zwift set up

I know this has been discussed before and tried searching but seems to want to throw up threads from 4 years ago…<span style=”font-size: 12.8px;”>🙄</span>

I’ve got a new turbo on the way thanks to the PSA, if Evri find it, and will be looking to set up zwift in the garage. We’re going to have two turbos one for me and one for my wife.

What is the least faff method of zwift? My wife will be doing it during baby naps so severely limited time available so needs to be able to hop on the bike and go with minimum faffage.

I have an iphone, she has an Android. We also have a MacBook. We had a tv in there but it seems to have died since last year, but will probably replace it with a secondhand one.

Is Apple TV still the to recommended method? Do you need an apple phone to use it?

Thanks

Most options work. It depends how you want to do it & how much you want to spend, really.

How are you using Zwift – a subscription each?
You could probably just get it running on your phones and then cast that to a suitable TV.
I’ve never done this & can foresee it being a pain if you also want to use the phone for controlling Spotify for music or something, at the same time. Most people use their phones for the Companion app too, I think. While this app isn’t essential, it is a helpful addition, while riding on Zwift.

I think you can install Zwift on a Macbook & you’d then just need to switch user when starting the program.

For reference…
I started with a laptop. That was fine, but so old eventually Zwift withdrew support for the integrated graphics & it would then refuse to run – to be fair, it is a very old laptop.
I then started using my tablet temporarily – a Samsung S6 lite. That works fine, but the screen is a bit small, so it’s not exactly an immersive experience. I still have Zwift on their as a secondary option in case I need it.
But, normally, I run Zwift on a dedicated PC that sits in the garage. It’s pretty faff free, runs Zwift at the Ultra graphics setting with a decent frame rate and works well.

Apple TV might be a simpler option, although I don’t think it runs Zwift as well if that bothers you (more basic graphics & lower frame rates I think).
Issues I see reported with Apple TV relate to the fiddly nature of the remote & the limited BT connections. I think this can all be got around though, and others with experience of it, will be able to give better advice.

I think you can install Zwift on a Macbook & you’d then just need to switch user when starting the program.

You can indeed as that is how I run it. Just on small table in front of my bike

.

I bought a cheap refurbed PC (£130, ebuyer) plus screen (£38 ebay, IIRC) and some tidy speakers for Planet Rock and it runs just fine; it has generally fired up, started zwift and found everything ready to go by the time I’ve got my shoes, gloves and HR monitor on (it might be waiting for my HR to wake up if I put it on last). I’ve started to find it’s nice to watch youtube videos if I’m doing a workout as the erg mode takes care of the power you need to apply, and the companion app tells you about it anyway.

And if you’re not used to static training: a fan. A big fan. Preferably controllable from the saddle in some way – mine’s plugged into a switched extension lead sat on the desk in front of me, and it’s a big floor fan I’ve hung on the wall instead as space is a bit tight around me.

And click into the Everest challenge from day 1!

Zwift on MacBook on a turbo trainer table, you can even run an extended usb cable from it with an ANT+ dongle (with the appropriate connector)

otherwise Apple TV, and Zwift companion on the phone for clicking power ups and waving

Apple TV for me. As others have said more expensive and the remote is fiddly until you get used to it but I’m very happy with it. Oh and if you use the voice activation to open Zwift you’ve got to really pronounce the Z or you will get Taylor Swift!

my zwift set up is not to use zwift but wahoo X and have my bike in front of my computer in the kitchen.

I use a MacBook on a side table – actually a window recess next to me – wired to a monitor directly in front of me sat on a Lifeline trainer table, which is a really good bit of kit at the price and is on rollers, so you can move it around relatively easily. Works fine and this is on quite an old MacBook, 2012 or something.

Big fan on the floor, actually a Wahoo Headwind, but there are cheaper options available, plus a smaller fan pointed at my head. Cooling is really important, particularly in the warmer months, without a good fan, you really struggle.

I guess with two turbos a big wall-mounted monitor directly in front of the both of them would probably be the optimum solution if you might both be on Zwift simultaneously, you could run that from a Macbook and use the Zwift Companion app on a phone for control.

I’ve never used apple tv, so no idea how that compares.

Watching with interest, Evans volt arrives Wednesday. Planning to use a pc. Do I need to be able to steer?

Having ordered and then looked at other forums, am hoping my 142thru axle and disc caliper aren’t a problem….

<p>Thanks all – managed to get the TV to come back to life so zwift on my wife’s phone and a chromecast to the 40” tv on the workbench in front of the turbo got the thumbs up. new wifi router coming today to improve the internet reception and should be bob on. </p><p>thanks all. </p>

The Vacmaster Cardio is a decent fan – controllable from a remote on my handlebars. Can’t comment on Zwift as I use TrainerRoad on my iPhone

I use one of these, laptop on the stand, tv with a streaming device should you wish & noise cancelling bluetooth headphones as I find the noise from the fan masks what I’m trying to watch on TV, I also have a wahoo fan zip tied to the base at an angle that hits me perfect

<p>Another vote for the Vacmaster fan with remote on the bars. I have a Wattbike, so run Zwift on an iPad on the TT bar mount and Companion and Spotify on my iPhone on a bar mount, and use AirPod Pro’s with noise cancelling. </p><p> </p>

The Vacmaster Cardio is a decent fan – controllable from a remote on my handlebars

quite an annoying premium just for the remote though! They had a very decent offer on BF last year, I should’ve bought 1 or 2 then really. Possibly will have it again this year, though I see there’s 10% at the mo for new customers anyway.

Do I need to be able to steer?

if you can afford the £100 (which will go up to £150 at some point!) I’d definitely recommend the Play controller (think it only fits road bars at the moment though, not flat bars, if that’s an issue). Much better for navigating menus in general, useful for launching power-ups etc, plus there are a few specific courses (the crit ones with loads of sharp corners, which I also think are some of the most fun for racing) where you’re at a massive advantage if you can steer! But it just gives a better experience overall.

Just circling back on this one I’ve decided to pause trainer road for a bit and try Zwift just to mix things up a bit.

I have a wahoo kickr core and tickr Bluetooth hrm. I currently connect these to trainer road on my iPhone and then connect headphones to my phone too for music.

I have a 32” tv in the garage already so thinking I’ll pick up a secondhand Apple TV to run it.

Will the Apple TV be able to connect both to the turbo and the hrm strap? I’m thinking the 4k version might be the best version to go for in terms of most up to date etc? I’m not expecting mind blowing graphics – it’s mostly just to try some races to add some variation into my turbo training.

Im assuming there isn’t much in the way of sound on Zwift? I believe the Apple TV only has 2 Bluetooth channels so would have to rely on sound from the tv….

No sound of interest no.

Getting your arse kicked by a fat 50 year old stw rival, now that’s of interest

<p style=”text-align: left;”>If you run out of direct Bluetooth connections you can use the companion app as a bridge.</p>

Ah that’s good to know on the companion app – cheers.

Big talk from @weeksy!

Well, Cleva did have their Vacmaster fans on offer again this BF (& also stacked with the 10% new customer discount) so I ordered a couple which have just turned up! Not plugged them in yet but quite impressed already, they’re very light & much smaller than my existing 18″ industrial fans so should be good for anyone who has limited space in their Zwift-cave (probably most people!!) Already thinking I can probably mount one permanently to my trainer-desk thingy and maybe the other to the rocker plate which will help when shifting stuff about!

@zilog6128 – would be interested to hear your thoughts. I keep looking at them, but get put off by the cost. Seems a lot for a fan, unless some kind of discount is available.

Everyone who uses them, seems impressed though.

It would be good to know how directional the airflow is. It looks like it’s quite a tight band of air, when compared to a pedestal fan for example.

yeah, was also put off by cost before, but was interested purely from the feedback on here which was universal praise! I am very sweaty also so anything which helps is good. 😂 Think I paid about £130 for 2 with all the discounts & Quidco which I feel is OK (18″ industrial fan from Screwfix like I was using before is £40-50 with no remote!) Of course depending on how good they actually are!! (will test tonight or tomorrow)

As I understand it they are very directional, but with careful setup that should be a good thing I guess?

Depends on the weather IME, I’ve got the screwfix fan and put it at the far side of the room in all but mid-summer. A gentle waft of air around the room is enough to keep me cool and dry-ish, whereas having it closer means choosing between cool legs or face which ultimately means being sweatier despite being able to feel the air moving more.

How’re those vacmasters when used like that? I’d like to cut the noise a bit but don’t want to cook when doing freeweights etc.

I’ve an 18″ rotary fan attached to the wall in front at ‘above screen height’, and 2 vacmaster fans in a DIY build housing/table..

I’ve both fans on smart plugs – i normally start with teh top fan, then turn on teh Vacmasters when the workout/ride gets going.

I’d like more fans TBH! I get sooo hot!

DrP

I always get surprised when I see turbo setups with all or most fans in front of the bike…

Maybe it’s just me, but my back gets much warmer, so I have all or most fans hitting my back.

so I have all or most fans hitting my back.

Plus that offers the benefit of a tailwind. Hence why that setup is banned in Zwift races…

DrP

I have an 18″ fan on the floor at my side. It’s drawing in outside air  (and it’s currentl minus 2C here). I recently supplemented that with a smaller fan in front, pointing at my head. That tends to go on immediately.

not ridden with it yet but did unbox the Vacmaster quickly earlier & fired it up. I would say it’s not quieter at each of the 3 power settings than my 18″ fan but (assuming ChatGPT has got his sums right 😂) it delivers more than twice the air-flow so maybe it is half as loud 🤷‍♂️
It’s not very flexible on angling though as it isn’t adjustable (i.e. can be angled at 0/45/90 degrees only) so would need propping up etc to change the angle… quite like the look of Dr P’s unit actually, could build something like that under my trainer desk 🤔 Obviously needs some careful positioning. 45 degrees would work fine for me but only if I position it to the side rather than directly in front!

The remote is RF not IR which is a nice surprise! You can pair the remote to multiple fans so even if one is behind you with no LoS to the remote it will still work. Interestingly the other different between this turbo-specific model and the original industrial ones seems to be that this lacks the originals extension socket for daisy-chaining multiple fans together.

I have an 18″ fan on the floor at my side. It’s drawing in outside air (and it’s currentl minus 2C here).

I usually have the door open, I could probably do with another one on my face as I’ve had to bodge a triple out-front mount to move my phone out of the firing line of the sweat drips from my face!

As an alternative to routing multiple Bluetooth connections to an Apple TV via the companion app, a 4iiii Viiiiva HRM strap will bridge multiple connections into one

First ride with a Vacmaster tonight as well, my 18” floor fan finally died on Saturday after many years faultless service…but 10 minutes into an extended endurance session, thankfully it was cold enough not to matter 🥶

Echo Zilog’s thoughts above really, good powerful fan but going to need to play around a bit with position…I actually had it to the side of my front wheel pointing up at 45 degrees, then tucked a decking off cut under the front which worked well…until it toppled over backwards!

Think I might also look at positioning it above the TV.

Remote control has been a game changer for me 👍

I actually had it to the side of my front wheel pointing up at 45 degrees

yeah this is how I had it on my first race with it yesterday, got a fair amount of space to the side so could just move it backwards until it was aimed directly at my face! But also caught upper chest/arm area.  Did mean right arm got a bit colder than left, but only really noticed that when cruising! May experiment with slinging it underneath my trainer desk so I can have it front on, kind of similar to how DrP has it above. But it was certainly way powerful enough at this time of year just on setting 1, and couldn’t hear the noise of it at all above all the other trainer noise, etc.

Yeah remote is excellent. I did have my fan on a voice-activated smart plug before, there’s something to be said for a simple button though rather than trying to control Siri whilst gasping for breath 😂 (obviously a smart plug has no modulation either!)