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Smart Trainers - which one should I buy?

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Smart Trainers - which one should I buy?

Old 07-22-19, 04:05 PM
  #1  
ronin4740
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Smart Trainers - which one should I buy?

After a few years where my focus has been distracted from it I've started getting serious about cycling again.The weather creeping up into the mid 90's here and I'm starting to contemplate putting together a Zwift cave. One of the bike shops locally rents time on the Neo 2's - I've ridden it with Zwift and liked it much better than I ever liked my experiences with a standard fluid based trainer...

Thinking I'll task my old Fuji Roubaix to the training station so I am not having to haul my primary road bike down to the basement every time I want an indoor session on the trainer when it's hotter or colder than I want to ride in outside. It has a 10 speed triple 105 setup on it and currently is sporting flat bars as I thought it would be nice to convert it to a commuter hybrid. It's also a QR skewer frame - my primary road bike is an 11 speed disc equipped thru axle frame.

I have a Microsoft Surface or an iPad that I can use for the Zwift setup and also have an older Sony first generation LED Flat panel TV and a bluetooth enabled PC I can connect to it via HDMI if I start to feel that I'd like a larger screen. That said a new 55" TCL TV is under $400 so that's always an option.

My question is which smart trainer should I go with? I've read some reviews and have seen the prices. I'm currently leaning towards a Wahoo Kickr Core as I have spare 10 and 11 speed cassettes and the tools needed to swap them and it comes with the thru axle adapter I think I'd need to put the Giant TCR on it if I wanted to. I don't think I need to spend the extra $$$ on the $1200 Kickr, the $999 reconditioned 2018 Kickr or the $1400.00 Tacx Neo 2...

While I also spend time at the gym in spin classes I'm really hoping to focus more on staying at home and training as the outdoor season winds down for me later this year (I tend to call it quits in mid-late October) and if that's going well may consider cancelling the gym membership. Stats motivate me and I can't get miles ridden stats out of the non-smart spin bikes at the gym...

A bit about me and my purpose for wanting to do this (since its mildly relevant) - I'm mid 50's, need to lose 30 lbs at the moment and hoping that the result of doing this will be that when the next spring comes around I'll be better equipped to keep up with the stronger of the riders in the local group I ride with, be able to shave some time off the century's I'm doing this year as a baseline to see where I'm, save the time it takes to get to the gym, get the work out in and get home (typically about 2 hours total) and just generally extend and enhance my overall fitness level.

Anyway, wondering what those with experience with various smart trainers would advise... Am not made of $$$ but I can toss $1500.00 or so into a Zwift cave later this year so I can continue to spend time on "my bike" riding indoors rather than outdoor or going to the gym for spin classes and other cardio activities.

Looking forward to your thoughts.
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Old 07-22-19, 06:57 PM
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Hands down Inside Ride - E-Motion Rollers

....if you want the most realistic experience.
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Old 07-22-19, 09:38 PM
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ronin4740
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Hmm... Rollers... Hmm...

The few times I tried them many, many years ago didn't go very well. I didn't quite kill myself...

Quite being the operative word :-)

I'd have to find someone with a set and try them before I could commit to buying a set of my own... I'll ask around - maybe someone I know does have a set.
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Old 07-23-19, 08:36 PM
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From what I've read, the Kickr Core is generally considered the best value purchase currently (which led me to buying one - no regrets so far). I think Elite has just announced a new one that is slightly cheaper than the Core and initial reviews are promising but it's still pretty early to tell, and it doesn't ship for a while still.
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Old 07-23-19, 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by ronin4740
Hmm... Rollers... Hmm...

The few times I tried them many, many years ago didn't go very well. I didn't quite kill myself...

Quite being the operative word :-)

I'd have to find someone with a set and try them before I could commit to buying a set of my own... I'll ask around - maybe someone I know does have a set.
Watch the video on the website. They are floating BLE/ANT+ smart rollers. Once you learn you will never entertain being artificially locked in to a stationary trainer (smart or not).

I never knew how to ride rollers before I got mine. I learned on these. Anyone can do it.
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Old 07-25-19, 01:33 PM
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So I watched the video and then watched a couple of review videos. I'm intrigued - especially since I can buy the Zwift Ultimate edition with the fork mount so if I can't learn how to ride rollers I'd still be able to use the unit.

I don't have a power meter on the bike though so I'm not sure if I'll be able to calibrate the unit properly without one. Sending another email to the manufacturer to see what they think.
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Old 07-25-19, 01:57 PM
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Originally Posted by ronin4740
So I watched the video and then watched a couple of review videos. I'm intrigued - especially since I can buy the Zwift Ultimate edition with the fork mount so if I can't learn how to ride rollers I'd still be able to use the unit.

I don't have a power meter on the bike though so I'm not sure if I'll be able to calibrate the unit properly without one. Sending another email to the manufacturer to see what they think.
You'll be fine, it's pretty accurate out of the box. I didn't always have a power meter and you don't have to have one. It's the same with Wahoo Kickrs or any other smart trainer. The ability to use a dedicated power meter or calibrate it with a power meter just adds another layer of capability that these rollers have.
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Old 07-26-19, 12:51 AM
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Originally Posted by ronin4740
I don't have a power meter on the bike though so I'm not sure if I'll be able to calibrate the unit properly without one. Sending another email to the manufacturer to see what they think.
Would it kill you if it was 5% off?

I picked that number out of thin air, but everyone I know who's used a modern smart trainer says they're plenty good enough. A handful wound up getting power meters for their bikes because they felt it was important enough info to want to have outside too. Several have improved their fitness doing intervals based on trainer power, against an FTP from the trainer.

I'm a data guy and I would want to calibrate it just because it would bug me not to. If you're in the same camp, there are bike shops that rent PMs out, even over the internet.
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Old 07-26-19, 08:37 AM
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No, it won't kill me if it's 5% off. In fact I'd probably not ever really know. Currently the only power reading I'm getting is the virtual power that Strava calculates which I know is probably waaaay off.

On that subject I'm not sure why a Garmin head unit couldn't calculate power when it's paired with a Di2 system - I'd think knowing the number of teeth on the chain ring and cassette + the cadence of the cranks + the position of the chain would be sufficient to generate reasonably good power readings. Maybe I just don't fully understand how that's calculated.

Anyway the vendor said pretty much the same thing - the power meter is a nice to have but that the system is pretty accurate when the rear wheel is inflated to 100 psi and the body weight of the rider is configured.
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Old 07-26-19, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by ronin4740
On that subject I'm not sure why a Garmin head unit couldn't calculate power when it's paired with a Di2 system - I'd think knowing the number of teeth on the chain ring and cassette + the cadence of the cranks + the position of the chain would be sufficient to generate reasonably good power readings. Maybe I just don't fully understand how that's calculated.
Much more to it than what gear you are in and how much you and your bike weigh. You have rolling resistance, aerodynamics, terrain, wind, temperature, etc... Strava accounts for this but makes generalizations in their formulas, and it's still not accurate.
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Old 07-26-19, 10:42 AM
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I would recommend some research if you go down the Kickr road. Lot's of issues with the most recent version (Kickr 2018). I've got one, and in 6 months it's been replaced once. On the slowtwitch and Trainer Road forums there are lots of stories of folks on their 3rd or 4th unit. I'm hoping the replacement holds up, but if I had to do it again I'd buy a Neo instead.....
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Old 07-26-19, 10:56 AM
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Originally Posted by doubravsky
I would recommend some research if you go down the Kickr road. Lot's of issues with the most recent version (Kickr 2018). I've got one, and in 6 months it's been replaced once. On the slowtwitch and Trainer Road forums there are lots of stories of folks on their 3rd or 4th unit. I'm hoping the replacement holds up, but if I had to do it again I'd buy a Neo instead.....
Yep the Kickr FB Group is littered with nothing but issues.
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Old 07-26-19, 11:24 AM
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As a gen1 Cycleops Hammer owner I highly recommend it (or the gen2 hammer which is probably more readily available). It's solid, great flywheel, responsive (they haven't required any firmware updates in almost 2 years I believe), and pretty darn accurate. I just got Assioma Uno pedals and the power aligns really closely, and have never felt any doubt in its power readings compared to the powertap hub I've been using on the road.
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Old 07-29-19, 01:32 PM
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the rollers mentioned earlier are intriguing to me. i never thought about rollers before seeing these Inside Ride - E-Motion Rollers
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Old 08-04-19, 03:46 AM
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Personally I would not go with cycleops, they have been problematic for quite a few people including me. I have an Elite Drivo and have been very happy with it. I would look at DC Rainmaker's reviews of smart trainers though first to guide you through the selection then when you have a few in mind search for reliability issues using google and looking at their support forums to see what kinds of issues you might expect.
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Old 08-07-19, 11:26 AM
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I'm on a wahoo kickr snap that simulates up to 1,500 watts and a 12% gradient. If the road on Zwift is higher than 12% it just adjusts your speed accordingly. I've had zero issues and get a great workout from it. It's wheel-on, so not going to be 100% accurate, but then again it's really easy just to whip your bike off and go for an outside ride without putting your back wheel back on. Calibration takes less than a minute.
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Old 08-08-19, 09:23 AM
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I've been using a 2018 Kickr for about 18 months now with no issues and am on Zwift 4-5 times a week. My setup is pretty simple, using an Apple TV and bluetooth connectivity only with my Kickr and Wahoo HR monitor (no cadence sensor or PM outside of the Kickr). The PM in the Kickr is definitely accurate enough for me. I primarily enter group ride events and the occassional race and workout in Zwift.

Like the OP I'm in my mid-50s and with Zwift have almost doubled my highest weekly mileage prior to this year. My only $0.02 is to spend enough within your means to ensure an experience that will keep you on the bike.
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