Wattbike & Wattbike Atom
The Wattbike Pro/Trainer and Wattbike Atom are both adjustable stationary bikes that measure power output. The Wattbike
Trainer offers a realistic cycling experience with manual resistance control and a robust, durable design suited for
high-intensity workouts. You can learn more about the Wattbike here.
In contrast, the Wattbike Atom features automatic resistance control (ERG mode) and advanced connectivity options,
providing a seamless and highly interactive training experience.
wattbike-pro.webp
Wattbike Pro
WattbikeAttom.jpg
Wattbike Atom
Wattbike Atom and Wattbike Pro/Trainer TrainerRoad Compatibility
Both the Wattbike Atom and Wattbike Trainer/Pro are compatible with TrainerRoad. You can connect these bikes to
TrainerRoad as a power meter via ANT+ or Bluetooth. However, speed data won’t be recorded in TrainerRoad.
If you have a heart rate monitor paired to your Wattbike head unit, it’s not possible to rebroadcast the HR data to
TrainerRoad. To use HR data with TrainerRoad, you’ll need to pair your heart rate monitor directly to the TrainerRoad
app.
Device Compatibility
Wattbike Trainer/Pro
| Connections | | | | Calibration1 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Ant+ | Bluetooth | Calibration1 | | | iOS | ✔ |
✔ | N/A1 | | | Android | ✔ | ✔ | N/A1 | | | Windows | ✔ | ✔ | N/A1 | | | Mac | ✔ | ✔ | N/A1 | |
Show footnotes
[1] All calibrations are done through the Wattbike Performance Monitor head unit.
Wattbike Atom
| Connections | | Modes | | Calibration 4 | | Cadence 1 | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Ant+ |
Bluetooth | ERG | Resistance | Ant+ | Bluetooth | | | iOS | ✔ 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✔ 4 | ✔ 4 | N/A 1 | | Android | ✔ 2 | ✔ |
✔ | ✕ | ✔ 4 | ✔ 4 | N/A 1 | | Windows | ✔ 2 | ✔ 3 | ✔ | ✕ | ✔ 4 | ✔ 4 | N/A 1 | | Mac | ✔ 2 | ✔ | ✔ | ✕ | ✔ 4 | ✔ 4 |
N/A 1 |
Show footnotes
[1] Cadence transmitted is an estimation of your cadence. This may not always be 100% accurate given potential changes
in ride data throughout pedal stroke, especially during periods of inconsistent cadence. For best results, the use of a
dedicated cadence sensor is suggested, but not required.
[2] ANT+ USB or key may be required to connect to ANT+ devices.
[3] In order to use Bluetooth on Windows devices, a Bluetooth dongle may be required. See more information here.
[4] The Wattbike Atom is factory-calibrated, which means there is no need to calibrate it.
How to Use Your Wattbike:
Choosing Your Connection
- Connect via ANT+
- Connect via Bluetooth
- Click here to learn how to pair your devices and adjust device settings.
PowerMatch
- Using a power meter along with your trainer? Here's how to use PowerMatch.
Connecting the Wattbike Pro/Trainer to TrainerRoad
First, make sure you’ve downloaded the TrainerRoad app here.
The Wattbike comes with a head unit that broadcasts the data to TrainerRoad. There are two different models of the
Wattbike head unit.
- Model A Monitor - Can broadcast via ANT+ only. NOTE: Model A Monitor can be upgraded to Model B for a cost if the
user sends their old monitor to WattBike
- Model B Monitor - Can broadcast via Bluetooth or ANT+. NOTE: Not all Model B Monitors come standard with Bluetooth.
If you have a non-Bluetooth-enabled version, you can upgrade the monitor for a cost. You will need to send the
monitor to WattBike for this, and unfortunately, this service is only available to users in the UK at this time.
- Ensure Bluetooth or ANT+ is available on your device running TrainerRoad
- Plug in and turn on the Wattbike.
- Open the TrainerRoad app.
- Go to the devices tab and enable either Bluetooth or ANT+
- The Wattbike should show up as a pairable device.
- Select the Wattbikes Atom as your Power meter.
Note: You may need to spin the pedals to wake up your trainer.
Connecting the Wattbike Atom to TrainerRoad
First, make sure you’ve downloaded the TrainerRoad app here.
Pairing
- Ensure Bluetooth or ANT+ is available on your device running TrainerRoad
- Plug in and turn on the Atom.
- Open the TrainerRoad app.
- Go to the devices tab and enable either Bluetooth or ANT+
- The Atom should show up as a pairable device.
- Select the Wattbikes Atom as your smart trainer.
Note: You may need to spin the pedals to wake up the Atom.
Wattbike Pro/Trainer Best Practices
Gearing
Understanding and utilizing the gearing on your Wattbike Pro/Trainer can significantly enhance your training sessions.
Here’s how to make the most of the gearing system:
- Manual Resistance Control: The Wattbike Pro/Trainer features manual resistance control, allowing you to adjust the
resistance level using the gear shifters on the handlebars.
- Gear Settings: Experiment with different gear settings to find the optimal resistance for various types of training,
whether it’s high-cadence sprints or low-cadence, high-resistance climbs.
- Monitor Performance: Keep an eye on your power output, cadence, and heart rate to ensure you’re training within your
desired zones. Adjust the gearing as needed to maintain the intensity. Regular calibration of your Wattbike
Pro/Trainer is crucial for accurate power measurement and performance tracking.
Calibration
Calibration - The Wattbike Pro/Trainer does not have the ability to calibrate through TrainerRoad but you can calibrate
it through the Wattbike monitor:
- Warm Up: Warm up the bike by pedaling for at least 5-10 minutes. This ensures that the components are at an optimal
temperature for accurate calibration.
- Access Calibration Mode: On the Wattbike Performance Monitor (PM), access the settings menu and look for the
calibration option. This might be labeled as “Calibrate” or “Zero” depending on the model and software version.
- Follow On-Screen Instructions: The monitor will guide you through the calibration process. Typically, this involves
pedaling at a specific cadence or power level.
- Zero Offset Calibration: This step ensures that the power readings start from zero when no force is applied. You
might need to stop pedaling and ensure that the pedals are stationary to complete this part.
- Complete Calibration: Follow the prompts to finish the calibration. The monitor will confirm when the process is
complete.
Regular calibration is recommended, especially if the bike is moved or subjected to significant temperature changes.
Update Firmware
Keeping your Wattbike Pro/Trainer firmware up to date ensures optimal performance and access to the latest features.
Here’s how to update the firmware:
- Check Current Firmware: Go to the settings menu on your Wattbike Performance Monitor (PM) to see the current
firmware version.
- Download Updates: Visit the Wattbike website or use the Wattbike Hub app to check for the latest firmware updates.
- Connect Device: Use a USB cable or Bluetooth (if supported) to connect your Performance Monitor to your computer or
mobile device.
- Install Update: Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the firmware update. Ensure the connection
is stable during the update process.
- Restart Monitor: Once the update is complete, restart the Performance Monitor to apply the changes.
Regularly check for firmware updates to ensure your Wattbike is running with the latest improvements and features.
Wattbike Atom Best Practices
Gearing
When using ERG mode, you won't adjust your gearing during your workout. The resistance is automatically controlled by
TrainerRoad.
Update Firmware
Keeping your Wattbike Pro/Trainer firmware up to date ensures optimal performance and access to the latest features.
Here’s how to update the firmware:
1. Turn on your device's Bluetooth.
2. Turn on your Wattbike Atom.
3. Open the Wattbike Hub app.
4. Start a "Quick Ride"
5. The bike should prompt you to update the firmware if an update is available.
You can also try these steps to update the firmware on a Wattbike Atom Performance Touchscreen (PTS):
- Make sure the PTS is connected to a Wi-Fi network Enable Auto Firmware Update on the PTS Turn on the PTS.
- You can enable Auto Firmware Update by clicking the serial number in the top left of the screen, then clicking
Advanced Settings and scrolling down to Auto Firmware Update.
- After the update is complete, you can try turning the PTS off and on again by holding down the power button and then
pressing it again.
Troubleshooting
Device Dropouts
Dropouts can be seen while riding as an absence of data. You may be experiencing device dropouts if your data values
drop to zero, or to a null '--' value.
- Why this happens: The most common culprit of dropouts are typically low batteries which cause a weak signal, and
interference from other nearby devices.
- The solution: Click the following link to learn how to avoid device dropouts.
ANT+ USB Not Recognized
Click here to learn more about ANT+ Troubleshooting.
Bluetooth Not Connecting
Click here to learn more about Bluetooth Smart 4.0 Troubleshooting.
Issues pairing your device
If you're unable to see your device within the Devices section of the app, or the device isn't pairing, there may be a
connection issue. This could be caused by a faulty connection with the device or another application may be using your
Bluetooth or ANT+ connection.
- The solution: Click on the following link to learn more about device pairing troubleshooting.
Wattage Floor
It takes a minimum amount of watts to simply turn the pedals on a bike. This minimum wattage requirement can increase
even more in higher gears. For more information on wattage floor and what it can look like, click here.
- The solution: Change into an easier gear. This will allow your trainer to spin slower thus allowing it to reach
lower power values.
Inaccurate Speed
Speed readings when riding indoors on a smart trainer are inherently unreliable. The "speeds" riders achieve indoors are
often not representative of speeds they'd be going outdoors at equivalent power levels.
Simply put, indoor speed readings can be misleading and don't add any value to the workout so TrainerRoad does not
display them during your ride.
Note: To learn more about speed readings on a smart trainer, click here.
Atom: Floating Power / Power Not Following Prescribed Power
Dropouts can cause your power values to get "stuck" in place and follow a constant power rather than changing with the
workout profile.
- The solution: Avoiding dropouts will help reduce the possibility of this happening.
Wattage floor/ceiling - If you find that your power is floating above your prescribed power, typically during a recovery
interval, you may be experiencing wattage floor.
- The solution: Change into an easier gear. This will allow your trainer to spin slower thus allowing it to reach
lower power values. To learn more about what a wattage floor is, click here.
Power smoothing set to too high of a value can give the illusion that your power is not following the target power when
in reality, it is. Power smoothing takes a running average of your incoming power over the span of time that you have
selected in your settings, 1-30 seconds. Your average power over that time span is shown in the top left corner of the
data field in the workout player.
- Common cases - You would notice this at the onset of an interval. When the interval starts, you may notice that your
power is lagging behind quite a bit and then eventually rises to meet the prescribed wattage. This is due to the
running average that's being calculated.
- The solution: To fix this, you may need to lower your power smoothing value in your settings. If power smoothing is
desired, we recommend adjusting your settings to around 4-7 seconds for most workouts. This should allow you to
visually smooth your power while still allowing it to your power to catch up quickly when entering intervals.
Note: Power smoothing doesn't affect the graph on the workout player — only the power number displayed in the data field
Atom: ERG Mode Not Set
If your Atom is set to Resistance mode (or Slope/Standard/Gear mode) you may not see any power reporting in TrainerRoad.
Be sure to switch the training mode back to ERG mode and this should correct the issue.