Newbie question on resistance

General Discussion
1

Really sorry if this is a stupid question. I have tried to read previous posts etc.

I have a tacx vortex smart trainer and all paired up fine with Zwift via BLE

I done an hour yesterday and I averaged 148 watts but felt beaten at the end, just felt based on how hard it was that my watts should of shown as higher than what it was telling me.

My calibration of the Vortex has the line to the right edge of too tight for the roller resistance to the back wheel but it needs to be there to stop it slipping. It is still within the line guides so I assumed all is good.

Again apologies if this is stupid but if the resistance is tighter on the back wheel would that be making it harder to pedal in game ?.

2

One hour at 148W average is a good workout for a beginner. :+1:
Why do you think this is too low?

3

Good question. I use a stages bike in the gym and I average around 220 on that over an hour . It also feels like a tough old slog on the turbo like my resistance is too high or something.

Not even sure if the resistance tightening at the back actually makes it harder to pedal or not

4

Get a trainer tyre and make sure, the tyre pressure is high enough.
Used trainer tyres are cheap and they work just as fine as new ones.

5

Thanks, I do have a blue tacx one on it but wondering if it has dried out some cracks on the sides. I’ll try and re- calibrate it again today and see what happens.

6

Had this problem also

had to get cadence at 140 in biggest gear to hit 310 watts

Spant ages recalibrating. Then upgraded firmwear via the Tacx app and that seems to have sorted it, will check when back on the bike tomorrow

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7

Thanks Alex. I have spent two days on it myself and am now just resigned to it being how it is. There is literally nothing else I can try. Turbo tyre cleaned and at 115psi. Latest firmware and recalibrated to sit in the middle of the range (despite some squeaking). I have warmed the tyre up before the calibration.

Only thing I would say is that as I am connected over BLE I can’t calibrate within Zwift (don’t see the wrench icon). I just use the Tacx utility app, beginning to wonder if this might make a difference at all ?.

I wish I had another power meter so I had something concrete to measure it.

8

You have to turn the tacx app off (close it) to Calibrate with zwift

9

Calibration can be done with the app or Zwift. The calibration get stored on the trainer not the app or Zwift.

10

Yep, I close the utility first but my understanding is that calibration (wrench icon) in Zwift only appears if you have connected the turbo via ANT+ (FEC protocol) ?.

I only mentioned this in case perhaps the calibration differed from the utility app to Zwift but probably not.

Maybe it is all in my head and there is nothing wrong. I am enjoying it regardless and I will try not to get to caught up in the numbers !.

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