I’ve been unable to reply to earlier Keiser topics. Had to start new one…
I’m borrowing the M3i for my rehab. Wanted something to help with wall staring. Came across Zwift but found it was not compatible after many searches. I contacted Keiser and received this reply:
…we will be compatible with Zwift come this Holiday season! We are unveiling our “M Series Converter” which will translate our bluetooth signal to something more compatbile with Zwift…
Hope this helps anyone looking to use a Keiser M3i. I’m just not sure what the window is for a Holiday Season? Halloween to Easter? Fingers crossed it’s Thanksgiving to Christmas.
I am an engineer with Keiser and I can confirm that the M3i converter is currently only available in the US via the Holiday Bundle, but that it will become available for purchase by the public in February. Please check back in at the Keiser Store starting in February.
FYI, I’m using Keiser’s converter dongle with Zwift (and an M3i). As far as I can tell, it works great. I just did my first and second Zwift rides this week.
Thanks for the update. I have the m3i and hope to get the converter as soon as it becomes available. Any idea about the price? Hope it’s reasonable, since it’s really a game changer and almost a necessity for the bike. Thanks
The price is $195. Reasonable? It would be nice if all these devices would play nice, but then they can’t sell other products at a markup. I might return it, and put the $200 towards a reasonably priced $250-$400 Trainer with Cadence, Power and Auto-Resistance to align with the Zwift app.
As far as connecting to Zwift, it works well. I get Cadence and Power. Although the photo shows Apple Watch for HR, it won’t work with iPad. To use the iPad, I use a Wahoo HR chest strap.
Thanks for the reply Narvon. How long has it been available, it’s well hidden on the website, couldn’t have found it without your link. Man, I was hoping it could somehow provide Auto- Resistance because of the description :“…mimic the feel and intensity of road cycling.”
Yeah, I get what you mean, it would’ve been nice for them to provide it at a discount for people who already have the bike w/o the converter…as for a new trainer, just don’t want to get another piece of equipment right next to this for the auto-resisrance considering how expensive this one was. I’ll give it a shot with Zwift. That’s what I’m really getting this for. Thanks again and Happy Holidays! Hope you’re %100 soon.
It should be a free converter as it’s finally delivering on the promise of what I bought a M3i for… Bluetooth connected device. Nope… Every six months or so I spend an infuriating day trying to get the Bluetooth on this bike to sync with the BKool app or any other app available. It doesn’t!!! It will for about 20 seconds and then drops the connection. DO NOT BUY THIS BIKE… Keiser made promises they have not lived up to. I find the Zwift site the best on their compatibility statement… “Keiser M3i - Only transits on BLE, and isn’t compatible with Zwift BLE yet.” As in every other trainer and accessory works fine over BLE but not Keiser. Heard of a firmware update???
Now you’re going to charge me $200 for the update that should have worked in the first place. I ended up buying a Wahoo Kickr over Thanksgiving and couldn’t be happier as guess what… it delivers as promised. Trying to sell my M3i now but can’t sell it as guess what… it doesn’t work as other modern equipment does that promises Bluetooth. Ugh.
Kent, hope the holidays went well. Did you get the Converter? If so, has it worked well for your needs? I was a little disappointed in the quality of a $200 product. I couldn’t get it to work (turn on) and thought the battery was dead. I opened up the case, reset the battery and tried again. Still no joy. After much deliberation, I carefully bent the Battery Contacts and Voila, it worked… I understand not wanting to spend $$$$ on a new trainer. I’m borrowing the Keiser from a friend and when I return it, I will ‘Gift’ him the Converter as thanks for the use.
Frank, I understand the frustrations. I have a Garmin Fenix 5x. It has both ANT+ and Bluetooth. However, it won’t play nice (as most other products) with others. As you pointed out, the Keiser has both as well, but won’t transmit the ANT+ information to my Fenix and my Fenix won’t transmit my Heart Rate to the Keiser computer. The Keiser Bluetooth will only transmit to the iPhone Keiser App (without converter), but not to Zwift…This is typical of companies creating a Proprietary system to lock you into their products. Everyone does it. This works for some and hurts others. Sony lost the Betamax vs VHS battle. Apple wised up and created a Windows program for their iPod and quadrupled their sales. Anyway, enjoy your Wahoo Kicker and have a Happy New Year.
Hi there,
I am planning to get an M series converter dongle from Keiser, and I know the M3i does not have the function of auto adjustment of resistance. Can you please let me know how do you know what level within the M3i spin bike to use during your cycle ride within Zwift?
It would be great to hear your user experience with using the dongle and connecting with Zwift.
When using M3i+converter with Zwift, the M3i ride is at whatever resistance level you set the M3i to. It doesn’t automatically vary the resistance with terrain or wind.
(Background for anyone else reading: The M3i resistance is predictable/repeatable. That is, if you set the M3i resistance knob to, say, level 12, its resistance is the same as any other time it’s set to level 12. As a result, for a given resistance setting and cadence (for example, 90 RPM at level 12), the watts generated is the same. You choose the resistance and ride at whatever cadence you can, and Zwift receives the resulting watts. There’s no automatic adjustment.)
I’ve been satisfied with the converter. It took me two sessions to pair with Zwift, but has been reliable since then. I agree it should be priced at cost, both because it’s a core part of the M* product (although Keiser’s BLE implementation is fully-documented, until this converter, it’s been basically useless for all practical purposes) and also because it’ll sell more M3i units. I don’t think the margin Keiser could make on the converter is worth the lost goodwill – it’s nickel-and-diming. I can say that it works well though.
I have a similar positive experience with the M3i Bluetooth converter and Zwift. Power and cadence translate just fine and simple adjustments of the resistence lever help you either keep up with other riders or boost watts in a workout. It becomes second nature after a couple of rides and I’ve become addicted to Zwift on this thing. The only frustration is the Heart Rate does not translate to Zwift, or at least I can’t get it to. Anyone have a “fix” for that? Thanks!
My experience with the Keiser M3i w/ converter and Zwift has been less than ideal;
Power drainage is off the charts; meaning i get dropped signal 3 weeks after replacing the battery and wont correct until battery is replaced… need to repeat every 3 weeks
I use the converter to talk to my apple tv and zwift, the apple TV will only accept two blue tooth signals at any given time; 1 for the power meter and 1 for the HR meter. To respond to Lindsey, the only way to get zwift to read the HR is to connect your computer / apple tv to your HR directly and bypass Keiser. Just have the keiser gather Power and cadence. Here os the rub thoug, becuase the BT single from the converter is so lousy, and Apple TV will occasionally boot it if it fins anohet heathier signal,… and i mean any signal. The only work around for this is for me to turn off all BT devices within 30 ft of my TV just to preserve the Keiser converter signal
Recently upgraded the firmware and now all hell has broke loose. Cant hold signal for longer than 5 minutes.
My recommendation is to spend your dollars elsewhere and by a Wahoo or equivalent, or at least until Keiser figures out its technology side. To add insult to injury the product costs $200.
I have been using Zwift with my Keiser for almost 2 months. I first tried the converter, but like other said, it would drop connection randomly. The only way I could fix it was to pop out the battery. It was unacceptable to me. So I ended up getting a pair of assioma power pedals which Bluetooth directly to Zwift (making the converter completely unnecessary). I returned the converter to Keiser. Absolutely no problems with the pedals and I feel it gives a more accurate watt reading then the Keiser computer.
I have been using the Keiser converter for a month now.Initially it worked fine.However, recently I have been getting consistent dropouts - in particular after around 20 minutes.I have have updated the firmware, replaced the battery twice, turned off other bluetooth enabled devices, stopped listening to music via the same device via bluetooth.No luck with any of this.Obviously the zwift experience is less than ideal when you are winning a race and the signal drops 15 metres from the line…well not exactly winning but you get what I mean.Frustrating.
Any advice would be helpful - has anyone has this issue and sorted it out?.I have sent a note to Keiser and will share the response
Is there any difference between the CABLE converter and the Keiser M. From the outside they look to be the same. Has anybody tried to sync cable with an m3i?
Well - Im having the same problem as you. I have already returned one, and will return the second converter tomorrow.
I see that Amy_Wilson_5244 has bought bluetooth pedals - I will seriously consider doing the same.
I was planning to get the m3i as an upgrade of my old spin bike for Zwift. After reading this thread I will just pick up the assioma power pedals for the old bike and use it with my garmin HRM as well.
