Brand new to the game, not only Xert, but also indoor training as a whole. I am amazed by the Xert concept as this is exactly what I was looking for - constantly adapting program, which takes in to account outdoor activities and allows me to organize indoor cycling training around my life, not the other way around.
However, as a newbie I am having some questions. The most confusing are:
The trainer mode of the Garmin app. I don’t know if I am in “Power control”, “Resistance”, “Slope” or “Off”. I go to the menu, I click, but the app simply returns me to the main screen without any feedback which is the selected mode. Is this the expected behaviour? I see that Android app can show the trainer mode, but apparently this is not available on the Garmin…
Regarding the sync between Garmin Connect and Xert. Is it only for Garmin workouts? My flow is Zwift -> Garmin Connect -> Xert. I expected after completing a Zwift workout for it to be immediately available in Xert…but this wasn’t the case and I had to upload it manually. So are there issues with importing zwift activities passing through garmin connect or maybe I had to wait a bit more?
This is more of a Garmin question than Xert, but I figure you might have the experience. How is the smart trainer recognized inside Garmin? I can find a power sensor, is that all or there is an additional component for the control part? I am a bit worried that I can add it only as power source (athlete controlled mode). On my first Xert workout I felt like having to always stay on top of the prescribed wats and like it is not the trainer that is controlling the output.
Admittedly, I am new to the whole controlable trainer concept, so if there is some simple bulletproof way to test whether the garmin controls the trainer via Xert, it will be great.
There is guide to Garmin player here which should give you some useful info
On your questions
I don’t think so, but default is power control (aka Erg mode)
Should work and doesn’t take too long in my experience (assuming you’ve authorized Xert to sync from Garmin, and sync from Zwift to Garmin is working)
You need to connect as a trainer (and depending whether you have another powermeter, the way to connect is different - link above explains it) so if you’ve connected as a power meter it won’t control your trainer… you need to forget that connection and reconnect as a trainer
You’ll know when it’s controlling as resistance fairly quickly changes up or down based on the workout interval prescribed power (and cadence)
Thanks. I managed to add it from “Training -> Indoor trainer” menu on the edge. A bit counterintuitive as it is not in the sensors menu. I will try it with a workout later.
Main issue is that I still don’t know in which mode is the trainer - power control, resistance, slope or off and there is no visual confirmation of that on the Garmin.
If you are multi-sport athlete I understand why you want to go through Garmin Connect, but if you are not completely tied to that I think you’ll find indoor training is best experienced with XM (Xert Mobile) on your phone.
Easier to read screens, search/select workouts, switch modes quickly, view the profile chart, watch MPA decline on the rainbow gauge, define fields, and more.
Xert did a great job within the confines of the Connect IQ platform, but those limitations do not exist on the mobile app.
All fair points, but for various reasons mobile app is not an option for me. I don’t want to start garmin vs app type of debate as different people have different use cases. And yeah, I am kinda amazed with what Xert team did with Connect IQ, it seems it is mostly platform for gimmicks and watch faces.
I am still a bit confused how to get a confirmation on which trainer mode is selected in garmin or should I just trust that clicking the desired button works as expected. I can work around the other issues.
By tapping the back button on screen (edge 820/1000 series) or by pushing the bottom right button (Edge 520 series), you’ll access the trainer control menu. Simply tapping the trainer mode that you’d like to be in will switch the trainer control mode. Unfortunately, there isn’t much space (especially on 520/820) to display trainer mode as well, so you’ll just need to tap on the correct option from the list. I’d say 99.9% of the time, you’ll just want to be in Power Control mode, so just tap that the first time you use the app and the setting will be saved for each subsequent time you use the player.
Thanks for confirming I will switch between “Power trainer” and “Off” most of the time, the latter when I am zwifting and just want to monitor my MPA in real time
There is a bit of a learning curve, but so far so good!
Other and easier option is to add the MPA and power data field to one of your garmin screens instead. Then you can just record with your garmin, rather than run a workout
I will switch between “Power trainer” and “Off” most of the time, the latter when I am zwifting and just want to monitor my MPA in real time