Can I make my spin bike "smart"? - Page 2

cash05458 · #16 11-06-2019, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veggieburger

Amazing!

lol...thanks...they say necessity is the mother of invention...but sometimes it comes down to just being a cheap bastard...

That peloton bike is pretty much the same thing as a lemond revmaster anyhow...just no cool computer screen etc so I worked from there...I got hers for a hundred bucks...the wahoo thing was 50 bucks and as I was already using zwift for my kickr she just piggy backs on my account...so 150 bucks and bob's your uncle!

We just use Apple tv for zwift...no dongles...plug and play and stick a tv in the bike room and it reads it straight off the wifi...and if you go into zwift wheel size thing they have a size same size as the flywheel...they do their own calculations for watts etc...but she isn't concerned about that really or it needing to be exact...and she gets an idea via their equations not changing as to how hard she worked out say compared to the last time...it works fine really...and she gets ride ons and all that jazz so she is happy with the set up...I mean it doesn't have the come to jesus social stuff of peloton but she digs it...but neither does it cost us 2500 for their bike or the 58 bucks a month they want to be there when we had the lemond already sitting here...

trener1 · #17 11-06-2019, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmradio516

Curious about this as well. What is everyone using for iPad stands? Any benefit to hooking up to an actual PC?

I use this for my iPad, it works fantastic and the price is right
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/acce...51035000001000

There is also this if you want to get something bike specific
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...indoor-cycling

loxx0050 · #18 11-06-2019, 09:09 AM

I don't know where you can easily find one but Stages used to make a left arm power meter for spin bikes. They discontinued them I think but not sure how long ago. Only reason I know about it was I found one listed on the 'bay a while back while power meter shopping for deals.

jfranci3 · #19 11-07-2019, 09:09 AM

Depending on the bike, you can get a Stages spin bike crank arm cheaper than pedals. Should work with any bike with an ISIS bottom bracket.

Otherwise, I'd look for a bike with power already on Craigslist. Most of the are ANT+ only, so you'll need the ANT+ adapter in most cases.

SleepyCyclist · #20 11-07-2019, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cash05458

I set my wife's lemond revmaster up to work on zwift for her...took a toilet plunger handle and gorilla taped it on like a down tube or fork etc down to flywheel...added a wahoo blue tooth speed thing and magnet...and she is fine on it...no smart tension of course...but it works fine...they even have the flywheel size on zwift so its fairly ok...or thereabouts enough...this was my answer to not blowing money on a peloton thing and so far has worked in that capacity...both in keeping her happy and not giving money to the peloton people...

Cash - can you post a pic of your setup? Really clever!

cash05458 · #21 11-07-2019, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandM

Cash - can you post a pic of your setup? Really clever!

Hey, thanks! Of course...but I have never been able to post pics here for some reason (no photo bucket I think)...would you or someone mind PMing me and I can email it to someone who can then post it?

also, one other small detail...the tight space on the flywheel of the spin bike doesnt allow for a normal sized magnet...it's a tighter fit etc...so simply got a tiny magnet off of ebay for about a buck or so from china...I.e. a thinner one that fits the space...its a tiny magnet but the wahoo sensor picks it up fine...the magnets are all over ebay...just grab a little one and put it on the flywheel...

loxx0050 · #22 11-07-2019, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cash05458

Hey, thanks! Of course...but I have never been able to post pics here for some reason (no photo bucket I think)...would you or someone mind PMing me and I can email it to someone who can then post it?

also, one other small detail...the tight space on the flywheel of the spin bike doesnt allow for a normal sized magnet...it's a tighter fit etc...so simply got a tiny magnet off of ebay for about a buck or so from china...I.e. a thinner one that fits the space...its a tiny magnet but the wahoo sensor picks it up fine...the magnets are all over ebay...just grab a little one and put it on the flywheel...

For pics Imgur is free still unlike photobucket to share photos. Try it out.

For magnets those small 1/2" x 1/16" thick button rare earth magnets (N42) work great. I actually use them with my Garmin GSC-10 for the cadence on the steel pedal axle bolt face. Those "hidden cadence magnets" you see on eBay are just the same sized rare earth magnets I bought in actuality but they mark it up a ton compared to buying in bulk on Amazon. A 100pk cost me $20 a number of years ago but places that sell them individually charge $3-5+ or so for 1.

Picked them up to make my own refrigerator magnets as I ordered all those free "Subaru" activity badges meant as decals on the trunk of the car but instead just stuck the magnets on there (had an adhesive back already). Bonus that I could use them on my bikes.

fmradio516 · #23 11-07-2019, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwa86

I have the wahoo sensors for speed and cadence (BT), no power meter. About $60? I have a cycleops fluid trainer. That has allowed me to use the Rouvy app (I forget what it used to be called) which I think is similar to zwift. As others have said, it doesn't allow auto adjusting of resistance. That said, I have defaulted back to watching movies/shows.

https://rouvy.com/en/

If I had the wahoo sensors, what is the easiest way to get running on Zwift? I have a desktop PC, Amazon fire stick, iPad, laptop, etc..

kramnnim · #24 11-07-2019, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fmradio516

If I had the wahoo sensors, what is the easiest way to get running on Zwift? I have a desktop PC, Amazon fire stick, iPad, laptop, etc..

iPad if its new enough. PC with a good graphics card would look better but requires more hardware.

fmradio516 · #25 11-07-2019, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramnnim

iPad if its new enough. PC with a good graphics card would look better but requires more hardware.

Thanks!

ergott · #26 11-07-2019, 02:16 PM

By definition a smart trainer is one that reacts to the terrain of a program like Zwift and the ability to be used in ERG mode. Everyone is describing how to get power output from a spin bike which is the same as riding Zwift with a "dumb" trainer. That's a trainer that only broadcasts metrics to Zwift to have your avatar ride accordingly.

veggieburger · #27 11-07-2019, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ergott

By definition a smart trainer is one that reacts to the terrain of a program like Zwift and the ability to be used in ERG mode. Everyone is describing how to get power output from a spin bike which is the same as riding Zwift with a "dumb" trainer. That's a trainer that only broadcasts metrics to Zwift to have your avatar ride accordingly.

Maybe my question should have been how do I make my spin bike into a dumb trainer. Just trying to maintain interest while riding, not get feedback from terrain etc.

ergott · #28 11-07-2019, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by veggieburger

Maybe my question should have been how do I make my spin bike into a dumb trainer. Just trying to maintain interest while riding, not get feedback from terrain etc.

Easiest I'd say is figuring out if you can get a Stages left arm.

SleepyCyclist · #29 11-07-2019, 09:02 PM

Pics from Cash. Clever!

cash05458 · #30 11-08-2019, 07:48 AM

thanks for putting those up M! Very kind of you...