Best Exercise Bike for Zwift?
 

I'm looking for something high quality with a large screen that's readily compatible with Zwift without using a phone or any other complications. My budget is 2k. Thanks for an replies.

I don’t think such a thing exists, but I’d be happy to be wrong as I’d like to upgrade from my Kickr to a smart bike myself.

The Garmin Tacx Neo is close at $2.5k right now, but would also still require something to run Zwift, like a tablet, AppleTV, or computer.

I have heard that you can use the Peloton bike with Zwift. Check YouTube.

If you already have a road bike, definitely doable. Here is my setup:

KickR Snap wheel on smart trainer: $500. Can also get the new Zwift device direct drive.
Samsung 58" smart TV. $300 from Costco on Black Friday.
Apple TV 4k. $79, also from Costco.
Klipsch sound bar with subwoofer. $200, pretty darn good for the price. Guess where I got that?

I use my 20 year-old Trek 5200 and off we go. So, about $800 all in.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...62051b8881.jpg
I need to do some wire management, but was eager to get going.

Wahoo Kickr Smart Bike + a big assed TV and Apple TV 4K

Used bike, wheel off trainer, big TV, Apple TV.

You can probably get all of that for your budget and just leave it set up like that. Have a dedicated trainer bike.

Wahoo is having a sale on their smart bikes, from $3800 down to $2000.

That's a great deal. If I didn't already have one, I'd be right on that.

If you're going to ride indoors a majority of the time, you can use a dedicated smart bike and mount a decent tablet on it. I ride a Tacx neo Bike Smart and have used it with a phone, laptop, and iPad. The iPad solution would most closely mimic what you're describing. And it works perfectly.

Why not a big assed TV for a more immersive experience? When I was re-arranging my pain cave I was forced to use my Kickr Bike with a 13" laptop for a while and I seriously missed the large screen.

But whatever you choose it is very easy to connect a TV, PC, phone, tablet or whatever else to a modern Smart Bike or Trainer.

If that suits your budget and environment, sure. But for some of us it's not an option.

Fair enough. I just find a large screen really makes a big difference on Zwift in particular. Doesn't have to be super-expensive either.

That sounds like what he wants. Not sure what else would fit that description. But I still don't think you get the smart feature of being controllable last I checked.

I've seen some hacked Peloton setups online, but in order to have controllable resistance you'd have to buy the Peloton Bike "plus" which is $2400, and be comfortable hacking into it. The regular $1400 Peloton bike has a power meter, but uses a manually adjustable resistance knob.

For a $2000 budget I'd go with:
Zwift Hub ($500)
Apple TV ($100)
Cheap 32" TV ($150).

This would leave $1250 to find a road bike and any other accessories that might be needed like a mat or a fan.

From a cost perspective it's cheaper to buy a TV and an Apple TV.
You can get a 32" TV from Best Buy for less than $150 right now. Refurbished Apple TV's are like $80 or less. This is going to be cheaper than the cheapest iPads.

I get that some people may not have space or a room that works for a TV, but on budget it definitely works. The bigger screen is nice - I use a 42" TV for my setup and it's great.

For me it's cheaper to use the gear I have rather than buy more gear. I have a Macbook and a 27" monitor along with some decent speakers. What I have is more than suitable. Also, my riding room isn't set up well to handle any additional gear. I agree that a big TV and Apple TV is the way to go, but, as I said, not always an option.

No argument there! In my case it's not the cost, but the environment of my riding room. And I have a pretty decent setup for Zwifting, so no rush for any new gear.

You would have to be nuts to buy a Peloton bike specifically to run Zwift. It makes zero sense unless you primarily want to do Peloton spin classes. It's definitely not the way to go for Zwifting.

That would work fine, but now you can buy a Kickr Smart Bike for $2k it's a no-brainer for a high quality, hassle free solution unless you specifically needed another road bike.

i.e.

Kickr Bike ($2000)
Apple TV ($100)
32" TV ($150)

Yup. DC Rainmaker has a bit of info on how to load Zwift onto a Peloton: How to Load Zwift or TrainerRoad on a Peloton Bike: A Geek's Guide (dcrainmaker.com)

It's worth noting that this setup requires power meter pedals, and still would work like a "dumb trainer" in the sense that it can't control the resistance.

There are other problems with the Peloton bike too - it doesn't accommodate a standard drop bar and there's no way to adjust the reach. The seat goes up/down/fore/aft and the bullhorn style handlebars go up and down. That's it. If you're taller than 5'-10" or have longer torso/arms, you'll likely find the riding position on a Peloton to be really scrunched and upright. This is fine for a 30-45 minute spin class, but kind of sucks for longer rides.

Agreed - for $2k it's a great deal. I was just trying to stick strictly within the OP's budget.

Yep, both are great solutions. Kickr Bike is potentially a bit more expensive, but with minimum complications for the OP. I've used both setups and find the Kickr Bike most convenient to live with for a dedicated indoor setup.

I got a used decent quality projector 3-4 years ago for ~$3-400. Not sure I could downgrade now from my ~11' diagonal screen and still feel the same.

Talk about immersive. Wow. Like one of those golf simulators.

Of course, I'm riding behind the seating we use when we use that area for watching movies (so a couple recliners and a couch are between me and the screen making it ~18 feet from my bike). Still, it's an experience. Not sure haptic feedback from Tacx or climbing simulation from Wahoo or Elite (makers of my trainer) would add a whole lot more than the giant screen does - though I would love a full motion rocker plate.