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Zwift

ianevertonianeverton Posts: 231
in Training, fitness and health
Sorry if this has been asked before, which I am sure it has...
Am I right in thinking that Zwift is not great with an older style turbo trainer, looking at the website it looks like it is only really good for people with adaptive trainers that link to the Zwift system and so can adapt to road lay out, hills etc ?

Posts

  • dowtchadowtcha Posts: 441
    You can use a dumb trainer- some dumb trainers are support and yours may be on its list. They call this zpower and zwift has the power curve for some trainers. The power what will be displayed will be a guesstimate and out by a mile. You will also need a speed sensor for your wheel. You can sign up for a trial and see how you get on. Zwift is designed with smart trainers in mind and good ones will display correct power - you can feel the slopes and in ERG mode during a workout will force you to output or try to output the correct power.
  • ianevertonianeverton Posts: 231
    Pretty sure my trainer is a very old CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 25,854
    Not really worth it on a dumb trainer unless you also have a power meter.
  • daxplusplusdaxplusplus Posts: 631
    You can race with a dumb turbo using the guesstimate power but it's just a fun work out .. it's not realistic and you'll probably be max rated to 400W.

    The question you should probably be asking is: do I buy a power meter or a smart turbo :smile:
    Sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail

    strava profile
  • daxplusplusdaxplusplus Posts: 631
    Sorry I assumed you wanted to race with zwift - if not racing then why not? I do and it's fine just less immersive
    Sometimes you're the hammer, sometimes you're the nail

    strava profile
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    I have a dumb turbo but a power meter on the bike. I love zwift.

    You get a great workout - ok you don't feel the hills but what's a hill apart from pedalling a bit harder ?

    They do a free trial so worth a go anyway.
  • zest28zest28 Posts: 403
    edited April 2020
    Dumb trainer should be fine if you have a cadence sensor and a power meter.

    A dumb trainer is actually good because I see plenty people push over 300 watts on a descent. So they obviously have their smart trainer setup as a dumb trainer as well.
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 25,854
    zest28 said:

    Dumb trainer should be fine if you have a cadence sensor and a power meter.

    A dumb trainer is actually good because I see plenty people push over 300 watts on a descent. So they obviously have their smart trainer setup as a dumb trainer as well.

    If you're doing a structured training session with turbo in erg mode, that's just normal.
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,687
    If you do have a power meter is there much advantage in getting a smart trainer?
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • prawnyprawny Posts: 5,438
    It’s more fun in sim mode just riding. Things that are hard feel HARD. I rode Alpe du Zwift on max feedback (as well as Ventoux and Stelvio on RGT) and it was slow and hard, with just a power meter it can be as hard as you want or as easy, so it’s not as immersive.

    For workouts a power meter is probably just as good, but for general riding around I prefer a smart turbo, I’ve not actually ridden outside since I got mine. And I can see myself using it a lot more even when lockdown is over, it’s much easier to do an hour before work than actually going outside
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • DeVlaeminckDeVlaeminck Posts: 8,687
    Ah so worth getting a decent smart turbo then? I'm thinking I'm going to have to bite the bullet. These wheel off turbos seem the way to go ?
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • prawnyprawny Posts: 5,438
    I reckon, mine has been frankly amazing, I knew it would be better, but it’s really changed my training
    See!
    Saracen Tenet 3 - 2015 - Dead - Replaced with a Hack Frame
    Voodoo Bizango - 2014 - Dead - Hit by a car
    Vitus Sentier VRS - 2017
  • Dorset_BoyDorset_Boy Posts: 6,665
    DeVlaeminck said:

    Ah so worth getting a decent smart turbo then? I'm thinking I'm going to have to bite the bullet. These wheel off turbos seem the way to go ?

    With wheel off (direct drive) you don't need to calibrate each time you ride, unlike wheel on where you should recalibrate each ride after a 10 minute warm up. As a result wheel off are more accurate.

    So yes, bite the bullet!
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,177
    DeVlaeminck said:

    If you do have a power meter is there much advantage in getting a smart trainer?

    It's more immersive if you have a smart trainer because it adjusts the resistance for hills and stuff. But it'll still work fine with a dumb trainer and power meter. With the availability and pricing of smart trainers right now being so bad it probably isn't worth it at the moment.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,177
    Dorset_Boy said:

    DeVlaeminck said:

    Ah so worth getting a decent smart turbo then? I'm thinking I'm going to have to bite the bullet. These wheel off turbos seem the way to go ?

    With wheel off (direct drive) you don't need to calibrate each time you ride, unlike wheel on where you should recalibrate each ride after a 10 minute warm up. As a result wheel off are more accurate.

    So yes, bite the bullet!
    Yeah I got a Kickr Core back in October, has turned out to be a brilliant purchase with hindsight. As was buying a new TV in the living room around the same time, as I now have the old TV in the turbo room.

    Previously I was using a dumb trainer mainly on trainerroad, the smart one is a lot better for zwift etc.
  • bobmcstuffbobmcstuff Posts: 11,177
    Also the best thing about Zwift has been the social aspects - since lockdown we've had 2 club rides a week on Zwift (using another app, Discord, to chat). I've also been riding with various other friends, some of whom I haven't seen in person for years. It's been really nice actually.

    Couldn't do that on trainerroad.
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