I’ve so far only completed a few runs. I use the NPE Runn.
I have set the inclination to either what it says in the upper right corner that the course is. Our to what it says the workout should use.
In the first case, when just running, the color of the text for the inclination shift color. Although the inclination it self (the number) is constant. What does the color signify?
Does it take the inclination reading from the NPE and compare it to what it “should be”?
I really miss a user manual. 
I do not think that the inclination is derived from the NPE pod. As far as I know no pod is able to produce such data. Regarding the colour change and the missing manual you have definitely got a point here.
However, don’t forget that the inclination should be 1-2% anyway to simulate a flat outdoor surface because you have no wind resistance inside. So if Zwift shows an inclination of 2%, I think you should add this, leaving you with 3-4% in the end.
Apart from that, I would find more eye-catching inclination changing indications helpful to adjust the treadmill.
The NPE Runn does indeed produce inclination data, together with speed and cadence. It is quite precise, and sensitive. If I turn it on it’s head, it says 180 degrees… 
I can read the data with an accompanying app. You can also calibrate it to your mill. I find the inclination more off than speed on my unit.
Mind you, I’m not saying the inclination stated at the upper right corner derives from the NPE. I think that is the current inclination that the course has. But what I am wondering about, is the color change. Why does the color change when the number doesn’t? And here is where I’m suspecting and would like a confirmation - that when the inclination reported from the NPE doesn’t match the course, the color indicates that it is off, and possibly also with different colors, if it is way off or just slightly off.
But, I can’t find anywhere where it explicitly says and describes what these indications actually are. So I was hoping a Zwift official could comment. Or point me to a user guide…
I think the colour darkens as the gradient increases. White for not too bad, yellow for fairly hard and red for very hard.
The colour does change on the same number, think it’s either 5 or 6%.
I’ve always thought this was to signify if the gradient was say 5-5.5% yellow or 5.6-5.9% red.
And to clarify zwift does absolutely nothing with incline data from the Runn. It doesn’t read it. Other apps do but zwift doesn’t so the percentage figure it’s purely the gradient of the course.
It’s why I can run up Alpe Du Zwift quicker than I can cycle up it. Gradients don’t slow the avatar down
Off course Zwift incline isn’t coming from the Runn. Already because it then would be at a very strange spot. It’s the course. Coming from cyclists version but you can use it to set yr treadmill on.
I’m pretty sure Stuart is right about the colourmeaning. (can’t find it anymore)
Zwift is not thinking logical. They tell me it would be dangerous if the prog would change the incline!!! How???
But even when they would want to do it: there’s very little treadmills (or none?) that have a way to control things externally.
What Zwift could no (if they had any interest in the users wishes) is proces the incline figures the Runn is sending which is %, gain & loss. It would tell us if we really climbed the distance travelled and our VAM (vertical speed) and would make the experience a lot more fun.
How did you run up just AdZ? I cannot figure out how to avoid starting at the valleybegin… Organised?
Thanks!
I wasn’t saying that the Runn changed the actual course. The gradient on it.
I was just asking if the color was an indicator of if my Threadmill was set to the same inclination as the route or not. And that maybe the color would need an indicator of how much.
And if not, what the color indicated? (Since it can have different colors for the same gradient…)
But again. This is all guess work. Since there is no manual.
Only way to avoid it is to run with somebody who is already at the base but you would have no way of knowing where they are on the course.
The reality is you would have to run to the base. Or given you can actually use the Runn without being on the treadmill you could set it off on its own to reach the bottom then jump on the treadmill as the base.
Joining someone is a good idea but would only de doable if you could see runners on a map and click on them as a choice to join!!
Just like the Runn software is unpredictable (and why it it a foodpod & is it inevitable to sent all the values on 1 channel?) so is Zwift. Sometimes it only let’s you move if it gets cadence AND speed and sometimes you can run while only the treadmill is making meters… Maybe it’s only when starting an activity that you need both?
apparently you have skipped my msge nbr 1 of yesterday… (about 20 Nov Stuart msge).
Cannot remember if it was called a manual but I have found info on Zwift functioning. Hopefully on their own website buy could be 3d party… It all is pretty ‘done half’.
@Raul_Veldhuizen
I don’t know if that was a reply to my last post?
As I quoted what you said in that post, yes I read it. And again, I’ve never claimed or questioned if the NUMBER designating the incline comes from Runn. That apparently comes from Zwift/the course.
I was asking about the COLOR for that same number. Again, the reason for me asking is, that there is no logical reason that the same number can have different colors. If color represented steepnes, then the same incline would be viewed as being differently steep/tough/hard - based on what…?
I just don’t get it.
It could be very plausible that color changes, to reflect if your incline setting on your treadmill is in correspondence with the course of not. In fact that would be a very useful and simple input to the user.
But if the color changes also for other users than Runn, then it is obviously not the inclination of the treadmill. I don’t have any way of seeing that obviously, since I use Runn.
You mentioned it is covered somewhere? Do you have a link to it? That is really what I’m asking for. Documentation.
I know the problem of no proper info being available! It’s ridiculous how much manufacturers fail to do…
Incline% is always depending on the length used in the calculation.
Proper %nbr has a decimal. 6,8
Zwift for some totally strange reason has decided to not use one (design???) and instead uses colouring.
Zwift also doesn’t use the incline data that may be in the data stream.
I’m using Runn too. Which by the way has same problem with info. And service. And technical malheur like incline calibration which is fucked up for weeks now I think.
I have a whole list of improvements in this field. I will maybe make my own app. Or work with someone interested…