KICKR Core gets stuck at ~40-50 W after stopping in ERG - disabling Zwift Click / virtual shifting fixes it
I’m starting a new topic because some of the existing KICKR/virtual shifting threads are now very long and seem to contain several slightly different resistance problems. I wanted to describe the specific issue I’m seeing, and the workaround that appears to fix it consistently for me.
The problem
During a Zwift workout in ERG mode, everything initially works normally.
The problem occurs after I stop pedalling long enough for Zwift to enter ERG bailout mode.
When I start pedalling again, Zwift tells me to “Hold steady to re-activate ERG”, but the resistance can remain extremely low.
I can be pedalling at around 75-80 rpm and only producing roughly 40-50 W.
Increasing cadence does not restore normal resistance. Sometimes shifting through a lot of virtual gears changes the resistance briefly, but it falls back again.
The KICKR itself remains connected to Zwift as Power, Cadence and Controllable Trainer throughout this.
What I found
I reviewed the Zwift logs and FIT files from two rides where this happened.
On the most recent ride, I was able to reproduce the behaviour twice.
The useful sequence was:
- ERG working normally at about 130–135 W.
- I stopped pedalling.
- Zwift reported: “ERG mode disabled temporarily”.
- I resumed pedalling at normal cadence.
- Resistance remained stuck at roughly 40-50 W instead of returning to the ERG target.
- I went back to the pairing screen and disconnected/deselected the Zwift Click controllers.
- Zwift then logged: “Disabled virtual shifting on KICKR CORE”.
- The KICKR itself stayed connected as Power, Cadence and Controllable Trainer.
- Shortly afterwards Zwift reported “Re-activating ERG”.
- Resistance immediately returned to the correct workout target.
I then re-enabled the Zwift Click / virtual shifting and continued riding.
After the next time I stopped pedalling, exactly the same low-resistance problem occurred again.
I disconnected the Click / disabled virtual shifting again, and ERG recovered again.
After that I left virtual shifting disabled for the rest of the workout.
So for me the repeatable pattern appears to be:
Virtual shifting enabled → stop pedalling → ERG bailout → resistance stuck around 40-50 W
and:
Disconnect Zwift Click / disable virtual shifting → ERG reactivates normally
The trainer itself does not appear to be disconnecting when the problem occurs.
Workaround
The workaround I have found is:
Disconnect/deselect the Zwift Click controllers so virtual shifting is disabled.
Once virtual shifting is disabled, ERG recovers and the KICKR behaves normally again.
Similar reports
There are already a number of related reports on the Zwift forums. I’m not suggesting all of these reports are necessarily the same bug, which is partly why I created a separate topic.
My specific issue is that after ERG bailout, resistance becomes stuck extremely low, and disabling Zwift Click / virtual shifting allows ERG to recover normally.