Turbo Trainer Advice

Are you concerned that it might just be a fun gadget, rather than a serious tool that helps you realise your athletic potential?

From what I've read, it's pretty cool on sustained elevation stuff, but can be a bit slow to respond to rolling hills. If I was 'training' for something like Cent Cols again, it would be invaluable. The hardest thing with Cent Cols was the inability to simulate a climbing position/riding out of the saddle in flat South East England. However, this would really be great. If I had more space, I'd be tempted to buy one to go with the Kickr...

I think my athletic potential will find it's natural expression in an Olympic level biscuit eating competition.

The Kickr Climb I'm simply wondering if it turns out to be annoying after the first few rides and gets unplugged and used as a very expensive fork stand for the rest of time.

Unless the turbo can mimic the 'no freewheeling' feel of actually climbing a hill I don't know what it adds.

Small ring, pretty much kills any inertia. I've found I can cheat about 20 watts more if I just ride at same targets with the big ring. Easier to be on top of the gear

That's why turbos are so effective IMO, no rest or even micro breaks, especially in erg mode.

My Neo freewheels down hills in Zwift

But you miss out on the repeated 1300W sprints to punch wing mirrors off the cutter-uppers when riding anywhere outside in the UK.

Zwift

spits

My Neo freewheels down hills in Zwift

I hadn't realised the Kickr Climb was compatible with anything other than Wahoo smart trainers

It's not, that's also something to consider.

Only one thing for it then

https://youtu.be/TKXARTx2pmY

Direct drive trainers – Worth the upgrade? Running a Vortex smart right now but looking at options for DD. If so what are people's recommendations?

I went from a wahoo kickr snap to a tacx neo 2. Much better. Apart from the obvious like tyre wear, the main pro is that it doesn't need warmup or calibration, also can run without power connection and is much quieter.

The main plus for me with my KICKR over the Computrainer isn't the DD aspect, it's the ability to run my thru-axle bikes on it. Tyre wear wasn't that much of an issue - maybe it is if you do all your riding on a trainer (pukes) but I'd just use old tyres and/or durable cheap tyres. They're probably better if noise is an issue.

Yeah, tyre wear wasn't it for me ... the calibration faff, spin downs and variance in accuracy depending on how much I torqued the roller up was what made me get the neo.

Computrainer made that pretty easy. I normally do a 5-10min warmup before firing up a workout or Trainerroad anyway so just before that I'd do a spin down and zero the turbo. I do the same thing with the KICKR and its calibration setting. So nothing really changed.

Actually, if anything the Computrainer calibration was quicker than the KICKR. I normally run my own powermeter though so don't really care what the turbo resistance is so long as my computer says I'm on target.

Although, now with the Shiv on it I'm going to have to remove the cranks to change the P2M battery so I'll probably not bother and just use KICKR reported power until the season starts and I'm going to race something.

don't really care what the turbo resistance is so long as my computer says I'm on target

Cannot. Stop. Myself.

https://youtu.be/NnP5iDKwuwk

I finally got a smart trainer and all the hype is real. Minimal calibration, ERG mode, it's just made life so much quicker to get training over with basically zero faff.

If anyone wants my old, super basic Elite wheel on for free, drop me a PM

Really? I still think the least faffy turbo is throwing my bike on my Fluid trainer and smashing out a 2x20. Guess it depends on if you have powermeter on the bike you're training on.

Also when you don’t pay attention and your cadence starts dropping, and you end up in a cadence spiral of death...

Got to experience that spiral today

When your cadence gets low enough that the app thinks you’ve stopped, it’s a bad day.

When I'm out of the saddle at about 40rpm and still can't hit the required wattage, then it could be time for

Looks like my laptop might've finally died. I mean, it does boot in Safe Mode once in a while but that's not much use. GF's laptop is now mine...