Spin bike, not enough Watts, everyone passes

General Discussion
1

HI,
New to Zwift, have spin bike “Nero Sports Bluetooth Upright Exercise Bike Indoor Studio Cycles Aerobic Training Fitness Cardio Bike” wanted small footprint

Everyone passes me, I cannot really find anyone at my pace. I know unfit but even on no resistance (contact pad) I hope would be little competitive.

on the flat at 90rpm, produces 80w and about 25kmh. 110 rpm, is about as fast as I can go, is still under 100w so even someone super fit cannot really go much faster and others fly by.

Of course no gears so I do wonder how this could ever work & compare to others but seen youtube of people doing OK but think with pedal power meters (not going to spend that sort of money) and assume this is the BIG difference.

I added a wahoo cadence as others said useful.
In my case I guess it works out the power from just wheel speed as just on the sensor on the wheel housing, the extra cadence does not seem to increase speed but useful info.

Is it simply there is not enough data & no settings anywhere I could try.
When pairing it links the bike for power, the wahoo for cadence, it also then auto adds Controllable (the bike sensor) not sure why.
I use the companion app on android as seems to connect more reliably.

I knew it would have limitations & not accurate/allowed for racing etc, I would just like to ride routes and keep up with some riders for motivation.
If this is the best I can do have to accept, but if I can improve settings somehow I would like to.

Wondered about a heart meter for power (or additionally) not sure if that would help. Does say big delay, again can’t be fussy I know.

Seems to me, if you are not racing it would be acceptable/handy to be able to adjust the bikes sensor so wheel speed can be manually adjusted to up the watts. As far as I can tell people can input small wheel sizes, weight etc and make quite a difference.
I did reduce my weight but did not help much.

Enclosed wheel but is there another sensor I could add. Could I replace the one on the bike for one that might adjustable. is says FS-672046, I assume a cheap generic one.

sorry for the long question.

2

For the most part spin bikes are not supported within Zwift. If you want accuracy with them you would need to get pedal based power meter.

2 Likes
3

Hi,

I do see quite a lot of people that do use them, appreciate not very accurate without power meters, some of the club bikes I seem to use cadence and the resistance control (I guess magnetic) to adjust power watts and this goes up to a reasonable level (seen on youtube)
I think my bike actually uses just cadence and works speed out from that and then estimates power.
Looking at my Wahoo add-on cadence it is the same as the bikes so annoyingly bought it because others had said it helped with measurements but realize pointless now.

What I think I need is a speed sensor and then use this speed & find a trainer that is quite close.

Zwift won’t recognize the bikes OWN sensor as speed, only power.
Not sure if I can get a speed sensor without going on a hub as of course spin does not have a hub.

4

Have you found a solution?
I have exactly the same issue.

5

Hi @Jochen_Tree

What bike are you using and how do you connect? Spin bikes are not supported in Zwift since Zwift can’t make a power to speed profile for the spinning bike because of the variable resistance knob. Other trainers has fixed resistance settings therefore Zwift can create a power speed curve.

1 Like
6

#Nero Sports Bluetooth Upright Exercise Bike

7

Hi,
I did find a solution, had to buy a speed sensor & I think you might need cadence also but you could try again with the bikes sensor as I think that is just cadence but I ended up with the wahoo & buying as a set is cheaper I think.

put in in the review, same bike actually

Search amazon for the Nero Sports Bluetooth …
Look under recent, Bignose2

It’s not perfect by any means because you have to do you own resistance and could not race as such but I found a good balance, I think 1400mm wheel size in the Garmin App speed sensor (Not sure if this setting is actually kept on the garmin) and Speed in Zwift, unknown trainer, 24 inch x1.75 wheel. I did have 20inch but I had too much of an advantage.

I think it works out a rough power curve as seems to be pretty good, slow up hills etc.

This means I can easily get above 100w and I think today got to 200w, on just the bikes sensors only manage 100w flat out.
I find I can keep up with a lot of riders, clearly the fit ones still shoot past but I would say average now and much more enjoyable.

In the picture I posted I had a plastic L sticky velco. This meant the speed sensor is in the same plane as its meant to be. I did not test much but read it does not wake up when flat on the wheel but apparantely will work once awake even when not in the correct position.

I/we are lucky with the Nero sports as there is quite a gap between the wheel & the forks. Some may not have the space the for an L. I guess if flat on the wheel could pull of each time and wake up and push back on if velco but suspect would end up pulling the glue off quite frequently.

I had found some youtube showing someone fitting an older version of the Garmin. Can’t remember what I searched but was quite helpful.

1 Like
8

Would the wahoo speed sensor do the same job?

9

Any speed sensor that is compatible with your pc will work. Will it be accurate ? No.

1 Like
10

I imagine would do,

The only thing is, if you do have to mount on an L the Garmin is very small & I have clearance, don’t know about the wahoo, would not have to be much bigger to be a tight squeeze.
Not measured but would say the wahoo cadence would stick out more, if? the same size as the speed sensor but of course may be smaller anyway as designed to fit inside the hub.

I would have gone with the Wahoo as I had the cadence but I got the Garmin as saw in the youtube worked flat on the wheel & as I say not important in the end as mounted perpendicular.

I could not see anyone doing the same with the wahoo

If I get time I can check to see if the bike will work with its built in Cadence so you only would need the speed.

1 Like
11

Really appreciate all your help on this. Like you I’ve done a few rides using the bike’s sensor but top out at 90w and it’s a bit demoralising especially going up hills. No desire to race but would be nice to match what I do on the road and complete the rides in a similar time. It took me well over three hours to to stage 3 of TDZ on Sunday :joy:

12

Yes I am really pleased now, can keep up & overtake bikes I think perhaps I should not be able to do so so made need more adjustment but at least I feel competitive.

Should get a chance this morning & will see if I can use the bikes oem sensor/cadence with my garmin speed.

So far the plastic L & sensor had not shown any signed of falling off but the velco glue did seem pretty sticky. I had some of the those patches.

13

Hi,

I could not get Zwift to see the Nero Sports sensor as cadence, even with the companion app.
I was fairly sure I did when I first set up but must have been something else. Must just emit as a power device.

So fairly sure you will need both.

Looking at my L fitting, worst case I think would get away with the sensor being bigger as actually sits within the fork tubes so more room.

My only very slight reservation with a different sensor is that I do know I can adjust wheel size in the garmin app as well as swift (As I say not 100% sure it make a difference in zwift) but sure all types must have quite an adjustment for the various hub sizes but of course on my L bracket would equate to being a very large hub

Just remembered I had set my weight low trying to help with watts, think it made very little difference but will adjust back, the high watts now is 100% due to the new speed sensor.

1 Like
14

Thanks again. I’ve gone with the Garmin and got both as from what I have read the Wahoo doesn’t allow wheel size to be selected. I have seen a set up with both sensors attached to the crank but will have a play around at the weekend when it arrives.

Once again really appreciate all the support.

15

Ho Jochen, i’m in the same situation as you. Did the garmin sensors solve your problem?

16

Hi @Tom_Manni

No speed sensor on a spinning bike will give you correct power numbers.

See this: How Does Zwift Determine My Speed?

1 Like
17

Yes 100%.

18

Thank you

19

I’ve got the same bike and am in kind of the same situation. Just can’t seem to get my watts up high enough no matter how hard I pedal.
@Jochen_Tree @Gregory_Reed I see you had success getting the speed/cadence sensors but how exactly did you mount them. I’ve seen on YouTube someone stuck the speed directly on a spin wheel, but what do you mean be “L fitting”.

20

A L shaped plastic bracket - they are easily found on eBay.