Tried wattbike last night...

liversedge

The Wattbike folks turned up at Hillingdon last night to demo their kit.

At £1800 it's quite an investment. You set the load manually, using an air brake and a magnetic brake. It sends telemetry to a PC and has a heads-up display on the bike itself.

I own a concept two rower and recognised the air brake and computer. Means the kit is pretty robust and proven. It is also fully adjustable, so could be used by you, partner, kids etc.

The power reading is performed using a chain tension sensor and crank sensor, not polar not srm but wattbike specific ... I can't vouch for the accuracy from the ride i did, but assume it is accurate if BC are endorsing and using them (?) They have their own version of spin-sca[nm] if you're into that sort of thing.

The big deal for me was the 'road feel'. It is very realistic when compared to other devices, I think the braking system must be a big part of that. And of course, its a plug and go device with no turbo tyre issues etc so quite convenient. Although it is a fairly sizeable bit of kit. Wish all hotel gyms had them.

Mark

Anonymous

Were you able to accurately replicate your bike riding position on it?

liversedge

I didn't try to, but I got layback and seat height sorted fine. The handlebars go up and down and forward and back so you should be able to set a virtual top-tube separately from the layback.

TBH, I don't see any reason why not, but the handlebars are quite chunky, I guess inspired by typical gym bikes (?) so if you're looking to have a praying mantis or flat aero-bar position it might be tricky, but not necessarily impossible.

mattsy666

The wattbike just looks like a standard Schwinn spin bike with the good bits from a CycleOps thrown in ...

Now i haven't been on a wattbike so maybe it is good ... But from my experience there is a huge difference in the feel and pedal motion between front and rear flywheel spin bikes ... The front driven ones are easier to pedal for some reason, especially out of the saddle ...

I suppose if it's all about watts then the feel will make no diffirence ... But i go with the theory of if it doesn't feel like your are on a real bike ... It won't help you as much on a real bike ...

liversedge

mattsy666 wrote:

The wattbike just looks like a standard Schwinn spin bike with the good bits from a CycleOps thrown in ...

Not really, Wattbike/ConceptII are the same people. The front air brake looks like the same unit you get on a Model D rowing machine. The magnetic brake is on the flywheel. The only real similarity to me is the flywheel is at the front.

Now i haven't been on a wattbike so maybe it is good ... But from my experience there is a huge difference in the feel and pedal motion between front and rear flywheel spin bikes ... The front driven ones are easier to pedal for some reason, especially out of the saddle ...

I'm interested to understand what you are comparing here. What devices do you include in the 'rear flywheel bikes' - turbos? Coz if so, yeah they are harder and don't have a road like feel, because the flywheel is generally quite small. As to putting the flywheel to the fore or aft, I cannot see how that would make ANY difference, you have a load on the cranks and you push against that load. It would make a difference if the bike wasn't stationary of course.

So I think you are mixing up comparing flywheel SIZE with flywheel LOCATION.

I suppose if it's all about watts then the feel will make no diffirence ... But i go with the theory of if it doesn't feel like your are on a real bike ... It won't help you as much on a real bike ...

My point was that the wattbike WAS more like a real bike. FWIW, I have a Computrainer at home.

I think you need to separate out training benefit from feel, they are different. I really don't think there is any correlation between 'feeling like a road bike' and 'making you stronger'. I think, if anything the opposite is true.

However, if it is a more pleasant experience you are more likely to jump on and go hard, right? So maybe a pleasant road-like feel trumps over the longer term.

ridelikeapro

I tried it too. Great piece of kit!. You can even see a diagram of your power output for each pedal, so you can see how much you need to improve your pedal stroke around the "dead-spots".

Chris Hoy's outline was like a peanut (in shell) whereas a new cyclist would probably produce a figure of eight. Club riders and amateurs are somewhere in between. I was well impressed - just need a lottery win now.

mattsy666

Re. Leversedge

The difference between the front and rear 'weighted' flywheel is that when you normally push down on the pedal and have morevof a 'dead' spot on your upstroke, the opposite is true on front flywheel bikes ... The deadspot is essentially on your downstroke ...

In a world where you spin perfectly with even power and stroke distribution forvthevfull rev then it's fine ... But inactual real terms that doesn't happen especially over a longer period and esp. When replicating climbing ...

I have spent hours and hours in the gym on a standard frontbwheel spin bike and on my cycleops and the difference can be felt ...

And turbos have nothing to do with this bto my mind ...

Ps. I'm not saying i'm right ... I' m saying it's my perception ...

liversedge

mattsy666 wrote:

Re. Leversedge
Ps. I'm not saying i'm right ... I' m saying it's my perception ...

ok.

mattsy666

liversedge wrote:

mattsy666 wrote:

Re. Leversedge
Ps. I'm not saying i'm right ... I' m saying it's my perception ...

ok.

Is your day job editor at the sun?

liversedge

mattsy666 wrote:

Is your day job editor at the sun?

I posted here to share my experience of the device, not to get into an argument.

BUT, FWIW You have not ridden the device yet feel qualified to pass judgement. You make false assertions regarding its engineering, you provide no evidence to support your assertions regarding the effect of flywheel position and cycling mechanics and then get pissy when I agree with your closing remarks that admit these are just your perceptions.

No. I am not an editor but you surely are no journalist.

mattsy666

I was hoping aomeone else could perhaps expand on or detract from the whole wheel position and pedal mechanics discussion ... As that is what i see as a major drawback from the wattbike ...

I'm notbtrying to diminish your points or experience of the bike ... Just trying to encourage debate ... It is a forum after all ...

Now, let's wait and see what someone else has to say ...

warrior4life

I saw one of these at manchester velodrome and thought it looked just like a gym lifecycle.
I was suprised when i had a go how much like a road bike it felt..
Good bit of kit indeed just way to expensive.
Power reading tools seriously need to come down in price, i borrow my mate's cycleops powertap but i just dont think they are worth the money.

onthefells

right lets get one thing straight ' I assume its accurate cus BC are endorsing it'...I wouldn't assume anything as thats like saying 'Pinarello is endorsed by Sky'...of course it is they are PAID to endorse it and probably given a whole load of em!!!

now I'm not saying they are no good but how much of your £1800 is paying for the actual product and how much is paying British Cycling to 'endorse' it???

Iain Gillam

My gym have them and they are much better than any other gym bike, the graph of pedaling power is very useful if you concentrate on removing dead spots your power leaps up quite a bit. Good to spend an hour or so on in a lunch break but no substitute for the real thing, then I don't use turbo for that reason either. If the power meter is accurate then the price isn't too bad considering the price of an SRM or the like.

Iain

senoj

I think in order to give a review it has to be ridden.
Dont think you can really compare it by perception alone.
Ive ridden it and as an indoor training tool it does feel more of a bike than some others.

Velke

I had one but returned it under their 30 day return policy.

Compared to a standard gym's exercise bike the Wattbike is much better, however for the amount of money your paying (unless your a serious rider and techno geek) it's not worth it.

It does give/offer you alot of data feedback but most of it is geared towards the prorider not the ordinary club rider, the pedal stoke feedback graph is very interesting to see but one can work on that without a the need to spend £1800, i'd also say that the Wattbike is very noisy compared to a trainer.


I use a 2nd hand Cycleops Fluid 2 (ebay £125) and have a Wireless Cateye Computer with Cadence fitted and get everything i want out of that plus i do find my bike more comfortable!

What i would spend my money on is the

http://www.tacxbushido.com/en_home.html

This has everything, only problem i have is getting a decent enough wireless reception to the garage !!!!