During an interval with a power range, I cannot get my power output even close to the upper limit. My power output stays in the lower quadrant of the range.The only way I can increase my power output is by increasing cadence (>100) and it doesn’t take long for the power to drop back down, leaving me pedaling at a ridiculous cadence to try and hold power. If I slow the cadence the resistance doesn’t increase and the power drops below the lower limit. Why is this/what am I doing wrong?
You’re not giving all the information. But it sounds like you’re using ERG mode on an indoor trainer. This is simply how ERG mode works. It uses the middle value of the range. If you want to increase while running the workout, you need to tell whatever software is controlling your trainer to increase the power.
If it’s zwift, use the UI + buttons or menu increase option.
If you’re using a cycling computer, there should be a method to increase the target power (on garmin you have to go through the menus, it’s annoying)
@David_R is correct… If you’re on ERG mode, the power sent to the trainer is 1 target number (eg: even in Intervals where you have defined 100 - 120w power range, what gets sent is 110w power target)
Whatever you do, the trainer will try to stay on 110w - that’s how erg mode works.
If you want to increase it higher, you need to nudge the power (manually) or don’t use a power range in your workout structure. Use your Exact power target you want it to be.
The Alternative is to run it as SLOPE/Resistance mode, where you set say, 2% slope and then you use your gears to control your effort. Similar to riding outdoors.
OK, so I am making my interval training sessions in intervals.icu and they get automatically synced to my Garmin edge 530 which controls the Tacx Neo 2 trainer. Is that automatically in ERG mode? I didn’t think so because I have never had any issues with “spiral of death”.
Yes. As long as you have it as a power Target. It’s erg mode.
Spiral Of Death now is more or less dealt with. My App (BreakAway: Indoor Trainer) also have this feature where if the power goes down / cadence goes down significantly, it will scale the power target down automatically and revert to the prev target power when up to speed/cadence/power)
Thank you for the responses/ help. So take home message is:
- Setting a power range for an interval is pointless because it will just set the power at the average.
- One can increase the resistance/power during an interval in Garmin but it is arduous (how do you do that by the way?)
- One can do the intervals in slope mode, use your gears to adjust cadence and then; balancing/keeping power in “range” is up to you.
Correct?
Thanks. What app is the screenshot of?
It´s not pointless. If you don´t set a range, your Garmin will beep all the time for the slightest amount you diverge of the target.