Anyone used / got a Tacx VR Trainer??

[The big lad]

Hi,
Has anyone used a Tacx Virtual reality trainer?? Are they worth the money ?? do they make turbo training more interesting??
I look forward to your opinions,

TBL

 

[Seamab]

TBL, I've had a Tacx Fortius for several years now and would say that IMO it's the best piece of winter/bad weather cycling kit i've ever had.

Initially, i borrowed a "normal" turbo but just couldn't hack the boredom and never used it. Now whenever it's icy, too wet or too windy i use the Fortius. I use the Real Life Videos and Ergo Videos but have never much used the VR side of things. Mostly i'll spend an hour or so on it but can easily spend 3/4 hours on some of the runs given the time and opportunity!

Whether it's worth your money is difficult to answer - they are pretty expensive and the RLV's are about £30 a shot. The quality of the films is always improving and about this time of year usually a new batch are released.

It all depends on whether it motivates you to use it. If you can stand a conventional turbo then go with that and save the cash.

I think the newer machines are wireless and have updated interface software. Also you don't need a particularly powerful PC to run the software.

The only downside i'd say is that IMO it doesn't simulate steep climbs over 10% very well (and in fact any grade over 12% just feels the same). A lot of people buy it for the big mountain climbs. You need to keep the power/cadence up or it can feel mechanical. I think these work best if you reduce the overall grade of the run before you start (but i think the new software allows adjustment as you ride along).

 

[Hont]

I've had one for about a year. They make Turbo sessions far more varied, interesting and do-able for longer. Whether you think it's worth the money it's more difficult to answer. For me it is, simply because I can keep the fitness up in the winter regardless of the weather, without dreading getting on the thing.

One thing I do not like, however, is that the software has to be activated and can only be done so on one PC - which caused me some problems when I had computer issues recently. The TACX support was not great either. I don't see why software that is linked to an expensive piece of hardware has to be activated at all.

 

[Ajay]

I love mine, seemed a bit of an indulgence at first, but justified it by cancelling gym membership. I use it for fitness rather than competition training - I'm not a racer, but I have been getting more "scientific" with it of late.
It is a great piece of kit, allowing you to focus on the type of training you want, whether it be based on watts, cadence, HR, or slope. You can ride to the stats in "Catalyst" mode, but I prefer to put the VR mode on and ride the various terrains, racing against your own previous efforts is a real motivator, and it is true, the time really does seem to pass a lot quicker when you're "in the game"!
It works really well for me as I'm a bit time-poor, what with work and family commitments, I can pop into the garage and fit in an hour or so of good quality exercise without getting into the badbooks, win-win.

 

[amaferanga]

Powermeter + a Kurt Kinetic trainer would be my choice over a VR trainer.

 

[lulubel]

I've had one for a year or so, and just started using it again at the weekend.

To be honest, I find the VR stuff a bit irritating. The gradient changes are sudden and hard to anticipate, which makes it practically impossible to get into any kind of rhythm. I struggle to get my heart rate above about 140 for more than a few seconds at a time. I prefer the catalyst software, which lets you set your own program, so you can control the changes in gradient, but all you get to look at is the stats screen, so it makes the whole VR aspect a waste of money. I haven't tried the real life videos, but I'm hoping they will suit me better.

You may already know this, but incase not .... the basic model i-Magic (which is the one I have) can only simulate gradients up to 5%, while the Fortius can simulate steeper gradients. I believe the Fortius also allows you to freewheel on the descents.

 

[Seamab]

To be honest, I find the VR stuff a bit irritating. I haven't tried the real life videos, but I'm hoping they will suit me better.

I believe the Fortius also allows you to freewheel on the descents.

You can freewheel on the Fortius but this is restricted to approx about 10 secs - some kind of safety reason. What you can do is to position a pedal in over the cadence sensor and just gently move it up and down every 10 secs or so and you effectively freewheel.

The RLV's are so much better than the VR stuff IMO, You really should try one.

Powermeter + a Kurt Kinetic trainer would be my choice over a VR trainer.

It depends on what the OP is looking to use the turbo for. If he wants to use it for accurate power intervals then that may be the best option. Not necessarily "interesting" however. It does have the considerable advantage of having a PT for outside use.

The Tacx Fortius does measure power and although not entirely accurate (i have measured it against a powertap - it tends to give higher power figures than the PT) it's not that far out. In fact the readings it gives me are actually more realistic to the figures i achieve on the road (measured with a PT).If you calibrate it the same way each time it's pretty repeatable.

 

[Hont]

The gradient changes are sudden and hard to anticipate, which makes it practically impossible to get into any kind of rhythm.

Agree with that. I don't know why at least one of the courses is not closer to real life roads. Maybe it's to try and get you to buy the videos.

One solution, though, is to plot a real life route (on BikeHike or similar) save the file and then import it into the software. The google view is not as interesting as the VR one but you are at least doing a real-life route.

 

[lulubel]

One solution, though, is to plot a real life route (on BikeHike or similar) save the file and then import it into the software. The google view is not as interesting as the VR one but you are at least doing a real-life route.

How do you do that? I mean, what format do you need to save it as, and how do you import it? It's something I was interested in when I bought the trainer, but I've never found any explanation on how you do it.

Or maybe I haven't got the right software.

 

[Seamab]

Or maybe I haven't got the right software.

You need the newer TTS software for this. The older Fortius software cannot do this. It costs about 100 Euros to upgrade to the new TTS software - i haven't done so yet.
I depends on when you bought the trainer. Those sold currently or in the preceding year are/were shipped with the new software.

 

[gb155]

I used only for getting back to fitness after injury in the winter.

I loved every second of it BUT there is no substitute for getting out there and riding - So I got rid and purchased my first road bike.

Great if you cant get out but if you can, then do !

 

[Hont]

How do you do that? I mean, what format do you need to save it as, and how do you import it? It's something I was interested in when I bought the trainer, but I've never found any explanation on how you do it.

Or maybe I haven't got the right software.

Assuming you have the right software, then you can save your route in tcx or gpx format (I think tcs contains more information - it's certainly a bigger file). The version 3 software (I'm using 3.5) has a big button marked Import at the top, and you just select your file from the files on your hard drive. It automatically adds the route to the "real life" training section.

You only get the Google Earth satellite view, but provided it's somewhere you know then it's diverting enough.

If you do time trials, it's a brilliant way to practice your pacing - although I always find the times are flattering as there's no wind and no such thing as a bad road surface in the virtual world.

 

[lulubel]

Thanks for the answers on importing routes.

I don't have the correct software, but may look into getting it because it would definitely be another option for relieving the trainer borebom.

 

[daley]

How hard would it be to create the same product as TACX?