Fellow Sufferlandrians,
If you are thinking of buying a Kickr Climb, I just want to warn you - it will spoil you. Even though what it does is fundamentally pretty simple, and not necessary for training - it will suck you in! It’s just… fun! And rides are more “engaging” (pun fully intended). And it makes your rides more comfortable.
What I’m saying is, if you get it, you will not want to go back to being stuck at a 0% gradient.
Consider yourself warned!
Luckily, I cannot afford it, so I won’t be having that problem any time soon 
#truth
Solid bit of advice here @bukharin. 100% agreed. I actually busted mine while “climbing” in one of those other places and had serious withdrawl symptoms until I got it replaced. I’m not kidding either.
I am still confused as to why SYSTM doesn’t control the climbing feature of any smart trainers with this capability. Not even the Kickr bike. My old Tour De France 5.0 could do it in ifit and even Zwift does it and tracks elevation climbed.
SYSTM does control the climbing feature in many many rides. See this
What it doesn’t do is record elevation gain since SYSTM is not a sim app like Zwift, Rouvy, RGT etc.
The gradient control in SYSTM is to make the rides more engaging, not to replicate actual gradients like those other apps.
Love mine. I do find it makes the workouts more engaging. I’m getting just what I was hoping for when I bought it.
But only in erg mode, correct? I’ve done 14 Vice grips and a Very dark place and in level mode no elevation change. I do all the hard workouts in level mode so that I can exceed my FTP as I am able.
Correct. The gradient message is only picked up by the trainer when in ERG mode.
I’m not sure if the app has the capacity to send a gradient only message when in level mode but atm, that is not a feature.
Thanks for clarifying. Love my kickr bike but it has frustrated me that I haven’t had it control the elevation. It would be nice if it did give elevation gain. That can’t be too hard to do.
I find that things that “can’t be that hard to do” are often waaaay harder than we think.
The thing is SYSTM, unlike Zwift and Rouvy etc is not a Sim app. That’s not to say they can’t modify it at some point to create some sim features but that is NOT the focus of the app.
I do wonder, like you, whether there’s a way to send a gradient message to the trainer regardless of whether we are in ERG or level mode. That would be pretty cool and it would allow for the best of both worlds for folks like us with the Climb, the Kickr Bike, or the Elite Rizer. Any idea if this is in the works Sirs @David.McQuillen.KoS or @reid.weber?
The first time I rode Norway on my Kickr Bike with gradient working it was brilliant.
Something I have learnt though, if the incline suddenly jumps up to 8-9% while you are sat up taking a break, be careful not to fall off the back of the bike! I’ve nearly done it a couple of times when not paying attention.
Indeed. Or the same forwards if a flat recovery section suddenly turns into a full on downhill
I think my first “climb” ride was a @michael.cotty special. Somewhere early on had a sudden -3%. Almost pitched over the bars into the wall.
Ah yes, but this is actually a “feature” that GvA wanted for riders who thought “taking a break” was allowed in Sufferlandria.
Remember: the uncomfortable have nothing to fear
SYSTM does control the climbing feature on my Kickr Bike on any workouts that have the gradient within them.
I agree bukharin. But try a Kickr Bike on a rocker plate like the Omirocker and you’ll have even more of a problem. I’m up, down, forward, back, side to side - and shattered. Fantastic suffering… 
In level mode, the gradients match the level. So, you could control the climb for gradients up to 9%. However, at that point you could also use the climb’s remote.
it would be nice when using the remote in level mode, if SYSTM showed the gradient being used on screen. I think imma submit a feature request.