What’s required

[Onthedrops]

Hi all.

Already have a dumb trainer, Elite Crono Elastogel. Found sessions on the TT to be sooooo boring, so now looking at moving onto a smart trainer.
Halfords are currently selling the Elite Novo at a good price so tempted.

Question is, do I need to buy anything else apart from the bike and turbo to join the masses on Zwift etc. Sorry, absolutely clueless about these things at the moment.

Apart from Zwift, any other software out there for virtual riding?

 

[CXRAndy]

Hi all.

Already have a dumb trainer, Elite Crono Elastogel. Found sessions on the TT to be sooooo boring, so now looking at moving onto a smart trainer.
Halfords are currently selling the Elite Novo at a good price so tempted.

Question is, do I need to buy anything else apart from the bike and turbo to join the masses on Zwift etc. Sorry, absolutely clueless about these things at the moment.

Apart from Zwift, any other software out there for virtual riding?

What is your Max budget for smart trainer?

Ideally you've got a laptop already?

A fan 12"-18" blades

Zwift subscription £12.99/month

Time/inclination to use it and become immersed in the platform

Zwift, Trainer Road, BigringVR, Sufferfest, Road grand tours and Bkool platforms

 

[Brusgaard]

Hi all.

Already have a dumb trainer, Elite Crono Elastogel. Found sessions on the TT to be sooooo boring, so now looking at moving onto a smart trainer.
Halfords are currently selling the Elite Novo at a good price so tempted.

Question is, do I need to buy anything else apart from the bike and turbo to join the masses on Zwift etc. Sorry, absolutely clueless about these things at the moment.

Apart from Zwift, any other software out there for virtual riding?

Buy a (used?) smart trainer for the best experience, preferably a modern Direct Drive model like the Tacx Flux S, Wahoo KICKR Core, Elite Direto etc. On most DD-trainers you have to supply your own cassette for the trainer, and the tools to mount it.

If content with wheel-on models, there's Bkool Smart Pro (2), Tacx Vortex Smart, Tacx Bushido Smart and numerous models from Elite. Don't buy a used Tacx trainer without the "Smart" designation, as they are older models offering only limited usage on virtual platforms.

Lots of different virtual training platforms each with their own strengths and weaknesses: BigRing VR, Zwift, Bkool, RoadGrandTours, VirtuGo, TrainerRoad, Sufferfest etc.

 

[Specialeyes]

Depending on which trainer you choose, you may need to buy a USB Ant+ dongle to connect up to your PC (if indeed you're going to run Zwift or your app of choice on a PC - you can also run in on Apple TV or an iPad). I needed one as my cadence sensor and HRM originally came with a Garmin and were Ant+ only.

If you happen to have a speed sensor, cadence sensor and HRM you can run Zwift without the need for a smart trainer, as there are mapped power curves for loads of dumb trainers within Zwift, so iy will translate your rear wheel speed into 'ZPower' - an approximation of wattage. This would help test the water without splashing out any cash.

 

[Onthedrops]

I did wonder if I would need a usb ant+ dongle.

The Halfords Elite Novo looks pretty good for the money. As much as I’d love to go all out and buy DD, I fear Mrs OTD would leave me if I blew over and above my budget!

So, bike, smart trainer, ant+ and a Zwift subscription or alternative required.......... owt else needed?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

That is it , possibly a skewer for rear wheel if not in smart trainer box.

 

[CXRAndy]

So, bike, smart trainer, ant+ and a Zwift subscription or alternative required.......... owt else needed?

A PC or laptop, worse case some Apple product

 

[JuhaL]

So, bike, smart trainer, ant+ and a Zwift subscription or alternative required.......... owt else needed?

If any ant+ signal drop out's occure then usb extension cable might be useful, especially active cable. But that find out when you are ride few sessions.

 

[Onthedrops]

Wow! £13 a month for a Zwift subscription, pretty pricy!
Just looked at the Bkool system which comes out much cheaper.
Suppose there are two camps, Zwift and Bkool lovers. I would assume by price that Zwift is the better put together software. Any fans of Bkool give any advice on their chosen package? Does it just work with Bkool trainers?

 

[CXRAndy]

Wow! £13 a month for a Zwift subscription, pretty pricy!
Just looked at the Bkool system which comes out much cheaper.
Suppose there are two camps, Zwift and Bkool lovers. I would assume by price that Zwift is the better put together software. Any fans of Bkool give any advice on their chosen package? Does it just work with Bkool trainers?

You get what you pay for. I have used both. If you want to train, then either will work. If you want to race, only bkool trainers work well on Bkool. Also if you want social riding with lots of other riders then Bkool really doesn't have the user numbers to fill their endless routes. Zwift is nearly always full and races are extremely popular, with big events have 1000 competitors at the start line.

Try both on free trial, join a race on Zwift and see if you think it's worth the extra

 

[Onthedrops]

Bought the Elite Novo Smart from Halfords tonight................ £162 after using my BC card.
Just waiting for my Ant+ thingy via Amazon then hopefully, we're off!
Quick question though.
Having previously owned a dumb trainer and altered resistance through the bike gearing, what is the best gear to ride in on a smart trainer which alters the resistance for you? Sorry if it's a daft question as I've never even ridden on a smart trainer before!!!

 

[Aleman]

Change gear as required to maintain cadence depending on what resistance is set by the trainer ... trying to ride up an 18% gradient in 50/11 is not going to do your knees any good, and using 34/32 to go down Alpe Du Zwift won't help either

 

[CXRAndy]

You just ride like outdoor, change gear when gradient goes up and bigger gears for downhill