Zwift - Beginners Guide

[arcticnick]

A turbo from a known brand, an ANT+ USB dongle for your PC, a power meter or ANT+ speed sensor on your rear wheel. An HRM and cadence sensor is also useful.

Haven't tried Zwift as turbo work is all about structured intervals for me, not a JRA alternative. TrainerRoad is great though.

[arcticnick]

Oh - and as big a fan as you can find! It's the last thing you'll remember whilst setting up and the first thing you notice when you start.

[Dammit]

Get some of those interlocking rubber tiles that they use in the gym, then put them down over some plastic sheet - otherwise you're going to soak that carpet when you heat up.

The Tacx Vortex Smart is a pretty good choice, it can be driven by a laptop, broadcasts using ANT+ and will be picked up by a Garmin as power, cadence and speed.

Buy the biggest fan you can find and make sure you have a towel within reach of the bike and a couple of big water bottles.

[rs4al]

I've just done this.

Except it's in my kitchen...which has a tiled floor, nice and sweat proof.

I use a tacx vortex smart and a garmin ant+ usb dongle bought off amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-010-01058-00-ANT-CH...

The usb dongle is plugged into my laptop.

To get the vortex smart to work properly with zwift, you need to update the tacx firmware and the only way to do this at the moment is via an iPhone or iPad.

It's good fun and I was gone after two laps ! Can't wait for zwift to bring out more courses as I can see eventually the island course getting a bit dull.

[yellowjack]

Them interlocking 'rubber' tiles are available at Halfords right now for £10 per pack. I've just bought a pack to go under youngest son's drum kit. I reckon 1 pack would be enough for under a bike on a turbo trainer, but you'd need no more than 2 packs. They come with edging strips all around, so look neat too. Black tiles with a fake 'Checker Plate' finish.


http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equi...





I can't offer advice on Zwift or even TTs, on account of how I've never used one outside of during a bike fit.

[okgo]

Is it not reliant on a powermeter?

Its pretty simple to set up, took me about ten mins, I found it just as dull as the turbo would be without it tbh.

As others have said, you need a fan. I've done turbo outside when its snowing, it makes no difference, you still overheat without moving air.

[Magic919]

Sealey do some nice 30" fans.

[rs4al]

okgo said:

Is it not reliant on a powermeter

Not on the vortex smart as it sends zwift an estimated power curve, also zwift will control the resistance of the vortex, which makes it more fun for me.

[Hobzy]

I'm riding it using my Cyclops fluid 2 and my Garmin cadence/speed/HR sensors to an ANT+ dongle... seems to be working OK. Same cannot be said for my legs! Been a fun change of virtual scenery.