…would be really useful for SIT (sprint interval training).
I don’t think this is available on any other platform- would be a standout feature of trainerday 
Thanks for posting this here. Actually, you can create workouts for Zwift in our platform that combine ERG and Free-ride mode is what it is called in Zwift, but yes this is a great feature.
You have mentioned 2 feature requests in one here, I think you primarily mean the second one but it’s possible slope mode has other benefits like staying at the same resistance when you switch to “free-ride.”
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Use slope mode instead of resistance mode (since we talked in email before this, I forgot you should see if you like our resistance mode or if you really mean slope/sim mode)
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Allow automatic switching to slope or resistance mode and back to ERG. Our workout editor supports this but the trainig app does not. I think this is a nice feature too.
Enjoy your new Wahoo, we have a few Vortex users that post here but I know you said you are happy to be on the Wahoo now.
To be honest, I have yet to explore the exact difference between SLOPE and RESISTANCE mode. I guess what these actually feel like also depends on the trainer make and model. It seems like i.e. the KickrBike only has one of those two modes…
So you are right, I think the important point is the automatic switch between the modes (with dialed in level/slope) would be the novelty.
Use case example: SIT training, say 5min@FatMax followed by 30sec@AllOut. There is no good way to do this in ERG. Probably still best done (for now) like on a “dumb” trainer against a fixed curve, so without ERG altogether. I think most trainers don’t yet leverage what could be done instead: Do the recovery in ERG, and the all out bit in SLOPE/RESISTANCE. Whatever mode chosen, the important part of that would be to choose a curve that requires little shifting. With the right preset this can be done with fewer shifts in the work portion while still allowing to fade towards the later intervals (with maybe a downshift or two)…
Yeah Kickr bike only supports slope mode.
Regarding optimum shifting, I am not sure about that one, Zwift operates in slope mode so if you have to shift a lot in Zwift then the likelyhood is our resistance mode might be better as it is just a fixed resistance. We have no control over shifting in either mode I don’t think. The initial gear you start in might affect it but I don’t have much knowlege on this. You can do exactly what you want no in our app, you just have to click the free-ride switch before starting your intervals or keep it in free ride the whole time.
Let me know how it goes.
Sort of…
In Free-Ride and with the resistance adjustment at 10%, you can fairly quickly change from a relatively low to a relatively high resistance. But you need to “fast-trigger” the resistance button a couple times.
The ideal situation would be to do the recovery intervals in ERG mode while in a low enough gear to not hit the Power Floor of your trainer and do the work intervals (sprints) in a maximal resistance setting. It would be nice to have the app do the switching. Depending on your trainer, you might just have to change small/big chainring or a couple shifts in the rear, or maybe just nothing to change.
Oh yes, I agree completely, I like this feature request and always wanted to do it, I was just trying to say what you are saying “Sort of…”
So I tried manually switching between ERG and “free ride” AKA resistance mode, and noticed something strange:
Using the ± buttons had no effect for a broad range (if I remember correctly from 15 to 29%) and than jumped way up going from 29 to 30%. It was a jump from around 130W to 200+W in the same gear. This was using a Kickr5 and iPad. Is that normal?
I don’t exactly understand what you mean but you can go into settings and change the % of gain when you press plus minus. Kickr has both a delay as well as problems dealing with many quick power changes but it still should be reasonable to use. It should not do huge jumps but if you are in big gear you might need to change your settings.
I’ll try to explain in other words:
I have set the increments for resistance change to 1%. Increasing (and waiting a few seconds) did not seem to change anything from about 15 to 29%. Going from 29% to 30% gave me a jump of about 70Watts.
I wonder if this is due to how Wahoo handles resistance. I think in the wahoo app there are only 5% increments in resistance mode.
Anyway going back to the opening post: I think CURVE or SIM/SLOPE mode feel a lot closer to actually riding a bike in the wild 
And to be able to preset those for intervals would be great, imho.
Hope you can make it happen
Strange. I have a lot of trainers for testing but loaned my Wahoo out for the winter. I just asked the person for it back so I will test this. My developer uses a kickr core and does not see this problem. You can change the setting to 5% in our app too, only press it one time and wait about 5 seconds. It’s also a good idea to make sure you have the latest firmware. Really resestance changes should work fine but a little slow in Wahoo. Yes Slope mode should be a lot better though. I am hoping we will start this in the next 3-months.
I’ll test again on my next workout- perhaps it was just a one time hiccup?!
It’s kind of hard to tell with a touch device, if the input actually worked- especially if you have lactate in your eyeballs 
I usually turn off “everything that beeps” on my bike computer, but perhaps it’s possible to get some kind of aural feedback if a command sent to the trainer has actually been received? Also: I find the number for the level/increments a bit small even on the iPad. Seems too me the app could use a bit more of that screen-real estate, there is a lot of space around the numbers
My Tacx Vortex isn’t reponding to this as long as I’m below 40% something. But then it reacts normally, incremental steps going above 40%. I have the setting on 10%/step.
And I have a neutral click sound on my phones touchscreen. Can’t remember having had any response problem. And the % number changes after a succesfull click.
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I will consider these items and see what I can do. Maybe just big visual change when you click or something. We are working on new training tab design that should improve clickability and how it looks. I will have my Wahoo Kickr back on Monday so I can test it next week some time.