Zwifting on a dumb trainer

[Allrounder]

Hi guys

 

Who of you are running zwift on a dumb trainer? 

 

How is it? Does it work? When do you adjust your resistance?

 

My biggest question, what is preventing me from just running the biggest gear that I can the whole time? If there is no resistance coming from the trainer, I won't need to shift, ever. Or am I missing a very big part of zwift?

 

It looks like a good training tool, just wondering. 

 

I would like to start but the cheapest smart trainer is way more than I can spent on cycling. 

[JanJan]

Here you go...   Z-Power

 

You mentioned it; Zwift is a training tool, so the idea would be to train while simulating real conditions.

[JA-Q001]

I dont have one, but here is my understanding.

 

It calculates how fast you are going with the amount of Watts that you are producing. So you need a powermeter for it to work, not a speed sensor.

 

Using that, if you never adjust your resistance, you will either have to spin at an alarming speed to get the Watts up, or you will be going nowhere slowly, no matter how fast your wheel is turning.

[Spirog]

I spent a year riding Zwift on a dumb trainer.

 

You need a speed and cadence sensor together with a usb dongle (probably a usb extension cable). You then control the resistance by changing your gears to match the requirements of the workout your doing. It takes some practice to hit the required wattage, but is certainly doable.

 

On a smart trainer, you can pretty much just put it in one gear and let the trainer adjust the resistance for you.

 

Both work really well. Just make sure that your sensors talk to your platform. Eg: Garmin won't talk to your Apple TV - different protocols.

[Allrounder]

I spent a year riding Zwift on a dumb trainer.

 

You need a speed and cadence sensor together with a usb dongle (probably a usb extension cable). You then control the resistance by changing your gears to match the requirements of the workout your doing. It takes some practice to hit the required wattage, but is certainly doable.

 

On a smart trainer, you can pretty much just put it in one gear and let the trainer adjust the resistance for you.

 

Both work really well. Just make sure that your sensors talk to your platform. Eg: Garmin won't talk to your Apple TV - different protocols.

You can also connect vie bluetooth, 

 

But let say for instance that I am going uphill, (on a dumb trainer) pushing a 53 x11, without adjusting the resistance, won't I just be spinning "up and down" or does zpower calculate that your wattage is out and then adjust your performance?

[Tomik]

You need to set your dumb trainer to a specific resistance level for the calculation/calibration to work otherwise it'll be inaccurate and your workout pointless.

 

https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/articles/203968635--Setting-up-a-Classic-Trainer-Rollers-zPower-

 

Then, you control your power output using the gears on the bike. In the required resistance setting you would probably not be able to push that 53-11 very easily. 

[Allrounder]

You need to set your dumb trainer to a specific resistance level for the calculation/calibration to work otherwise it'll be inaccurate and your workout pointless.

 

https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/articles/203968635--Setting-up-a-Classic-Trainer-Rollers-zPower-

 

Then, you control your power output using the gears on the bike. In the required resistance setting you would probably not be able to push that 53-11 very easily. 

Thanks guys. so Ill be joining you soon