Depends what you're after. Do you want wheel on or direct mount? What type of resistance; fluid, magnetic, fan? Smart, FEC or simple user controlled? Mains powered or self generating power? If FEC, what percentage of incline do you want to be able to replicate? etc etc
I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
I don't want/can't afford to spend more than a couple of hundred quid so direct mount is out.
I don't know which resistance type is best, nor do I know what FEC is.
I want something that will simulate the ups and downs of real riding if possible, so I assume that's a smart trainer.
The following trainers have caught my eye, but I don't know enough to make any decision other than one based on price.
TACX 2240
Elite Quobo Wireless
Elite Digital Smart B Plus
Elite Muin can be found for £290 at Halfords. If your a BC member that's another 10% discount on top.
That's a very good price (still more than I was budgeting for and 30 quid more than my bike cost...), but I didn't think the BC discount was available on discounted items?
A higher price point is no barrier to questionable products being released too early by manufacturers chasing market share which covers smart trainers and power meters.
However the connectivity to online platforms makes sessions more enjoyable but there's nothing you can't replicate with a dumb trainer.
“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring”
Elite Muin can be found for £290 at Halfords. If your a BC member that's another 10% discount on top.
That's a very good price (still more than I was budgeting for and 30 quid more than my bike cost...), but I didn't think the BC discount was available on discounted items?
Elite Muin is a direct mount trainer too. Add the B+ add on and its then a smart trainer. Still won't do FEC though. I don't use FEC (Elite Kura) and haven't found it any great loss.
I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
I don't want/can't afford to spend more than a couple of hundred quid so direct mount is out.
I don't know which resistance type is best, nor do I know what FEC is.
I want something that will simulate the ups and downs of real riding if possible, so I assume that's a smart trainer.
The following trainers have caught my eye, but I don't know enough to make any decision other than one based on price.
TACX 2240
Elite Quobo Wireless
Elite Digital Smart B Plus
In which case out of those 3 the ones you need are the Tacx 2240 or the Elite Qubo Digital Smart B+. From what I can gather the Tacx is easier to use and Calibrate out of the box whereas the Elite is a little fussier to set up but offers a better ride feel.
I used to have a ‘dumb’ Tacx Flow; the devices are often advertised as simulating a uphill gradient of X, but if you look at the graph they can simulate X if you cycle up that gradient at 20mph. Even if you keep in the highest gear there are limits to the gradient it can simulate.
When I went ‘smart’ I saved up for a Tacx Bushido (no power cord was main reason) and even it can’t simulate low cadence grinds up really steep hills. If you spin up even the steepest hills then the only thing that matters is max sustained power. I don’t. I just can’t put out the same power now at low cadences & am having to specifically train it.
I used to have a ‘dumb’ Tacx Flow; the devices are often advertised as simulating a uphill gradient of X, but if you look at the graph they can simulate X if you cycle up that gradient at 20mph. Even if you keep in the highest gear there are limits to the gradient it can simulate.
When I went ‘smart’ I saved up for a Tacx Bushido (no power cord was main reason) and even it can’t simulate low cadence grinds up really steep hills. If you spin up even the steepest hills then the only thing that matters is max sustained power. I don’t. I just can’t put out the same power now at low cadences & am having to specifically train it.
show me anyone winning or better yet performing efficiently on a bike doing low cadence grinds.? It just means youve' got the wrong gear ratios!
Alternatively, in the max torque setting you can just change the gear up to make is 30-40rpm and you'll be happy?
I used to have a ‘dumb’ Tacx Flow; the devices are often advertised as simulating a uphill gradient of X, but if you look at the graph they can simulate X if you cycle up that gradient at 20mph. Even if you keep in the highest gear there are limits to the gradient it can simulate.
When I went ‘smart’ I saved up for a Tacx Bushido (no power cord was main reason) and even it can’t simulate low cadence grinds up really steep hills. If you spin up even the steepest hills then the only thing that matters is max sustained power. I don’t. I just can’t put out the same power now at low cadences & am having to specifically train it.
My first smart trainer was a TACX i-Flow followed by a TACX Bushido Smart. IMO, the i-Flow walked all over the Bushido. The Bushido was censored and couldn't wait to get shot of it. Shane Miller refuses to even write about it it is that bad in his opinion.
I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
doomanic
Posts: 238
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I don't know which resistance type is best, nor do I know what FEC is.
I want something that will simulate the ups and downs of real riding if possible, so I assume that's a smart trainer.
The following trainers have caught my eye, but I don't know enough to make any decision other than one based on price.
TACX 2240
Elite Quobo Wireless
Elite Digital Smart B Plus
That's what FEC is. Without that, your app won't change the resistance.
However the connectivity to online platforms makes sessions more enjoyable but there's nothing you can't replicate with a dumb trainer.
Desmond Tutu
Elite Muin is a direct mount trainer too. Add the B+ add on and its then a smart trainer. Still won't do FEC though. I don't use FEC (Elite Kura) and haven't found it any great loss.
A Tacx Flow will be all that you need and, nicely, within your budget.
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube
@Bigmitch_racing
2010 Specialized Tricross (commuter)
2014 Whyte T129-S
2016 Specialized Tarmac Ultegra Di2
Big Mitch - YouTube
Cheers guys,
Alex
https://alexreaderfitness.com/
When I went ‘smart’ I saved up for a Tacx Bushido (no power cord was main reason) and even it can’t simulate low cadence grinds up really steep hills. If you spin up even the steepest hills then the only thing that matters is max sustained power. I don’t. I just can’t put out the same power now at low cadences & am having to specifically train it.
show me anyone winning or better yet performing efficiently on a bike doing low cadence grinds.? It just means youve' got the wrong gear ratios!
Alternatively, in the max torque setting you can just change the gear up to make is 30-40rpm and you'll be happy?
Unless this is a wheel slippage isssue.
My first smart trainer was a TACX i-Flow followed by a TACX Bushido Smart. IMO, the i-Flow walked all over the Bushido. The Bushido was censored and couldn't wait to get shot of it. Shane Miller refuses to even write about it it is that bad in his opinion.