This is a common issue new Vortex Smart owners encounter–I know I did! I thought I had done everything correctly–I unpacked my Vortex, plugged it in, updated the firmware, calibrated it, then fired up Zwift and paired it up. But when I started riding the hill of Watopia I found myself thinking, “Is the resistance not changing, or am I just in really good shape?”
The solutions to this issue are usually simple:
Solution 1: Update Firmware
If you don’t have at least firmware version 3.1.7 installed on the trainer Zwift will be unable to change resistance on hills.
Solution 2: Disconnect Bluetooth
Zwift cannot control your Vortex’s resistance via ANT+ if you are connected to it via Bluetooth. Strange but true. So while you need to connect to the Vortex via Bluetooth to calibrate it, you’ll need to disconnect it from your phone’s Bluetooth in order for it to respond to inclines properly in Zwift.
UPDATE: thanks to the June 2nd Zwift update you may also control your Vortex entirely using Bluetooth via the Zwift Companion app.
Solution 3: Pair as Controllable Trainer
Make sure you pair your trainer as a “Controllable Trainer” (bottom-right of pairing screen) AND as a power meter (top-left of pairing screen). You need to do both for it to function properly.
Thank you for easy fix. After I calibrated my bike I forgot to turn off Bluetooth. When I turned it off and verified I didn’t want it on…voila, resistance on hills returned. My wife and I Love the experience.
So, I seem to be having an issue that when Bluetooth is turned on on my iPhone, the Zwift software on my Mac loses the connection to my Vortex Smart trainer. If I attempt to use the Zwift app on my iPhone while riding, I seem to get inconsistent results with resistance changes. Only solution I’ve come to so far is just not using my phone at all (which is a drag).
So when you say “disconnect it from your phone’s Bluetooth” in Solution 1 above, can you elaborate on that a bit more? Disconnect it how?
Thanks in advance.
Why do you have Bluetooth enabled on your phone? If you can turn it off there, that’s the easiest solution.
As far as I know, Bluetooth should only be an issue if you’re connected to your trainer via Bluetooth on your phone–like in the Tacx utility app, for instance. If you do this, you are “controlling” the trainer via Bluetooth, which means Zwift has a hard time controlling it at the same time.
It’s possible that even if you’re not in the app, your phone is connecting to the trainer via Bluetooth anyway. In that case, turning off Bluetooth on the phone may be the only way to fix it.
I’m a bit confused by how the computer talks to the head unit, but I was having similar problems: all sensors were connected with Zwift via Ant+, but there was no resistance control going back to the trainer.
I had to explicitly pair the Tacx unit with my computer via Bluetooth, and then resistance control worked like a charm.
So, just guessing here, it looks like the sensors are Ant+, and but resistance control is via Bluetooth.
That’s a great question. Maybe someone from Zwift could confirm?
I have a similar issue. Zwift properly connected to Vortex, bluetooth completely off on iPhone, yet no resistance on hills. Cleared cache, rebooted both phone and PC, ensured bluetooth stayed off, but still no resistance. It worked first day for a bit, but not again.
What if I’ve done all the above and still no resistance on hills?
Hi Fellow Vortex users,
Have any of you found difference is the speed and accuracy of resistance changes using ANT+ compared to Bluetooth?
I have had some problems with sometimes when in workout mode using ANT+ the train sets a crazy hard resistance and if I increase my cadence to something natural 80-90 then the Vortex is reading 400-500 watts. The only way to get the power in the target zone is a cadence of 10-20 RPM. Only a quit and restart makes it behave normally again.
Also when doing training ride with short intervals 200-300% of FTP for 10 seconds, by the time the Vortex has set the resistance the interval is over.
I was hoping that Bluetooth might have better control vs ANT FE-C.
Thanks
Hello,I have found that the lack of response to gradient is much better for my arthritic knees.If I update the vortex so it responds to gradient,will I be able to switch it back to the non responsive mode?I
Sure–just turn the trainer difficulty down to 0% in settings. You can always turn it back up whenever you’d like. See http://zwiftinsider.com/using-the-trainer-difficulty-setting-in-zwift/ for details.
My vortex smart worked very well for about 3 months. Then I updated the firmware using the tacx utility app from my android phone, to version 3.1.13/0.2.7 and it was ok for one ride.
Next ride I did a calibration with the phone, after which the “no change in resistance on hills” problem started. Seems to be nothing I can do to fix it … I’ve got the latest firmware, left the phone powered down, bluetooth off on the computer (a mac), turn everything off and on many times … still won’t work.
Any body have any ideas?
Solution 3: Pair as Controllable Trainer
Make sure you pair your trainer as a “Controllable Trainer” (bottom-right of pairing screen) AND as a power meter (top-left of pairing screen). You need to do both for it to function properly.
Hi,
Zwift is supposed to be connected as a “controllable trainer” with my Vortex Smart, but it can only connects to Cadence and Power Source. If I click the Controllable trainer, it doesn’t find it. I am using bluetooth. Any ideas?
Make sure your firmware is updated: http://zwiftinsider.com/updating-your-tacx-vortex-smart-firmware/
Hi, I’m having the same problem but my trainer is already on 3.1.13.
I’m using the mobile link app on android and it pairs instantly as cadence/power source but it won’t find it as a controllable trainer hence no resistance on hills
Hi Alex,
Have you found any solution? I have the same issue.
I don’t know if I have the same issue. I bought the Vortex smart two weeks ago and it run really well with Zwift from the beginning. After a two days break I started it today but it was only possible to pair the Vortex as “power source” and “cadence sensor” but not as controllable trainer. Besides that the LED light is flashing green fastly all the time. No changes were made to smartphone or pc systems so I assume that there must be a technical problem with the trainer. Tacx Utility software indicates no problems and firmware has the latest version.
Does anyone in this thread has a solution meanwhile?
Just to give a first update…As I thought it might be a hardware issue I got a replacement for the Vortex but it is still the same problem with the new one. Zwift asked me now to send them my log files in order to analyze them. I’ll keep you updated because I assume that other Zwifters will have the same problem with a certain combination of smartphone/Android version/trainer.
Stefan, I seem to have the same problem with my Vortex as you and others with hill resistance. I had the brake unit replaced by Bike-Discount/Tacx under warranty but the new brake unit has the same symptom – loses power on hills and still not giving proper resistance on hills. My firmware is at 3.1.22/0.4.1. I read that there is a 3.1.7 firmware that is needed but not sure how to apply that version.
Hi Joe, at the end of June Zwift rolled out releases which solved my problem. Nevertheless I returned the second Vortex too and bought a Wahoo Kickr Snap instead. Although this device is nearly double the price of the Vortex I didn’t regret it a second. I never had that kind of trouble again. All other components (smartphone, pc, HRM, cadence sensor) are still the same.
My Vortex Smart is updated, but I cannot pair only “Power” and “Cadence”, but cannot “controllable trainer”. What can be the reason? I use only mobile app, I don’t have ANT dongle.