I’m fifty-five years old, I’ve been cycling for 30+ years, I’ve been roadbiking for a long time, but I’ve never used a smart trainer, I’ve never owned it. At most once a year, when I did an data analisis on an FTP test.
Is the indoor trainer boring?
I always said, as many people have said, that indoor trainer is boring. This is not like real cycling. I don’t compete, so the form and performance are needed from April – May, and for that it’s enough to prepare from February. We rest in December, we start slowly in January, and in February you can mostly go outside. In the past, I used to ride a mountain bike, and now I’ve been riding a road bike.
The winters are getting warmer, practically in this climate you can cycling in January in earm clothes. In fact! For example, in the winter of 2023 from December to February we rode in an average temperature of about 8-12 degrees. Sometimes in February in short bib and at the end of December in 15 degrees. Last January I rode almost 1000 km outside, by the time I reached April, I had 3000 km. Outside.
So the indoor training was unnecessary for me, I didn’t need it, I didn’t want it. There’s also a pride-like thought in people that I’ll show them how to do it without a trainer. What a bastard I am to push it 1-2 degrees outside.
In summary: the experience was that in winter the period when you can’t cycle outside is short bib: because we never go in wet, slippery, snowy weather. But so far, this has only been 1-2 weeks in each winter season. Back then, it was a forced rest.
Of course, almost all of my friends pushed it on the trainer, while I sadly stared at the wet and slippery roads and hated the fact that I couldn’t go out. Last year were 1-2 weeks when I felt like my preparation was stalling. Muscles start to regress in 2 weeks of bad weather, the body gets used to the training and then you can start everything over again with a high heart rate.
That’s why I decided last year that this fall I will look around, get some information and if possible, buy a trainer. Let’s try it out, see if we can make friends? I’ll join the queue of those who want to ride in the winter, regardless of the weather, and don’t want to be left behind.
I’ve only heard good things about smart trainer. It’s a completely different experience, everyone said. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll sell it.
I started looking at the trainers in September. They produce all kinds in different price ranges, there are a lot of them. Since all my devices made Garmin, I logically turned to Tacx. I also looked at Wahoo, but since on the one hand they have very similar products at a very similar price, but I have everyting Garmins. On the other hand I just caught a very good discount, I quickly bought a Tacx Neo 2 Smart (T2850).
It’s not the top, but it know almost everething as the Neo 2T. Everything I needed. But it’s not cheap either.
How does this smart traning works?
I didn’t know much about trainers, in fact I even had to ask how this whole thing works? Then it slowly came together.
There is a trainer, which contains the power meter, the tachometer, the speed sensor, etc. The trainer must be connected to a software (in my case and in the case of most people, to Zwift or Rouvy). Have to download softver (Zwift) to your mobile phone or a computer, register in it, which is obviously paid, but of course there is a trial period – I got a month. The training will be controlled by this software (Zwift).
The point is, you have to start Zwift to start training. While riding you see (can see) the road in front of you and the world around you, this can happen on the screen of a mobile or laptop, tablet, or even on a TV. This is a matter of possibilities. If you start Zwift from a tablet or laptop, you see it there, if from a mobile, there. But you can also display all this on the TV screen, this can happen via cable or by mirroring.
Once you have started Zwift and logged in, the app (via Bluetooth or ANT+) will detect the trainer (if it is turned on) and the measuring devices (wattmeter, RPM, etc.), the heart rate monitor and other devices (you can add a handlebar-mounted remote control.)
Then you just have to choose from the thousands of options what you want to do: just ride your bike on the many trails, do a specific workout, say an interval workout on one of the dozens of pre-made workout plans (but you can do it yourself), join a group ride or maybe a race. But there are also multi-week training programs and preparation courses. The options could be listed all day long. I think that’s a bit much.
The point is that you choose according to your preferences and fitness. Thousands, tens of thousands of people are riding on the software at the same time, meaning there will always be someone around you who you can join and compete with. From all kinds of nations. There are also stages here that are measured (just like in Strava), you can push yourself, there are lists. What’s especially positive is that they also simulate your own times with a shadow figure, so if you’ve already completed a stage, your previous best time is waiting for you at the beginning of the stage, it goes with you based on your previous time and you can compete with it.
The Power (watts) are the key
In Zwift, quite rightly so, the basic measure is watts. Of course, heart rate is important, I also wear a heart rate monitor, but everything is measured in watts (the device is very accurate, the margin of error is 1%). For example, workouts are in watts, you always have to maintain watts, and if you cycle, the w/kg data is also written next to your name. But a race or a shared ride is also categorized based on watts.
In fact, there are Robopacer workouts where you have to target a specific watt/kg. Ilyenkor konkrétan egy bicajozó robottal kell tartani a – mondjuk – 1.5, 2.2, 2.6 vagy nagyobb w/kg értéket. A robot nem lassít, így egy 30 – 50 km-t nem egyszerű tartani, de ha tartod, akkor remek edzés jön ki. A w/kg alap jó ahhoz, hogy you won’t really ride with professionals, just people with your own level of fitness. (It’s enough to survive if during a climb, when you’re already gasping for oxygen at every gap, someone passes you by at 3x the speed 🙂
It’s worth doing an FTP test, there are several options for this and if you have the kg data (it comes from a Garmin scale, but you can also enter it manually), then you already have w/kg data. It’s great that during the rides the data of those riding near you is displayed (on the right side), so you can see who is riding with what w/kg data, how far from you they are, whether they are currently training or just riding. (Anyone who is doing a training program has a “board” in front of their bike with their heart rate data. Obviously, it’s not worth riding with someone like that, because they are completing a task.)
It’s fun to meet other people while cycling, even if it’s just for a few kilometers. I’ve met someone and we rode long tens of kilometers together because they chose the same route that I did, and of course we were riding at the same w/kg. You can also meet up with groups, and you can join them.
When riding in a group, the software simulates the wind and the lee, that’s for sure. I realized this (besides the fact that in a group you can ride at a lower watt due to the lee) because I once got carried away and with Coco, the 2.6 Robopacer, I didn’t keep the pace below FTP and fell 15-20 meters behind, and by the time I realized it, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make up the difference, I couldn’t rejoin on my own.
And of course is very interactive, you can give kudos. You can give them by clicking on the name in the list. You can chat (I don’t see much point in that when I can barely breathe 🙂 And of course, you get rewards that help you for a few seconds if you click on them (less air resistance, more strength, car transport, etc.).
What does the trainer knows?
I really like that it can be folded, so it fits in a small space. And it’s quiet. It doesn’t make any noise while driving. The sound of shifting and the friction of the chain is much louder.
The roller is direct-drive, meaning the motor is driven directly through the cassette. There is no belt involved, which is an advantage because there is no wear, stretching, and no calibration required.
The trainer doesn’t have a wheel, but a motor for resistance (a virtual flywheel), which has the added advantage of being able to change the feel of the pedaling quite quickly and dynamically. The electronics and software in the trainer evaluate what you’re doing 1000 times per second. This means it can simulate changes in road gradient or wattage (or shifting from one gear to another) incredibly quickly when Zwift sends the information to the trainer.
My favorite is when you ride on a up – down road, I love that forest road! (up 5-10% for 100m, then down 100m – 8%, alternating many times). In this case, the feeling of change comes almost immediately on the pedal. You ride down easily (slope simulation), then comes the 8-10% climb and like in real life, you have to quickly switch back. The pedal immediately becomes heavier. You have to be on a small plate in an instant. Or when during training, when the required watt changes you have to quickly switch to the new watt values.
It has electromagnetic braking and can be used without electricity. It has a system with which the brake develops its own energy. It can simulate a 25% climb and a 15% descent (it even accelerates downhill! In fact, above 55 km/h the figure sits aerodynamically on the frame 🙂
The trainer can simulate not only the ascent and descent of the road, but also the road patterns (such as cobblestones, gravel or wooden bridges – these regularly appear in Zwift), which makes cycling very realistic. Gravel has a pronounced Paris – Roubaix feeling on slopes above 50. And it is indeed harder to keep up the pace on gravel.
There is a light at the bottom of the device towards the floor (blue – lower watts, then purple and then red when you push on higher watts, so if you drive with your head down you see the lights 🙂
The Neo 2 Smart can officially simulate 2200 W. Unless you’re a pro I think that’s more than enough for everyone.
Is it stiff? Is it moving?
I was afraid of its stiffness. After all, one of the biggest disadvantages of rollers is that – since they are mounted on a fixed base – you cannot simulate natural cycling feelings, since in reality, especially when standing, you tilt the bike left and right, and move forward and backward. However, the Neo 2 is not as stiff as other rollers. It allows a few degrees of movement on its own.
But that wasn’t enough for me. I bought a factory-made “Motion plate” that allows a lot of axial and lateral movement for the roller (outrageously expensive). You have to attach it to the bottom and it’s ready to go. The roller will then like a swing. It moves forward and backward (about 10-15 cm), and it also allows some minimal lateral tilt. When you get out of the saddle (or roll with great force while sitting), the bike moves underneath you. This makes rolling much more natural, and it doesn’t damage the bike as much.
An irritating side effect: sweating
The worst side effect of indoor training is sweating. That’s why the most important accessories are a towel and a powerful fan. You will immediately notice this when you start. Outdoors you often don’t even notice how much you sweat because the wind dries it up immediately. But in an indoor room, there is no headwind.
That’s why a towel and a fan are a must have. The only problem with a fan is that it’s hard to adjust it so that it blows well every minute. It either blows too much or too little. Fortunately, this problem has been solved today, because Wahoo has developed a wind machine that adapts to cycling. But how? So that it can be adjusted to your heart rate or speed. (You can also set it to a fixed setting, but then there’s no point in buying one.)
It works really well for me. I just turn it on, set it to what I want it to do and it works automatically. However, I realized that it doesn’t matter how you use it. For training, the heart rate-based works, above 70-75% it’s already blowing pretty hard, and at 80-85% I’m cold (okay, I’m riding at 18 degrees). But if I’m just riding in Watopia, I prefer the speed-based one. It’s pushing pretty well when it gets closer to 30, and on the slope at 60 km/h there’s a real headwind.
What I didn’t like: minor problems
I’ve experienced very few of these. These are mostly minor, annoying things. The biggest negative: the price. How much this whole thing costs. It’s hard to get over this, because although everything is expensive these days, – and this is serious – you can buy a pretty good bike for the price of today’s smart rollers and their accessories. Of course, to quote a classic, you can’t ride it on ice at -2 degrees. The second thing I noticed right away when putting it together: there’s no cassette for the roller. Hm, it’s in the pictures, on the box. Luckily, I had one at home, but if it hadn’t been, I could have gone and got one. On the other hand, they could have included one with a trainer of this price… After installing the rear wheel and the thru-axle, I noticed that the brake body of my bike touches the plastic exterior of the trainer (a bike with disc brakes) and presses a little. I read about it on foreign sites and of course there is a solution for this too: I didn’t notice, but they added a spacer to the axles, which had to be inserted when mounting. That was fine, although the space is still tight, but it doesn’t reach it. By the way, they also add everything for a thru-axle and quick release (including a quick release). Since the trainer can communicate with the computer via ANT+ or Bluetooth (Bluetooth is the winner for me), I tried it on a Windows machine to see how it works. To my surprise, the program loaded smoothly (there is a separate download for Windows). However, that machine only has an external Bluetooth adapter, which is probably not the best or newest, so the heart rate or cadence was often lost. On the 2021 Macbbok Air, everything always works without a problem. The Motion Plate (which moves under the trainer) raises it, not a little. In addition, they add another front wheel holder, which is much higher than the original. The superstructure will be just high enough that you can barely get on the bike. You have to stretch a little when getting on and off. That’s it. I’m not going to build a platform for it! At first I didn’t even think about it, but then I quickly realized that while cycling, you need to put your stuff somewhere. Phone, laptop, towel, glasses, etc. And at the right height. I quickly looked for something to put on it. Then I bought a holder, but you have to think about that.
One trainer = one bike?
And finally, a minor “problem” that is not a problem, but if you don’t want to use it alone, it might be. This trainer basically meets the needs of one person with one bike. Unless you are the same size. Obviously, you can change the bikes, quick release is much easier, but constantly taking off and putting on the thru-axle greatly increases the risk of injury. But if the other bike doesn’t have the same setup as the one above, you have to change the front as well. It’s not half a minute anymore. I thought of this when the rest of the family wanted to try it out. I’m lucky with my sons, because they are exactly the same size as me, so there’s no need to adjust anything there. But my wife is much shorter, it wouldn’t be enough to put the saddle lower, but you would have to put in another bike, with a different front. And unfortunately, you would have to convert from thru-axle to quick release, since she doesn’t ude a roadbike. Even more complicated. This is obviously not a small adventure. So. If more people want to use it, this is not always possible or requires a lot of effort. Garmin and Wahoo have also come up with a solution for this: a complete trainer bike. It’s true that this is really expensive, but it doesn’t get any better than this!
You can set up another user on these in seconds. Okay, these cost the same as a full carbon bike, that’s a fact. But for those who have the money and want more people to use them, it’s definitely worth it.
Summary
Obviously you can’t ignore the question how much does it cost? As I knew, smart indoor training is not cheap. (But what is cheap?) Even a middle of trainers costs hundreds of thousands forints, the better ones cost several hundred, the Tacx program is also paid and many other things may be needed. At the time, we calculated that for the price of a smart roller, you can get winter clothes + a used winter bike. And I still say it is tru. Anyone who wants to spend money on this will have to dig deep into their pockets.
Regardless, I was just as captivated by this whole Zwift and smart training world as I was against it at first. The fact that the current winter is not very bike-friendly and I bought the best configuration probably. Of course, there are cheaper ones, ⅔ or half the price. There is not only the Neo 2T, whose official price is usually 1100-1200 euros, 500 thousand in Hungary. I bought mine much cheaper, and it’s not even the 2T.
This whole thing is no longer just about cycling, not just about pushing 220 watts heads down. It’s about so much more. About a “real” virtual life in the saddle. When you ride, as a full citizen of the world, you fall into a non-existent, but well-invented world full of real bikers behind the figures. The graphics are okay, the world of Watopia is also beautiful, the tracks are good, there are many training opportunities. They did it well. You enter to this World, become part of this subculture, you ride with Australians, Japanese, Americans. (I ride with very few Hungarians). This is good and helps a lot to endure the monotony.
At the same time, the technical details are not negligible. The trainer simulates real cycling much better than I thought. It feels very life like, with quick shifts and reactions. The technical stuff is snappy and well thought out. Everything comes together smoothly, it goes smoothly and simply, it’s a pleasure to get in the saddle. When I didn’t have it yet, I thought it would be really hard to find the motivation to ride it, but that’s not the case.
The trainer could be used without Zwift, just by itself, and even without electricity, but all of this doesn’t make much sense. The optimal environment means a lot, the added value. Like the wind machine, the Motion Plate, the projection on the TV (I also need this because I can’t see my phone or tablet up close anymore), the communication and interaction with real people behind the figures on bikes, the whole interactivity. So it’s boring at all.
I’m not saying it’s like real cycling. It’ll never simulate it as well, but it makes up for it very well when you can’t go out. Of course, I can’t wait to actually ride, because virtuality can never recreate the real landscape, the feeling of riding, the wind, the smells, the sights, and the conversations and experiences while riding together, but I’m convinced by the whole thing. At least for the cold and non-cycling days, for sure. I’m happy to get on.
——————-
(This article is not sponsored by anyone, no one paid for it, and I was not rent the products mentioned for testing in order to write a good review in return (I wish they would ask me 🙂 I bought everything with my own money. So it was written independently of everything and everyone and contains my own opinion.)
Comments