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The weather has made me crack and get back on zwift. I've moved house since i last did it and the only place i have to set up my trainer now is in my home office, so the temp is a fair bit warmer than the old place (garage, in winter only). With that in mind, I'm trying to track down a large floor fan with a remote control that looks half decent (it's sitting in my home office, so maybe something chrome?).
I can find lots of floor fans, but I can't find a large one with a remote.... any suggestions?
Is the invisible post bump still a thing?
Cleva Vacmaster. Someone on the Trainerroad forums found them and they sold so many to cyclists for indoor training they changed their website to show a rider on a turbo! They didn't stop there, someone must have asked for a remote controlled version so ...
https://www.cleva-uk.com/collections/vacmaster/products/vacmaster-cardio54-fan
I've the standard version and it's dog leaning out of a car window sort of airflow. The airflow is also quite directed, i.e. if it's pointing at your face you won't get any on your torso.
Use any fan you want op and just use a cheap (or smart if you wish!) remote controlled plug. I use one I bought from asda but there are loads to choose from.
I use a long stick.
Yeah - I've just ordered some smart plugs for setting up my fan. I bought the fan from Screwfix after a recommendation on here.
it’s dog leaning out of a car window sort of airflow. The airflow is also quite directed, i.e. if it’s pointing at your face you won’t get any on your torso
Yeah, I prefer a big fan that moves a bigger stream (16 inch diameter) a bit more slowly (plus a couple of other smaller ones firing up from the floor if I need them)
B&Q had a huge stack of 20” floor fans in stock last week (at my local branch anyway) for £32. All plastic construction but shifts plenty of air
this works grand for me. has remote with 3 settings and noise is low, well i can listen to audio books ok
link name working so just. search amazon for “AirArtDeco Box Fan, 12 Inch Desk Fan with Remote Control, 3 Speed Levels, 3 Wind Modes, 7.5H Timer, Automatically Rotating Louver – Black”. it is a bit big for most desks mind. 🙃
Thanks for the suggestions.
Just to check im not missing something - if I use a smart switch it's only going to be on or off right? Ideally I want it to come on in stages (so I don't freeze when starting).
Be bold. Start cold.
Leave it off until you've warmed up?
I go straight for full speed but use my towel on the bars to block some of the airflow during warmup.
Leave it off until you’ve warmed up?
Yeah I agree, I can turn one of my fans on gradually but never bother using that. Once I need fans... I need fans!lol
Warm up, then switch on.
Screwfix fan and an Alexa controlled smart plug here.
I did open up the speed control switch to see it it could be mounted within reach and the cable to the motor extended, but it’s more complex than just adding in some 3 core flex so I didn’t bother and in the end just leaving the fan on speed 2 seems to work for me.
Hilarious that cleva have rebranded the fan and added £30 to the normal yellow one.
I use a big Screwfix fan. It's great, cools the whole of you, feels more like wind than a fan. I have two of those small black Amazon best seller gcn approved Honeywell turbo fans and once the big one is on I can't even tell if they're turned on or not.
one to watch .... some of our lot have found their fans to be causing ANT + drop out
Ideally I want it to come on in stages (so I don’t freeze when starting).
If you're feeling rich - or have a sugar daddy - the Wahoo Headwind works pretty well, as it should do. You can remote control it using the Wahoo app on a smartphone, but you can set it so output is automatically controlled by your heart rate so it's gentle when HR is low and increases progressively as it rises.
You can also configure it to match your virtual speed, but that seems like a really daft idea for obvious reasons unless you're more bothered about simulating climbing on a baking hot day than cooling.
Not saying it isn't overpriced, but it does work pretty well.
I'm far to tight to get the wahoo headwind.
I think i'll take the advice above and just turn it on when i'm warmed up with a smart plug. Just over complicating things - off to screwfix!
I purchased the remote control Cleva fan this week - paid £90 by using a trainerroad discount code.
First impressions are good. It is much smaller than the large blade fan I was using, but puts out more air. Also think it is quieter. Fan sits just in front of the front wheel and directs air onto legs, torso and face well. For me, the extra £20 for a remote control is well worth it - nice to warm up without fan and then increase fan speed as heat goes up.
+1 for smart plugs. Solve the fan speed issue by having two, I picked up a freebie from freecycle to add to a big powerful industrial-sized one. So I basically have a total of 4 speeds, from all off to all on, though TBH 9 times out of 10 I usually just put the big fan on around the start time.
as above...
My set up is TWO honeywell fans facing the upper body - on max, these are more of a slight breeze..perfect for warm up.
Then i've a cleva one on the floor, blasting at trunk/torso..
All controlled by (two) smart plugs, for the multi-stage setting!
DrP
Hilarious that cleva have rebranded the fan and added £30 to the normal yellow one.
They've also added a remote control. Standard, non remote model still available for £70. I got the remote one recently as an upgrade from the non remote (was planning on selling on the non-remote version). Did a Zwift session last night and with the warmer weather ended up running both !!!
Hilarious that cleva have rebranded the fan and added £30 to the normal yellow one.
And reduced the warranty by 3 years in the process :D.
For me, the extra £20 for a remote control is well worth it
Still nearly £30 more as the discount also works on the other one.
I guess you pay your money and take your choice!
If my £90 fan lasts 2 years it will cost me less than £1 a week. As I Zwift 3 or 4 times a week this seems like a fair deal to me.
Disregarding the snipes and moans about various makes/models ...
Most people have a frontal cross-sectional area of about 0.5m^2, give or take. Outdoors when riding at 10m/s (36km/h) means that you push through 5m^3 every second. Not all of that actually passes over your skin, some gets pushed out of the way before it gets near you, but it's an indication of how much airflow you need when on a trainer.
36km/h for me means riding solo at about 110% FTP or so for those sort of efforts. Even the Vacmaster only does 15m^3 per minute, but it's a bit more targeted and you can't directly compare, so to get a reasonable equivalence I'd probably need three: one at my face; one at my torso and one at my back. For those who say you don't need that much ventilation, use a HRM and do the same workout with and without fans and you'll see a big difference as you stress your body more when it overheats.
I tend to start with the fan going as I want it to be for the hard part of the workout, if I'm cold then so be it, I'll soon warm up.
I like the idea of the Wahoo headwind but not the £200 price. I think as the weather warms up I might buy that remote control cleva one - the bar remote looks decent.
Got that Screwfix fan and it works very well, I leave it on setting 2 and have it on a smart plug. Being the anorak, I just announce I'm starting training and the fan switches on and off it goes...
Got that Screwfix fan and it works very well, I leave it on setting 2 and have it on a smart plug. Being the anorak, I just announce I’m starting training and the fan switches on and off it goes…
I should have mine set up like that later today. One command and it should switch everything (TV, turbo, fan, PC) on.
that is only amateur level anorak 😉... mine is linked to my Home Assistant server, so it's voice controlled but also goes on/off depending on what HR zone I'm in 🤣Being the anorak, I just announce I’m starting training and the fan switches on and off it goes…
that is only amateur level anorak 😉… mine is linked to my Home Assistant server, so it’s voice controlled but also goes on/off depending on what HR zone I’m in 🤣
Ha! Brill!!
It's nice to see people using home automation properly..
I've got an "Alexa, TV time" command that turns on the TV, turns on the LED lightstrip behind the TV on dim, and dims the lounge lamp to 10%, and turns off the main lounge bulb.
I wish it would make popcorn!
Oh..also.. 'i've a friend' that has the command "Alexa, sexy time" which dims the bedroom lights and turns on "Air-Moon safari" on the bedroom echo. #he'# may have done this to wind up his girlfriend...!!!
I'd actually love a second cleva vacmaster, but no space at the mo...
DrP
pretty sure everyone with smart lighting has done something similar, haven't they? 🤣Oh..also.. ‘i’ve a friend’ that has the command “Alexa, sexy time” which dims the bedroom lights and turns on “Air-Moon safari” on the bedroom echo.
the popcorn thing is probably easily achievable, you'd just some kind of popcorn making gadget on a smart plug, that starts running when you power it up, and leave it loaded! 🍿👍
I have one of these - it fufills the needs - big, remote - but is cheap and no doubt will fail at some point
Black_and_Decker_Fan
that is only amateur level anorak 😉… mine is linked to my Home Assistant server, so it’s voice controlled but also goes on/off depending on what HR zone I’m in 🤣
I love this idea - how do you get your hr info into homeassistant?
I can confirm that the Smart plugs work. 4 for £29 so worth having a play with.
someone has (of course!) written a custom component... it's not an official integration, so you need to install it via HACSI love this idea – how do you get your hr info into homeassistant?
https://community.home-assistant.io/t/zwift-sensor-component-feedback-and-testers-needed/87512
worth scrolling through the thread as he's updated/improved it a lot of time. It reports loads of different data now, so lots of potential for automations, could even get it to release a load of balloons when you progress to the next level 🤣.
Ah - I hadn't seen that component - thanks for the link.
My immediate thought is that I don't have my HR info in Zwift, but have it on my Garmin watch. That can broadcast ANT+ to my wahoo bike computer, but I use bluetooth rather than ANT+ for my trainer connection to Zwift (as I use an ipad) so I don't get the data in Zwift.
I'm now wondering if I can get the Garmin data into homeassistant as a live feed or if there is any component that supports Wahoo. Or maybe I'm missing something obvious...
Sounds like a weekend project either way!
I've just got the massive screwfix one. Only ever had it on the minimum setting except when it's absolutely bakeing, and that's in a conservatory doing Sufferfest workouts at lunchtime whilst WFH.
On cold days I just put a jacket on whilst warming up.
Would be cool to hack a fan with R-Pi nd make a headwind fan like the wahoo.
until you hit a climb and the fan stops just as you start working really hard 🤣Would be cool to hack a fan with R-Pi nd make a headwind fan like the wahoo.
Could you send me a link to these please? 😀
Whenever I’ve looked into smart plugs they say they need a 2.4ghz WiFi, but I don’t think my router does that. Is there another way to use them?
Thanks!
Oh that HA link looks fun. I might have to have a go with that. I already have it integrated with whatever cheap smart plugs I bought.
Screwfix Fan on the floor pointing up, smaller Honwell fan at head level. I tell HA 'Bring the hurt' which turns on one TV, small fan and the turbo, followed by 'bring the wind' for the big fan and 'make it stop' which turns everything off.
That big fan makes all the difference to being able to use Zwift in spring or even summer.
Whenever I’ve looked into smart plugs they say they need a 2.4ghz WiFi, but I don’t think my router does that. Is there another way to use them?
I thought they all did 2.4ghz?
The Gosund plugs I bought have a AP mode too. I think that provides some function without requiring a hub but I've not looked into it.
I have these (not bought from evil amazon) but can't remember where now. Were less than 30 quid for 4 tho.
They don't need a hub, but if you're worried about them connecting to some Mothership in China to 'receive their instructions' they might not be for you! I set them up with the SmartLife App then blocked them from accessing the Internet after that.
The best cheap smart plugs are those using certain chips that can be re-flashed with alternative firmware allowing local control (takes a little tech knowledge but loads of step-by-step tutorials around) rather than cloud servers. I bought some Maxcio branded plugs about a year ago which worked fine, I see they’re really cheap on Amazon right now so will get some more... it’s always a punt though as sometimes the manufacturers change them internally so they can’t be flashed.
Zigbee-based plugs (Hue, IKEA Tradfri etc) also work locally but if you’re using Alexa, etc for voice control you’ll still need internet obviously!
really? I was under the impression that all Tuya/Smartlife devices wouldn’t work without “phoning home”. Not that I’ve ever tried it, but that’s the impression I get when I google it!I set them up with the SmartLife App then blocked them from accessing the Internet after that.
I was under the impression that all Tuya/Smartlife devices wouldn’t work without “phoning home”.
Well I best add 'check my firewall settings' then to my list of jobs today 😉 I was going to re-flash them but thought Id found a lazy way round it. Maybe not.
@Alex The only workaround I know of is a Home Assistant integration Called "Local Tuya" which works by pretending to be the cloud server, it's actually more hassle than just flashing the things as you have to create a dev account with Tuya, get an API key then use that to extract each device's local key. Handy for anything that can't be (easily) flashed though.
I take it I'm the only biffer on Zwift that basically needs all the fans going at full blow within 5 minutes of the start of a race?😂
It all sounds a lot more complicated than my long stick remote…
I take it I’m the only biffer on Zwift that basically needs all the fans going at full blow within 5 minutes of the start of a race?😂
No, I do as well, and the window open and radiator off. Odd thing is most of the rest of the time I'm cold!
I just use an extension lead with switched sockets. #smashthemills