calibration of power

I just joined Zwift and am using a wahoo kickr.  I did a workout recently and found it very odd.  Zwift would set the power goal (e.g. 200w) and I would aim for that.  It was almost as if there was a arbitrary gravitational pull towards the number that was the goal.  I could peddle really hard and I would stay right at the power goal or I could slack off and it would still stay at or near that power goal.  It felt like the connection between my trainer and zwift just wasn’t there.  On a bike, a small increase in power you can feel how it propels you past someone or helps you gain…but didn’t feel anything like that in this workout.

 

Meanwhile, I have experienced it doing a general group ride.  Granted, it isn’t as accurate as when actually riding but it did feel like there was a relationship that didn’t exist in this workout.  Is there a chance that your workouts calibrate power differently or something?

Probably you did your workout with erg mode on. Then your trainer keeps you at the goal wattage