Tacx Trainer

[Vortex]

Hi all

I’ve been given a Tacx Bushido and could really do with some help. I’m a swimmer predominantly and haven’t done much cycling for awhile, however now I have this I want to use it to get my cycling legs back and start to commute to work a couple of times a week.

I’m reluctant to take out a Tacx or Zwift subscription until I know I’m going to stick with it so would be grateful for any help on how to get the best out of it. I use it in conjunction with an iPad so I have downloaded the Tacx app. I have done live routes but only Central Park at the minute due to its relative flatness and so want to build up my legs / stamina. A lot of the live routes and Strava imports are subscription only and not sure how to create a workout that will keep me motivated and progress.

Can any of you guys offer any pointers

Thanks in advance

 

[CXRAndy]

You can join Bkool free and use their basic dot on a map routes to ride. Trainer road is a dedicated training platform, again you pay a monthly subscription. That's the way it is, the best platforms you have to pay. Try out bkool to see if indoor is for you

 

[Vortex]

Thanks I’ll have a look. I’ve had a look a the workout creator on Tacx but not quite sure how to actually make a work out for me (power / distance etc) it’s all bit of a foreign language. I get what they are but equating them to what would work for me is all a bit of a mystery to me at the minute
.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I used the Tacx App on iPad.

1. Get a bluetooth HR chest strap and pair it with the tacx app on iPad.

In your tacx cloud account create a slope based workout.

1. Add 5 minute segments that gradually increase slope from 0% to 2%. These should add up to about 25 minutes.
2. Add a 20 minute segment at 1% slope.
3. Add a 5 min segment at 0% slope.

Best create on a computer with keyboard.

Save the above. Ensure you are logged into your account in the tacx iPad app and tge above workout should synchronise. If you do not already have it, get the tacx ipad holder that mounts on your handlebars.

Set your weight in your tacx App / cloud account.

Mount bike and ipad on trainer. Use the tacx utility app to calibrate the traiber to your bike and tyres. Open the training app and start pedalling you should see your bluetooth HR strap and trainer appear and turn green on connected devices. Click on workouts and the one you created should appear. Click on that then click the start arrow and start pedalling. Choose whatever gear you like but gradually increase your effort for the next 25 mins yo get warmed up and raise heart rate. As you hit the 1% slope ride as hard as you can manage for the next 20 mins. Do not go off too hard your heart rate should steadily increase as you ride this bit. At end if 20 mins, when app shows 0% slopes, drop to easy gear and lower effort as you warm down. When it says completed stop pedalling and a stop button should appear. Click that and save your workout. That now appears as an activity. It should say your ftp has changed and prompt you to update it. Answer yes to update. You now have a base ftp for your workouts.

Now go back to the tacx cloud and create a power based workout which uses percentages of your ftp worked out in above workout. Create a 5 minute warmup at 70% of ftp , then create 10 intervals of 100% ftp , 75% ftp and repeat. Each 30 seconds, then a 5 minute warm down where you spin your kegs and ket the HR come down. The workout will appear in the list in the app on your ipad. When you start that workout there will be a target power for each part of the interval. Your actual power will appear at the top. Try and match your actual power to target power during the intervals.

Try the above interval workout two or three times a week for a few weeks. If you like that then read up on sweet spot intervals, aerobic capacity, pyramid intervals, and consider longer interval periods etc. Also setup some power workouts where the intervals are set at 120% of ftp.

I usually listen to music or podcasts during my workouts. Outside of the first workout I usually have a 5 minute warmup, 20-30 mins of intervals, and 5 min warm down. So 30-40 minute sessions on turbo and one hour total including setup and shower after.

Do the first workout to retest and update FTP every 4-6 weeks.

 

[Vortex]

I used the Tacx App on iPad.

1. Get a bluetooth HR chest strap and pair it with the tacx app on i
Pad.

In your tacx cloud account create a slope based workout.

1. Add 5 minute segments that gradually increase slope from 0% to 2%. These should add up to about 25 minutes.
2. Add a 20 minute segment at 1% slope.
3. Add a 5 min segment at 0% slope.

Save the above. Ensure you are logged into your account in the tacx iPad app and tge above workout should synchronise. If you do not already get the tacx ipad holder that mounts on your handlebars.

Set your weight in your tacx App / cloud account.

Mount bike and ipad on trainer. Use the tacx utility app to calibrate the traiber to your bike and tyres. Open the training app and start pedalling you should see your bluetooth HR strap and trainer appear and turn green on connected devices. Click on workouts and the one you created should appear. Click on that then click the start arrow and start pedalling. Choose whatever gear you like but gradually increase your effort for the next 25 mins yo get warmed up and raise heart rate. As you hit the 1% slope ride as hard as you can manage for the next 20 mins. Do not go off two hard your heart rate should steadily increase as you ride this bit. At end if 20 mins, drop to easy gear and lower effort as you warm down. When it says completed stop pedalling and a stop button should appear. Click that and save your workout. That now appears as an activity. It should say your ftp has changed and prompt you to update it. Answer yes to update. You now have a base ftp for your workouts.

Now go back to the tacx cloud and create a power based workout which uses percentages of your ftp worked out in above workout. Create a 5 minute workout at 70% of ftp , then create 10 intervals of 100% ftp , 75% ftp and repeat. Each 30 seconds, then a 5 minute warm down where you spin your kegs and ket the HR come down. The workout will appear in the list in the app on your ipad. When you start that workout there will be a target power for each part of the interval. Your actual power will appear at the top. Try and match your actual power to target power during the intervals.

Try the above interval workout two or three times a week for a few weeks. If you like that then read up on sweet spot intervals, aerobic capacity, pyramid intervals, and consider longer interval periods etc.

I usually listen to music or podcasts during my workouts.

That’s brilliant, Thank you

 

[Vortex]

You can join Bkool free and use their basic dot on a map routes to ride. Trainer road is a dedicated training platform, again you pay a monthly subscription. That's the way it is, the best platforms you have to pay. Try out bkool to see if indoor is for you

Hi i’ve downloaded Bkool to iPad but can’t get it to detect the Tacx. I’ve tried rebooting the iPad, turned off Bluetooth and tried just with the ant+ dongle but it can’t seem to find it. Anybody have any ideas ?

 

[Milkfloat]

With the Tacx app you can download as many workouts as you like for free.

 

[DooDah]

Hi i’ve downloaded Bkool to iPad but can’t get it to detect the Tacx. I’ve tried rebooting the iPad, turned off Bluetooth and tried just with the ant+ dongle but it can’t seem to find it. Anybody have any ideas ?

what version ipad is it? i have been researching the same after a new smart trainer purchase. Older ipads only have bluetooth 2.1 which id not compatible with Racx trainers as they require Bluetooth 4.0. Only option then is to buy a Ant+ ipad dongle (which are expensive) or one for a laptop which are slightly cheaper.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

iPad version 3 upwards support Bluetooth 4. So unless very early iPad that is not the problem. Sometimes having multiple apps connected to a trainer can cause problems. Try shutting down all the trainer apps then trying just the bkool one.

 

[Vortex]

It’s the latest iPad and works fine with the Tacx app and using an ant+ dongle in the iPad to connect to the trainer. I’ve found out that the Tacx is not compatible with zwift via tablet bit works with laptop so ruled that one out as I’m not gonna mess about with laptop every time I want to ride. I’ll try closing everything else down and see if that helps it connect to Bkool.