Watt fluctuations on wahoo kickr

I’m currently running zwift With a wahoo kickr using Apple TV Via Bluetooth. I’m noticing significant fluctuations regarding the wattage (around 30watts), this seems to be more noticeable on on 0% or -gradients. As soon as I go over 4% it’s not as not noticeable. Any suggestions. Many thanks in advance

Hi @Gavin_Turner, do you have Zwift set to display 3 second power average in the settings. This will smooth out the display on the screen, it doesn’t change the actual power you are producing, just makes it look better on the screen. That might help.

Hi mike. Thanks for responding. I’m pretty sure I have tried this and although it does seem to improve things I’m still seeing more fluctuations than there should be. Especially in comparison to my old tacx vortex, which was much more stable.

well there is a big difference in a wheel on trainer like the vortex and a smart direct drive trainer like the kickr, it could just be the more accurate kickr and having the better road feel with a fly wheel that is causing the difference. As the kickr gets the 0% or negative road gradient info from Zwift it will reduce resistance and if you don’t change gears then spinning out would result in a drop in watts. You probably already knew that :wink:

Yes I agree but I’m noticing large fluctuations when the gradient isn’t changing and I’m maintaining a constant cadence. Just doesn’t seem right. Any thoughts?

have you upgraded the firmware and done a spindown after a 10 minute warm-up? There is also an advanced spindown that is hidden in the Wahoo app. That would be another option.

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Thanks. Done a spin down but not a hidden spin down. Don’t suppose can advise as to where I can find this?

the advanced spindown is found by tapping on the kickr icon 10 times while in the wahoo utility app.

Actually thanks I have just googled it

I have 1st gen Kickr and last winter it went nuts with fluctuations in resistance. I quit using Zwift due to this and just controlled resistance via my iPhone. Then that control feature stopped altogether. Came back to Zwift a few weeks ago and everything seemed fine for full sessions. Then last week the resistance spikes came back, and would range +/-100w at any point. It’s so bad sometimes that my avatar stops pedaling even when I’m under heavy load.

The Wahoo self help is useless and I’ve done everything: check for s/w updates, spin-down, super-secret spin-down, and yet I’m no where better.

Rainy days and winter ahead I’m going nuts…

Appreciate any help or interested buyer for cheap Kickr f/s.

I’m getting the same thing on my Direto XR, hence why I have searched and found this post.

I’m not an overly experience rider so do not know if the fluctuations are acceptable or not. I used to have a Taxc Flow wheel-on trainer and it seemed a lot smoother.

I could be holding a staeady cadence (give or take 1-2 rpm) with no gradient change and the wattage could go from 250 +/- 30w but then drop to 170 then back up, all within seconds. Then up to 310. It just doesn’t seem right.

Maybe it is the more accurate trainer? I have read somewhere that the Zwift simulates gradients well so although it may look like 1% it could actually be 1.9% or anywhere in between. Could this be it?

Just looking for some advice from a more experienced rider / Zwift user…

Thanks for your time in advance.

I’m seeing exactly the same on my Wahoo kickr v5. I’ve tried pairing through companion, I’m not sure it is any different. The next for me is to log a ride completely in the Wahoo app with zwift/ATV off.

Don’t know if this is a similar thing but on Kickr Core and a training ride with ERG on just had my Core stop me dead!

My ftp is about 235 and training programme gave me a little 1min 320watt spike. Resistance went up… then up… then UP!! 30 seconds into the 320w it literally stopped me pedalling!!

Got to say I was surprised it could grab so hard. Must’ve been the equivalent of a 50% hill!

Watts is all over the place. Similar ± 30% most of the time. Makes betting the training stars almost impossible…

Might just have to stick to normal rides as the resistance functions feel fine riding normally paying no attention to Watts

Unfortunately I’ve been having the same problem on my Kickr Snap CE62, with huge fluctuations and spines of the power anytime I try to free ride outside of a workout, which leaves me with a power graph that looks like the below. Lots of people seem to have the same problem, but so far I haven’t found a solution.
Please let me know if anyone finds a way to fix it! Thanks.

Update on this - someone got in touch to explain it could be how I was connecting my devices to zwift.
I have been connecting through the zwift companion app, but switching to connect through built-in Bluetooth on my laptop instead seems to have fixed the issue!

this is quite an interesting picture.
someone I ride with has the same issue.
mine however is relatively stable in comparison (unless sprinting).
so i was wondering why his had so many spikes in red, when he’s not even getting out the saddle or anything.
i will ask him how he connects his setup…

Hello there, facing the same issue on my Kickr any updates/solutions found ?

Thanks a lot !!

Same issue here, fine in ERG mode, but in free ride mode the power is all over, sometimes dipping to 130w then spiking to 360w when I’m keeping a constant and even pedal stroke and cadence

Hi all,

had the same issues as you all described! Fluctuating of the watts randomly.
I got my Kickr Core in Oktober 2020 and bringing back the firmware to KICKR CORE Firmware v1.0.13 - 11 June 2020 seems to help me!

Couldn’t make a test in Zwift now, but in the Wahoo app now everything works fine again!

Hope this can help you!

Greetings!

I had this issue - so far I think it’s the unbranded power supply I was using. See attached pic of before and after I swapped out the power supply (swapped out 80% into ride).


So I have a core and a snap, on this pic you can see what effect changing the PSU has again (core using snaps PSU)
swap2