I’ve been following a training plan on Swift. The other day I was doing a session that was two minutes effort at a high-ish wattage (for me), two minutes off kinda thing, all controlled by erg mode.

Now the route I was doing meant that I was sometimes doing the ‘effort’ bits when on a pretty steep downhill, and sometimes doing them on a fairly steeply uphill. I know the gradient shouldn’t affect the erg stuff, but on the downhill bots I was flying speed-wise, and they felt easier than the uphill ones. Was this in my head, as it just felt easier as I was going ‘faster’?

Elite Zumo, Android App, Bluetooth, FWIW.

I vote “in your head” 😃

I usually find long downhill sections at high ERG watts harder, maybe because my head is telling me pedalling resistance downhill in real life is easier.

I think it’s in your head. And my head.

In your head but it is a thing. Feels harder slogging up ADZ than it does flying down a hill.

your avatar on the screen will still react according to the elevation. So go fast on downs and slow on ups. But the actual gradient of the road wont effect how hard it is to pedal, as thats all controlled by the specified watts you need to achieve for that workout segment.

The perception of it being easy should just be your brain playing tricks on you.

If thats what you are asking?

This is why you’re better off on a flat route if using erg… it just messed with your head and you ‘try’ harder on climbs, and feel it should be easy on the downs!

DrP

I think it’s in your head. And my head.

Right-o, good to see I’m not alone.

This is why you’re better off on a flat route if using erg… it just messed with your head and you ‘try’ harder on climbs, and feel it should be easy on the downs!

Yeah, I’ll bear this in mind I think.

I usually find long downhill sections at high ERG watts harder, maybe because my head is telling me pedalling resistance downhill in real life is easier.

I get this as well, still not convinced it isn’t a thing but changing the trainer difficulty doesn’t appear to make a difference.

I prefer a higher cadence on climbs so sometimes wonder if I subconsciously ease off on the descents causing the resistance to adjust accordingly.

Could work the opposite way if you’re a masher?

Erg mode on a big hill is a good way to make tron progress. And a long climb is less susceptible to these mind tricks than a rolling one because it’s all uphill, so no rolling/downhill features to trick you. So the alpe and/or ventoux are better than more normal roads. All uphill, gradient becomes irrelevant. This tip admittedly brought to you by someone who basically never goes near erg mode.

Can’t say I’ve noticed this effect, but I only look at the numbers and never at the ‘rider’ so maybe that’s why?

Erg mode on a big hill is a good way to make tron progress. And a long climb is less susceptible to these mind tricks than a rolling one because it’s all uphill, so no rolling/downhill features to trick you. So the alpe and/or ventoux are better than more normal roads. All uphill, gradient becomes irrelevant. This tip admittedly brought to you by someone who basically never goes near erg mode.

It is indeed, it’s exactly how I got mine doing almost all my intervals on Road to Sky last winter…

I never pay any attention to the screen really, so i’ve never noticed this! Stick to youtube videos I think.