maartendc

Hello all,

I am looking to buy a trainer again after moving overseas. I sold my Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer before I moved, which I liked fine.

Now I am debating whether to get a fluid trainer again for around $120, or an entry-level smart trainer (Tacx Flux S for $499) but I don't know if it is worth the extra money.

- I will be doing indoor training mainly to keep / gain fitness over the winter
- I can appreciate the fact that a smart trainer is supposedly quieter, sharing a small apartment at the moment with my wife.
- I don't have a power meter, so the smart trainer will give me much more accurate power.
- Will be using Zwift (so more "realism" with the smart?)

What do you think, is the (entry level) smart trainer worth the extra cost?

Thanks!

jpescatore

If you are going to use Zwift, yes - definitely worth it. If you didn't get bored on the fluid trainer and weren't going to try Zwift, I'd say just get another fluid trainer.

For me, indoor biking was just too boring until I tried a smart trainer (Wahoo Kickr SNAP and Zwift). The variety of things to do on Zwift, and the fun of doing them with the automatic resistance changing, and the training with power part were game changers. I still will always choose riding outside when there is time and decent weather but I'm now adding several hundred hours of indoor biking to the mix vs. a few dozen when I was using a dumb trainer and a TV.

MoAlpha

Yes.

WhyFi

If you're looking to distract yourself with faux rides? Yes.

If you're looking to do primarily intervals? No, imo.

Trsnrtr

Yes. Since 1982, I’ve used rollers, fan trainers, magnet trainers, fluid trainers, etc. and hated them all so much that they rarely got used. Fast forward to a couple years ago when I got my Kickr and it’s like night and day. I hate to admit it, but sometimes I even look forward to it.

mvnsnd

One of the great benefits of smart trainers is simulated realism. With a fluid trainer, you can only get more resistance with more wheel speed. This limits for example, doing low cadence, high power efforts. The smart trainer, with a settable resistance, really doesn't care about cadence, it will keep power constant if set up for that.
I'll always choose a smart trainer over a fluid after going from fluid to smart 2 yrs ago.

Canker

I bought a Tacx Vortex last winter when Chainreactions was dumping them for $230. I hated riding my fluid trainer and doing intervals but I did it. I don't like riding my smart trainer on zwift but it is easier to talk myself into doing it. It doesn't magically make riding inside fun but it does suck less. If I had a higher end smart trainer the suck might go down another level but I'm sure I still wouldn't like it. I guess with a regular fluid trainer I didn't have to just do intervals but that is all I ever used it for. With the smart trainer I just ride a decent amount of the time rather than doing intervals.

datlas 

Agree with above. Some people (who clearly have more discipline than me) are able to train with just a dumb trainer. I need the distraction of Zwift, so for me, it's worth it.

Dan333SP

+1.

If you're doing workouts and have to suddenly dump a bunch of gears to keep your cadence up as you hit a hill, it can be annoying to have a smart trainer. If you just want an immersive experience in Zwift, it's way better. I bought a used Cycleops Magnus a few months ago and have used it daily since then, it's been great. Found it for something like $300 locally, may want to see if anyone is selling a used smart trainer in your area.

That said, if you don't have a power meter and want to do workouts without the road effect, you can turn the realism setting all the way down on a smart trainer and then have an accurate power reading without the changing resistance.

UmneyDurak

I am going to go with maybe. I started with zwift on fluid trainer and it was fine. Did smart trainer add to experience? Sure. Was it enough to justify $800+ price tag? Not sure.
That being said I use it primarily for training, and for that it was a big bonus. The erg mode keeps me honest and really improves quality of work outs.

I create work outs in Trainer Peaks, and select them from zwift. With work outs there is no terrain. Flat, up hill, down hill it all feels the same just whatever power is in work out. You don't have to create work outs. In zwift there is "just ride" work out. It basically removes terrain also, but you can ride at whatever power/cadence you want. So feels like fluid trainer really.

Also to add. If you do get smart trainer, I would save up and get direct drive one. It is quitter, and more accurate. Kickr Core is a pretty good one.

RChung

If I didn't have an on-bike power meter and I had to train indoors then, yeah, I guess I'd get a smart trainer.

But I do have a power meter and a dumb fluid trainer and can measure power both indoors and out (and do analysis of my rides outdoors, and do aero and tire testing, etc.) I've tried a smart trainer with Zwift, and it's definitely more fun than my setup -- but it's not 10x better; it's not even 2x better. I'd say that with my setup, I get maybe 80% of the fun on Zwift, and having data for all my rides, both indoors and out, is 10x better than just having indoor data. So, in my situation, I'm pretty happy to have spent my money on an on-bike power meter and a dumb trainer.

jadocs

Or you can have the best of both worlds. Really riding your bike while zwifting with smart power. Floating fork stand is available but IMO defeats the purpose and benefits of riding rollers. www.insideride.com

What's your budget? Are you looking to cap the spending at a certain price point?

Bah Humbug

For Zwift, smart trainer. And for the dumb trainers, quality matters hugely - get a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine if you go that route.

zacster

I went from a Cycleops Fluid 2 to a Kickr Core. I don't regret it a bit. I also already had a power meter when I went to the Kickr, but it still made a big difference. I like the simulation mode in Zwift and Rouvy, basically just riding, where you get to feel the hills, plus ERG mode for the workouts in Zwift and The Sufferfest. I don't use my power meter pedals while indoor riding for power anymore, but still use them for cadence function.

So, in a word, yes.

Carbonfiberboy 

I've been riding the same set of rollers with a fluid resistance unit for over 20 years. Got my money's worth, I did. I love them. The issue with a fluid unit is that the resistance changes with time and power input because the fluid heats. Thus if one is trying to do intervals at a constant power, you can't use speed as a substitute. So the cheapest thing is to get a fluid trainer and a power hub. Or a set of resistance rollers and a power hub. There are PowerTap hubs on ebay. Buy a hub with the same number of spokes as your rim and respoke the wheel with the new hub. Then you have a PM for outdoors, too. I think it's silly to buy a Zwift type of trainer, train with power, and then not have power outdoors.

Resistance rollers with magnetic resistance don't have the problem with power varying over time AFAIK. They come with a power curve, but that still doesn't give you power outdoors. Rollers are better and more fun than dumb trainers.