zuma48

Curious about the indoor trainers and software that goes with it. I am sure i has been discussed before but I know there have been changes recently making them better and working bi-directional on data. ty

unterhausen

I have a wahoo kickr and I really like it. I use it with trainer road. The nice thing is I can control it with my phone. They had trouble with that at first, but it has gotten a lot better. Not sure about iphones, but it works well with my android. It keeps my interest because it makes me work to a set training program. Although, right now, I'm just getting started again after a really difficult end of the season.


I can give people a free month of trainerroad, send me a pm with your email if you want one. Does not benefit me at all, but I do like the program

TimothyH

No software.

Rollers and a fixed gear bike.

The rollers have a resistance drum for hard workouts and a high inertia drum for spinning.


-Tim-

zacster

I've have a CycleOps Fluid 2 that I'd stopped using, but started again this year. I had already started using RidewithGPS to track my outdoor rides, and then started seeing a lot about this app called Zwift. Well once you see that you have to try it, and then found they support virtual power mode if you have a speed and cadence sensor. So I bought those, realized I had an HR monitor already, discovered ANT+ holds it all together. I also had bought some of the Sufferfest videos a few years back, and still got email from them that I mostly ignored. Then I saw that they also had an app, and found that it too supported virtual mode. By then I was hooked. I had also started using my iPhone with RidewithGPS on my bars. So here I was with all of this connectivity, and finding that it all worked pretty nicely together. I also ultimately bought a Wahoo Bolt to replace the phone and old Cateye on my bars. Much smaller and much more powerful, plus the battery lasts a lot longer than a phone.

Now I'm starting a Sufferfest training plan downloaded from the app, but still using my dumb trainer in virtual power mode. Since I did my 4DP test using this setup, at least my targets were set corresponding to what I can do, rather than some absolute number. I want a smart trainer but will wait, I also want power meter pedals, but will also wait. If I change anything I have to do the 4DP test again, as well as a Zwift test.

TrainerRoad seems really popular too, but I haven't tried it. There are lots of programs out there, some better than others. The key though is that almost all of this is now cross-compatible. You are not locked into one system. Bluetooth and ANT+ make it all work wirelessly, and interchangeable file formats allow sharing of already collected results, and lots of these programs already talk to each other, from planning routes, to turn by turn navigation, to real-time feedback, to storing results.

Jbhardy

I'd love to have a month of trainer road. Just got my kickr set up and have been riding to GCN training videos so far. Haven't decided which of the three virtual apps to try yet, but have been leaning more towards trainerroad. I don't have enough posts for PM. My email is (deleted because of forum policy). Thanks

gracehowler

No software here either, just an old trainer and some video rides.
R&J

unterhausen

Jim, check your email. I deleted it in your post because of forum policy.

pesty

Rollers. I do have a PM and I will set that up with Zwift on my iPhone and then watch Netflix on my iPad. I don't actually pay attention to Zwift that often, but it gives a better estimation of distance than just spinning on the rollers (for tracking purposes).

If I actually want to do a more structured workout, I'll setup a cheap $10 magnetic broom from Home Depot about 1-2mm from one of the drums, because Farriday's law and physics are amazing things.

With the magnet setup I can get about 600-700W out of it, whereas I top out at about 300-400 at 120rpm in 50/11 without.

Jbhardy

Thanks for the hookup.

zuma48

Is trainerroad video environment or just stats?

zuma48

I see the Kicker has a good rep, but it is a little above my budget. I might be able to swing the Kickr Snap...

brycelewis

Hey there!

TrainerRoad is designed to be everything you need to get faster. We leave the entertainment to the experts like Netflix, Hulu and Youtube and we focus soley on the training side.

As TrainerRoad subscriber, you have full access to 100+ training plans and 1000+ workouts that will help you elevate your FTP and your overall fitness to the next level. We have plans for every discpline so you won't have any trouble finding a plan that fits your needs.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions for me!

unterhausen

I have told trainerroad support they should just let you enter IF and TSS for an outside ride so you can track those two metrics. However, they are implementing something fancier. i suppose if I was serious I would export my trainerroad rides to some other software, but I don't use anything else right now.

atwl77

I use the Tacx Neo Smart in conjunction with a subscription with The Sufferfest. I typically ride in ERG mode so that I just need to concentrate on getting my cadence right and not worry about shifting gears to also hit my power targets. I also like the Neo's very slight sway when doing hard, out-of-saddle sprint efforts.

frogmorton

Kickr snap with Zwift. Also using wahoo heart rate and cadence monitors. The rides upload from Zwift to strava. I like it. Using an iPad on a talll table in front of the bike to watch Zwift. Not the same as being outside but keeps my attention better than anything else I have tried indoors over the years. It is a very good workout and the simulation of different grades is pretty realistic. I would recommend to a friend.

brycelewis

The ability to manually enter TSS and outdoor rides will be introduced in a exciting upcoming update