Virtual Training
TDSeest
Posts: 1,089 Member
Finally looking at pulling the trigger and upgrading from a dumb trainer to a virtual trainer.
Leaning towards Kickr from Wahoo Fitness for the following reasons:
1) I always feel unbalanced on my Fluid Trainer. The wheels off mode of Kickr, I believe, will make the trainer seem more stable to me.
2) I'm an Apple Ipad, phone, Mac nut, and I like the open architecture.
Other than that, I've got nothing. The Cyclops PowerTap stuff looks good also.
Is there something else I should be looking at?
This is all in lieu of moving south for the winter, which I would actually prefer.
Leaning towards Kickr from Wahoo Fitness for the following reasons:
1) I always feel unbalanced on my Fluid Trainer. The wheels off mode of Kickr, I believe, will make the trainer seem more stable to me.
2) I'm an Apple Ipad, phone, Mac nut, and I like the open architecture.
Other than that, I've got nothing. The Cyclops PowerTap stuff looks good also.
Is there something else I should be looking at?
This is all in lieu of moving south for the winter, which I would actually prefer.
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Replies
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I think, looking at the current state of the market Tom, you're pretty much on the button with the Wahoo Kickr...
I'm very much "bought into" the whole Tacx training kit, but it has to be said, there are some pretty fundamental problems with the firmware and underlying training software - though the actual Ride software that they produce is without a doubt the most visually impressive and immersive indoor riding experience out there - full HD quality rides of anything up to 9 hours or more - so big they have to ship on bluray disks! - incredible image quality - there's one I've got where you come around a corner and ride through a "cloud" of butterflies... - and another where you come charging down the side of an Alp, only to turn a corner and be confronted by a herd of sheep/goats crossing the road - it's so immersive I actually jammed the brakes on and locked the back wheel on that one !!!
But - I think, had I been buying my trainer this week rather than 2 years ago, my money would be heading towards Wahoo - I'm just pinning my hopes on Tacx delivering what they've said they will do, which is to open up their current locked ANT+ implementation and use the open version that everyone else is doing... hopefully if they DO, then maybe i'll be able to play with things like the trainer road and sufferfest stuff properly - and if they do it well - who knows, maybe the Tacx VR Videos will work on other trainer hardware as well - so everyone will benefit...0 -
Seconded; the Kickr does look good.
I do like my Genius though!0 -
That is kind of what I was reading. I figure if I buy the Kickr, and decide to switch to something else in a year or two, I can just give it to someone else on this forum...0
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I bought the kickr and love it, the apps are pretty cool, see my blog for an idea http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Jakess197, moved recently so havnt had chance to use it again due to space until Jan but looking forward to blasting it again in the near future, the weathers not been bad either so far
The only downside to using the fixed position is it feels restricted when you want to get our the seat for heavy uphill efforts, on a normal bike the bike moves and sways with you but its like riding a brick wall on a kickr, you do adapt and it's just something you have to accept with this type of trainer.0 -
The only downside to using the fixed position is it feels restricted when you want to get our the seat for heavy uphill efforts, on a normal bike the bike moves and sways with you but its like riding a brick wall on a kickr, you do adapt and it's just something you have to accept with this type of trainer.
In fairness, the a-frame and roller-to-wheel type trainers are just the same - I was really nervous at first about standing efforts on the Bushido, but, to be honest, whilst riding some of the virtual ride DVD's its pretty much a given that you WILL end up having to get out of the saddle on some bits - for example there's a couple of sections in the "Tour of Flanders" dvd that ramp up to something like 17-18% and I don't care if I DO have a compact and a 12-28 on the back, there's no way I can sit and spin my way up 500m of that!0 -
to be honest, whilst riding some of the virtual ride DVD's its pretty much a given that you WILL end up having to get out of the saddle on some bits
Seconded. T'is very 'stable' out of the saddle, but instead of throwing the bars from side-to-side and grinding you end up 'bouncing' a la Alberto Contador :laugh:0 -
if anything, the "discipline" of not "shouldering" your way "uphill" swinging your upper body, actually works and transfers well into proper road riding - after all, any energy you waste moving your head and shoulders around is energy you save to put down through the back wheel...
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if anything, the "discipline" of not "shouldering" your way "uphill" swinging your upper body, actually works and transfers well into proper road riding - after all, any energy you waste moving your head and shoulders around is energy you save to put down through the back wheel...
Eeek... I don't understand this could you/someone please explain in "other" words0 -
It does force you to focus your power in a more direct way, just takes some getting used to, after all you don't see the pros swinging about all over the place apart from the odd rare occasion where they are totally spent getting up a hill0
