Another user here with a Renpho bike and a broken Zwift app.
Regarding the QZ app - it sounds like that will require two devices - one running the QZ app to interface to the bike (and simulate a “new bike”), and the other to run the Zwift app. A bit of a cumbersome workaround if I do say so.
I have registered this issue with Zwift support (squeaky wheel) but I also have put an unfavorable review on the Zwift app on the app store in the hopes that will also motivate Zwift to take action and fix this (as it was clearly working before, and broken by Zwift in the latest update).
Yes, can confirm that it does give 1-40 in 0.5 increments. Only thing left is feedback off terrain…this is still vastly better than what was happening for the past few days - well worth the investment in the app even if /when Zwift fixes the issue - at least this will tide me and others who use it for the time-being.
Thanks for your exact response. Please note our technology department has customized the upgrade package but it needs to spend some time. We will notify the clients to go on an OTA upgrade if we finish this project.
I have just bought the Renpho AI bike a few days ago. Disappointed to read about these problems with Zwift. Hopefully this can be resolved as Zwift compatibility is the major reason I bought this bike.
I also have a more general question about the riding experience with this bike. I realise that it does not have a flywheel, so it doesn’t have physical momentum like a normal spin bike (or an actual road bike). But I had assumed that with the smart technology in use it would be able to give a similar riding feel to a flywheel bike. However I find that is not the case. When I turn the resistance up to anything above 17 (about 120W at 70 RPM) the pedal mechanism starts to become very stiff so cycling is more like stirring a pudding rather than riding a bike. The mechanism has too little momentum to carry it through the dead part at the top and bottom of the stroke and the fancy technology does nothing to smooth the cycle. This leads to a really jerky cycling experience that my knees are not really enjoying. Am I doing something wrong? Or is my bike (which I bought second hand) broken? Or is this just how this bike works? Any tips on how to improve the experience would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
I’m also experiencing the same issue on my new Renpho AI bike and I’ve tried it on Android, iOS, and Windows 10. One thing I found was that when not in ERG mode and you rotate the dial on the bike, the gear will increment and for a split second, some resistance is felt and Zwift registers a jump in wattage, but it reverts back to no resistance right after. The most obvious if you’re on the highest gear and continuously move the dial clockwise.
Thank you for following up! I’m happy to help you further! I’d like you to try adjusting trainer difficulty. In order to do that follow these steps:
Launch Zwift and go to the menu on the pairing screen.
Click on “Settings” and find the Trainer Difficulty slider.
50 percent of the grade resistance you’d find while riding the same grade in the real world. Leaving the setting unchanged helps climbs feel challenging. Descents also provide resistance, which means you almost always have the opportunity to keep pedaling.The default position is midway between “Off” and “Max,” or
Adjust the slider to “Max,” and your in-game climbs will feel as challenging as outdoor climbs of the same steepness. Remember that downhills get steeper, too, so you’ll “spin out” earlier.Move the slider right to make climbs more difficult.
Descents will offer more resistance.Move the slider left, and climbs are easier.
Click “Okay,” and you’re ready to Zwift.
Moreover, Zwift can sometimes hang onto the wrong info, such as trainers or sensors that were paired to the game in the past. That’s why I’d suggest resetting your game preferences.
Please, bear in mind that the device in question isn’t supported by Zwift for the time being, so we cannot guarantee that it will work without troubles.
Did somedy tried those steps? I’m not home and I can’t try if it works today.
Rae, I’d say this is just how the Renpho bike works. Although maybe yours is worse than mine? This morning I was pedaling at 70 RPM at about 140W with a smooth pedal stroke. But if I push a higher wattage, say over 300W, I definitely notice a more jerky pedaling experience. I find a higher cadence results in less relative resistance (in ERG mode) which gives a smoother pedaling feel.
I’d say the Renpho bike is fine for beginner/intermediate riders, but people pushing high wattage on a regular basis might be better off with a higher quality (more expensive) spin bike or smart trainer.
I would agree with Alan’s thoughts - Renpho bike is a great low cost alternative for beginner/intermediate riders who are not generating high W output. I have not noticed the stiffness in the pedal mechanism (I typically average 150W on my rides) other than when down-shifting - each downshift feels like pushing into thick mud and the W output spikes up over 300 until it settles down in a second or so. Definitely not a smooth experience. Otherwise I am happy overall with the bike and find it good value for the price point.
Hi!
I have been riding on rollers with a Misuro B connection. I purchased the Renpho AI bike that is controllable and notice that the watts are about half of what they are on the rollers. My husband who rides both on rollers and on a trainer concurred. Does anyone know of a way to calibrate the Renpho AI bike so that it more closely matches the rollers?
-Thanks!!!
P.S. It could very well be that the rollers are giving me higher numbers than I deserve, but I am battling 190 lbs, EDS, and a Cerebrospinal Fluid leak. The higher numbers ( peddle like crazy for 100+ watts and 1.5 w/kg) mean I can take part in events. Without that I am left peddling like crazy for 50 watts and .7 w/kg. Which is certifiably not-fun.
I have the same problem and I have been in contact with Renpho support for the last few days. Today, they sent me a firmware update through the AI Gym app (I think it is only for my bike). The resistance is now working when changing gear! However, even at gear 20, the resistance is very low (equivalent to about gear 8 before the issue), so it is still not usable, but it is a good start. I was surprised to get a firmware update that fast, so I am hopeful that it will be solved soon.
Can’t claim any credit to be honest - I have the app on a Samsung A52 - and it recognizes and connects to the Renpho bike immediately without issues. I have Zwift on a Huawei T5 Mediapad tablet and when I load it up to pair the devices, each of the power, cadence, and controllable parameters will pair with my A52. I will try it with Zwift on my Surface (which I have used in the past).
I guess a few things to watch out for - make sure the bike isn’t paired with anything else. That the tablet and phone are on the same network. I typically will start Zwift as a fresh instance (I will close the app full before another ride). Hope this helps.
Renaming my phone to something shorter made it immediately discoverable on the Zwift app on my tablet. I guess the default name from Samsung was too long to be recognized.
