Indoor Training - warm climate

[geoffreychin08]

Originally Posted by trener1

If you can swing it get a wheel off/direct drive trainer.
The difference in the user experience between even the best wheel on trainer and the cheapest Direct Drive really is night and day, so if you try a wheel on trainer you never know if you truly enjoy indoor riding.

Is it just the consistency of resistance? I've been using a fluid trainer for over 5 years, can't bring myself yet to spend on a direct drive since I just use my power meter on the bike and a HR sensor.

[EDS]

Originally Posted by geoffreychin08

Is it just the consistency of resistance? I've been using a fluid trainer for over 5 years, can't bring myself yet to spend on a direct drive since I just use my power meter on the bike and a HR sensor.

I moved fairly recently from rollers plus power meter to a wahoo kikr for indoor workouts and I do find it makes it much easier to hit target wattages. This is particularly true for interval training like on trainer road. The smart trainer definitely makes zwift more interesting/immersive.

[trener1]

Originally Posted by geoffreychin08

Is it just the consistency of resistance? I've been using a fluid trainer for over 5 years, can't bring myself yet to spend on a direct drive since I just use my power meter on the bike and a HR sensor.

I guess it depends on how you use your trainer.
If you are just doing intervals then yeah you can dial in on erg mode, do your intervals and not have to stare at your power meter.
And while I do use this feature and enjoy it, for that isn't the main thing.
It is how it totally transforms the indoor riding experience with Zwift (though I am sure that it is the same with Rouvy, Bkool etc..).
Where you can do group rides that almost feel like real group rides, you can draft if you feel like chilling, go to the front if you want to hammer.
You feel like climbing? jump on a climbing course, you want to work on flat pacing or just do a easy spin? pick a flat course.
Before even with a wheel on smart trainer (I had both a computrainer and a Cycleops Powerbeam) doing a indoor ride felt like a chore to get through, now it's actually fun, I find myself at the end of a workout or group ride, instead of jumping off, actually saying you know what? I think I'll bang out another 30 minutes because I am enjoying it.
So in a word it is totally transformative.

I know it has detractors that say, well rollers worked for me for the last 30 years so I don't need this new tech, but it is simply a game changer.

[trener1]

Oh and I guess I never answered your question directly, yeah it is mainly the road feel and consistency.
I tried doing some long climbs on Rouvy with my Powerbeam and after 20 minutes I bailed, It didnt feel like climbing at all, it just felt like grinding.....
While now when I do a long climb (like Alpe d Zwift) it feels very much like a long climb outside.

[geoffreychin08]

Originally Posted by trener1

Oh and I guess I never answered your question directly, yeah it is mainly the road feel and consistency.
I tried doing some long climbs on Rouvy with my Powerbeam and after 20 minutes I bailed, It didnt feel like climbing at all, it just felt like grinding.....
While now when I do a long climb (like Alpe d Zwift) it feels very much like a long climb outside.

Interesting I guess it really does take the guess work out of immersion. On Zwift yeah if it's like a climb or gradient on my fluid trainer I gotta look at it and go welp time to shift into a smaller gear cuz it's a climb so I gotta pretend. And I can only stand doing max an hour. I'll look around for some cheaper ones. Last time I checked them out it was pretty pricey like 1000, maybe it's come down in price. Thanks for the insight!

[trener1]

They haven't come down in price much because they have been a hot commodity during Covid.
However there are a couple of models that are in the $700 range.
And every once in while I see used ones pop up in the $500 range.

[unterhausen]

The convenience is great. I have always had trouble getting on the bike when it's raining. There's no excuse with the trainer.