Indoor spinning bike - with a twist

[mecheng89]

Evening Hubbers,

 

Does anyone have, or know of someone, who has an indoor spinning bike, but with a power meter attached? Only possibilities I can think of a pedal and crank based. I know Stages have an indoor bike like that. 

 

Is it worth pursuing? 

[SwissVan]

Evening Hubbers,

 

Does anyone have, or know of someone, who has an indoor spinning bike, but with a power meter attached? Only possibilities I can think of a pedal and crank based. I know Stages have an indoor bike like that. 

 

Is it worth pursuing? 

 

I had a cycleops CS300  indoor spinning bike (think they are now called Cycleops Phantom3) which had a power tap hub based power meter.

 

Eventually sold it and replaced with a cycleops powerbeam because i prefer IDT to spinning bikes and the old version I had was not compatible with online riding, unlike the newer models.

 

https://www.cycleops.com/catalog/indoor-cycles

[Dexter-morgan]

Get a wattbike is budget is not an issues, I have fitted my spinning bike with Garmin speed and cadence sensor.

[BicyclePower]

Take a look at the CycleOps Phantom range of Indoor Cycles. We have the Phantom 3 which is manually controlled similar to a Wattbike and then the much more advanced CycleOps Phantom 5 which is electronically controlled via the Rouvy or TrainerRoad app that is installed on an iOS or Android or PC device. 

 

https://www.bicyclepower.co.za/product-category/cycleops/indoor-cycles/ 

[mecheng89]

I had a cycleops CS300  indoor spinning bike (think they are now called Cycleops Phantom3) which had a power tap hub based power meter.

 

Eventually sold it and replaced with a cycleops powerbeam because i prefer IDT to spinning bikes and the old version I had was not compatible with online riding, unlike the newer models.

 

https://www.cycleops.com/catalog/indoor-cycles

Care to highlight the key differences you've experienced? 

 

edit: if you went to smart, smart choice.

[mecheng89]

Get a wattbike is budget is not an issues, I have fitted my spinning bike with Garmin speed and cadence sensor.

I think a Wattbike, even 2nd hand is far too expensive. Even the most expensive smart trainer (not the Tacx treadmill looking one) isn't over R20k. 

[BicyclePower]

Have a look at the Hammer, a direct drive smart trainer. This gives you a real road / mtb feel and runs real gears. The Hammer is also compatible with the likes of Zwift, TrainerRoad and Rouvy. 

 

The CycleOps Phantom 3 is compatible with all the above apps but lacks the controlled resistance function. Our CycleOps Phantom 5 is also compatible with all the above BUT Zwift will not control the resistance of the trainer due to the Phantom 5 running a private network. So while Zwift will pick up the power meter (hub) from the Phantom 5 like is does with the Phantom 3 you will need to run Rouvy or TrainerRoad to control the trainers resistance. Not ideal.

 

https://www.bicyclepower.co.za/product/hammer-direct-drive-indoor-trainer/

 

The Hammer is ANT+ FE-C compliant meaning it will work with pretty much anything and everything out on the market, even your Garmin. 

[sirmoun10goat]

Have a look at the Hammer, a direct drive smart trainer. This gives you a real road / mtb feel and runs real gears. The Hammer is also compatible with the likes of Zwift, TrainerRoad and Rouvy. 

 

The CycleOps Phantom 3 is compatible with all the above apps but lacks the controlled resistance function. Our CycleOps Phantom 5 is also compatible with all the above BUT Zwift will not control the resistance of the trainer due to the Phantom 5 running a private network. So while Zwift will pick up the power meter (hub) from the Phantom 5 like is does with the Phantom 3 you will need to run Rouvy or TrainerRoad to control the trainers resistance. Not ideal.

 

https://www.bicyclepower.co.za/product/hammer-direct-drive-indoor-trainer/

 

The Hammer is ANT+ FE-C compliant meaning it will work with pretty much anything and everything out on the market, even your Garmin. 

 

At 3k price difference between the phantom 3 and 5, surely the 5 is a no brainer between the two models...how many phantom 3's actually sell these days?

[BicyclePower]

At 3k price difference between the phantom 3 and 5, surely the 5 is a no brainer between the two models...how many phantom 3's actually sell these days?

Surprisingly a good number considering their popularity in group training environments like Cadence Cycling. The Phantom 3 in our view is perhaps the perfect tool when introducing power training to the masses. It offers a jump on and ride solution that is easy to understand and integrates to 3rd party applications. 

 

Sure the home market is geared towards the Phantom 5.

[SwissVan]

Care to highlight the key differences you've experienced?

 

edit: if you went to smart, smart choice.

During winter I ride mostly indoors and a spinning bike just does not provide the same feeling as your actual bike.

For example gear ratios, a spinning bike does not have a cassette and hence no gear ratios. I also did not like the flywheel effect of a spinning bike (fixed, no free wheeling).