What are my options for virtual training

[BurningLegs]

Have you considered buying power meter pedals for the spin bike and then using a platform like TrainerRoad or Sufferfest?

 

[informationseeker1]

CXRAndy: thanks for list. I had narrowed it down to bkool, rouvy and kinomap but adding Bigringvr which looks v good.
I have confined myself to these due they accept Bluetooth. The others require ant+.
I need to get fitness device so was looking into the Garmin ones so I could get ant+ but I also need sleep tracking which is apparently rubbish on the Garmin so that leaves Fitbit.. Otherwise I'd have to get 2 devices that cover both sleep and ant+ which I want to avoid.

Heltor Chasca: thank-you for that but I really want to do the virtual rides.

I'm thinking to have a free try at rouvy for now while I'm still figuring out what gear I need to get.

 

[informationseeker1]

Yes thinking to get favero assioma.
Also from what I understand I need to get speed/ cadence sensor and chest band to make it work.
That means all the equipment I need adds up to:
-spin bike
-desktop computer
-Power meter pedals
-speed/ cadence sensor
-chest band

Please advise if this is incorrect/ could be improved on.

I also need to get a general fitness tracker with important thing to track being sleep ( want to track diet and calories too but I think they all do this/ you just enter it) so would be good to be able to do it on smallest number of devices. Problem I have come up on is sleep needs to be measured by fitbit but chest band is better with ant+ - Fitbit and ant+ incompatible!
Information on what others are doing out there appreciated

 

[Whorty]

Yes thinking to get favero assioma.
Also from what I understand I need to get speed/ cadence sensor and chest band to make it work.
That means all the equipment I need adds up to:
-spin bike
-desktop computer
-Power meter pedals
-speed/ cadence sensor
-chest band

Please advise if this is incorrect/ could be improved on.

I also need to get a general fitness tracker with important thing to track being sleep ( want to track diet and calories too but I think they all do this/ you just enter it) so would be good to be able to do it on smallest number of devices. Problem I have come up on is sleep needs to be measured by fitbit but chest band is better with ant+ - Fitbit and ant+ incompatible!
Information on what others are doing out there appreciated

I use Zwift and BigRingVR. For these I believe all you need is a Computer to run the simulation software, then something to measure the power you are outputting - I use a NEO, but others use a dumb trainer and a power meter pedals or crank. I can't see why your spin bike, with power pedals, couldn't be used to run Zwift or BigRingVR.

You don't need a speed sensor as 'speed' in the simulation software is an algorythm of the power you are outputting, your weight, (in Zwift) your height and the road gradient.

I'm not 100% sure you need a cadence sensor, but if you want one get a wahoo one that fits onto your shoes. Not very expensive.

You don't need a HR monitor for the software to run. In Zwift you may get DQ'd in the official leagues without one, but it doesn't stop you riding the simulation software or joining races. Same for BigRingVR

So as far as I can see all you need is :
- Computer with software on
- Power meter that can connect to the Computer
- An indoor bike of some kind (your spin bike, or a cheap dumb trainer with you road bike on will work fine)

Optionals are
- HR Monitor
- Cadence sensor

Hope this helps

 

[infoseekermark2]

This is informationseeker1 mark 2. System wouldn't recognize my first registered name hence reregistered.

Thanks for info Whorty, appreciated.

I'm still looking to sort out gear to get- get everything nowish while there might be sales so any more tips welcome

 

[LBHIFI]

Optionals are
- HR Monitor
- Cadence sensor

Hope this helps

I think all power meters can report cadence. They do that by analyzing the power pattern.