Using on a laptop for 4 years now and the app ANT+ will connect at the start of a session then drops the connection and won’t reconnect.
I’ve tried all the usual things and I have a ticket open with wahoo since 13/8 I got two replies one asking what is the make and model of the laptop the second request was try it on your phone. There has been no reply from support since 17/8. This is not a good enough level of support.
Everything connects and works ok with ROUVY so it’s not a hardware or hardware OS problem. Can someone address ticket 1880543.
Wahoo Support rarely visits the forums to look for tickets to review. One suggestion is to send in a second reply to the e-mail I think they sent you to ask for your equipment status.
Also, what version of SYSTM are you using and have you recently updated it?
I had my fair share of pretty slow response from the support peeps over at Wahoo recently. But I’d echo Sir James’ suggestion to send an email to them again once more.
You could also try the live-chat function as well. It kind of helps but you have to be a prompt in replies too (to a certain extent) before they sort of push you down the order again.
In either case, which OS are you using and have you run all the latest OS updates and restarted your laptop since?
What type of Ant+ dongle?
Are you using a USB extension cord to put the Ant+ dongle as close to the trainer as possible?
What is it that you are trying to connect exactly, i.e trainer, power meter, cadence sensor, speed sensor, heart rate monitor? And, of these, are all the connections dropping?
Do you have all the latest firmware updated for each of the sensors you’re trying to connect?
Are you able to try Bluetooth? I know some folks find Ant+ better but I personally found BTLE a much more stable connection to SYSTM than Ant+ to my MacBook Air. That said, I still use the Ant+ dongle when doing cadence builds to get a more accurate reading at higher RPM
As for the uninstall/reinstall, there is sometimes some detritus left over when uninstalling the usual way. On my Mac, when uninstalling something, I use AppCleaner, which takes the extra junk out that the typical drag to Trash leaves behind. Not sure what the process is for Windows, if that’s what you’re using.
As others have said, the forums are really not the best place to get support from The Company and a second email/reply would be a good idea. I get how frustrating it can be to feel ignored and how infuriating it can be when something works fine for ages, then suddenly doesn’t and there’s nothing you can pinpoint that has changed on your end.
In any case, check back in here if/when you hear back, or we can continue to try to troubleshoot with you here pending your answers/responses.
Thanks Glen, yeah I’ve check all that stuff, using the set up for over 4 years the only thing that has changed is the laptop about a year ago. I’ll try Bluetooth haven’t used that in long time because my early experiences with it weren’t good.
Hi Peter, i’d definitely try Bluetooth. I’m a big ANT+ fan from BITD (all sorts of sensors) but these days use BTLE by default on most training platforms and OSes. It has a few advantages, the disadvantages aren’t generally an issue in this arena, and support has matured considerably over the last few years on trainers and software.
Let us know how you get on.
Ok so I guess not so bad support in the end. They sent out a new ANT+ dongle FOC and it worked. Strange how the previous dongle worked fine previously with SYSTEM and still does with ROUVY.
For whatever it’s worth, I started out using ANT+ dongle, did okay, but I definitely had issues with death spiral on extremely short intervals, took me a while to learn that the ANT+ wasn’t ideal for those.
After starting to use the Bluetooth connection some, I gradually shifted over to that by default, and I haven’t plugged in the ANT+ for months. My laptop is several years old but pretty robust, and I keep the Intel Bluetooth drivers up to date, and was able to run SYSTM and ZWIFT simultaneously (when I still had SYSTM; currently dropped subscription for the summer and haven’t decided about a return yet, though I only have Zwift because of the 1yr freebie when RGT went away. It won’t be ZWIFT for me once it’s gone, that’s for sure. But I did like ROUVY when I did free trial some time back and their multiple user offer is so reasonably priced that I may do that with some friends. But SYSTM is still in a class of its own, in my opinion, and I miss the very engaging workout videos for sure.)
I can see how they would. ROUVY is definitely weak as far as any engagement via music, etc, but with SYSTM workouts, even the NOVID workouts, the scenery of ROUVY could be a great entertainment to pass the time and “see the world.”
Not only can you import the workouts into Rouvy as you mentioned, but on Rouvy you have to make the decisions and judgements about gearing and effort which is much closer to the real world experience.
I actually hadn’t thought about importing them into ROUVY, just running both apps concurrently on the laptop but watching the real world scenery…
But yes, that definitely changes things as an imported workout.
Although, I admit, I generally prefer the “set it and forget it” simplicity of ERG mode, and not having to change gears to match a target, etc when I’m riding inside. I get enough decision-making trying to make outdoor rides work within power/HR ranges with the constantly changing grades in this mountainous area.
I like to import the NoVids because that makes them more engaging (although some like MAP Progression 5 are engaging whether you like it or not). I can listen to whatever music I am in the mood for.
Yes ERG mode is simpler, but having to make decisions makes the workout, at least for me, less monotonous. There is, however, nothing like a Sufferfest workout.
You can import the no-vids into a few other workout platforms.
Or, you can let SYSTM control the workout and just have another platform read-only your sensors to give you scenery. I’ve done this with Zwift, RGT, and IndieVelo. You can do that with Rouvy as well. And I’m sure you can do it with others.
Either way you can use erg or level mode.
IndieVelo also has terrain mode where it’s a hybrid between erg mode and level mode.
It’s called “terrain mode” or “slope feel” so it’s similar to “level mode”, but the “level” changes with the actual terrain.
In SYSTM you either ride in Erg Mode or Level mode. Erg mode holds your trainer to the exact target power no matter what. Level mode gives you are constant resistance based on the amount you choose for the entire workout.
Terrain Feel in IndieVelo allows you to be able to ride a prescribed workout and also have the terrain you ride on affect your resistance just like if you were riding a prescribed workout outside. So you will have to manually change gears to hold your desired target power as the terrain changes.
Thanks for the explanation, @emacdoug
I think I can grasp that… I can definitely relate to how DIFFICULT it is, for me at least, to hold my power output in the right range for prescribed workouts. There’s just too much changing of the grade, and it amazes me how SMALL a change in gradient can throw the power values way off!
That always has me uncertain whether the ‘fault’ is my lack of consistent pedal stroke, OR the gradient, OR the power meter, OR the wind, OR the device, OR funky Bluetooth connection, OR OR OR…
I think this is a bit of a mischaracterization, imho.
Level mode only provides a constant resistance if your speed never changes in any chosen level. Like irl, you change your speed based on your cadence and gear choice. In Zwift (like indieVelo), unless you are in ERG mode, resistance is based on the gradient so if you want to maintain your speed going up or down, you need to shift your gears. You can change the “feel” of that resistance in both apps where in Zwift it’s the “trainer difficulty” setting and in indieVelo it’s the “slope feel” setting. What indieVelo allows you to do on-the-fly, which Zwift doesn’t atm, is utilize virtual gearing with a simple press of your keyboard +/- buttons or the indieVelo remote. With Zwift, unless you already have the Cog/Click or Play and a virtual gearing enabled trainer, I don’t think there’s a quick and easy way to adjust trainer difficulty in ride.
A great explainer article on Level mode in SYSTM is available here:
Edit: nvm, I’ve read up a bit more. They do indeed offer what they call Terrain Based workouts where you can choose to have the gradient changes impact resistance during a workout. I just don’t see how that’s any different from riding Zwift with trainer difficulty set to 0 (i.e flat road regardless of gradient on screen), or 100% where the resistance matches the terrain, or ERG where resistance matches the workout.
In any case, what’s really clear is that I really ought to ride more and type less
