force10

I use a coach who creates workouts on Training Peaks which I ride on Zwift while indoors. I record the workout on my Edge 530 and run the workout there simultaneously. I specifically do not run in erg mode on Zwift so that I can control my power with cadence and gear changes.

Yesterday, my tacx neo trainer lost connection to Zwift mid workout and after several minutes I just turned off Zwift to follow the workout on hte head unit (I was in the vo2 interval portion of the workout and wasnt paying attention to the screen anyway.) After doing so, the 530 started controlling the resistance - raising it to the point that I couldnt maintain a cadence high enough to stay in the power range.

I was able to go to the trainer settings menu (on the 530) and disable the resistance by selecting "free ride", but it would re-set each time an interval concluded and a new lap started. Fumbling through the menus with a racing heart and sweaty fingers had an adverse impact on the workout.

My primary question is whether I can disable the default to erg mode by the Edge 530? I am also curious whether the lost connection between the trainer and Zwift has any bearing on the issue. Last, judging by the icons on the 530, it appears that the trainer can be connected to the head unit as either an indoor trainer or as separate power and speed/cadence sensors - does this affect the erg mode?

kcjc

You need to pair just to the power not the trainer, either Ant+ or Bluetooth Smart power. On mine, the Ant+ power symbol looks like a dumbbell. I don't use Bluetooth or Neo (Drivo and H2) and looks like there isn't a separate icon for Bluetooth, https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?fa...RnAFS0uVaZatb9. Maybe it's in the name?

PeteHski

Is there any reason why you are recording simultaneously on your Edge 530? I just record workouts in Zwift and automatically export data to Garmin, Strava, TP etc.

PeteHski

Yes it does. If you connect as an indoor trainer then your Garmin can control the trainer resistance and operate in erg mode. If you connect as a separate power sensor then your Garmin will not control trainer resistance. Which will solve your issue with Garmin taking over erg control, but you won’t be able to manually adjust trainer resistance via your Garmin.

force10

The Garmin records some metrics (pedal stroke, L/R %) that Zwift does not. I also frequently prefer to have an array of screens that show data differently than Zwift. I export the Zwift file to Strava and Garmin file to Connect and TP. Some of it is probably habit more than anything.

force10

Thanks to you both. That is what I thought. And I believe that I only have the trainer connected to the garmin as power and speed/cadence sensors. This is belied by my experience with the garmin taking over resistance once Zwift was turned off. But when I go to the sensor menu, I do not see any option to unpair the trainer. I only se that I have it connected as power (dumbell icon), and speed/cadence (speedometer and crankset icons). The trainer icon (kind of like a hweel-on trainer icon) appears as available across the top screen when I boot up the head unit but does not show thqat it is connected in the sensor menu. Maybe a call to Garmin is in order.

PeteHski

It was a while ago, but I had a similar thing happen with my Edge 530. I vaguely seem to remember a pop up message on my Garmin asking if I wanted to connect as a Trainer. But I could be wrong.

I would try unpairing your trainer power and cadence sensors and then start again and see what happens. You might get the same pop up message I did, unless I just dreamt that part, 😂. If it does ask you if you want to pair as a trainer, then just say no.

Iride01 

Has this only happened once? Try it again. From your op it sounds like you successfully did this many times before.

force10

I had the same recollection and did as you suggest. Unpairing and re-pairing went fine but the pop up never reappeared. I think there must be some separate way to disable the trainer part.

force10

It is the only time that the 530 has taken over resistance. But normally I am running the workout on Zwift also and it “overrides” any trainer control, I guess. This time I lost connection and shut it off, and the issue arose. I suspect you are correct that it would not occur if the Zwift connection is maintained but would like to have it sussed out as the weather cools and indoor riding becomes more frequent.

Iride01 

Yeah, I'd be no help there. I don't use a smart trainer. I'd just hate for this to be a one time thing and then you believe the first thing you did solved it. I don't see anything wrong with starting the thread to ask for the thoughts of others. I was just curious as I occasionally have one time things happen with my Edge 530 that happen once and only once. Sometimes it seems to be the ride after a update. But not always and not frequently.

force10

In case anybody else is ever trying to figure this out, the connection as an indoor trainer is separate from the other sensors like power/speed/cadence etc and unpairing is done in a different place. To unpair as a trainer, go to Menu-->Training-->Indoor Trainer and you can remove/add the trainer there.

PeteHski

That’s good to know thanks. Out of curiosity if you pair initially as a power source, does it ask you if you would like to also pair as a trainer? I’m just wondering what triggers that pop up.

force10

There was no pop up this time when paired the power/cadence sensors. I recall that pop up from before but don’t know what prompts it. It may not have popped up this time because I had just unpaired the trainer??

force10

The invitation to set-up as a trainer pops up when you first go to do an indoor ride.

PeteHski

Mystery solved! I was honestly starting to believe I had dreamt this pop up!