Turbo trainers/Zwift/Peleton

[alock]

An alternative for those not training for racing/pro level cycling is to get a different type of exercise machine indoors. I've found its helped my general cardiovascular fitness hugely doing different exercises.

I went with a Concept2 rower. It's the gold-standard of equipment and cost me about £850.

In the summer I'm 95% cycling to 5% rowing
In the winter I'm 20% cycling to 80% rowing.

[SamG40]

Has anyone tried a Kickr vs a Kickr core? Is it worth the extra £300, if you can find either in stock of course.

[Ares]

SamG40 said:

Has anyone tried a Kickr vs a Kickr core? Is it worth the extra £300, if you can find either in stock of course.

Yes, and yes. But only if you are going to use it a lot.

To the core you'll have to add a cassette and a cadence sensor, which will eat into that £300,

The main KICKR is quieter, more stable and with a heavier flywheel, gives a smoother ride.

But it's all only a factor if you are going to be using it a lot.

[silver_lining]

Halfords have re-stocked their Elite Novo Smart if anyone is looking for an entry level smart trainer (£225).

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/turbo-trainers/sm...

[Paul Drawmer]

My gosh, PH has some fancy spenders!

WestyCarl said:

Because I'm tight I've taken this as far as I can. Old steel MTB frame (set up to mimick my outside bike postion) on direct drive trainer, no brakes or levers, 10 speed cassette.

Chain and grips get replaced annually, maybe £20. No idea if headset has gone as bars haven't turned in maybe 4yrs.

I'm with WestyCarl; except my trainer is a wheel on Cycleops.
8 speed rear, just runs on the middle ring at the front.
1200 miles so far this year.

[Dan_1981]

Can I ask some stupid questions?

Is it possible to turn a dumb turbo trainer into a smart one by buying some bits?

And

What's the cheapest / 2nd hand smart trainer?

Are we talking a couple hundred quid or can this actually be done on a budget?!

[snotrag]

You can add a power meter crank or pedals to get a power output. However you can not add the ERG effect (where the software is controlling the hardware), and that's one of the best bits about smart trainers and Zwift.


Pre covid In Dec 2019 I picked up a full smart/ERG Tacx Vortex for £130 on ebay. I think prices have firmed up a little but £200, should do it.

[Dan_1981]

Cheers snotrag. Will have a look on market place etc

Am.j right in thinking I only need an Ant Dongle if connecting to a non Bluetooth device?

So if using phone or iPad etc Bluetooth connection will work?

[snotrag]

Yep, I have my trainer plus a cadence sensor connected directly to an ipad with no other kit required. Works great.

[Dan_1981]

Good stuff.

Seems there's the Flow & the Vortex at this end of the scale & both are 'smart' with the only difference I can see being the max incline of 6% vs 8%

Will have to see what pops up preowned!

[ferrisbueller]

I had a vortex previously and it was pretty poor. Maybe the control software has improved matters but I sold mine on with very little use.

[ferrisbueller]

I had a vortex previously and it was pretty poor. Maybe the control software has improved matters but I sold mine on with very little use.

[Tim O]

ferrisbueller said:

I had a vortex previously and it was pretty poor. Maybe the control software has improved matters but I sold mine on with very little use.

I had the similar Tacx Bushido, both a Smart and non-Smart versions, and thought them fine, reliable, easy to set up, but for Zwift, my Kickr is in a different league. Direct drive design is so much better.

Iirc I paid about £250 for the Bushido Smart on eBay. Worth considering as a starter, see if you use it enough to justify an upgrade.

[Ares]

You really just need a smart direct drive trainer for the best effect.

Costs are down to 2nd hand availability.

You can convert a dumb trainer to being 'smarter', but it is often a flawed and value-less process. If you are desperate for one, it'll be c£500 on eBay, once winter is out of the way, they will soften....ditto when newer models come out.

[J4CKO]

Three weeks and not a single email from Wahoo, it said 2 to 3 weeks and am fine with waiting but you cant get through to them on the phone and not had an update email, pretty bad when you have spent a grand.

Suspect it will be quite a while yet.

[riskyj]

Any opinions on the quietest method for training? Assume something like a watt bike atom is quieter than a direct drive trainer connected to a ‘real’ bike?

[okgo]

I think the Kickr is a fair amount quieter than a WB atom. I can use the Kickr in my office and apart from a clicking crank I can't fix its pretty quiet, you could have a conversation while riding without any difficulty.

[Tim O]

General consensus is that the quietest trainer is the Tacx Neo, almost silent, the only significant noise coming from the bikes drivetrain.

I understand the Atom is at a similar noise level.

Early Kickers are noisy, horrible whine. Later kickers are quieter, and the very latest (mk4?) close to Neo level.

Edited by Tim O on Monday 26th October 14:25

[riskyj]

Thanks both, I have an opportunity to get an Atom for 1200 quid so a fair bit cheaper than I could probably build a Neo setup. I guess the atom is also a bit more friendly for multiple users.

[Ares]

riskyj said:

Any opinions on the quietest method for training? Assume something like a watt bike atom is quieter than a direct drive trainer connected to a ‘real’ bike?

Bikes are massively quieter than the DD Trainers.

My KICKR was about 70dB which is about hoover noise.

My KICKR Bike is around 30dB which is about the same as someone Whispering...i.e., silent. The air blown from my Fan is significantly louder.


The benefit of silence is that the TV is so much quieter because the bike is so much quieter, which means I can ride (at 5.30am) with the my door open (to outside) so the room is cooler, I sweat less (sometimes not at all), so the bike, the floor, my shorts and me stay cleaner and less smelly.