Indoor trainer or spinning bike

[Natie S]

Hi everyone

Forgive me if this topic was already posted here but I couldn’t find any.

 

I want to get an indoor trainer or spinning bike. I have a very low budget at the moment to spend on it. My budget is R3000.

 

I saw makro sells the trojan spinning bike for R2999. The reason why i think the spinning bike would suit my needs is that it doesn’t make a lot of noise and also doesn’t wear my bikes tyres. I only have a garmin edge 800 so it’s only ant+ and not Bluetooth too.

 

Will i be able to pick up a good second hand smart trainer that will be compatible with my edge 800 for that price or should i go ahead and buy the spinning bike?

 

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

[Duane_Bosch]

How about joining a gym/wattbike studio and doing the spinning classes? I go to spinning classes and I enjoy the structured aspect of it rather than pounding away in my lounge in front of the TV. We get heart rate monitors so you can monitor your efforts.

 

3 spinning classes a week have made a notable difference to my fitness in just 3 months

Edited April 25, 2019 by Duane_Bosch

[Vetseun]

How about joining a gym/wattbike studio and doing the spinning classes? I go to spinning classes and I enjoy the structured aspect of it rather than pounding away in my lounge in front of the TV. We get heart rate monitors so you can monitor your efforts.

3 spinning classes a week have made a notable difference to my fitness in just 3 months

+1

[Dexter-morgan]

once you get into something like Zwift or Rouvy, you will be hooked, I have a Spinning bike with speed and cadence sensors and since I got a Kickr, I haven't touched the spinning bike, structured workouts with proper power figures will transform your fitness. I am all for a Proper smart trainer, stretch you budget and look at second hand smart trainers.

[Friedpiggy]

From what I have been reading, you dont even need a smart trainer for zwift. Can use a dumb trainer and a speed sensor. so just get a cheapy second hand trainer or rollers and an ant+ adaptor for your laptop and you good to go. its nowhere near the same effect as having say a Tacx Neo2 or a Kickr but it gets you up and running at least.

[Vetplant]

From what I have been reading, you dont even need a smart trainer for zwift. Can use a dumb trainer and a speed sensor. so just get a cheapy second hand trainer or rollers and an ant+ adaptor for your laptop and you good to go. its nowhere near the same effect as having say a Tacx Neo2 or a Kickr but it gets you up and running at least.

This

 

Just a quick calculation of what it will cost to change your training completely:

Dumb Trainer:R500

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/358557-ravx-tx3-magnetic-trainer/

Speed sensor(Does Bluetooth and Ant+ for your Garmin and for the Laptop to run training software:R880

https://www.takealot.com/wahoo-rpm-speed-sensor/PLID41546805?gclid=Cj0KCQjwkoDmBRCcARIsAG3xzl_uiKH339HldiH4dUR_8AEuCWmp4bAYnY4fJffj5_U6CgTOPLijkuMaAuKyEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Once off Total: R1380.

You can add an indoor trainer tyre, but they cost close to the same as a normal tyre so just use the existing one and replace when done. Some might differ from me on this.

 

Montly(can be stopped at any time, 7 day trial for free):

Zwift:$15=R220(Still cheaper than gym or spinning classes per month)

(BETA verison for android is running smoothly on my Huawei P10Lite, so you don't even need a dedicated laptop or PC anymore)

 

 

If you can save up a little bit, get a power meter in the near future that you mount on your bike, like STAGES or 4iii. It will assist in outdoor training, training load management and race pacing. It replaces the speed sensor in terms of talking to the training software to relay your effort level. 

 

Around R6000:

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/284469-4iiii-shimano-road-mtb-power-meters/

Edited April 25, 2019 by Swift&Aero

[Milosh]

Do  ghetto version , with Your garmin ,  garmin speed and cadence sensors 

Than step up and pair this to an ant dongle and a laptop / apple tv / pc to get your self into it 

[P.A.K.]

I just looked up what Zwift is.. it looks amazing!

It does look like it really becomes valuable when you have a smart trainer to imitate climbs.

Edited April 25, 2019 by P.A.K.

[Vetplant]

I just looked up what Zwift is.. it looks amazing!

It does look like it really becomes valuable when you have a smart trainer to imitate climbs.

Agreed. I'm keeping my eyes open for specials on SMART Trainers that can be controlled by the software, will take the plunge once some of my BackPay comes through. This along with a dedicated AppleTV or PC would make it the perfect training cave, sucks to have to take my wife's laptop to the training area every morning and return it afterwards.

[madmarc]

I do a lot of IDTing so here my budget setup

 

TACX Flow Electro Magnetic trainer like this

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/356931-tacx-flow-in-great-condition/

 

Gen 2 Ipad - you can get them cheap cheap

Ant+ 30 pin dongle

GARMIN speed Cad sensor from my edge 520

GARMIN HR strap from my edge 520

TACX tablet handle bar mount.

TACX Blue trainer tyre on a cheap spare road wheel

 

I signed up with Trainer Road = 99 USD per year.

I use Spotify free version with a collection of kick ass music through headphones to keep me in the zone

 

I use the virtual power with Trainer Road so no need for a power meter.

 

Works perfect.

 

One day when i'm big i'll get a smart trainer    

[Vetplant]

I do a lot of IDTing so here my budget setup

 

TACX Flow Electro Magnetic trainer like this

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/classifieds/356931-tacx-flow-in-great-condition/

 

Gen 2 Ipad - you can get them cheap cheap

Ant+ 30 pin dongle

GARMIN speed Cad sensor from my edge 520

GARMIN HR strap from my edge 520

TACX tablet handle bar mount.

TACX Blue trainer tyre on a cheap spare road wheel

 

I signed up with Trainer Road = 99 USD per year.

I use Spotify free version with a collection of kick ass music through headphones to keep me in the zone

 

I use the virtual power with Trainer Road so no need for a power meter.

 

Works perfect.

 

One day when i'm big i'll get a smart trainer    

How cheap is cheap-cheap? Best I can find is R4600 on BidOrBuy

 

Apple TV seems like a better option at R2800 on Takealot. Most of us can find a screen to plug into.

 

Feedback from Zwift users regarding AppleTV has been amazing. Sufferfest is also going in that direction:

 

"Hi Guys -- David McQ, Chief Suffering Officer here at the 'fest. I've been testing some things on the app, so that's why I'm logged in as grunter grunter grunter here. Don't tell him that, by the way, I've had enough floggings.

 

As for Apple TV: We are going to do it. We have some things to get out of the way first, but it's on our timeline to start working on it in early 2019 and have it out by the middle of the year at the very, very latest. Plans can change of course, but that's our plan for the moment. We'll keep you updated if anything changes.

Thanks so much for spending your valuable training time in Sufferlandria. We're working hard to make you faster, stronger and tougher."

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

How cheap is cheap-cheap? Best I can find is R4600 on BidOrBuy

 

Apple TV seems like a better option at R2800 on Takealot. Most of us can find a screen to plug into.

 

Feedback from Zwift users regarding AppleTV has been amazing. Sufferfest is also going in that direction:

 

"Hi Guys -- David McQ, Chief Suffering Officer here at the 'fest. I've been testing some things on the app, so that's why I'm logged in as grunter grunter grunter here. Don't tell him that, by the way, I've had enough floggings.

 

As for Apple TV: We are going to do it. We have some things to get out of the way first, but it's on our timeline to start working on it in early 2019 and have it out by the middle of the year at the very, very latest. Plans can change of course, but that's our plan for the moment. We'll keep you updated if anything changes.

Thanks so much for spending your valuable training time in Sufferlandria. We're working hard to make you faster, stronger and tougher."

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-other-electronics/johannesburg-south/ipad-2-amp-speck-pixelskin-cover-good-condition/1004833100240911217235309

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-ipads/melville/list-of-ipads-available-on-sale/1004835001520910281662109

[Vetplant]

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-other-electronics/johannesburg-south/ipad-2-amp-speck-pixelskin-cover-good-condition/1004833100240911217235309

 

 

https://www.gumtree.co.za/a-ipads/melville/list-of-ipads-available-on-sale/1004835001520910281662109

Awesome, that is proper cheap. I will seriously consider this as it is also a useful tool to distract the little one's on longer road trips.

[madmarc]

Awesome, that is proper cheap. I will seriously consider this as it is also a useful tool to distract the little one's on longer road trips.

 

Make sure you buy a 30 pin Ipad, its the wide charging port which will take a 30 pin Ant+ Wahoo dongle. If you get the Ipad with the new lightning connector then you need to get the 30pin to Lightning adapter which Apple don't make anymore and the aftermarket ones don't work other than for charging.

 

Failing that you could use a later Ipad with Bluetooth connection, but then your SPD / CAD sensor and HR strap must be Blueteeth as well, or it won't connect to the TR app

[Friedpiggy]

Started saving now for a TacX Neo 2. Has one feature I think is frikken awesome. Has kind of like a feedback thing where if you riding over cobbles it bounces you the same as if you were riding over cobbles, same with wooden bridges. But at R26k its going to take me a while to get there.