Ive just bought a Kickr Core after years of using a dumb trainer and im really struggling to get to grips with it to a point that im thinking the trainer could be faulty.
First thing is that all my training is done on the SYSTM platform and i do 3 sessions per week over the winter.
First of all i tried to do a session in level mode(erg turned off) and found out i was spinning out at 105 rpm and only 200 watts
Then after a bit of reading on the net i then tried another session in erg mode at level 1 where i could hit the powers but my cadence was way too high so i had to manally increase the level up to 3 to bring my cadence down to the recommended.
So my first question is that is it normal for the user to have to adjust the level to meet the required power mid session.
Also when i had finished my first effort at say 235 watts and went into a recovery session the resistance wasn’t dropping so i was ending up just feathering the pedals at 65rpm just to meet my recovery of 112 watts unless i manually changed the settings back to erg off.
I hope ive made myself clear and im hoping its something im doing rather than a faulty product.
Hey John, Welcome to the forums and also, have you Suffered today?
In level mode you have to use your gearing to provide resistance as you would have done on the dumb trainer. Also it pays to mess around with the level number in the Systm app to find the optimum resistance where you aren’t spinning out or grinding.
ERG you only need to keep it in the one gear and it will adjust the resistance for you… I find in ERG on my Neo2T that the small ring and 1/3 of the way down the cassette keeps the straightest chainline.
Level mode… up to you for the most appropriate gear selection to meet power and cadence targets.
Thanks for the reply. Yes i have rode in level mode and used the gears as you would on the road or on a dumb trainer but my main concerns are the fact that im having to adjust the level setting manually to achieve the required resistance and when i have come off an effort and going into a block of recovery that the trainer isnt adjusting and im having to reduce the resistance manually in the settings.
I hope this makes it clear and thanks for you time
Couple questions for you. What gears do you have front and back? Do you have the latest firmware for your Core and have you done a spindown to calibrate your trainer. It isn’t so much normal to have to adjust the level when in level mode as it is a bit of trial and error in finding the right level that matches your gearing and allows you to shift and adjust your cadence to meet the power targets.
When you say spinning out at 105 rpm and 200 watts, Im assuming you are doing this in level mode in your biggest front ring and smallest cog on the cassette. That should 100% NOT be happening and a firmware update and spindown ought to resolve that.
If you are in ERG mode and the power is not reducing on a particular recovery interval, that too should NOT be happening.
One more thing, are your targets properly set up in your athlete profile?
Check back in and let us know how you are making out.
You should be able to choose a level at the start of your workout (I tend to go for level 2 l) and adjust both your cadence and power to the appropriate levels using your bike’s gears. I have noticed that it takes my Core a few seconds to catch up on the power change caused by shifting, but not anything major.
I ride in ERG mode most of the time (little ring for the straightest chain) and just let the trainer take control of power.
