What is the real problem with TR / Wahoo? [Adaptive Training]

I cancelled my subscription a week and a half ago because of this. It’s absolutely ridiculous to me. One reason why I kept paying for TR was the expectation that this bug would be fixed at least relatively quickly. They kept saying it has been high priority. I was hoping to go back and my progression levels could kick back in.

Because it hasn’t been fixed TR is essentially useless for training. I’ve learned a lot about training structure over the past year, and base building is pretty damn straightforward, so I don’t need TR’s workouts. I can easily set up some basic progressions and work myself forward. I am not doing a plan because I actually want to ride my bike for fun, not just train every single ride. TrainNow doesn’t work if you ride outdoors, and AT would obviously not work either, so there is no point in the product right now. And since it’s been months with literally 0 communication, I was not going to sit around and keep paying hoping TR would get their shit together. Basically TR turned into a glorified calendar with TSS; I’m not paying $20 a month for that.

Overall this has been a really frustrating process with their product lately.

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If it really is a problem with the Wahoo → Strava → TR line. I hope they are considering a workaround where we can just directly upload a fit file to the TR side and link it to a done workout. Seem a bit of an obvious workaround so I guess TR staff has already considered this.

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I don’t think it is just Wahoo → Strava → TR. if using Strava as the intermediary was the problem, then an interim solution would be to turn off the Strava sync and manually upload the FIT file from Wahoo to TR. I think the problem is in the way Wahoo crafts the FIT file.

Everyone now and then, DCRainmaker mentions he has to tweak the DCAnalyzer software to deal with slightly different FIT file formats. Plus he’s mentioned that some companies put the Ant+ ID for every sensor seen, and not just the ones being recorded. All of which says the FIT file format isn’t strict enough, so that FIT files from different companies can vary. I’m guessing this is the problem with structured workouts using a Wahoo device, and why I don’t think it is something TR can fix. The fix has to be done by Wahoo.

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Are you referring to the hidden feature where you need to append something to the workout link? I haven’t used that feature in years, but at least when I did, I think Strava spit out a .gpx file. (Perhaps importantly, I recorded my workouts with the iOS Strava app, back in the good-old days when Strava had Bluetooth support for sensors, so there was no original fit file, I guess.)

If AT had been released a year ago to all TR users, I might share your sentiment. But AT is currently in beta, I’m not sure what you were expecting here.

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I get a FIT file from rides recorded on a Garmin watch (Fenix 5) and a Wahoo head unit.

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That’s quite the conspiracy theory that you have fabricated for yourself to justify your frustration.

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I’ve used Xert in the past and they have the same problem with Wahoo, in that you can’t export the workouts to their head units. Whenever you contacted Wahoo about this you effectively just got a shrug of the shoulders back via email. Xert openly stated that they wanted to work with Wahoo on this, but in the end they developed their own andriod/iOs app so users could do workouts outside.

I can’t imagine Wahoo are in a massive rush to help what is effectively a competitor in the training app market. Probably as simple as that.

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Not directly related to TR, but I would just like to point out that it took almost 2 years for Wahoo to update their firmware that connects to cloud-saved routes i.e. users not being able to delete old routes from within the Wahoo app. This seems to suggest an issue in the backend with Wahoo and I wouldn’t be surprised if the issue with AT not factoring outdoor workouts in may be somewhat related. Just a thought.

¯_(ツ)_/¯

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10/10 would recommend this comment again.

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I hope there’s nothing to the speculation of a TR-Wahoo break-up. Just bought the new Bolt (great upgrade from old one), and not having outdoor rides makes AT useless for me. A fix or workaround would be highly welcome before end of beta.

Walled gardens are the worst.

Ok check. Didn’t know fit files differ from one to another.

I think this is another indicator that the problem is on wahoo’s end.
SUF (meanwhile their own platform) → Wahoo → no
Xert → Wahoo → no
TR → Wahoo → at least “normal” workouts

Edit: You actually can use the adaptive analysis of xert with any headunit. You just can’t see your MPA live during the ride on a wahoo.

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Don’t read into the conspiracies posted to garner attention. Wahoo is always a bit late with features and implementation I’m not sure why, but to raise such a big stink and make demands and accusations over lack of features in a BETA speaks more to those TR users and not the platform.

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TrainNow is NOT in beta. It is a fully released ready to go product…

Which does not work.

AT is in beta sure. But will be obviously plagued by the same problem so what’s the point in sticking around for a product I still won’t be able to use.

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My TrainNow makes appropriate recommendations after outdoor rides with a Wahoo. Not sure where the issue is

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Of course I expect you to be right. But this needs to be fixed soon or the whole AI push will get a really bad initial perception.

What needs to be fixed? AT is a BETA, an INCOMPLETE product which is still in TESTING, mind you with NO RELEASE DATE announced to the public. The only bad perception it’s getting is from weekly baseless complaints and conspiracies about “what’s really happening behind the curtain, and where is Chad”

Not sure how much more clear this has to be for people to stop getting worked up over nothing, its like if we got mad that a new pre production concept car didn’t have functional airbags. They will get there in due time.

For people who aren’t happy with the beta, you can opt out anytime and make room for someone else.

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To be fair, TrainNow is not in beta and as I said in another thread: As much as AT is hyped by TR about how brilliant it is even in its current state (“I can’t imagine training without it” - Nate/Jonathan, not their direct words, but close) you can’t blame people for having expectations.

Nonetheless you are absolutely right: If you don’t like it, don’t use it. The TR core experience is fine enough.

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You mentioned both, TrainNow and AT in your post as reasons why you canceled your subscription.

I’m not exactly sure what your problem with Wahoo and TrainNow is, can you elaborate? I have an Elemnt Bolt, and I did not notice any weirdness. TrainNow’s suggestions seem entirely appropriate even though the suggestions are based on my indoor workouts only. You can use TrainNow to schedule outdoor workouts and push them to your Wahoo, I just tried it with my Elemnt Bolt to be sure. The only thing is that outdoor workouts on Wahoo bike computers are not included in the calculation of your progression levels. But to claim that this makes TrainNow unusable does not correspond to my own experiences with it.

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Ya I can elaborate. I ride 100% outdoors. Im not gonna sit on a trainer in summer in upstate NY. TN puts my progression levels somewhere between 1-4 for all zones, except in reality the standard endurance->threshold workouts I regularly complete have their equivalent range from 7-10.

I already stated I don’t need TR to build workouts, so unless progression levels start working appropriately I don’t need them to build structure.