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Decent Budget Indoor Trainer


Zama7

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Hey Guys

 

So with all this corona uncertainty and winter approaching I am considering buy a decent indoor trainer to use for the next couple of months. 

 

Looking for any recommendations with a budget of lets say sub 10k.

 

Lastly do these trainers have a decent second hand value ?

 

Thanks 

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Wahoo Kickr Snap 2 or Tacx Bushido. Both pretty similar in terms of maximum incline, Tacx probably a bit more expensive but has the advantage of no power cord required (you power it). The most basic smart trainer I know is the Tacx Satori, works on Zwift etc but you control the resistance manually with a lever.

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I've got the Tacx Flow from takealot a few months back, it's not great in terms of gradient and bluetooth drops, but it does the job for a third of the price of most other indoor trainers. I have no regrets whatsoever that I went the cheap way on this (unless most of my other buys where I often end up buying twice when trying to save a few bucks)

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Under 10k you'll get lots of value for money. 

 

Tacx - Vortex, Satori, Flow, Bushido

Wahoo - Kickr Snap 2.0

 

https://www.cyclelab.com/product/wahoo-kickr-snap-2-0-trainer-1

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/indoor-trainers-and-accessories/400752/kickr-snap-20-with-spare-wheel-set-cassette

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/indoor-trainers-and-accessories/399072/wahoo-kickr-snap

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/indoor-trainers-and-accessories/397067/tacx-flow-hardly-used-smart-traininer

 

They do have a relatively decent re-sale value yes

 

Hey Guys

 

So with all this corona uncertainty and winter approaching I am considering buy a decent indoor trainer to use for the next couple of months. 

 

Looking for any recommendations with a budget of lets say sub 10k.

 

Lastly do these trainers have a decent second hand value ?

 

Thanks 

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Depends what type of indoor trainer you after: direct, friction or rollers?

 

Each have their own pros and cons

 

Although there are many variations of each, most trainers come in three basic styles. Direct-drive trainers attach to the rear dropouts, replacing your wheel and providing a direct connection to the resistance unit. These trainers are easily identified because they require a cassette. They are typically the most expensive but also the most accurate, with the highest levels of resistance.

 

Friction trainers place a small roller against the rear wheel and utilize either magnetic or fluid resistance. They tend to be lighter and more portable than direct-drive trainers, but are noisier and less accurate. The trade-off comes in cost. You can get a smart friction trainer for about half as much as a direct-drive model.

 

Rollers are the most basic style and also require the most technique since the bike isn’t held in place, but rather perched atop three rollers. Resistance can range from almost nothing up to as much as any direct-drive trainer. They are also very useful for refining pedaling technique.

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Rollers are the most basic style and also require the most technique since the bike isn’t held in place, but rather perched atop three rollers. Resistance can range from almost nothing up to as much as any direct-drive trainer. They are also very useful for refining pedaling technique.

But it's basically just pedaling, no smart functions and no power reading (unless you have a power meter)

 

Also one of my mates has a direct drive tacx and he noted the same as me on my flow, it reads about 10 to 20w less than our rotor powermeters on 3 secs average (the higher you go, the bigger the gap). So the direct drive might be accurate, but they are still not perfect ;)

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Thanks guys, looking for a direct or friction but definitely one that can connect to a TV or pc, need something to challenge me and atleast track some progress.

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All of the one's I listed offer what you're looking for

 

Thanks guys, looking for a direct or friction but definitely one that can connect to a TV or pc, need something to challenge me and atleast track some progress.

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Just spoke to one Lbs ... they sold every one of their indoor trainers within minutes of opening this morning! Everyone getting ready for lockdown!

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But it's basically just pedaling, no smart functions and no power reading (unless you have a power meter)

 

Also one of my mates has a direct drive tacx and he noted the same as me on my flow, it reads about 10 to 20w less than our rotor powermeters on 3 secs average (the higher you go, the bigger the gap). So the direct drive might be accurate, but they are still not perfect ;)

A direct drive should always read a bit less than a pedal or crank based power meter though. This is due to the frictional losses in the drive train (BB, chain, derailleur jockey wheels etc.). The pedal or crank based meter measures the power before these losses and the direct drive measures it after.

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Just spoke to one Lbs ... they sold every one of their indoor trainers within minutes of opening this morning! Everyone getting ready for lockdown!

I see Bicycle Power also sold out on all the Cycleops [saris] trainers.

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A direct drive should always read a bit less than a pedal or crank based power meter though. This is due to the frictional losses in the drive train (BB, chain, derailleur jockey wheels etc.). The pedal or crank based meter measures the power before these losses and the direct drive measures it after.

Yeah but 20w though :D My BB is brand new, and my drivetrain is clean ;) Anyways, at the end of the ride the average power isn't that different, maybe 10% +/- I think it's mostly related to lag between the bluetooth/Zwift vs the Garmin's power, I'd have to check my data again on the next few indoor rides to confirm

Edited by Jbr
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Yeah but 20w though :D My BB is brand new, and my drivetrain is clean ;) Anyways, at the end of the ride the average power isn't that different, maybe 10% +/- I think it's mostly related to lag between the bluetooth/Zwift vs the Garmin's power, I'd have to check my data again on the next few indoor rides to confirm

20w seems a bit much. From some estimates I've seen, drivetrain losses are between 2% and 5%, plus there is the measurement error in the powermeters themselves so you end up with the expected difference between 2 power meters in different places being between 0% and 10% (assuming each power meter has an accuracy rating of between 1% and 2.5%). And that's without considering sampling rates or recording/transmission lags.

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Anyone know where I can find decent rollers in CPT region. 

Online stores wont be able to deliver before lock down

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Anyone know where I can find decent rollers in CPT region.

Online stores wont be able to deliver before lock down

I'd imagine CWC will be your best option.

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