benetga

I've been using my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine this winter. I bought it I'm guessing about 15yrs ago but never used it much. This is my first zwifting season having just retired. I'm wondering what is the benefit to using a smart trainer? I get a great workout and I control the intensity by shifting gears.
The thing takes a minute to setup and when finished I can hang both the bike and trainer in the garage so the car can be parked. For someone with limited space it's perfect. I can't see a cost benefit to upgrading unless I'm missing something.

philbob57

If you continue on Zwift, a smart trainer may have better road feel, because the resistance gets adjusted to road conditions by Zwift. For example, if you have to ride up a hill on your Zwift ride, Zwift will increase the resistance of the smart trainer.

Kurt Kinetic makes a sensor that will upload your stats to Zwift (and to other apps). You can add it to your trainer. See https://www.kurtkinetic.com/inride.

benetga

I can't see how the climbing simulation would make that much of difference I just shift to a taller gear to increase the effort and watage. With my basic setup i have the drafting simulation. So for the money I'll keep what i got. I use ant+ and from what I read this works better then the Kinetic sensor.

I just tought I'd share my thoughts on my inexpensive and beneficial Zwift setup.

dmark 

That's what I do on a cheap mag trainer. Sometimes while watching a GCN (Global Cycling Network) cycling workout on You Tube.

La Tortue

Ha, ha. And some people think reusable diapers are still the best thing for babies. Go to your nearest LBS and ride a course like Richmond UCI or Harrogate on their demo then do it on your Kinetic even Compare your stats if you can. If you don't get an "ah ha" moment then you are correct. No one needs these stinking smart trainers.

tempocyclist

I used to think the exact same thing, until I bought a Tacx NEO smart trainer...

It's totally up to you and your situation of course and a "classic" trainer can certainly do the job if you simply want a decent workout or training session. A smart trainer gives a whole other level of immersive experience. Syncing on-screen gradient changes to automatic resistance changes really does make a difference to the overall experience. Plus you could use ERG mode for workouts also.

Whether that's worth the upgrade is entirely personal. There are some cheaper model wheel-on smart trainers available now that do a decent job and can still be packed away easily.

PeteHski

A few things:-

1. Accurate power reading. You are likely to be over or under-estimating your power, probably by a large amount. Although this doesn't affect your workout, it makes any comparison with other Zwift riders completely pointless.
2. Smart trainers dynamically simulate changes in road gradient, which makes the whole experience feel more realistic.
3. They also have ERG mode, which is useful for interval training.

The above factors may or may not be important to you, depending on how you are using Zwift. If you are just riding along enjoying the virtual scenery then none of the above matters. But if you are racing in Zwift events, or using workout mode, or simply want a more realistic road feel then a Smart trainer is a major upgrade.

benetga

Thanks for your replies. So it looks like I'll be shopping for a KIckr Snap.

spelger

Check out Craigslist. From time to time I see used smart wheel off trainers for good deals. A bit expensive this one that I just found but probably worth talking down...

https://reno.craigslist.org/bop/d/re...442358113.html

MinnMan

Adding to what people said, I also use the same trainer - Kurt Kinetic Roadhmachine - maybe 10 years old. I know it's not as good as a smart trainer, but it works for me.

Some years ago I added the inRide sensor. It cost maybe $50, and it gives accurate power data when calibrated (and calibration is easy). It allows you to participate in zwift with some assurance that your numbers are right and it allows you to measure your progress accurately.

Later, I started using my Favero Assioma power meter pedals. Before I switched over, I compared them to the inRide pretty carefully and the inRide was spot on - at a fraction of the cost.

If you can't justify the cost of a smart trainer, it's difficult not to justify the cost of an inRide - it's so cheap and easy..

gthomson

I started my indoor training like you did with a hand me down Cyclops fluid trainer and I bought a speed & cadence sensor cheap on Amazon. Thought, maybe I can get into this Zwift thing and burn a few calories over the winter instead of waiting for spring. I thought it was pretty good stuff so when the opportunity to buy a colleagues Elite smart trainer for a great price came up, I jumped on it (literally). I don't regret the decision 4.5 years later and it made a big difference in the Zwifting experience in general.

I am OK with the wheel on trainer which will save you some money, if that's of interest to you. It simulates up to 8% gradient (which kicks my butt going up Alpe De Zwift), ANT connection, relatively quiet and I have an extra road bike which I keep hooked up to the trainer so no hassle to run it.

blacknbluebikes 

This is somewhat a "Di2" conversation in disguise.

sdmc530

Get the inride...its fine. don't let the price tag put you under for a high end trainer. I too used the old school trainer for a few years before upgrading to a smart trainer. NOTHING wrong with a electric smart dumb trainer for Zwift. Ride on for fitness and enjoy the work outs.

Smart trainers are awesome but not necessary. You can always upshift for hills or use them for interval hits, or cadence drills. there are very effective training work arounds.

PeteHski

That applies to pretty much every high-end "thing" I can think of. So it just depends whether or not you want the "awesome" part.

sdmc530

spot on.....

caloso

For me, the ERG function has been a game changer for my workouts. No cheating, no ducking out early. I too was a doubter, and now I am a believer.

Ed Wiser

Left behind dumb trainers when the smart trainer came out. Big difference I ride a lot indoors due to my wife’s health. I am now using a Kickr bike.
Trainers that are not controlled by the app you. Are using just do not provide the same resistance that a small trainer can put out. I use Rouvy and Zwift. Rouvy will put you on the real life roads with grades up to 25 % an a smart trainer can give you that level of resistance.
A dumb trainer is 20 year tech and if you still have one hanging around and haven’t used it for years the reason why was because it wasn’t challenging enough and you got bored. With all the new cycling app’s you don’t get bored.

genejockey 

I started out like you, on an old 'dumb' trainer, using Zpower on Zwift, and shifting gears to make my effort mimic the gradient. I did that through the Smoke Season of 2020 here in NorCal, through the end of the year. It works, as you know, and you don't NEED more than that. BUT, at the end of 2020 I got a Kickr Snap, and it makes a BIG difference! Much more engaging, and instead of shifting gears to create resistance when you reach the hills, you shift to counter the resistance, just like on the road. This makes it a lot more 'road like'. Other benefits include being able to join Zwift races; Erg mode for structured workouts; real power numbers.

Speaking of 'real power numbers, you may be dismayed by how much lower your numbers are when measured by a real power meter instead of estimated by Zpower. I found it hard to beat some PRs on Zwift segments that I'd set when using Zpower, even though I'm fitter and faster now than I was then.

genejockey 

Another member often says "Erg mode is merciless". Yeah, that's the point.

caloso

Merciless is exactly right.

PeteHski

The mode of truth!

genejockey 

It's especially bad the first time you experience it, if you set the FTP number for the workout based on a Ramp Test done using Zpower. Ask me how I know.

EDIT: Zpower gave me an FTP of 320. Ramp Test on a Smart trainer in Erg mode? 256.

benetga

Well I thought I'd at least get the InRide sensor until I buy a smart trainer. I'm redoing the basement and might move the trainer from garage to the basement and go with a more permanent setup verses the Kickr. So I Prime the sensor get it in couple days go to calibrate it and NO APP for android. WTF, it's going back. They advertise that the app is available in the Play Store, not there.

MinnMan

They advertise that it works with Android,

https://www.kurtkinetic.com/inride

but the link they post leads nowhere. This may be it

https://m.apkpure.com/kinetic-fit/com.kinetic.fit

But before returning it, I'd contact Kurt Kinetic customer service and find out from them.

philbob57

I opened a problem with Kurt. The explanation is that Google changed the requirements for their play store. The explanation came with a copy of the app that seems to work.