Turbo Trainer Advice

@mdle ...regarding the Tacx Flux, I had one, and through the half hour that I used it for it got gradually louder, and then when I actually stopped to check it out, I could hear a slight grinding noise. So it has been sent back to the retailer and then on to Tacx. I'm waiting to hear back what's going to happen regarding the warranty, since my problem was nowhere near as bad as it has been on some other people's. See the Facebook user's group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1246355348749602/ or Shane Miller's YouTube for details... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjvyH3TEDNo&lc=z13pjvvwow3he55cv23xzpdpsqyizpiag04

Ouch! Put the order in an hour ago, I had seen the video but put it down to early models.
Sounds like I'm going to have to hope for the best now.
Were you not refunded outright for the fault?

Nah, Chain Reaction, who I ordered it from, couldn't find the fault (I would be surprised if they actually bothered to put a bike on it), so they sent it back to Tacx for them to check just before Christmas. I don't expect to hear back from them until the new year. I hope they just accept the fault, especially as mine was a very early unit (no. 368).

Wankers... did find myself on the chain reaction website but felt like I'd be in better hands with sigma sport.
That Facebook group you linked seems to suggest that replacements are quite swift outside of the Christmas period so I'm sure you'll hear soon.

Yeah, it looks identical to the fluid one but had a handlebar mounted dial (on a cable) that you can use to adjust the resistance. It's done through the magic of magnets.

I use it with trainer road so permanently have it set on one resistance setting and just change into little ring for recovery.

Well it looks like I was more than a little naive with my last response.
Sigma sent me a flux which has clearly been opened and used before which makes a grinding flywheel noise constantly. Very sour purchase, time to fill in a returns request. Luckily took photos of the box as it arrived and the noise it's making is far from desirable.

This is why I got my Neo from Wiggle- just in case. It has been fine so far.

Damn, that's piss poor. Presuming I get my refund, I'm going to try an Elite Kura, since I'm not fussed about having erg mode.

Any Vortex users managed to calibrate the fucking thing using the app? I've managed to calibrate it twice in about 1000 attempts. I've tried a range of pressures in the tyre from 6-8 bar and have turned the dial in half turn increments from fucking tight all the way down to so lose it falls apart, all with no joy. Next stop is tacx support but they're either inept or too stoned to care from prior experience of dealing with them

I find it a nightmare to calibrate, just always says too loose and when I think it must be turned tight enough it says fail to calibrate try again. Some people claim its tyre related but I have a turbo tyre and tried it warmed up and still with little success.

I stick 120 psi and then adjust the pressure of the trainer so that it 'feels' as though the tyre wouldn't slip. This normally gets it close enough for the calibration to work and I can then adjust it to be central on the calibration - normally just a quarter of a turn at a time.

I have had the problem you describe from time to time but a couple of minutes of playing normally sorts it out.

I've always used 6 bar (85 ish psi) for all of my workouts up until now. Will increasing the pressure in the tyre affect the data being output? Or will that be neutralised by the calibration (if it works)? Or if I do get it to calibrate will I need to do another ftp test?

The recalibration will sort all that out. I had a lot more problems calibrating with lower pressure. No need for a new FTP.

One thing I would say is that the 'correct' calibration range according to the Tacx app is quite wide. Any time you recalibrate, you will end up with a slightly different FTP unleas you achieve exactly the same calibration.

Used your tips and got the calibration slap bang in the middle, first go. Cheers!

The vortex doesn't have a knob, its a lever you push down, which I believe is designed to either be fully open or fully closed. So doesn't that mean adjustment can only be done via tyre pressure?

MrJL - excellent news.

Hovis - the lever has a knob built into it - its on the under-surface.

And if you loosen the know too much the whole thing falls off and you have to disassemble the bastard to get it back in. Not a major job but one I've had to do 3 times in the last 24 hours

Thanks.

So is the idea that you are supposed to calibrate it each and every ride? I've only had mine a short while, and I calibrated it when I first got it, and haven't since. I used my Powermeter to control the resistance in ERG mode, which used to work perfectly, but in recent times has been off by 50W or more. I blamed the software, but now I'm wondering if its because I haven't been calibrating it?

I'd suggest recalibrating a few times so that you can then get a sense for how quickly its changing. In my experience though, if I keep the tyre at the same pressure then it remains pretty close.

One other point worth noting is that its best to calibrate it when everything is at working temperature - i.e. after at least 10 minutes of riding. Temperature will affect tyre pressure and perhaps some of the internal workings of the Vortex.

If you mark the knob any recalibration should be a lot simpler to do.

Does no one else find the app flakey for calibrating? Not sure if it is because I have it connected to zwift at the same time and would be better only connected to my phone?

Good value for money? https://www.decathlon.co.uk/turbo-roteo-fluid-smart-b-direct-drive-turbo-trainer-id_8369374.html

It's pretty crap. If you look at the forum for the app the mods keep saying a big update is imminent, after Christmas they said. There's a wish list thread which if they can address even 50% of it'll be a much better user experience.

Replacement tacx flux arrived today.
The thing is as good as silent, can only hear chainset sounds and my panting. Able to do a zwift tempo session whilst my 3 month old slept in same room 2 metres away. Highly recommend if noise is one of your strong concerns.

I think trying to have the turbo connected to zwift and your phone at the same time might confuse it?

My Tacx Vortex TDF version (it's just yellow) calibrates fine. I just tried again now to check, Tyre PSI is 90, jumped on and span up to 30km/h when prompted and it was already calibrated to nearly bang in the middle but well within the central green section.