Dropping Bluetooth Signal??

Hi, I have a classic fluid trainer (Ascent), set up with CatEye ISC-12 Bluetooth Speed/Cadence Sensor so I use the Zwift Mobile Link App.  I have my PC sitting right beside my bike and my phone is mounted to the bike handlebar so the PC and phone are ~1.5ft from the sensors on my bike and PC/phone are on the same Wifi network at my house.  The CatEye Sensor is new so the battery is new.

The issue I have on EVERY ride is I’ll be riding and my watts will go blank and my avatar just comes to a stop.  I’ve gotten used to it somewhat and know it will happen so I will just hit “A” on my keyboard while I’m riding which pulls up the Paired Devices screen.  It still shows my cadence and speed “paired”.  I will hit “OK” or “Ride” (can’t remember what the screen says) and my avatar will start riding again , data starts again, and everything is OK.

But this happens all the time and I can’t figure it out.  On a 30 mile ride it will happen ~10 times or more during the ride at random times, but it happens on EVERY ride.  There is no interference between the PC/phone and sensors, i.e. fan, monitor, etc. and my PC/phone is only ~1.5ft from my sensors.

Any ideas???  I assume somehow I’m losing bluetooth connection but I really don’t know what is causing this.  It’s just weird that when I hit “A” and pull up the Paired Devices screen it immediately starts working again…it’s almost like it goes to “sleep” or something???  This has become quite frustrating.

 

How long have you observed this happening?

I’ve only been a member for about a month.  It’s happened from my very first ride.  I thought maybe my cadence and speed magnets weren’t “close” enough to the sensor, but I have them both very tight (within 3mm).

I’ve been having a similar problem, after the app had been working flawlessly.  Ends up happening ~5x during a one hour ride.  I use a Wahoo KICKR and RPM Cadence.

Since updating the iOS app to version 1.0.16111, I’ve had wattage fluctuations due to dropouts of my Wahoo Blue SC. I’ve read the dropout tips in the https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000111566-My-Bluetooth-signal-is-Dropping article. I use a Wahoo Tickr HRM and Bluetooth headphones while plugged into an LCD tv via Lightning adapter. The headphones and tv are listed as a potential source of interference, but before updating I noticed no issues and very consistent readings.

When the Bluetooth headphones are disconnected, no dropouts have been observed. That suggests they are the culprit.

However, the Wahoo Fitness app did not appear to suffer any dropouts when subjected to the same conditions: Bluetooth headphones connected and plugged into TV via Lightning adapter. I did this test to keep the same environmental variables.

I have also noticed that since the 1.0.16111 update, the wattage/cadence readings in Zwift are less persistent. Previously, when I stopped pedaling on a descent to trigger the supertuck, a small number would remain for one or both readings. For example, 8rpm and 14W. Supertuck would sometimes still be triggered. Since the update, the numbers zero out quickly when I stop pedaling.

The 1.0.16156 update did not improve the situation. I haven’t yet updated to 1.0.1618

Thanks for the feedback guys.  Just to clarify, I’m using the Mobile Link app on Android with Samsung Galaxy 7 Activ.  I rode for 30 today and only had 2 dropouts…best yet.  I can deal with that, it’s the over 10 dropouts over a 20 mile ride that are annoying as h*ll!

Rode today after updating to 1.0.16180 and when I switched from wired headphones to Bluetooth ones, started seeing dropouts with the speed/cadence sensor. HRM didn’t show any dropouts.

Rode again today and had about 10 dropouts over 6-7 miles.  It’s ridiculous.  I got so frustrated I just stopped riding!!!  This needs to be fixed ASAP!!!

 

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I am experiencing a lot fo drop outs as well.

As soon as I go to the paired screen, it reconnects.  Very annoying when it happens several times in a 30-60 minute ride.

Any suggestions to improve this would be great

 

I am using a Kurt Kinetic road machine with Inride blue tooth power meter on the trainer and a InRide blue tooth heart rate strap.  Both are new.  I have a Samsung Note 4 phone using the Zwift mobile link app.  The phone sits just above my handlebar.

Today I forgot to put on my blue tooth heart rate strap.  No drop outs of signal for 15 minutes. 

I then put on the blue tooth heart rate strap and had 8 drop outs in the next 15 minutes.

I then took off the heart rate strap and no drop out for the reminder of the ride.

I ordered an ANT+ usb sensor and will try later this week with an ANT+ heart rate strap with my InRide Blue tooth power meter.

Any update in these dropouts? I run Zwift of my computer but use the companion app on my phone. Ever since upgrading the iOS app, my Polar Bluetooth heart rate monitor drops out almost every ride. I never experienced this problem before updating the companion app about two months ago .

Just my two cents - I was having serious dropout from both my Polar HR strap and the Alatech cadence monitor, as in every few minutes, with my iPhone 6 plus.

What I found largely fixed it was to ensure that these sensors were paired *directly* through the Zwift app, not as generic bluetooth devices via the iPhone Settings > Bluetooth menu.  I would re-pair the sensors via Zwift before every ride.  The same thing applied when I would go for a run and I use iSmoothrun - re-pair the HRM directly through the app rather than the iPhone Bluetooth settings.

Hope this helps.

I have read this thread and am still confused. I have a Kinetic Road Machine Smart. I downloaded the inRide app. I have the blue Zwift app. I have Garmin cadence, speed and HRM. I will get everything paired, begin to ride and, as was mentioned in the initial post, my avatar will stop spinning and come to a stop. I then cannot get reconnected as the phone Bluetooth connection shows a gray yield sign with an exclamation point–no connection. My Kinetic sensor will still pair with the inRide app, but not with Zwift.

Believing it to be a battery issue on the Kinetic Bluetooth sensor I changed the battery. Same results. Shortly after the ride begins, it ends. I am super frustrated. I don’t know why it keeps doing this. I just want it to connect and stayed connected. I want to ride and have fun. I just got all this equipment and there should be no reason for this. Please help!

Having the same issues here. Someone please fix this!!!

I have the same issue. I connect vía Bluetooth with android 7.1.1 AND ZML AND drops every 10 minutes. I have polar HR aswell Im going to try without the HR.

I solved my issue by rebooting my Macbook Pro. For some reason the connectivity between it and my wahoo speed/cadence sensors weren’t reliable. A reboot solved the issue.

Here’s what I ended up doing which worked for me.

  • Obviously, make sure the hardware (HRM, cadence/speed sensor) is positioned correctly and doesn’t have a flat battery. 

  • On your phone, manually close all apps, and turn off bluetooth.

  • Power your phone off, back on again, and turn bluetooth back on.

  • Pair everything again through Zwift.

I did all this last night and had a hour’s ride with no dropouts at all,and I’ll do it again every time I want to ride.  It’s worth the 5 minutes it takes. 

Here is what I did.

 

I first tried it with both the inride on my Kurt Kenitc trainer and the matching bluetooth heart rate strap.  seems the phone app does not like trying to talk to two blue tooth devices.

 

I bought an ANT+ usb dongle for my desk and now use my garmin heart rate strap and the inride sensor on the rainer and I never get drop outs any more