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Smart Turbo Trainer

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  • 19-10-2018 10:37am
    #1
    jester1980
    Registered Users Posts: 742 ✭✭✭


    Folks

    With time restraints with kids im looking at buying a Smart Turbo trainer for the winter that I can pop on when they are down.

    Has anyone any advise or recommendations of models.

    Heard a lot about these smart apps zwift etc so im starting from new. Know nothing on any of them.

    Thanks alot


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    #2
    CantGetNoSleep
    Registered Users Posts: 7,208 ✭✭✭CantGetNoSleep


    I'd go for direct drive rather than wheel on. Tacx Flux seems to be cheapest of these, Elite Direto probably next at 650ish


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    #3
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,708 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    CantGetNoSleep wrote: »
    I'd go for direct drive rather than wheel on. Tacx Flux seems to be cheapest of these, Elite Direto probably next at 650ish

    If the funds aren't available for the direct drive, I've found the Tacx flow to have been good over the years for a spot of winter VR training. Main thing for me is that it is more or less permanently set up, so there's not much mucking about before and after a session, other than mopping the floor and having a shower. Brake unit on mine has gone and been replaced once over four years use, and it is quite sensitive to tyre pressure and wear. I'd agree direct drive would be better if you had the opton.


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    #4
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    There are some deals around - I picked up a hammer over the summer in halfords at a pretty good discount.

    TrainerRoad has lower minimum computer/ device specs than Zwift.


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    #5
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,633 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    While the below is not smart i believe this to be a super option at the price. This inludes the B+ sensor for virtual power with speed & cadence etc.

    Elite Muin direct drive

    I have been using this for 2 winters with my Stages and cannot fault it.


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    #6
    jester1980
    Registered Users Posts: 742 ✭✭✭jester1980


    Prices are quite high on the direct drive but if im paying out a good bit of money I may as well buy a decent one that will last a few years.

    I see the KICKR Core is roughly about 850,

    will have a look at the directo now


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    #7
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    dahat wrote: »
    While the below is not smart i believe this to be a super option at the price. This inludes the B+ sensor for virtual power with speed & cadence etc.

    Elite Muin direct drive

    I have been using this for 2 winters with my Stages and cannot fault it.
    I used this model before upgrade (on a whim) too. fwiw (and as I've said before) the TrainerRoad podcast has previously put direct drive ahead of smart, as it's more consistent. It's not reliant on same tyre pressure, same locking pressure etc.


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    #8
    Weepsie
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,826 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    All of the apps have a trial available at the very least. There are loads to consider now too. Some are Virtual Cycling/Social type things like Zwift that require a decent spec laptop/pc generall. Some are more training focus liked TrainerRoad/Sufferfest and a bit easier on the spec side.

    Zwift alternatives:, RoadGrandTours (Free in Open Beta), OneLap (Chinese Zwift also free), VirtuGo, - Can't remember.

    Of these, RoadGrandTours has a very small number of maps, (Ventoux, Stelvio and Cap Formentor) and can be a bit patchy but has Strava integration.
    OneLap is mostly in chinese, but there are some English language settings once you navigate about the place. I know I was able to do an FTP test on it similar to Zwift and it has a track option now I think.
    VirtuGo, I can't recall a thing though I know I've used it.

    There's also BigRingVR which is a library of quite a lot of Videos and was pretty good when I tried the beta.

    I have rouvy, the brontrager app, elite app and bkool ap all installed too to try at some point.


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    #9
    Football Friend11
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭Football Friend11


    dahat wrote: »
    While the below is not smart i believe this to be a super option at the price. This inludes the B+ sensor for virtual power with speed & cadence etc.

    Elite Muin direct drive

    I have been using this for 2 winters with my Stages and cannot fault it.

    Sorry to piggback the thread but really interested in getting set up on Zwift myself. Would this one be a good option for that or would I be better off getting the Tacx Flux?


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    #10
    estariol
    Registered Users Posts: 399 ✭✭estariol


    Would never opt for anything other than smart trainer for zwift etc. Tacx neo and kickr seem to be the most popular on Zwift. Direct drive is a must if you plan on racing. For me noise was an issue so went for the 18 Wahoo Kickr (with kickr climb) as an upgrade from tacx vortex smart.

    If I was buying now it would be the kickr core.


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    #11
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,633 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    Football Friend11 wrote: »
    Sorry to piggback the thread but really interested in getting set up on Zwift myself. Would this one be a good option for that or would I be better off getting the Tacx Flux?

    I've not set myself up on Zwift but as it isn't smart the resistance won't auto adjust for you.

    If you have a power meter then normal gear changes would be fine I'd say.


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    #12
    Shoco83
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭Shoco83


    The flux 2 is being released for sale in the next couple of weeks.

    As a result there may be some good deals on the original flux, sigma sports and Halfords have it for less than 550


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    #13
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,268 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Weepsie wrote: »
    Some are more training focus liked TrainerRoad/Sufferfest and a bit easier on the spec side.
    It's also worth pointing out that a lot of the TrainerRoad development is on the tracking/ calendar side. I haven't used Golden Cheetah, but it now has enough metrics and planning tools that I can't justify keeping TrainingPeaks going anyway (with more features to come apparently).


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    #14
    bp_me
    Registered Users Posts: 1,648 ✭✭✭bp_me


    Shoco83 wrote: »
    The flux 2 is being released for sale in the next couple of weeks.

    As a result there may be some good deals on the original flux, sigma sports and Halfords have it for less than 550

    Original flux now "replaced" by flux S which is actually original flux with all of the engineering fixes and a small body tweak to allow long cage rear mech. Flux 2 will be slightly higher end and sit between Flux S and Neo.


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    #15
    mossym
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 8,766 Mod ✭✭✭✭mossym


    if zwift and or trainer road is the plan then ignore the muin. i had one, did hundreds of hour on it. as a trainer it's very good. but using gear changes to try to mimic teh zwift/trainer road functionality is a kludge.

    if you want to use a powermeter and do fixed intervals (x number of mins at x power) then the muin is as good as anything else.

    you can do that on zwift of course, but it's a lot more than that and the muin is a compromise. if the budget allows it, and zwift is on the cards, forget the muin and go for the flux.

    i replaced my muin with a neo, i've nothing negative to say about the muin, it does what it does very well but a smart direct drive is a better choice

    direct drive over smart wheel on though any day


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