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Sorry if this has been asked before, but I’m interested in an indoor training/exercise bike with a decent screen with lots of different routes you can ride. I don’t want to do Classes like ifit or Peleton, just want an interesting experience to get me motivated.
Is Nordic track the only option?
Any reason you are not thinking of the regular training programmes - Zwift, sufferfest, etc with a smart trainer and ipad / PC & TV. ?
Other that that, Wattbike Atom with Ipad.
I'd be looking at a smart trainer with Zwift or sinilar. Cheaper and better, there are far more options and different platforms to choose from and you can change if you don't like.
Thanks…I’ve never looked at Zwift etc. So which bike is a good value option to use with Zwift?
"which bike is a good value option to use with Zwift?"
Whichever bike you can get (or one you've already got), fitted to a smart trainer.
Okay thanks, I’ll look at the Zwift site to get all the info. 👍
Do a a search on google / YouTube for 'what do I need to start with Zwift' or similar and you'll get a bunch of how tos from GCN and the like, which will be pretty comprehensive. A bike, a smart trainer and a lap-top / tablet / apple TV basically. And a fan.
If you want to use Zwift / Trainer Road / Sufferfest / Roovy etc most people use a standard road bike on a turbo trainer.
Doesn’t matter what road bike - I’d probably just try to pick something up secondhand with 11 speed on the rear.
Pick up a Wahoo Kickr Core or similar and go for it. A lot of people use a laptop or you can use an Apple TV for Zwift just hooked up to a normal tv screen.
If you want an all in one bike then I think you have the Wattbike Atom or the Wahoo Kickr Bike. Just look at what they’re compatible with before buying - both the Wattbike and Kickr Bike are £££££ though.
Thanks Chaps! 👍
https://road.cc/content/feature/213282-how-get-started-zwift
The article included paid content from Zwift, but the instructions are mostly valid for Sufferfest / Trainer Road / Rouvy / BKool and all the rest.
Edit - Google DC Rainmaker for reviews of turbo trainers / bikes / fitness apps etc - he’s very in depth and has tested a lot of different things on it.
Just to add that Trainer Road is very heavily around graphs and numbers - the workouts are good but focused on that. No entertainment factor other than a commentary running across the bottom of the screen with some wry comments. I like it but most of my workouts are only up to an hour.
If you’d want to race other people than Zwift seems to be the one to have - I’m thinking this winter I might pause trainer road and do some Zwift racing if I can sort out a monitor and either Apple TV or very cheap laptop / micro desktop to run it.
Rouvy is meant to be the one with stunning scenery etc - most like going on ride I believe.
Thanks Joe....I've decided to by a watt bike atom and like the look of the rouvy app best. Not sure if you can answer this or anyone else can, but......I like the idea of a big screen, so can I use my iphone and cast onto a smart TV? Or use my laptop and hard wire to a TV or big monitor?
You’ll need to check the Rouvy hardware requirements - but with a laptop you could presumably use a tv as a monitor via an HDMI cable.
If you can use an iPhone with Rouvy then I’d assume you can screen mirror onto a compatible smart tv. But I think Rouvy is quite graphics heavy so check if an iPhone will do the job.
I've been doing Zwift since winter '18, but just recently I tried Rouvy on the 14 day free trial, the "augmented reality" climbs gave me something new to do and helped me get into turbo training again after a summer break.
Apple lightning to HDMI adapter is only £49 and allows me to plug my IPhone into whatever size TV I want in any room in the house. Works great with the Wahoo SYSTM app (new name for the sufferfest)
👍