20 Best Trainers For Zwift (2022 Updated)

You’re definitely getting a well built, structurally solid trainer that works great from a physical standpoint. However, the associated app and sensor connectivity has been a nightmare. The app rarely works, and when it does work it has an unstable connection.

Poor connection with other apps as well. If you just want a good trainer that does the job, this is it. If you want a trainer that has good tech and connectivity, look elsewhere.

This is relatively inexpensive seemed very sturdy and initially worked pretty well on apps like zwift. In one year it broke seriously twice and the support team is not very good. The app is really terrible.

It crashes all the time the calibration doesn’t work and I could go on and on. It is expensive and I haven’t used any other wheel on trainers to assess whether this is any more or less reliable than anything else, but I would try something else first perhaps if I were you.

You can’t really give a lot of points for it being relatively inexpensive if you assume you’re going to have to replace it with nothing more than a 30% discount within a year.

I bought a Kinetic Rock and Roll control from these guys. That shipped it the same day it was ordered!! I got the unit 2 days later. fantastic!! Every question I had about the trainer, they had an answer.

I did ask 1 question that they did not know, (did it have a weight limit), they had me an answer within hours. Highly recommend doing business with these guys.

I was excited to receive my new M2 the other day. Extremely easy to setup, & start biking within minutes. Originally I was contemplating whether to purchase a trainer or a Peloton. After weighing my options, I believe it was an easy decision after reading several Saris products having amazing reviews.

Putting my new M2 in my basement allows me to do easy workouts at home and easily disassemble to clear space for company. I really, really LOVE it! It’s so great to be able to get on the bike, do a 30 minute workout, be done and still be in my house.

Then when the weather breaks unhook my bike, & be back outside in no time. Not having to tack on travel time to and from the gym is kind of the BEST. I love that I can really seriously be start to finish DONE in 30 minutes.

For real. I’m amazed. I also have to say this is a smooth ride, & definitely changeling when connected to ROUVY. If anything to improve I would suggest being able to cast ROUVY from my phone to my large Apple Tv.

Other than that, I have to say this is an amazing product!!! Thank you SARIS!!!.

Assembly: Step #6 – Inserting the bolt through the trainer frame and resistance unit was the only hard part of the assembly. I had a very difficult time lining up the holes to be able to slide the bolt in, just to get started.

Other than the 1/2″ wrench I also needed a flashlight and a hammer. A 2nd pair of hands to push down on the resistance unit to keep the holes aligned would have helped. Setup: There should be a step #13a that instructs you to install the Saris phone app and then run the Firmware updates.

In my opinion you should always start with the latest updates because if you spend time trying to calibrate the trainer it may all change once the updates are applied. Plus, you want any and all bug fixes applied before you start.

That’s just best practice Calibration: Tightening the yellow resistance knob leaves a lot to be desired. My first attempt nearly pinched my 110psi road tire against the rim and it never clicked. This seemed wrong, so a few internet searches later, I found that many people had this problem.

Some people claim the massive amount of tension ruined their tires, or rim, and some even bent the trainer frame itself. I found someone who said theirs clicked after 8 full turns, so I tried mine while keeping an eye on the frame.

It finally clicked after 9 full turns (good idea to put a pencil mark on the knob so you can track each full turn). I then first ran the calibration from the Saris app. The tension was so high I was not able to get the bike up to speed.

I then tried the calibration on TrainerRoad, which did not work at all (more on that later). I then backed off the knob by 4 turns. This made calibration possible. I tried to start a TrainerRoad workout in ERG mode, but the resistance was not changing.

When the M2 paired with TrainerRoad the app actually found two devices, one was the Magnus and the other was a Sairs+ANT. I disabled the Magnus in the TrainerRoad device setup and ran the calibration on the Saris+ANT entry.

This worked much better. I started the workout and ERG mode automatically changed the resistance as expected. But, the tension was still too high. I have been riding for many years, both indoor and out.

I know what 200 watts feels like and this wasn’t it! So, I backed out the yellow resistance knob a few more turns and ran the calibration in TrainerRoad again. Things finally started to feel somewhat normal.

Going forward: The trainer does work and the resistance does change in ERG mode. I only have one ride completed, so I may update this review once I get more workouts under my belt. My next step is to adjust the yellow knob to match more closely to my previous trainer.

I will do this by mounting my bike on my old trainer and measure (eyeball) the deflection in the tire from the resistance roller. I will then mount the bike onto the M2 and adjust the yellow knob to the same amount of deflection at the same tire pressure.

I may be wrong, but I think the initial tension between the tire and the roller should only be enough to keep the tire from slipping. Once I go though the calibration, it should setup properly to meet my needs.

Additionally, some guidance as to what rear cog to use would also be helpful. This can change up the entire calibration. But, for ERG mode, you should not have a need to shift once it’s set. The resistance should change automatically based of a good calibration.

Good luck!.

As other reviewers have stated, this thing can be trying to put together. However, if you have a rubber mallet it makes knocking the bolts in MUCH easier. I had it together in less than 20 minutes. I bought this specifically to ride and connect with Zwift and I have had no trouble pairing.

I just suggest you follow both the Saris manual and read Zwift’s FAQ’s, but honestly, it all pairs pretty easily. And I’m having a great time taking on the challenging training and routes within Zwift and this trainer does it’s job adjusting the resistance as I pedal up ever-increasing grades, ride flats or mercifully fly down hills.

You will definitely put in work. The only thing I still struggle with is loading my bike in the trainer. It does not seem quite as easy as my previous trainer/bike combination. That could be largely due to the setup on my bike since I do have a rack on the back which mounts just above the thru axle, making space tight to lock into the trainer.

However, I use this bike for everyday use and don’t have a separate dedicated bike for training. Also, I have never heard “three clicks” as the Saris manual states, as I’m adjusting the tension knob on the trainer, but this does not seem to affect my ride in Zwift.

I just adjust the knob until there’s a little pressure against the back tire, hop on and start my workout. I imagine most people interested in pairing trainers would be using them with a road bike, but I do use mine with a mountain bike and it works fine.

Everyone in Zwift using road bikes is constantly passing me as pedaling a mountain bike is just slower, but I’m not there to race them. Just to train for myself and stay in good riding shape during the cold months.

I’ve now been using my new Tacx Flow Trainer for the last 8 days, as the weather has been so bad in the NE of Scotland. To say that I’m delighted with it, is a massive understatement, as its so much better than I thought it would be.

If you are looking for an entry level smart trainer – then this is definitely the one to go for, as it makes indoor cycling so much more enjoyable. Out of the box, it was so easy to set up – probably took me no more than 15 mins.

I’ve taken advantage of the free one month trial of the Tacx Training App – as a code is included in the box, as is a code for a free trial of Zwift (that I’ll probably take advantage of later on) – though I’m really happy with what I’ve tried already with the Tacx Training programme.

The Flow Trainer is much quieter than my previous old turbo trainer, which is a definite plus. I’ve really nothing negative to say about it. Great price and fast delivery from Start Fitness. All in all – its been a great purchase.

i’ve done a few rides on the tacx flow smart so far and it’s been running great. i don’t have a trainer tyre yet so it does rumble quite a bit, especially if i go past 140W. this isn’t much of an issue as i live in staff accom and my downstairs neighbours don’t mind but it could be a problem if you don’t have quite as understanding people below you.

the setup was a bit confusing at first, as i’m not quite an expert about bikes. after some and watching tutorials, i got it up and running. calibration was super easy and setup with zwift was quick as well.

one thing i dislike is that i don’t feel confident standing up out of my seat for prolonged periods as the front wheel stop shifts a bit if you’re not careful. this isn’t a big issue but for some it may be.

all of this said, this is a great entry-level smart trainer for someone looking to get some exercise and ride during the winter months / rainy days. if you’re a more advanced cyclist, i’d spend the extra money on a wahoo product.

I got this strictly for something more interactive and engaging than my old, standard trainer. It’s great for this along with Zwift. If that’s all you care about, this will probably work great for you as well.

Do not expect the same performance as a $1000+ machine. I had the same loud clicking noise upon setup that another reviewer mentioned. I noticed the case housing the motor was not snapped together fully.

One good push and it clicked together, and the noise was gone. Been great ever since. I also had some trouble figuring out the connection out of the box, but realized I was doing it wrong by pairing it do my device first.

Don’t do that. No problems since then. Also, I only calibrate about once a month, and then just make sure to air up my tire to 100 psi before every ride. It seems to work.

Keep in mind that I am coming over from a regular fluid trainer to a smart trainer. It took me about 2 weeks to adjust and understand what the trainer was doing and how to feel the differences. I am using TrainerRoad as my training app and pairing with a Stages left arm power meter.

After getting accustomed to how it works, my experience is that this is a marginal trainer. Biggest complaint is the responsiveness of the resistance while in ERG mode. There are lags. Substantial lags.

I have calibrated, updated software, set power smoothing, etc. Power can dip as much as 10-15 watts for several seconds before the trainer decides to add resistance, which brings the power back up. This results in a lot of bouncing on the screen data for power.

The worst is when you end an interval and drop to a recovery zone. The unit will not make an adjustment there, resulting in a drop to almost zero watts while you still pedal. You can make the choice to either spin way too fast or stop pedaling to let the unit “catch up”.

Setup is easy and the unit is aesthetically nice. If you are not overly-concerned with your power data, this is a solid unit at a good price and will likely be just fine for most riders. The best thing about the unit is the noise level, which is much lower than my wheel-on fluid trainer I have used since 2014.

My wife has a lovely Scott bike which was not being used due to a fear of an accident and her chalky bones. I figured that indoor cycling could be a solution and after internet investigation I was steered towards the Elite Indoor Interactive units – Suito in particular.

The Suito-T was very easy to setup, we used the Scott’s cassette, saved purchasing an additional one, it is quiet and it is relatively easy to move when required. We are using it with Fulgaz and my dear wife now cycles in all sorts of places – while I can cycle off on my Scott into the fresh outdoors.

Pushy’s delivery was remarkable, a next day interstate delivery. My only very minor negative comment is that the product information does not advise that a Trainer Block is included, I included one with my order which is now surplus.

I have used the trainer/Fulgaz combination to cycle over a local route that I regularly ride and the similarity in relation to cycling effort as well as screen view is amazing. We are very happy with the purchase.

After months of using a manual trainer (with speed and cadence sensors), i finally decided to upgrade to a smart trainer. I’ve reviewed most of the brands in the market and decided to settle on the Elite Suito-T.

It helps that Pushys are doing free shipping + 15% off on smart trainers at the time + a free water bottle worth $15. The 15% off was a big saving as there are others in the used market worth more than 1K for a trainer.

Item arrived in 3 days upon purchase. really well packed and easy to assemble (thanks, Pushys). I bought the Suito-T as i have my own cassette (from my dumb trainer/wheel kit) and have the tools to transfer the cassette.

Probably save about $200 more instead of buying the ready made Suito model. Plugged my ant + and voila, the trainer is ready for use. it is so easy to set up, calibrate and off I go. The trainer itself is faultless.

for the price point it is considered a middle tier smart trainer in the market. There is no issue with it at all, it delivers as expected. Speed, cadence, power. all being captured effortlessly by this trainer.

The road feel is really good and the bike has a little sway side to side which mimics real world cycling. I use it mainly for Zwift and the erg mode is really good. The power and gradient capability of this trainer is up there with the best and i’m pretty sure i won’t be reaching the max 1900 watts output it promises anytime soon.

The other really good feature of this trainer is that you can fold it nicely after use and hide it in a corner or under the bed. Really handy when you live in a small house or apartment and don’t have a dedicated man/pain cave like me.

Overall, pretty stoke with this trainer and i’m really glad i made the jump and bought this one.

With Lockdown looming I thought I’d best get myself sorted out with an alternative to my gym, not to mention the option of the road if things reached that point (thankfully they haven’t so far) I needed something to go in my shed, so had to be a trainer that didn’t require a power supply.

I was considering a smart trainer that are ‘pedal powered’ (they do exist) along with a traditional ‘wheel on’ turbo (as I’ve already got power meters on my bikes. Searching through the various options Sigma could supply I came across this, which to be fair I’d previously seen and thought it was a clever design and thought nothing else of it.

I checked the other reviews on this site and after a quick weighing up of the pros & cons of all my options plumped for this! I have been using it for a few weeks now and I would (and I have!) recommended to friends (one of whom is already first on the list for when more supplies land at Sigma) If you’ve got a power meter, why pay for another one on a smart trainer and surely it’s better to be using the same power meter indoors and outdoors (if possible) I think it is so much better than a ‘wheel on’ turbo; as it is quicker and easier to set the bike up (you remove the front rather than real wheel) and is far kinder to tyres (they do not get warm in use at all) and being based on rollers the ‘feel’ is really nice! Although I’ve never used rollers a friend who does suggests that they’re not good for high intensity efforts, not because you cannot put the power out, but because when you are in the recovery valleys and needing to roll easy you become unstable.

So in that respect I think this trumps rollers too!! In addition it is really packable into a bag. Some guys off of a podcast I listen to use it as their ‘travel trainer’ and take it on flights in it’s bag.

My review is based on a few weeks usage and not only would I not hesitate to recommend it to friends, I have and they too now want one! This is an item that when Lockdown is lifted I will continue to use to supplement my training.

It really is one of the best bits of cycling equipment I have ever bought. It is a very clever design and really well made. Top marks from me!.

The built quality is good. There are almost no plastic or rubber parts except for the cushions and the two small bands to keep it in place when folded. Resistance is a key factor when it comes to trainers and this one can easily give you 300 watts with a RPM of 85 and a 52t chainring on the 13-14 sprocket.

The base is stable enough for sprinting, although it depends on your floor. You will need a flat and compact ground to ensure stability. Time will tell me about durability but rollers look easy to change.

It lost the 5th star because it is very pricy for what it is. Still, JensonUSA’s price was the best for me and I’m sure this trainer is the best one I could get. I will recommend for anyone who wants a stable trainer with plenty of resistance.

I ride at a high level and I’m very pleased with this trainer so far.

The service from Pushys was excellent as usual. The trainer, however, left me disappointed. For context, I have purchased the Direto XR to ride and train on the Zwift platform. I’m a seasoned cyclist & I intended to use the trainer for power-based training to improve my fitness and performance following a short break.

I have updated the firmware using Upgrado app to latest version with no issues. The trainer is quick to setup, Zwift recognises the sensors for power and cadence immediately The riding in the basic Ride mode is impressive and immersive, the trainer responds quickly to changes of gradients and the whole experience is very good.

The problem with Direto XR appears in the Training (ERG) mode. The training programs are based on intervals where Zwift expects the cyclist to reach and sustain specific power thresholds within a small tolerance.

Unfortunately, the power readings being sent from Direto to Zwift are erratic and oscillate wildly by +-20W despite pedaling with stable cadence and effort. I have tried to change multiple settings in both Direto’s my etraining app and Zwift however the result is the same.

A quick search on the Elite forums (which you cannot access unless you are an owner of the trainer) discovers that this is a common issue with this specific trainer. There are more than 200 messages with no clear resolution.

The Elite support usually explains this behaviour by the extreme accuracy of the trainer. That very well may be the case, however it makes the trainer unusable in the Zwift training mode. You will fail the training and the whole experience is extremely frustrating.

The trainer can be enjoyable exploring the virtual world of Watopia, however is not suitable for the ERG based training in Zwift.

I live in a cold location and, instead of taking the winter off from cycling, decided to invest in a smart trainer this year. I’m guessing I’m not the only one that made this decision as all the gyms in my state are closed due to covid and inventory for pretty much any home gym stuff is non-existent.

After researching trainers I settled on Elite’s Direto XR because it was compatible with my 10 speed Shimamoto bike out of the box (so they claimed), had some decent reviews, and was available at REI for pickup in 5 days.

First issue after receiving my Directo XR was hardware setup. I am proficient at basic bike repair (and am handy), but not a bike mechanic and don’t own specialized bike tools. Dispute claiming ‘out of the box’ compatibility with my Shimano 10 speed, in reality setup required pulling off the pre-installed 11 speed cassette, installing a spacer, and putting everything back together.

I only was able to figure this out due to a YouTube unboxing, the instructions that come with this thing stink – bad drawings, broken translations, and just off. Still, once I figured out what to do, I had to buy a chain whip and casette lock tool.

Minor inconvenience cost wise ($30 bucks), but had to wait a few extra days for these to come. Again, not ‘out of the box’ ready to ride. Thinks were pretty smooth after I finally got everything swapped out and bike hooked up.

I used the Zwift trial and everything was ok. For some reason the trainer always ‘locked’ at the start of a ride (ERG auto resistance would go to max) and I’d have to pause, pedal, pause, pedal, to get the trainer to sync.

Finicky, but only took about 10 seconds once I figured out what to do, so I figured I could live with it. After putting in some miles and 17 rides the Direto went all whacky. Lights on the bike (there’s three, I think they are bluetooth, power, and ANT+) would go on and off like the power was flickering, but all the connections were solid.

Even if by luck I got the thing to stay on the ERG no longer adjusted automaticly, cadence sensor would bounce all over (wild swings from 40 all the way to 200 when I was cruising at about 80), and watt reading would be way off.

I tried to calibrate the Diecto using Zwift and Elite’s app (which almost sucks as much as their written instructions BTW), but several tries made no difference. Credit to REI for stellar return policy.

I’m taking this piece of junk back. I only wish they had other trainers in stock – everything is sold out – so will probably buy a replacement elsewhere so I can get it asap (though it looks like there are few retailers with any options ready to ship).

Really impressed with this trainer. Purchased as changed work commitments also impacted when and how often I was able to ride. Decided to go down the trainer route for the convenience of being able squeeze some rides in at odd hours fitting around work, family, etc.

I wasn’t expecting to enjoy using the trainer as much as I have during the first month of ownership. The Direto XR is super easy to setup. No assembly is required and an 11 speed cassette is already mounted to the trainer.

Fold out the legs and plug in and it’s ready to pair with your device. I have used the trainer with Elite’s own training software and mainly with Zwift. I have found it to pair with Zwift almost immediately and have not experienced any dropouts once connected.

The ‘feel’ from the trainer is somewhat realistic and there is very little lag between gradient increases on Zwift and the trainer adding resistance. The Direto XR is considered one of the quieter direct drive trainers.

Whilst it’s not silent, have had no complaints from the family when using and they are in the adjacent room. So far I’m just really impressed with everything about this trainer. Ease of use and great connectivity are big pluses.

Did not expect to enjoy virtual training but so this has ticked the boxes for me.

Opened Boost Turbo Box to be screamed at me by “Polystyrene Galore” which isn’t too Green these days. Removing individual parts prior to building meant the Hoover had to come out for loads of Polystyrene debris.

Build Instructions very easy to follow and to mount resistance unit onto frame. As had previous TACX Turbo, this version resistance unit much, much harder to pedal rated at 1050 watts and with different style rear legs over previous, makes it “very unstable” peddling on a high resistance setting and makes Turbo ride non-relaxing due to instability.

Also rear legs don’t sit flat to the floor, which makes the footprint small to the floor and I would say the cause of instability. TACX would of been better to make rear legs feet flat to the floor. Running noise is much quieter than previous TACX.

Gear choice and resistance level choice quite critical to make peddling cadence smooth, otherwise it makes your leg rotation very stuttered. Not badly priced for entry level non smart Turbo Trainer, but wouldn’t be my first choice and disappointed comparing it to my previous TACX Turbo Trainer which was rock solid riding, due to rear legs having larger footprint.

The Tacx boost is great in allowing you to throw on your bike quickly to get indoor training while the weather stinks outside. Almost everything seems to be built to a high level of quality with the exception of the resistance control.

The switch is made out of low grade plastics and I can see it breaking at some point in the future. The other downside is it is tricky trying to figure out which thru axle you need if you’re attempting to buy Tacx branded versions.

Backcountry was super helpful in pointing me in the right direction but keep in mind this will be an added expense. It was super easy to set up and the fact it folds away for storage is a great benefit.

At a reasonable price and something you can get immediately, this was a great purchase for me.

Wanted the cheapest approach to helping the winter pass by training on zwift. Comes with a speed and cadence sensor. Setup takes 15 minutes to bolt the roller in place and install sensors. Everything works as it should and the resistance is perfectly fine for probably 85% of the riders out there.

Unless you want to hammer out epic sustained sprints of 700+ watts this trainer will do. The sensors connected through bluetooth perfectly fine. I tried the TACX software which was tracking everything fine, but the speed numbers were WAY off.

This is probably due to the fact that you cannot adjust the specifications of the wheel and tire information, as they are pre-populated and just assign whatever value TACX thought would be appropriate.

When I connected to ZWIFT I could at least choose the wheelsize untlike the TACX software. It should be noted that you get a theoretical wattage output on ZWIFT which will probably be inaccurate and there is no way around this unless you spend the big bucks.

I found it was giving me 1-1. 5km/hr faster speed than it probably should have. With that being said I had an absolute blast riding on ZWIFT with this trainer. I found that being engaged with other riders and trying to battle it out on the course very motivating.

I would give this trainer a 4. 5/5 just because I didn’t realize that the sensors can’t actually calculate the proper speed. If you read around the internet this is common knowledge in the forums, so it’s my fault for overlooking this.

Also the bluetooth dropped a couple times in ZWIFT (not sure if it was the sensors or the my Samsung G7) It’s one of the cheapest options to get out through the winter blues. Don’t expect anything crazy, just a good workout and interaction with others making it through the cooler months of the year.

P. S. I am just using a lower end 700c tire made for commuting with this trainer and after a number of hours on the trainer it hasn’t shown any deterioration.

My first comment is,”why did I purchase the trainer” at the age of 81? I normally ride a 21 speed mountain bike at least 10miles a week. my best week was 65 miles. I had both my knees replaced 11 weeks ago and was looking for an exercise bike when I when I found out about the Pro Trainer.

I’ve been using it for 4 days and It’s doing a great job on increasing my (ROM) range of motion for both knees. A good ROM is 130 degrees. I estimate my present ROM to be about 125 degrees. Still have slight pain but it is gradually getting less.

Next appointment with the knee surgeon is n 4 weeks and hope to be cleared to return to the bike thanks to the trainer.

The biggest issue I had was there was so many different bike trainer’s to pick from. I’m not a die hard cyclist, I ride 3 days a week on the trainer for a 1/2 hour each time on a Trek hybrid mountain bike.

This does everything I had hoped for and isn’t too loud. Some commented it sounds like a vacuum cleaner, its not that loud. I wear cheap headphones and have the tv on and certainly don’t need the tv volume jacked up.

I think the shiftier which adds resistance works well; it is a slow resistance, if you hop on and just start shifting it you may not notice it much. But if you are on there and going some distance and gradually change it I do feel the difference plus you also have the bikes own gears to fine tune that.

I’ve got the bike set in 5th gear and then about every 10 minutes I change the trainers shiftier up. Taking it out of the box probably only took 5 minutes to put together , most of that might have been finding the right spot to place/mount the trainers shiftier.

It does come with an extra axle, the original axle the bike had has no plastic on it so I stayed with the original and it fit fine, possible other styles might not but mine did.

This bike trainer says it accommodates 26-28 and 700 cc wheels. They include a replacement rear axle which allows the rear wheel to snap into the trainer. I have 3 road bikes with 27 tires, but their axles are far too large for the included axle to fit.

Ball bearings everywhere. Further, the directions state no tools, however, an insert walks tou through the first steps which inclde the use of 2tools, which are included. Criminy!.

I had the same problem as some others in that the axle provided did not fit my bike. I think I solved that problem but I lost one of the springs that came on the axle so that did not work. Then I saw the review where the gentleman used his existing axle and it worked.

I tried that and now it works but it is loud.

We bought the bike lane trainer but the trainer didn’t work for our bike. The shaft that attached to the trainer was the wrong size. My husband attempted to return it to the store but they wouldn’t take it back because it was from a third party supplier.

So I contacted the supplier to see if we could get another part for the trainer and was told it was not available. However they said they would take it back if it was within 30 days. However it is over 30 days now and so we feel stuck with something that won’t work on our bike.

So now what do we do?.

Easy to set up. Riding within 10 minutes of receiving. Too loud to watch tv while riding but for the price its worth it. Will help me stay ready to ride when it gets warm.

Absolutely delighted with the Wahoo Kickr Snap. Easy to setup, fantastic build quality and the Wahoo Systm app and eco system is superb – better than Zwift in my opinion as being middle aged, out of shape, and only using a modest hybrid bike, I’m not looking to compete with wafer thin racers online.

Instead the activities all being scaled to my fitness level makes every session hugely engaging, exciting and rewarding. I’m absolutely hooked after just 2 weeks and can’t wait to get started on my Full Monty FTP training plan.

I ride a Specialized Crosstrail Sports Disc, have used the supplied thru axle on the existing wheel and tyre and works brilliantly; the noise is barely noticeable (I connect my ipad to a Bluetooth speaker to really emerse myself), rides beautifully, and seems to ride perfectly well on the road / cycle paths using the thru-axle, so saves having to swap back and for the original axle which is a real bonus.

The Wahoo customer service team were spot on when I contacted them as I’d paid full price and the unit went into the Christmas discounts just days later, refunding me the difference immediately. I couldn’t have been happier or more impressed.

In short, one of the best purchases I’ve ever made; I really think this will be a game changer for my physical and mental fitness (such a fantastic release at the end of the day, regardless of weather or current restrictions).

I cannot help you decide between buying this and spending another couple hundred dollars to get the Kickr Core. Similarly, I can’t tell you whether you should get this or go for some of the cheaper wheel-on trainers.

What I can try to address is the following: -Do you need to worry about rear tire wear? Answer: Maybe? I’ve been using it for probably an hour per day for the past three weeks. There is a mark on the surface where the tire meets the Kickr, but that said, there are no rubber shavings on the floor underneath the tire.

I can’t imagine it is any worse for tire wear than riding on freshly paved tar/asphalt. I expect a lot of [virtual] mileage out of my rear tire. -Connection between Snap, other components, and computer? Answer: You will need to purchase a cadence monitor to go along with this if you want the full benefit of the training options (I’m using the Sufferfest, and it’s fantastic so far).

Bluetooth is also very range-limited, so your setup needs to be within 6 ft. or so of whatever device you are running the workouts on. -Responsiveness of the Snap. Answer: Whenever I’m using it in ERG (smart) mode, it usually takes no more than a couple seconds to adjust resistance based on whatever the session calls for.

All in all, it seems like a great product and value for money so far. Replacing the rear skewer is easy enough, and the machine is indeed sturdy enough for this 6’1″ 105KG rider to stand up and pedal where called for.

Now, you can’t go all out and wild if you stand up and pedal, but you shouldn’t really need to as that is a rather inefficient form!.

Just don’t be fooled by all the fantastic reviews. Given it is a wheel on trainer, the power meter reading is susceptible to changes in tire pressure and temperature and also changes in cadence. If you are just zwifting, the power meter accuracy may not be much of a problem but if you want to train using ERG mode, you will run into serious problems.

One day, your workout is too easy, next day you can’t even finish half the same workout. In this regard, this is not any better than any cheap dumb trainer with a speed sensor. It was also difficult to deal with Wahoo and I eventually sold this second hand and moved on.

Just don’t be fooled by all five star reviews if you want to train using ERG mode.

Looking at another dark winter on the trainer I was desperate for something to make the long indoor workouts less a drudgery. I’ve been happy the past two years with the Saris H3 trainer and paired with one of the premier virtual Training Apps I’ve been able to maintain a level of fitness that prior to direct drive tech was possible only with the strictest discipline.

But even with smart technology and being able to interact with the training app it still feel’s a lot like pounding away on spin bike. It was tough making an investment decision where the MP1, essentially a steel and birch wood rocker panel, is more costly than the smart trainer it hosts but after doing the research and watching more YouTube videos than I can recall I went for it.

Didn’t get off to a good start when the unit I received had a significant defect requiring a return and exchange. Much to the credit of Saris Customer Service, the process was very easy and I received a replacement in a matter of days as they arranged for the returns prompt pick up.

Now to the good stuff. once out of the box setup of the fully assembled unit was straightforward taking less than 20 minutes. The maiden ride was to say the least totally unlike any stationary bike workout I’ve ever done, it was disorienting in that my body was constantly adjusting to the side to side and fore/aft movement of the platform and feels very close to how you actually ride a bike on the road or trail except of course for the the effect of wind and weather.

It literally forces your constant attention to pedaling smooth strokes transferring directly to the watts you output. No more flailing away without any sense of maintaining a center and balance, any movement in saddle position engages your core to keep you stable It’s still too early in my experience to call it a game changer and standing on the pedals and/or out of the saddle efforts caused a slight motion sickness that I fully expect will pass as my body adapts to the unique way the bike and trainer interact with the platform.

Is it worth it, time will tell but there is great potential here I’ve yet to tap into and that will come with more engagement but for the first time in a long while indoor training has me excited.

This is the best rocker platform available. Not stupid inflatable balls to burst or reinflate. Nice smooth motion in use. Very quiet. Some people have whined about the side rollers developing flat spots.

Replacements are available here and are easy to replace. To be expected with normal use. Someone else whined about rust developing in some areas after exposure to a salt water bath. To be expected if one can’t control one’s sweating.

This is a well designed product. If you want the best, this is it.

I have ridden indoors during the winter for many years. I always struggle with the boredom and the discomfort of a stationary bike/trainer. In the Fall I purchased the Saris MP1 trainer platform along with the H3 trainer.

The platform makes a significant positive difference with regard to comfort since it allows one to move in a similar way to riding outdoors. To help with boredom, I installed a large TV monitor and use Fulgaz videos.

Still not as nice as riding outdoors, but definitely a big improvement to my previous indoor set up.

Having been a serious cyclist for a few years, though with a busy schedule and no trainer, my overall fitness and strength had somewhat stagnated. This is probably the single best purchase I have made in the way of producing gains as a cyclist.

Nothing can replace “real-world” training, but the ability to run structured workouts that are automatically run via linked apps, is indispensable to me now. For the limited time I have to train, this is easily one of the best things available.

Everything you’ve likely read by now about the benefits of the heavy freewheel and direct drive operation are completely true, and it has performed beautifully. A few quick notes: – I bought this specifically since I live in an apartment with wood floors, and for years, I have struggled to find an indoor training solution that was mindful for my neighbors, reduced noise, and ideally zero vibration that shakes the apartment/house.

This accomplishes that, while it generally runs at around 60-70 decibels, and isn’t exactly silent, the direct drive aspect all but eliminates vibration, which is critical. A little whine can be dealt with, but the vibration elimination is huge – I’ve had this for two weeks, and have run this exclusively with Zwift.

I have read reports that when using ergometer mode in workouts, the responsiveness isn’t exact, and I’d agree. Short efforts of intense wattages using ergo mode arent great (meaning, going from about 120 watts to 450+ watts for short (5-15 second) durations has a bit of lag and doesnt function all that great.

HOWEVER, longer stretches of constant wattage output, the ergometer mode is SO NICE, and definitely works well. It’s nice to just run a preset workout program, stick in one gear, and let the trainer change wattages for you.

In short, the best upgrade you can make for cycling is improving the motor, you, and this is an incredible tool for that job, and is worth the price.

Just bought the Saris M2 smart trainer and what another great product. Had a Saris Fluid trainer before I bought this one and wanted to advance my trainer but wanted to keep the on tire trainer. Works great so far but I feel it will be a great trainer.

I also have the Saris Super Clamp EX-2 bike rack and I’m well satisfied with it. Had a slight issue with it but Saris sent me a replacement part with no questions asked, great warranty.

I’ve had this trainer for 3 years now (bought elsewhere before Altitude Sports carried them). It was previously known as CycleOps Magnus M2 before Saris took over. I have had essentially no problems.

When I first started using a smart trainer I had issues with flat tires but I think that was due to my trainer tire and not the smart trainer itself. It is easy to set up and only took me a few mins to attach my bike.

The only thing I find annoying is that with my version of the M2 is the way it connects to my laptop and to my phone. I have an older laptop that does not support the newest version of bluetooth, so I had to buy a USB cable with an ANT+ connection at the end.

That allows setup with Zwift and Trainerroad on my laptop. However, it does not calibrate via ANT+ via Zwift or Trainerroad. I have to download the Saris app, disconnect my ANT+ setup with my laptop, connect to my phone via bluetooth, and then calibrate.

Then I have to disconnect my bluetooth connection and reconnect via ANT+ to my laptop and I am good to go. I took me forever to figure out how to do this via trial and error and I could not find any official instructions to support this method.

I am hoping a software update for both the trainer and zwift/trainerroad solves this issue going forward. I would estimate if you are using a newer laptop or tablet you will likely not have any problems.

The unit is fairly quiet for a wheel style trainer. My second season I had some squeaking sound happening. I contacted Saris and they offered to replace my trainer for free as part of warranty. But I decided to wait it out and replace it in the offseason.

Over a few weeks the sound went away so I did not bother replacing it.

I generally dislike indoor training, and much rather go out for a ride and train outside. I purchased this inexpensive model as I needed for warm sessions at races (just got to try racing). The setup was relatively quick given there was some assembly required.

It is also of solid construction and very stable when setup correctly. However, upon first setup I noticed the trainer was not working properly, mainly due to lack to attention to detail – allow me to explain.

– Following the setup instructions would end up with a setup of LOWEST resistance of the magnetic adjuster, when the shifter is at the HIGHEST setting. So trying to decrease the resistance, or even increase it, with the control lever is to no avail.

The solution is to set the manual resistance knob to the HIGHEST resistance level once the cable has been routed. I let Saris support know of this needed update to their instructions. – Another shortcoming was that the remote control lever did not have enough resistance to hold the LOWEST resistance setting when the cable has the most tension.

The tension on the cable would just pull on the lever back to the highest setting. I initially thought I have gotten a workout controller, but it was sealed new when I unpacked it. I took on disassembling the controller and inspection the internal mechanism.

It is a very simple ratcheting mechanism with bi-directional pawl. Although all made of plastic, everything was in good condition and looked new. The pawl is kept in place by means of a an arc shape that springs out and keeps tension on the ratchet teeth.

There is just not enough tension on the pawl to counter the tension from the cable. I solved by inserting a piece of rubber under the pawl arc. The trainer works like a charm after these adjustments.

Also, pay attention to the hidden feature of the rubber feet to stabilize the trainer on uneven surfaces, it would otherwise wobble. The instructions explain their use.

Decided to get a “smart” turbo for winter and when I saw this at this price of £474(Wiggle have it for £899 !!) I jumped at it. My old turbo was a “dumb” CycleOps Magneto and I knew that Saris owned them now so should be good, as the reviews I found suggested so.

It arrived fine, just a few scuffs to the box, I assembled it ok and tried it out, here’s where the problems started. I was using Wahoo RGT (as it’s free, and wanted a “test” of something without committing, and wanted to save the free month of Rouvy and Zwift til later when I’d found my feet with a free app so I maximised the benefit of these months rather than learning on them).

The H3 just would not connect to the laptop or my Android (all BLE com and/or also using an ANT+ dongle I’d bought). I stuck my decent road bike on the old turbo as it has a 4iiii power crank and the laptop RGT found that instantly, as did the phone app.

I then googled about the different lights on the H3, something completely missing from the instructions is a guide to what the green, red, blue and white lights (and flashing modes-1,2,4 seconds) all mean should it actually work! So I installed “Saris Utility” app on my phone and tried to update firmware and calibrate the thing but the app was useless too and neither of these functions could be carried out.

I then discovered by pure chance that Saris had gone into a form of liquidation late June 2022 and was waiting for a takeover. so this is why all their equipment is so cheap at the moment- but does it bode well for maintenance issues, spares, software/firmware support? I’d had enough after 48 hrs so boxed it up and did an 80 mile round trip to return it to the Inverness store, who were brilliant and accepted it back without any issues.

It’s such a pity, maybe I got a dud and others may get a gem that can go on for ages with no issues (BTW if you do buy one you can get a spare drive belt for £60, and google saris H3 “top hat” there’s plenty of warnings about not overtightening axles etc).

Let me start by saying I am not new to indoor training. I have owned a Cyclops Fluid Trainer since 2014, but struggle with boredom and the unit sat in my garage collecting dust for years. At the end of last year, I decided to bite the bullet and buy a smart trainer and use the trial for one of the apps that came with it.

I was surprised when I unpacked my scratch and dent H3, when I was not able to find anything but a minor surface imperfection on it (never ridden and same warranty as a new unit). I watched a video on Saris’ website on how to install a cassette and couple the bike to the H3 and then got to work.

On my first ride I noticed how quite and smooth this one is compared to a wheel on trainer. A few things I’d like to see improved on the unit are the power connector (even with the 90 deg adapter stands proud and in the way.

I kicked by accident a few days ago and it snapped at the base. Now I must remember to unplug it every time after I ride to avoid damaging it). The cadence feedback coming from the trainer is very inaccurate (you will need to pair an external cadence sensor).

I wish Saris would offer a direct connection to a computer (USB, Ethernet) to avoid ANT drop offs. Overall is a good quality unit and a huge game changer (paired to one of the virtual ride apps) when you compare it to a dumb trainer.

I am happy with it and would recommend it.

I bought the Saris H3 after sending back a different brand smart wheel-off smart trainer that had a horrible vibration (out of balance flywheel?) out of the box. Overall I’m very happy with it, especially at Pushy’s low price.

I note some mention of calibration in these reviews, but I haven’t even tried it – out of the box it matches my bike’s power meter very well. The feel once you get going is very realistic, but when accelerating it can feel like the rear wheel is slipping a bit compared to actually riding on the road where you get the direct feel of the wheel pushing against the road.

Riding out of the saddle is also a bit strange. It is fairly quiet, as you hit higher speeds the noise level is a bit higher, but I haven’t had any complaints, and it is still probably quieter than the TV noise (TdF broadcast while riding).

The flywheel is set up centrally with respect to the legs, which might seem sensible, but the issue is that the actual centre of mass of the whole system (which is mostly due to the mass of the rider and close to the centreline of the bike) is not central to the trainer.

This means to get the centre of mass at the centre of my rocker plate (so it balances and rocks properly) the trainer has one leg almost hanging off the side.

I bought this after using Wahoo Kickr Snaps (Snap) at a local gym for the past two seasons. This product seemed it might meet my needs better. I am not disappointed, but your circumstances might make the Snap a better choice for you.

I used a Snap for over 75 sessions of a minimum of one hour, primarily with Zwift. I have only 4 sessions on the Tuo, so my impressions could change after more use. The Snaps at my gym are not available for use due to the gym’s limited operations during COVID, and I needed to make a purchase while product was available.

We live in a condo with limited space, and I needed the smallest, lightest, and of course, best looking product as I need to leave it out in our rooms, and move it around or store it. It is 23 pounds verses 38 for the Snap, and folds down much smaller for storage.

It also looks less like a piece of gym equipment, which was a plus for my wife. If you have a basement or dedicated space and those factors are not important, the Snap might make more sense. My experience on Zwift is equivalent between the machines.

The Tuo shows that it simulates a maximum grade of 10% and the Snap shows 12%. They both seem the same to me, and frankly, even when I set the trainer to average difficulty on Zwift, the grades seem at least equal to my experience outdoors, perhaps even more difficult.

The limit is adequately difficult for my training. The Tuo is probably slightly quieter, but that is difficult for me to tell as the gym was a noisy place. The roller on the Tuo is smaller in circumference and is a composite versus a polished steel on the Snap.

I also read the roller cannot be replaced on the Tuo, however, I doubt any of us will wear it out even after many years of active use. When on the bike, they both appear to be equally firm and stable.

I expect the tire wear to be equal to or better than than Snap on the Tuo due to the roller. I use a CycleOps trainer tire. Amazingly, it has about 2000 miles on it and shows zero signs of wear. The Tuo, of course, does not have a known track record.

With the light weight of the Tuo, the Snap clearly appears to have some components that seem to be more durable and of course heavier. Nonetheless, i think the Tuo will be fine for home use. You definitely will need to buy the front wheel block which is not included, or rig up your own substitute to lift the front wheel to make the bike even.

It does come with thru axle converters, which is a plus over the Snap. It does not have as many available add ons as the Snap, such as the fan and from riser. Two minor issues. The legs do not extend equally on my unit and unless you even them out, the bike is tilted or unstable.

The rear roller block seems to revert to an angled position after use and does not seem to stay even, which you can see if you compare online pictures. I emailed Elite a week ago about this. It does not effect performance, but does not look right.

I have not heard back, which also raises the issue that customer support may not equal that of Wahoo for the Snap. Elite is in Italy and not sure if they have customer service in the U. S. Overall, the ride experience is good and equals the Snap.

If you were hoping for a Snap and they are unavailable, I don’t think you will be disappointed. Ride on!.

Bought an elite tuo and after a couple of days i was getting a sound that i can only describe as something that should not be coming from something 2 weeks olds. I contacted sigma with a video of the sound they directed me to elites website.

Sent elite a video there reply try a different bike did this same noise. Then elite wanted me to preform a self repair by opening the trainer. Found this difficult because they sent me a video telling me to take 2 screws out did this but side didnt just come of i was putting that much pressure i was scared of breaking the side but i damaged the cover anyway in the process.

Contacted sigma about this telling them i wanted to go no further with this self repair either refund me or send a new trainer. They wanted me to get a response from elite because they told me to work on the trainer.

Ive never in all my time purchasing items been asked to do a self repair on an item, i started of asking for a replacement so i wasnt trying to dupe anybody which they made me feel i was doing. Although elite authorized a warranty return i bought this trainer on the recommendation of a friend, i tried his an realised what i received was substandard it should never of been my responsibility to try a self repair on an item 2 weeks old then use a warranty again for an item 2 weeks old.

Sigma have accepted return waiting to see what i get back.

Unfortunately, this is one of the very few items I have ever returned to REI. I will be replacing it with a different brand of trainer. I wanted to be able to sync with apps to ride computer roads or preplanned workouts, or to just ride and control the resistance manually.

The trainer never synced or calibrated to any of the apps, even when they recognized the trainer’s existence. As a result, the roller repeatedly seized or became so tight that I could not roll at all.

I could not manually adjust the trainer via any connected app. For seven days, I attempted to run diagnostics and to contact customer service, but Elite’s customer service was nonexistent. My choice to give up and return this trainer is largely based on this experience.

I saw good reviews of this particular model online, but after my experience, I can only conclude those were demo units set up at professional events. I found the included manual so complex as to be useless (I followed a blog for assembly).

It wasn’t hard to assemble and I rather liked the toaster aesthetic. But I’m back to a “dumb” trainer until I decide which other brand to replace this with.

Have used for 10 sessions. It’s so smooth. My Kurt Kinetic trainer with trainer specific tyre, although itself is smooth and delightful to train on, is nothing in comparison to the smoothness, and quietness of the Kickr v5.

Literally, I can barely hear the Kickr over the sound of my freshly hot-dipped waxxed chain and drivetrain. I’m using it with Zwift, and it’s been faultless (like you’d expect for the price). I managed to get it 15% off with free delivery from Pushys in a sale, and am happy with that.

The only thing I wish it could do is the rumble simulation for rough terrain, like the Tacx offers. But for the price, I’d rather add the Kickr Climb add-on module for elevating my front wheel during climbs.

I love how with Zwift, if I stop for something on a climb in a hard gear, it turns down the resistance just for a couple pedal strokes to get started, so that I don’t explode my knees getting back on in a high gear.

I love how it’s so easy to fold up, and has a nice carrying handle. I love how the height is adjustable, which is great for getting the perfect alignment of the bike on my garage floor with concrete slab, that sags a few mm in the centre of the slab.

I love how it looks nice in my garage, the anodised blue bits are sweet. I love how there’s not much in the way of moving parts for my little kid to sneak up behind me and stick fingers into. I love how I don’t have to calibrate anything, which I understand previous models you need to regularly.

I love how the power accuracy is as good as my crankset powermeters.

Trainer itself was easy to setup. Slight adjustment required to rear derailleur, but once done, gear change pretty smooth. Upgraded from a wheel on trainer and difference is poles apart – very smooth and much closer to the feel of being on the road.

Preference is still to ride outdoors, but this trainer is a great substitute on the cold, wet and windy days!! Still to work out ERG (no good for spin ups!!) but trainer’s settings give you flexibility to vary your ride.

Trainer loses a star because of the wahoo app which I found to be a bit clunky, but no where near as bad as the Wahoo X package – lacks intuitiveness and subsequently is pretty light on for instruction for the newbie such as myself.

Over time no doubt I’ll sort out but initially, a fair bit of frustration. The other issue, which may be unrelated, is my Garmin Dual HRM. Worked fine for the first two weeks and then just stopped providing any readings – continued to be connected (with full bars) but N/A in the HR column.

Wahoo support were helpful but couldn’t sort issue, so over to Garmin now. BTW HRM still works perfectly with my Edge 830 and phone permissions all good.

I bought this a few weeks back and have now used it a number of times with Zwift. I previously used to have a Kickr Snap. The Snap is a great bit of kit, but decided I wanted an upgrade, having put it off for nearly a year I went ahead and took the plunge.

The setup was quite straight forward, although I did have to replace the cassette as I run on 10 speed on my bikes. Luckily I have the tools and did not have to take it to the LBS. The first ride I could tell the difference immediately, it was quieter and smoother than the Snap.

I was originally worried about having to remove my wheel every time I wanted to use the trainer, but after a couple of uses I have found an easy way of doing it and it only takes a couple of seconds.

It’s a solid price of kit, and weighs a tonne. When it’s folded up and not in use, it only takes a small area to store, much less space than the snap. I also like that it self calibrates, so no more warming it up for 20 mins and then doing a spin down.

Overall I’m really happy with the Kickr, it’s very expensive but it shows in build quality and in the feel of the ride.

I saw the good reviews when this first came out and it was on my wish list for an introduction to direct drive interactive trainers. Shame the price went up by £100 before I was able to buy one, but that’s COVID for you.

I have been impressed by the smooth changes in resistance when using the Zumo with Zwift. ERG mode seemed to work well too when trying workouts. There are some less good points. I was intending to use Power Meter Link mode, to link my 4iiii power meter crank.

However that gave a lag of about 7-10 seconds in power, while gradient changes remained instant, making for a very unrealistic ride. So I just tend to pair my power meter for power and cadence, and use the Zumo as controllable trainer.

I’ve also had some issues with calibration. The Elite myetraining app calibration section asks you to ride to a target speed of 29. 9 kph but it never tells me to stop pedalling until I have reached well over 34 kph.

It doesn’t inspire confidence in the calibration. Compared to my power meter, the Zumo power reads about 10% lower. Calibration in Zwift is technically possible, but the spanner is missing for me when running Zwift on Windows 10.

It did appear a couple of times when running Zwift on Apple TV but not always. Again, not great, but since I am sticking with my power meter this isn’t a real issue for me. So having had the Zumo for a couple of weeks now, I’m getting the hang of it and its limitations but it should still be able to do all I need.

This is a great way to train through the winter without heading out into the cold. It’s a bit loud, even with the training tire, but especially if you have a mountain bike tire. I highly recommend getting the training tire to reduce noise and vibrations.

Aside from that though, the app is great and adjusts the resistance for you automatically. It folds up and stows away easily if you’re not using it, but it’s small to begin with. It’s also very solidly built and calibrating was easy enough.

I’m rating per expectations. This is not claiming to be a top-end trainer; for its class (wheel-on lightweight) I am completely satisfied. It’s lightweight and portable but strong and stable enough for me to feel comfortable riding hard, and has enough data transfer and resistance control to make riding entertaining.

I am using it with Rouvy on an Android tablet, and it also worked fine (for initial experiments) with another app on Apple. One caution: I put a mat under my bike to keep the floor clean, and the feet of the trainer compressed the mat enough to allow my wheel to touch the mat and wear a rut in it; problem solved by adding some packing foam under the feet of the trainer.

I have been riding a Tacx Neo for about 3 years. I started riding it before Garmin bought the company. And I frankly liked it more then – even though it was a bit quirky. Garmin has made several changes.

I don’t like every one of them, but overall, I am a satisfied customer. I continue to ride 100+ miles per week, in the Netherlands, Italy, France and Belgium. I read the reviews where individuals are complaining about this that or the other.

Nothing is perfect. But I won’t trade my Neo for anything. In fact, after telling my wife for years that I’d rather ride my Tacx than join her on her rides through the streets of Buckhead, she’s FINALLY agreed to let me buy her a Neo so we can ride together, upstairs, in air conditioning.

Of course, the 100-degree heat in the summer and cold temperatures in the winter may be a factor. And don’t forget the member benefits with REI! Incidentally, we bought one for our son in Seattle, and he sees the advantage of having a 1st class training system (mounted his Bianchi road bike) for when the weather isn’t ideal for his Yeti.

“See you” in Amsterdam!.

I live in the wet PNW and i personally dont enjoy riding in the rain or having my eyes water profusely from the cold wind in the winter months. I wanted a trainer so i can still get exercise and fee like im getting a good workout.

I put on my vintage Vitus 979 with all its original dura-ace components. There was some futzing to get this onto the trainer with all my older components and my shifting isnt very smooth while on the trainer.

But its so nice to have the elevation gains and feel like im really getting a good workout. Sure, its not the same as actually riding my bike but i am sweating and feel good after. It connects to my phone quickly and i use Zwift/Strava.

Not a huge fan of the real road feel but dont honestly know how to turn off that feature, but i also dont care enough to figure out how. so its a small annoyance i could avoid by figuring out how to turn it off, but meh.

i bought it a few months ago and have about 275 miles already. Its a great way to stay in shape. Its heavy, so you need a good spot for it. cant really move it around your house. I have it set up in the office in front of a window and a fan blowing directly on me! Get a floor mat cause you WILL sweat!.

I bought one of these a few months back to substitute a wheel-on trainer I had for a couple of years. I discussed several models with friends who already had smart-trainers, and based on their input, and the fact that I’ve been inclined towards Garmin devices for a long time (and Tacx was recently acquired by Garmin), I went ahead with this one as it had what I needed, and was below the 1k $ mark.

The trainer proved to be a great pick. It’s solid, responds well to changes and variation from user input, all with an aceptable delay or gap in regards to the reported power/cadence both on simulation or power mode.

It is structurally stable, and even though I’m really stretching the Clydesdale cat, I’m able to jump out of the saddle for a sprint or high power interval and it feels like it can hold on (this is one of those scenarios where you can see the little lag at the beginning of a sprint, or afterwards while it normalizes.

). The compatibility with Garmin Computers and Watches is solid, as you might expect from sibling devices. When it comes to the software side, the Tacx app is really nice and provides all the bells and whistles you would expect from a modern cycling training app.

With the added bonus of the Films (for paid version), where you can simulate a route and follow along a pre-recorded video of someone riding the route. Really nice stuff. Still in the software side, Tacx Activity Capture for consumption at the Garmin Connect Connect platform, even though they are siblings, the relationship is not automatic or seamless.

It will require manual exports/imports, and there are scenarios where the captured data will be consumable through Connect, and registered as part of your historical data, but won’t count towards challenges (if you’re into those.

) if it comes from a Film Activity. Integration with Zwift is automatic, seamless, and works like a charm. Returning to the hardware side of the conversation, the unit requires a little bit of assembling, a few screws for the legs, the spacers (depending on the type of hub you’re using), and the cassette (it doesn’t come with one).

Easy stuff overall. The unit runs relatively quiet, smooth, and it provides a little bit of “road feedback”, specially when the resistance gets harder. In conclusion, it’s a really solid trainer from the mid-range category, at a good price.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone. Cheers!.