Hi, I’m new to indoor biking, just bought a Bluetooth spin bike to get back into shape & keep fit.
The bike I bought say’s it’s compatible with zwift, so I’ve made my account, logged in, sorted avatar out & got bike paired up, got onto the rd & I just sit there & I’m peddling on my bike.
I noticed that the top left my heart rate was going up, my peddling was going up but the power or watt was still on zero…
Can anyone help me figure out I’m doing wrong?
Cheers Mark
A screenshot of your pairing screen would be useful.
Is it paired for Power?
You need a power source. If it is just a spin bike with BT, you need Power Pedals (easiest) or a crank power meter (you really have to be mechanical).
You might be able find a single-sided Power Pedal for ~$200 or less.
The model of your bike will help others help you.
Hay Chris, I have bought a cadence thing you strap to the let peddle arm, but the shop I bought spin bike from said you don’t need anything, just pair & ride…
Hay Colin, this is what it shows, but when I go to ride, I just stay at side of rd…
Also, the spin bike is a Body Train with an 18kg flywheel, model number is BT7702i
If this is it: Bodytrain Racer Exercise Bike
You need a power meter. One does not appear to be built in. If the shop says there is one…get them to show you where.
A cadence sensor does not substitute as power meter.
Hi Chris, yes that’s the bike I have, but mine is the Bluetooth version…
I will get onto the shop about the power meter & see what they say…
Cheers for the info mate
It can be that the Bluetooth is connected to another app. Make sure to forget it on all other devices that may pair with the trainer.
While you are in the pairing screen you should see the power number change as you pedal.
Hi Gerrie, yes I’ve made sure nothing else is connected via the Bluetooth
You don’t necessarily need a power meter to work with Zwift. If Zwift recognizes your spin bike and the manufacturer has supplied an algorithm to translate cadence and gear into a power reading, it will work, similarly to the way a wheel-on trainer can work with Zwift. From the screen you showed and what you say, the cadence sensor is working, but you aren’t getting the power reading which suggests either the gear is not being read or there’s something wrong with the way the software is translating the data. Are you sure all the electronics on the bike are properly connected? Does the display on the bike properly display the gear (or level) that you are in? If it does, this would suggest that Zwift just doesn’t have a usable algorithm for this bike. If it doesn’t, that would suggest some wire isn’t properly connected.
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I just noticed that the Power Source connection is with the heart rate monitor which is probably where your problem lies. You want to be sure it’s pairing with the same device number that you see for the cadence meter - assuming you’ve taken the separate device off your left crank.
If you haven’t taken it off and that pairing (28141-97 231) is with the device on the left crank, then your spin bike isn’t currently pairing with Zwift at all.
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Try to connect everything to 28141 click on controllable as well and make sure to choose 28141
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For the life of me I cannot find that model anywhere on the web. Do you have a link?
I saw similar models with speed output. If so:
On the initial/First screen, you should have a choice of Power Sensor or Speed Sensor…choose Speed Sensor. If you do not see this screen, Unpair everything and back out or even shut down and start over:
You may have to power down the control panel.
Once Speed selected, power up your Control Panel and search for a the Speed Sensor. Then connect everything else you have.
In this mode Zwift will estimate power from your speed/weight/height. I believe this is called ZwiftPower and it will limit your choice of racing if you do race.
Good luck.
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When I used to use my Schwinn IC4 you didn’t use the speed, you used the power source
He does not have an IC4.
what he does have is a very inexpensive spin bike that as far as I can tell, because I cannot find the model number he specified, only has speed output. Therefore, he cannot connect to a power source …unless, of course, he adds one…such as power pedals.
If you know different about his spin bike, please share.
How are you so sure that his spin bike don’t send power data when you can’t find it listed on the internet.
Looking at his pairing screen you can see something is sending power sensor data.
It doesn’t need a power meter to transmit power, the bike does the same calculation as what Zwift does for a speed sensor and then send the calculated power value.
Hay Chris, you put the link in your last post to my spin bike, but mine is the Bluetooth version of it.
The online shop I got it from had a sale, should have been £350GBP I got it on sale for £179GBP, I think the only difference between them is the LCD display, one is a bit bigger to hold your tablet & Bluetooth enabled, other than that there the same…
But I’ve been in touch with the seller & he said he’s never had issues before, & you just pair up & go…so I’m waiting for him to get back to me about sorting it out
You can try to unpair everything.
Then start pedaling and only pair the power source and see if you see the power number change.