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tavirapeter)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 7:30pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/6 "2026-01-25T19:30:12Z")
I paired a Stages SB20 trainer and 2 Stages power meters to the TR app. The power readings were definitely out by at least 50% possibly over 100%. TR help told me to unpair the power meters. I now have a trainer with 2 power meters not paired to anything. How does the TR app measure the power?My FTP is less than half it should be. I’m thinking of quitting my subscription. ---
**Author:** ![kevistraining](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/kevistraining/32/171237_2.png) [@kevistraining](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/kevistraining)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/7 "2026-01-25T22:47:12Z")
Have you tried contacting stages? ---
**Author:** ![tavirapeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tavirapeter/32/157837_2.png) [@tavirapeter](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tavirapeter)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2026, 11:05pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/8 "2026-01-25T23:05:27Z")
Yes but I didn’t get a reply yet ---
**Author:** ![kevistraining](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/kevistraining/32/171237_2.png) [@kevistraining](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/kevistraining)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 12:03pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/9 "2026-01-26T12:03:28Z")
I replied in another thread but it makes more sense here… Stages advice is the same an TrainerRoads… > **[Recommended Settings - TrainerRoad](https://support.stagescycling.com/support/solutions/articles/11000098581-recommended-settings-trainerroad)** > > Stages Cycling app If you are using the ride recording feature in the Stages Cycling app to view your gears while using TrainerRoad, select the Stages bike control widget and set the bike to External control. However, if you are using the Dat... From the above link…looks as though the bike re-broadcasts the data from the power meters… so you are not loosing accuracy by just linking the bike 👍 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/8/2/82ecd8c276021260770d7789e561af7177a8923f.png) ---
**Author:** ![tavirapeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tavirapeter/32/157837_2.png) [@tavirapeter](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tavirapeter)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/10 "2026-01-26T13:15:51Z")
No. The bike doesn’t pair directly with the power meters - only with the Stages App so unless I run both Apps there is no power measurement. I think the TR App is just inferring power from the ERG setting. I’m amazed that the TR App can’t use the power meters. ---
**Author:** ![Dickie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Dickie](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Dickie)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 1:32pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/11 "2026-01-26T13:32:37Z")
> [@tavirapeter](#): > > My FTP is less than half it should be. I’m thinking of quitting my subscription. If you quit your subscription how would you double your FTP to get it back to where you want it to be? ---
**Author:** ![tavirapeter](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/tavirapeter/32/157837_2.png) [@tavirapeter](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/tavirapeter)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 2:35pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/training-setup-power-source-smart-trainer-or-power-meter/57343/12 "2026-01-26T14:35:22Z")
My real FTP is fine. It’s the TR app that can’t find the correct value If I train using the TR app my FTP will go down.