With the release of the Zwift Ride Smart Frame only, how will this work on TrainerRoad in “resistance mode”? Having the Zwift Cog and only one gear, you can’t shift.
Does that mean you will just control resistance only with the slider bar 0-100% in TrainerRoad? And if so, is it possible to program some of the buttons on the handlebar to adjust resistance in TrainerRoad?
TL;DR: The present implementation of single-speed setups like the Zwift Frame only make sense for Zwift users or anyone willing to commit to ERG. Use outside those cases is less than ideal & picking the wrong tool for the job, IMO.
Perhaps related is the Elite option recently announced takes a different approach to Virtual Shifting and may be a better option to consider. But I have only skimmed that info and could be wrong about that, so it’s worth separate research if you aim in this direction.
Has anyone here tried the newly released Zwift Ride Smart Bike with TrainerRoad? I’m particularly curious about how it performs in resistance mode. Would love to hear your thoughts!
I moved your post under an existing one with the same question. See my reply above, but it will not be a great option for TR in non-ERG modes.
Is using “resistance” mode and shifting to adjust power an issue for all smart bikes, like the Kickr Bike/Shift and Neo Smart Bike, when using TR due to them not having actual gears?
The reason I ask is I am thinking of getting a Smart Bike for my kids to use, and possibly me, that can be adjusted easily for different riders. I like the cost of the new Zwift setup but might consider getting the Kickr or Neo Bike if it can be used effectively in “resistance” mode. My concern is I do use “resistance” mode when doing short Vo2 Max intervals as it seems more effective than “Erg” Mode.
I could be wrong, but as I understand it has shifters that “virtually shift” gears, i.e. change the resistance an amount equivalent shifting up or down a physical cog on a sprocket. (See Virtual Shifting FAQ)
I think you can even program it to imitate various cassettes to match whatever you’re running on your real outdoor bike, though that might only be a feature on fancier full bike trainers like the Wahoo KICKR Bike (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFnsx_kB2GY)
No. All smart bikes (or at least all that I know of) include virtual gear functionality that allows you to “shift” gears in resistance / simulation mode. This varies from just being able to simulate on bike gearing (e.g., 2 front chainrings, 12 rear cogs) to completely virtual gearing (the Stages SB20 allows up to a 1x50 setup).
I don’t think it is possible to be in resistance mode and still use the Smart Bike shifting to change resistance. This is directly off of Wahoo Support that I found. Look at the note under Resistance Mode.
edit: I wish this was not the case as it would be nice for doing high intense short intervals but I don’t think it will work unless someone else has a solution. It does work in simulation mode (i.e. Zwift) to be able to shift but not if it is set in resistance mode.
