Blue Tooth Constantly Dropping

I’ve been experiencing repeated and constant blue tooth issues.

I can be riding for about anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes and then suddenly the ZML loses the blue tooth connection. Sometimes if I keep pedaling, it will reconnect, but 95% of the time, it drops and never reestablishes the connection.

If I restart the phone and restart the laptop, it will reconnect, but by then it doesn’t matter if I’m on a group ride.

I have the latest version of the app, blue tooth works fine on my phone, I’m not trying to connect to anything else, this is happening on different phones that I have, and there are no other blue tooth devices within range.

I’ve seen other posts on here about the same issue, and there was supposedly a fix released back in January. I’m still having issues.

Is anyone else still seeing this?

I like Zwift, but this is getting kind of annoying. This problem never happened nearly as much before.

See if this helps you: https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000111566-My-Bluetooth-signal-is-Dropping?section=201145295

I found this yesterday and none of those issues apply:

 No physical barriers

No other blue tooth devices

No dying batteries - phone is fully charged and the trainer doesn’t run on batteries

No fans

No microwave ovens

No wireless video transmitters

So essentially, nothing to cause any interference with BLE between the phone and my trainer.

What is the source of the Bluetooth signal Anthony?

I’m using a Kinetic by Kurt trainer with a Samsung Galaxy S8. The trainer is up to date with all its patches.

I had this problem and tried everything, not joy. Only solved it by moving to Ant+.  Since then, everything has run perfectly.

Really easy to setup, buy from Zwift store for ~$40.  Well worth it.

So how would this work when I’m using the ZML app and that supposedly only uses BLE?

How would you set up a blue tooth trainer to use ANT+? My trainer isn’t ANT+ equipped…only blue tooth.

Answers to your questions are above my pay grade Anthony.  Not sure how to make your BT only trainer ANT+ compliant.  Sorry.

Does the Bluetooth signal drop even when the phone is on the floor right next to the trainer?

Yup. Can have the phone literally inches away from the trainer and it will drop. 

I don’t have nearly as many problems with Trainer Road or the Kinetic Fit app…

Ben:

Thanks…but sadly already know the answer! That’s why I told you about the whole I only have BT.

I’m kind of starting to have some regrets picking up the Kinetic - after the fact of course.

But I also wish Zwift would make some changes to the ZML app. Or eliminate it altogether.

For example, my better half starting having major  issues with connecting with the ZML back in November. Before then, everything was completely fine. She and I could both pair with no problem and we would never get kicked out of  a ride.

Then all of a sudden ZML began performing liker crap. IT would take forever to link. Then when it finally did, it would drop the connection 5-10-15 minutes into the ride. Sometimes it pops right back, but most of the time - nothing!

Now my phone won’t even pair nor will my tablet. The rub is that we both have the exact same phone! Uninstalled and reinstalled several times on both my phone and tablet: nothing!

I have ZERO problem connecting my trainer to TrainerRoad or the Kinetic Fit app. None. So it’s not a trainer issue or phone blue tooth.

I’ve read several posts on here where countless other users began having the same issues during the same time frame. That can’t be a coincidence.

Don’t know why it is so difficult to add support for a COM port to Zwift?! PerfPro uses a direct wired connection to the trainer AND is ANT+ enabled. And for the record, PerfPro is literally a one man company. If he can do it, why can’t an entire team of developers at Zwift do it?

Don’t get me wrong…I like Zwift! It’s a nice break from always doing structured workouts. But the performance is just too inconsistent!!

I have a similar issue using ZML on an S8 paired with a cycleops magnus. Im using zwift 5 times a week and the bluetooth will drop in 3/5 sessions. I was left at the start gate of the bambino fondo in saturday for 5mins due to a dropped connection. It was fun chasing as many riders down as i could manage but it was a case of making the best of an irritating situation.

We switched from BT to ANT+ and a dongle(if you have that option) with a signal booster from the garage to the router.

Seems to be trouble free now.