Xert has released a large batch of new features, led by Predictive Mode, which keeps a rider’s Fitness Signature in step with a Goal or Race plan, and lets you mark any weekday as a hard or easy day.
- Predictive Mode arrived on 9 November 2026. During a Forecast AI Goal or Race plan, the Fitness Signature follows the plan’s training loads instead of decaying, so it rises gradually if the rider follows the training, even without a Breakthrough.
- Predictive Mode is on by default. Turning it off returns the rider’s usual decay setting, and it can’t be turned back on for that plan.
- A Breakthrough that shows the rider is ahead of the plan now brings a choice: apply it to set new targets, or leave the plan as it is.
- Each weekday, or a single date, can be set to Low (easy riding with no intervals), High (intervals) or Either. Recovery still comes first, so a tired rider asking for a hard day gets an easy one.
- A new option lets a day’s sessions grow as Training Load rises, by about 20% for a 44% rise in load. Unticked, the set duration becomes a hard limit.
- Frontiers estimate the most a rider could improve by a target date with their current availability, and show what an extra 15 minutes a session would add.
- Workouts that mix ERG and slope mode can now be converted to ERG before they go to Garmin, Zwift or Wahoo. Plan Reports, shareable activity graphics for Strava, and a better mobile browser layout complete the update.
What it means for Xert riders
I’ve used Xert a fair bit over the year (not at present) and did notice that I was following my plan, but my signature was decaying because the plan scheduled no breakthroughs for several weeks, and even when they were scheduled, I probably carried in too much residual fatigue to do my best. Consequently, you can lose track of whether you are on plan and start to question it. This new feature might solve that (and probably a similar principle needs to be applied to other brands’ adaptive plans).
Riders on a Goal or Race plan no longer watch their Fitness Signature drift down between Breakthroughs while they do the work the plan asks for, so their targets keep pace with their training. A rider who would rather prove every gain with a Breakthrough should choose Disable at the first prompt, because that choice is final for the plan.
The hard and easy day settings fix a common complaint about adaptive plans, which is that they ignore a fixed club ride or a weekly chain gang. Setting Tuesday to High and Sunday to Low lets the plan build around those rides, and unticking the duration option stops a lunchtime or pre-work session from creeping longer. Riders who send their workouts to Zwift or a Garmin also get cleaner sessions, because those platforms handle slope intervals poorly.
Quick answers
Can I turn Predictive Mode back on after switching it off?
Not for the same plan. Switching it off restores your previous decay setting for the rest of that plan.
Does Predictive Mode work with an Event plan?
No. Event plans target the training loads an event needs rather than the Fitness Signature, so the normal decay setting applies.
Will Xert always put intervals on my chosen hard day?
Not always. Recovery comes first, so if your Training Status shows you are tired, Xert recommends easier training and shows a warning on that day.
Related: best indoor cycling apps and which endurance coaching platforms are still independent.
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Last Updated on 10 November 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
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- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
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- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
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- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
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Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
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- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
