Since the first version of Sufferfest stand-alone software, sensor connection has been unreliable and inconsistent. It is demonstrably an issue with the now SYSTM app, as Trainer Road has zero issues connecting.
First - why do we have to start a ride for the sensors to connect? Can the app be modified to connected sensors before the ride?
Secondly - can we have spin down for Wahoo Kickr and other devices in the app? I am using a PC to ride and have to connect with my phone to spin down which is a complicated symphony of enabling adn disabling bluetooth before and after spin down.
I missed 20 minutes of HR values on my ride today. very frustrating.
On my iPad and on my Mac (when I’ve used it), SYSTM remembers all my previous sensor connections and the ones in range just connect within a few seconds of starting the ride. All I do is check that everything is as I want it and close the window. I’m unclear what can be improved from that. Does your setup work differently?
(While my new KICKR doesn’t need spin downs, I totally support integrating that.)
On (for example) Fulgaz, sensors connect at application start-up and go can go from one ride to another without having to reconnect. On SYSTM sensor connection doesn’t happen until you click “Start Workout”, they then disconnect when you save the workout. This is a bit of a pain if you want to run 2 or 3 workouts one after another. e.g. 10 minute warm-up, then main workout then cooldown or recovery spin.
That said, Fulgaz doesn’t have things like yoga and strength for which sensor connection is totally irrelevant. I think it’s probably inherent in the way the different components of the SYSTM app are designed that this is just how it works. Overall (for me anyway), it’s a minor thing.
I’ve run back to back workouts. I just have to wait a second or two–which is about how long it takes me to reset myself. But maybe my stuff just connects faster. If it were slow, it would be a pain.
I can concur with the OP on this one, it is one of my bugbears.
I rarely have to dump my connections, but sometimes if I want to run back-to-back sessions I have to close SYSTM and re-open it. It’s almost like it’s not properly releasing the devices, but the new player is a new session so it’s not still connected either…
The problem is that the app is not consistent with its ability to connect, and that inconsistency is not part of my setup as another application that does the same thing (TrainerRoad) would always connect, consistently, even on technology 10 years ago.
I am using a PC and connecting via Bluetooth. Even though ANT+ work(s/ed) on TrainerRoad, it would not consistently connect in Sufferfest.
Sometimes all sensors connect immediately, sometimes they connect after a couple minutes. Sometimes, I need to start the ride, wait 5 minutes, then restart the entire application.
This is entirely software related and has plagued the software since its inception. I even stopped using SUF for a time because of it. I am hopeful that with the capital resources of Wahoo they can address this.
The sequnce for me is start new workout, wait a few seconds, sensors connect, turn off “climb” for Kickr so I don’t have “x%” icon showing all the time, check cadence is coming from cadence sensor not Kickr, hit spacebar and start workout. Generally just a few seconds and not a big deal but sometimes (rarely) I have issues like Sir Jon.
BUT… I also have SYSTM installed on my desktop and only ever use it to update the calendar or preview a workout, if every time I started it I had to click a “do not connect” message (a la fulgaz) that would be annoying too so swings and roundabouts really.
Bottom line - SYSTM continues to be my platform of choice, I really wanted to like Fulgaz and was intending to use it alongside SYSTM but didn’t get beyond the free trial because I found the actual rides totally uninspiring!
Definitely agree that the Fulgaz method of connecting at startup is inconvenient for things like calendar changes, ride profile checks, or anything else where you’re not riding.
SYSTM has got me back into doing yoga daily, which has actually greatly improved my cycling performance and general quality of life due to pain issues, and it seems silly to force yoga users to deal with sensor connections. I do more short yoga sessions per day than I do cycling sessions, although cycling is my primary reason for being here, and my sensors connect within 15 seconds of hitting start for a ride unless my phone has grabbed one of the relevant BT connections and won’t relinquish it.
Yoga users would not have to deal with sensor connections. It would all be background.
Again, my only point is the inconsistency. It is not reliable. If it would reliably load before every ride, then it would not be an issue. They don’t have to change when sensors load, just make it more reliable.
