So, as an unfit and decidedly average rider who’s getting less and less time on the bike, I want to make the most of the time I have. Happy to beast myself a couple of times a week on a turbo so I can actually ride up hills at the weekend, so which one? I’m tight, so cheap is good. Would use with one of the online thingies so something that auto adjusts resistance is also a good thing.
Oh, and would be using with my CX bike if that makes any difference at all?

Help!

Tacx 2240 from Halfords with British Cycling discount?

Yeah….for just getting started the Tacx Flow Smart is fine. It’s what I bought last year.

Edit – you’ll also need and ant+ dongle for your laptop (about a tenner from Amazon) and a cadence sensor too, I think.

https://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/BKOOL/Smart-Go-Trainer/FSUJ

this what i bought, comes with dongle.

Want to buy my Tacx Vortex for £30?

I would 😀

You see, it seems like a good deal until I tell you it only works with proprietary Tacx software and won’t work with Zwift

Its for my son, just so he can turbo train with his cycling club, just manual adjustment need no zwift etc could this be done?

Nope, it works with this only

https://tacx.com/product/tacx-trainer-software-4/

And for that reason I am out 😆

I shall continue to use it as a big paperweight 🙂

You see, it seems like a good deal until I tell you it only works with proprietary Tacx software and won’t work with Zwift

Is there a specific reason it only works with the proprietary software? My Vortex works quite happily with Zwift etc

Something to do with wrong ANT+ channel

I’ve tried

https://support.zwift.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/204965125-Tacx-T2170-i-Vortex-VR-Trainer

Happy using the Halfords Tacx, although I do use it a lot and a lot on Zwift so now thinking a Wahoo may be needed.

On thus occasion though I wouldnt suggest diving in at the deep end and suggest a £2/300 Tacx/Elite to begin with, you’ll get 90% of the effect.

Ahh.. interesting that there are different “Vortex” models.

I’m gonna keep an eye on this

Was looking at the kickr snap with British Cycling discount but is it that much better than a Flow?

Elite Direto here linked to Zwift, as of last week.

It’s brilliant, I can’t keep away from it.

I had a bog standard cheapo turbo for years with cadence thing and a hrm and tried to use TrainerRoad, too dull for me, Zwift and a smart turbo however, simply brilliant, if a tad expensive. Loads quieter too.

DC Rainmaker is kinda the guru when it comes to smart trainers and his 2017/18 recommendations are HERE

Was looking at the kickr snap with British Cycling discount but is it that much better than a Flow?

This is the question thats stopping me spending, the online reviewers think so but thats sort of their job and the cheaper models do limit your recorded power I think but only in terms of short power burst so dont really effect game play or training. I think thats true anyway but open to being corrected.

Anyone gone from a Vortex/Flow to a Kickr/Neo?

Might just be tempted to go with the Tacx from Halfords…

I’m very close to buying the halfords flow, not a bc member, my ancient tacx works but i not on the compatibility list for zwift etc. Broke my wrist and still 4 weeks till i can go out in the real world.

*cough*
Anywhere near Derby OP? 😉
*cough*

Thanks for replies, no, not near derby but would buy second hand. I’m near to Bath

Tacx flow t2240 is in decathlon for £189 at the moment while the stock lasts. I picked one up last week.

Got a Flow from Decathlon today – £189

Calibrated really easily, so I hooked it up to Zwift on the Mac and it was ace. Did the London loop out to Box Hill and back, and the automatic resistance worked really well. Not convinced on the power output readings – but then again, I’ve only played with it. They seemed to be quite high – and not really responsive. BUT overall the fact that I can either workout or just ride around will get me riding a lot more over winter. And if I stick it out then I’ll look at a better one in the new year