by kkibbler on Tue Oct 11, 2016 1:13 pm
Not exactly, but let me try to explain it in a better way. Based on my understanding, going back to the point that a trainer's max resistance in watts is based on a certain speed, that's true on a curve. If we use some rubbish numbers for example sake, lets say a trainer is capable of
max 1000w at 30kph
max 700w at 20kph
max 350w at 15kph
max 175w at 10kph
I know nuts about trainer engineering so this resistance/speed relationship could be a linear curve or a logarithmic curve or whatever. But on a steep enough climb the speed/watts relationship is basically linear (disregarding weight because indoor trainer). There are online calculators for this stuff that give very close approximations, but anyway, sticking with rubbish numbers. On an easy virtual climb, say your 350w can move you along at 25kph, which is well within the trainer's max resistance at that speed. On a steep virtual climb, maybe 350w only gives you 10kph, but the trainer cannot provide 350w of resistance at only 10kph. So strictly speaking, that steep virtual climb exceeds that trainer's max gradient. So it has nothing to do with your own max power, and everything to do with the trainer's max resistance at certain speeds versus the known watt/speed/gradient (and weight) relationship in real life.
OTOH, Zwift is a different animal. It doesn't use your speed sensor, it calculates your virtual speed using your power. So say you're doing 350w on a steep virtual climb that should only give you 10kph, which your trainer can't actually do. But Zwift doesn't care about your actual "speed" based on cadence and gear ratio. It only uses your power to calculate how fast you should be going up that virtual hill, and moves your avatar along accordingly. You could be doing 100rpm/350w in 53/15 and it's a piece of cake to your trainer because your real world speed would be like 40kph or whatever, but in Zwift your avatar is slowly climbing mur de something.
