# Zwift trainer difficulty **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [January 31, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154 "2021-01-31T07:08:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Niels\_Van\_Puymbrouck](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/niels_van_puymbrouck/32/47767_2.png) [@Niels\_Van\_Puymbrouck](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Niels_Van_Puymbrouck)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 7:08am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/1 "2021-01-31T07:08:03Z")
Hey, I’ve recently bought my first trainer and I’m having a little trouble understanding the trainer difficulty settings. I’ve done my research and I understand that it is actually a hill gradient which for example sets the gradient from 10% to 5% when using a 50% trainer difficulty setting. But the power needed to ‘go up’ is actually the same, regardless of the setting. It would only effect the frequency of the shifting you will do. My main question here is if this effects your workout. Will you have better results if the difficulty is set at 100%? Will your real life climbing be better is set at 100%? Thank you in advance? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Hammatt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/steve_hammatt/32/210763_2.png) [@Steve\_Hammatt](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Steve_Hammatt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 7:36am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/2 "2021-01-31T07:36:13Z")
The difficulty setting doesn’t affect workouts. Workouts are in ERG mode, which don’t use the gradients at all. As you say, the difficulty setting only really affects your virtual gearing on hills. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Gorman\_TFC](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/bob_gorman_tfc/32/480682_2.png) [@Bob\_Gorman\_TFC](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Bob_Gorman_TFC)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 12:54pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/3 "2021-01-31T12:54:26Z")
You’ll notice it mostly in the gears you use especially for hills. At 100% you’ll need to shift to your small ring to do the steeper sections but at say 35% you can probably do everything in the big ring. I like to minimize shifting so finding the right trainer difficulty setting keeps me in a range of gears that work well for me. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_Mattson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/jim_mattson/32/387761_2.png) [@Jim\_Mattson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Jim_Mattson)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 1:25pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/4 "2021-01-31T13:25:54Z")
> [@Niels\_Van\_Puymbrouck](#): > > Will your real life climbing be better is set at 100%? 100% is as close to real life as you’re going to get. If you are struggling on the radio tower climb at 75%, you’re not going to be prepared for a 14% grade in real life. ---
**Author:** ![chris\_benten1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/chris_benten1/32/521487_2.png) [@chris\_benten1](https://forums.zwift.com/u/chris_benten1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/5 "2021-01-31T15:05:24Z")
The only downside to high percentage setting is if you are a big person and you grind. I overheated my H3 a couple of time (250W, 40 rpm, 100%, 105kg) and so to mitigate I set it down to 50-60%. This works much better for the trainer and I get more gears to play with. The downside to lower % setting is the downhill is halved again…so at 10% downhill, a setting of 50%, the downhill is 2.5%. I really dislike this aspect. ---
**Author:** ![Christo\_Bekker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/christo_bekker/32/540375_2.png) [@Christo\_Bekker](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Christo_Bekker)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2021, 4:48pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/6 "2021-01-31T16:48:30Z")
Niels, you will find most of your answers (and some you may not have thought of yet!) in these two articles… I do not ride on 100% for the pure reason of spinning out. I am on a MTB mounted on a trainer and gearing only allows me to pedal up to about 47kph. That means on flat rides I can’t even stay in a bunch, let alone pedal on downhills. Links: > **[Using the “Trainer Difficulty” Setting in Zwift](https://zwiftinsider.com/using-the-trainer-difficulty-setting-in-zwift/)** > > Confused by this setting? Here’s a complete explanation. > **[What’s the Best Zwift Trainer Difficulty Setting?](https://zwiftinsider.com/best-trainer-difficulty-setting/)** > > Dig into the most misunderstood and controversial setting in Zwift’s menu! ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 11:00am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/7 "2022-01-25T11:00:12Z")
I’m baffled by this setting. I found the default 50% to be spot on reality. Using the same bike on the same gradients indoor and out, it matches the feel and effort. I’ve a nice 3km 8% climb and a 4km 4% climb. Gears and feel etc for these match those in the game at 50% difficulty. If I crank it up to 100% I can barely turn the pedal in my smallest gear for a 3% gradient in-game hill. That’s stupid and unrealistic. I’ve read just about everything I can find on this, but none of it makes sense in that 100% to me is not realistic at all. I’m sticking at 50% as that is realistic for me. ---
**Author:** ![gloscherrybomb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/gloscherrybomb/32/493046_2.png) [@gloscherrybomb](https://forums.zwift.com/u/gloscherrybomb)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 11:47am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/8 "2022-01-25T11:47:54Z")
Which trainer? That suggests an issue with your trainer. ---
**Author:** ![Gerrie\_Delport\_ODZ](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/gerrie_delport_odz/32/437556_2.png) [@Gerrie\_Delport\_ODZ](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Gerrie_Delport_ODZ)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 1:15pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/9 "2022-01-25T13:15:02Z")
Do you have the same gearing on your indoor bike and IRL bike. I have bigger gearing on my Indoor bike and therefore 100% on the trainer will not be realistic for me. ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/10 "2022-01-25T20:00:36Z")
Kickr Core. Has all latest firmware on. Only had it around 6 months ---
**Author:** ![janhendrik](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/janhendrik/32/212036_2.png) [@janhendrik](https://forums.zwift.com/u/janhendrik)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/11 "2022-01-25T20:01:14Z")
Similar issue here. Do you know if there is any way to adjust the trainer difficulty by an offset instead of by a gain factor? I usually only use ERG mode, but riding the occasional TdZ have the problem of being forced to ride in the big ring for the downhills to keep up with the bunch. Unfortunately the Elite Suito and the concrete ceilings in my building resonate very well for those flywheel speeds. ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 8:45pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/13 "2022-01-25T20:45:26Z")
I’ve a 11-28 cassette outdoors and 11-34 indoors. I’d therefore expect at 100% realism the indoor to be easier. However as I said a 3/4% gradient is almost impossible to turn the pedals in 34 tooth. That’s not right! ---
**Author:** ![Nigel\_Tufnel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/nigel_tufnel/32/487824_2.png) [@Nigel\_Tufnel](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Nigel_Tufnel)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 8:55pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/14 "2022-01-25T20:55:59Z")
No, that’s not right, but that sounds more like an issue with your setup than with Zwift or Trainer Difficulty. I find that at 100% the climbs feel pretty much dead-on with IRL. No issues with turning a good cadence on steep grades, until they get over 10% (but that’s the same as IRL). ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2022, 10:06pm UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/15 "2022-01-25T22:06:36Z")
Ok. Tried again this morning when it’s a lot cooler (20c rather than 35c as of past few days). Seems better so could be the heat. Just done a spin down after a ride in both Zwift and the Wahoo app. Will do Alpe du Zwift tomorrow morning at 100% and see how that goes. Will be cooler then too. ---
**Author:** ![Christo\_Bekker](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/christo_bekker/32/540375_2.png) [@Christo\_Bekker](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Christo_Bekker)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 2:48am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/16 "2022-01-26T02:48:26Z")
Nope, that is the only place and method that I am aware of to change it. ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/17 "2022-01-27T06:32:22Z")
Ok. Trying London pretzel at the moment with difficulty at max. Can’t get up the 7% part of fox hill even in my 34t. Normally outside up my 8% climb I could use the 27t or 25t easily using this exact cassette about a year ago Zwift definitely has bugs here. It’s not realistic. Glad I didn’t try alpe. Definitely some dodgy algorithm at work of effort is off the chart but power still the same after switching back to 50% Back at the original and more realistic now. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Hammatt](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/steve_hammatt/32/210763_2.png) [@Steve\_Hammatt](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Steve_Hammatt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 9:08am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/18 "2022-01-27T09:08:46Z")
> [@Haydn\_Robinson](#): > > Ok. Trying London pretzel at the moment with difficulty at max. Can’t get up the 7% part of fox hill even in my 34t. It sounds like there’s something wrong with your trainer, especially because no-one else is reporting anything like this. I would contact Wahoo support. ---
**Author:** ![Haydn\_Robinson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/gozwift/user_avatar/forums.zwift.com/haydn_robinson/32/456326_2.png) [@Haydn\_Robinson](https://forums.zwift.com/u/Haydn_Robinson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2022, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.zwift.com/t/zwift-trainer-difficulty/533154/19 "2022-01-27T10:19:17Z")
Thanks Steve. Will see what wahoo say.