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Smart indoor trainer - which one?


marie-louise

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Hi there, I am looking for an indoor smart trainer which myself and hubby will use. He is the more serious rider. Considering all the trainers available, I don't know which one to choose? Kicr/ Tacx? Or would you suggest something else? This will be a birthday present and I cannot ask his advice!

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Check the reviews on DCRaimaker.

Bicycle Power will give you great advice and support on their CycleOps range.

Thanks for reminding me, DCRainmaker has put together a really awesome blog summarizing the top trainers available for 2017, below a link.

 

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/10/annual-winter-2016-2017-bike-smart-trainer-recommendations.html

 

Getting a "SMART" Trainer is the first part, the second part is choosing an app that works for you, again DCRainmaker has a blog on this below. Pretty much all the current 2017 trainers will work with the likes so Zwift, TrainerRoad and CycleOps Virtual Training to name a few.

 

Zwift is really popular and falls inline with what most of the apps charge (US $ 10.00 / mth per user). The apps can be purchased online via the preferred brand / app web page.

 

The smart trainers should also connect up to a Garmin if you have one, so all the data is in the same place. This is assume you data obsessed, else if you simply want to ride the routes and get some secret training in that's fine by us :) 

 

trainer-apps-guide.html

 

I suppose at the end of the day all "SMART" trainers are much of a muchness and it will be personal preference / stock availability / best deal at the time of purchase. 

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If you and your hubby are going to be using it, I am assuming you will be constantly interchanging between your bikes, which will be a bit of a ball ache to do daily with a direct drive trainer, as it involves taking the back wheel on and off on both bikes. Hence, I suggest a standard trainer on which you can just pop the bikes in and out with the switch a lever. My recommendation is the Kikr SNAP. Its Also a lot cheaper than the direct drive Kikr.

Edited by Harryn
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Absolutely depends on how much you're willing to spend.

 

Initially I didn't have much to spend, so I went with a dumb smart trainer, the Tacx Satori Smart, which transmitted power, but didn't automatically adjust power/gradient. Then CWCycles had a sale on a Tacx Flux, and I jumped on that. The additional cost for a Kickr/Neo/Hammer didn't seem worth it to me, when the Flux does most of the same things at a much lower price point.

 

If you and your hubby are going to be using it, I am assuming you will be constantly interchanging your between bikes, which will be a bit of a ball ache to do daily with a direct drive wheel-on trainer, as it involves taking the back wheel on and off on both bikes. Hence, I suggest a standard trainer on which you can just pop the bikes in and out with the switch a lever. My recommendation is the Kikr SNAP. Also a lot cheaper than the direct drive Kikr

 
I actually disagree. I'd rather go for a direct drive trainer if both parties are going to be using it. Saves you the money on two rear wheels, two extra cassettes, two trainer tyres, etc etc. Plus to me a direct drive is much less hassle than my wheel-on trainer was.
Edited by bertusras
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I have just bought a Tacx Flow from CWC .

Hoping it arrives today !!

If so , will give feedback tomorrow .

I am currently using a 12 year old RavX with the tension control .

Has served me well .

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I have a tacx flux I use it with Zwift

main consideration was the price (although I would have loved a kickr or neo)

only drawback is the size and weight of most of the direct drive trainers, they are not easy to move around and quickly set up somewhere.


edit: dankie Anton
 

Edited by #varkhart
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I have a tacx flux I use it with Zwift

 

main consideration was the price (although I would have loved a kickr or neo)

 

only drawback is the size and weight of most of the direct drive trainers, they are not easy to move around and quickly set up somewhere.

 

 

 

 

:ph34r:

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