Originally Posted by
zjrog
2 years ago I picked up an older used Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer for $90. Added Kurt Kinetic's iNRide sensor for $50, has Bluetooth and Ant+. Use their app to calibrate, then connect to Zwift. I have a bike permanently on the trainer. Built my own table from a thrift store walker and scrap wood. Added a newer video card to an older free PC, added Ant+ and Bluetooth dongles. Boom. Half Smart trainer on the cheap. I do use a 50" TV for the monitor, but only because we bought a bigger TV for the living room.
I have a similar set up. Works great.
And this may just be semantics, but I think when most people use the term "smart trainer" they mean one that can be controlled by software to alter the resistance. This setup increases resistance by speed and transmits an estimated power and cadence to the app, but it doesn't have any means of reacting to the software.