Can you follow a course on a garmin using a smart trainer?

munkster

As title really.

Got Tacx Vortex Smart and Edge 1000. Is it possible to follow a saved course (or previous ride?) and have the trainer simulate the route/terrain/grade?

I did try it (unsuccessfully!) when I first got the trainer but then my head was turned by Zwift and I didn't try again but I don't intend paying for that as the weather improves so am interested in how I can make the most of my set up.

Many thanks for any help :-)

markhewitt1978

Pretty sure the Edge 1000 can do that. The Edge 520 certainly can.

meanredspider

Yup - I can do that with my Neo and 1000 combo so I'd guess other Tacx and Garmin combos can too

munkster

Cool thanks - maybe I had other sensors "ruling" the turbo and the garmin couldn't tell it what to do? I think I have more of an idea how it works now but wanted to check what I was thinking actually could happen! Cheers :-)

Mikey23

Ooerr was going to ask the same question but from a different perspective. I would like to use the 520 to control my new vortex which i know it does and it is explained in the manual. I did a test for this and i was getting resistance. I would likke the course to show on strava in the same way that the zwift ones do. Has anyone managed to do this please? I think the OP is right about the unit being confused about different combinations of sensors ruling the turbo. I got confused by this...

I also gather that you can use the garmin to control the ride using google earth so that you can do the countryside while following the course...

munkster

I actually just tried to do this and ended up giving up. It all worked insofar as it followed the course, and the Garmin was definitely altering the resistance but it was *so* abrupt and change in resistance ridiculously out of proportion to what I know the ride is (my usual after-work loop) that it just seemed wrong. Is this endeavour dependent on the "quality" of the course you use or something? This was actually a previous ride I saved AS a course on the device as opposed to something I created as a gpx and put on the device...

Mikey23

Yes will have another go but i noticed the same that the transition to uphill was instant and massive. On a course that i am familiar with and is pretty flat. Why it wasnt following the course initially was because i think i should have turned the gps on the garmin. Very disappointing ...

munkster

Very disappointing ...

Tends to be the way with most things to do with garmin IME :-(

mason5697

How do you do this? I have the garmin 520 and tacx flow. Tacx flow came from halfords, but no manual with it for some reason

Mikey23

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5bS8Sisqf8Y

A helpful video explaining how to do it. Theoretically it should follow a pre selected course and adjust for the gradient on that course. And download that ride to strava a la zwift. And also you should be able to actually ride the course using google earth but i think you would need an annual subscription of about £30 to do this. In real life however, it doesnt work as well as it should. My vortex goes from flat to vertical cliff instantly which is no good when you are recovering from a total hip replacement. I would expect to see or hear of more people doing this if it was easy and it worked properly. You may have better success with the flow...

mason5697

Got it working first time with the flow. But just felt totally unnatural. Didn't feel good at all when changing gradient. Great feature in theory, but just not implemented well.

markhewitt1978

mason5697 wrote:

Got it working first time with the flow. But just felt totally unnatural. Didn't feel good at all when changing gradient. Great feature in theory, but just not implemented well.

I found similar with recreating a previous route with Kinomap, yeah it's ok but underwhelming.

StillGoing

Have a read up on turbos. That unrealistic auto resistance is symptomatic of wheel on turbo trainers where you suffer slippage and more so with magnetic resistance. Some are better than others, but tend to be at the upper end of the price range. Some are terrible like the Tacx Bushido Smart FEC. Turbos that are cheaper than it perform better.