Zwift - watts up/ down constantly

busterjones

Brand new to cycling and Zwift. Bought a secondhand Tacx Neo.

Have been using it for a few weeks but what’s surprised me is that watts are changing and jumping up and down constantly- and can me bigs jumps (20/30). Very hard to keep a steady effort.

As I said - I’m brand new to this and have starting using erg mode and have also been getting used to gears etc but still, at times when in same gear, same gradient and peddling what seems consistently, watts still jumping about.

Set up is Tacx Neo and Apple TV 4K.

Anything I can eliminate in terms of setup being off? Is there a way to reset and recalibrate trainer?

Or - is it just me? What can I try e.g. if training was keep 220 for 5 mins - should I go with erg and stay in same gear?

Thanks!

Macy0161

For the display, you can adjust to 3 second average. But any smoothing is just for display. What you're seeing is just the realities of how we produce power. It's a jagged line rather than steady.

For erg mode, inner ring and easier gear may help, as you'll have less fly wheel speed. You shouldn't be using the gears in erg mode though - if you are the turbo and power probably all over the place trying to adjust. Erg mode just pick a gear and stick to it.

dahat

Work with your zones rather than exact wattage if not using erg mode.

Zone 2 could be 200-280 but your plan/coach could ask for 220 with + - either side of 220 if you understand? Aim for 220 avg for your timed effort if not using erg mode.

Macy0161

dahat wrote: »

Aim for 220 avg for your timed effort if not using erg mode.

Which just to clarify for the OP, is all erg mode does anyway. Constantly adjusting based on your cadence so that you average the target power for the interval. It's not that it locks you in at the specific 220w - your power is naturally up and down so it's always adjusting.

Daroxtar

Spin on the turbo at an easy rate for at least 10 minutes to get it warmed up. Then on your garmin go into settings >sensors >trainer and do a spin down calibration from there. As also said, set your display to 3 seconds average, it's a lot smoother.

ED E

Many turbos are limited in the extremes of the scale. If you try and ERG for 80W the trainer will struggle to keep it there but if you ERG for 200W it should vary by 1-2W +/- unless you really try to push it out of its happy zone.

I'd get up to speed then set ERG 200 and see how it goes.

busterjones

Thanks all - working much better now, that I understand how ERG works! Me changing gears was the problem.