Hello,
Would it be possible to have a “free” training mode by zone?
For example, today I want to ride in Zone 2. The home trainer would prevent me from going above my Zone 2 limit, but without locking me into a specific target power. Basically, I could move freely within a range — for example between 185 and 230 watts.
This would be a great feature for sessions that sit between strict ERG mode and full free-ride, but still constrained within a specific zone.
Thanks in advance,
Romain
You could make a custom workout with a target power of 205 watts and use ERG mode. Then use FTP bias to adjust the target power up and down. This can be done on the Companion app or more easily with Zwift Play or Clicks.
If your trainer allows this setting, then just use it a power source on Zwift, not as controllable.
Zone 2 training is typically governed by heart rate so one option would be to use something like a cycling head unit or Garmin watch to alert you when you are out of range. I’m not against your proposal, just offering a workaround that could let you achieve this objective immediately and not in the indefinite future, if ever.
If you want to spend some money, the Elite Zona can do pretty much the same as you describe.
This is similar to what I had wanted a while back. Basically the scenario is I want to watch a movie but not let my HR (or desire to go harder) get out of control without having to constantly monitor the screen. So I would set a desired max HR, and if I started getting close to that HR, the game would have logic to reduce the power a bit until HR stabilized a bit under it, over time HR drift would happen, and the power would automatically lower over time.
I guess this request is a power-band version of that.
I completely understand the importance of Zone 2 based on heart rate, but here I was referring specifically to Zone 2 in watts, and suggesting a Free Ride mode controlled by power zones.
This would allow riders to pedal freely within a defined wattage range. It could also be very useful for warm-ups, without having to go through a structured power ramp.
I freely pedal within a wattage range all the time, by virtue of having my brain connected to my legs.
I’m honestly struggling to understand why we need a technological solution. 
we don’t, as you said, this is easily accomplished by using your brain
The goal is to integrate this type of block into custom workouts instead of being locked into specific watt targets.
i think they already have that, isn’t it called a “free” block or something
Yes, but that switches ERG completely off, so you’re then fully subject to the terrain at that moment. As a result, you could easily end up above the desired zone, especially on climbs.
Here’s a free ride in Zone 2. After a 4 minute warm-up I just rode at about 155 watts for an hour …
… then I refilled my bottle and went straight into another ride and did pretty much the same again.
No need for an artificial power cap. It looks like I didn’t even change gear very much on the first ride, just explored a nice wide cadence range. I do like that nice straight power trace cutting across the Volcano KOM on the second ride. 
Why refuse a technical enhancement that could benefit custom workouts?
I’m not refusing it. I don’t work for Zwift. I just don’t understand why you need what you say you need.
Feel free to ignore me if my opinions irk you.
That doesn’t bother me 
I also train at precise power targets outdoors. However, when I build custom workouts — for example around Sweet Spot — I would prefer to set a wattage range rather than a single fixed and imposed watt value.
Me too. That’s why I switch erg mode off. 
