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I've been wondering about this for a couple of weeks, and genuinely only thought today "oh wait, maybe stw will have some people who know"...
With winter closing in, I'm looking at getting a trainer, as a way of doing a quick hour on the bike every couple of days when it's cold and dark. I know nothing about them, except that while I like the idea of something like a Wahoo Kickr, I'm not paying £1k for one - if only because it'll sit in the basement unused for at least 6 months a year... Realistically, my price range is probably more like £150-300.
What should I be looking for at that price? I don't have a garmin on the bike, but like the idea of something smart-ish - maybe to connect to my phone to track distance/ time. I've started looking at Tacx - are they any good? Are there better?
And I'm guessing for the price it'll be a wheel-on jobby. Should I also be buying a rear tyre, so I don't trash my good road tyres (a mate tells me it wears through your tyre quickly)?
Any advice appreciated!
you can pick up the tacx 2240 for about £120 on ebay refurbished. its built to a budget but it'll get you going. I never bothered changing tyres and never noticed any significant wear. I think turbo tyres are supposed to be quieter.
Consider second hand, you may find you just hate it.
Been using a Bkool Smart 1 (second hand), think its a couple of years old (gift from FIL).
Been ace, i don't have a spare wheel/tyre so make do with current tyre combo.
I use the laptop and had to get a ant+ dongle to pick up the Bkool analytics.
Also picked up a couple of fans, a must.
There's a kickr snap on bikeslice sales group of Facebook for 300 quid
Halfords sell a trainer called the Novo Smart for £180 and with BC discount its even less. Its basically an Elite Digital Smart B+ but a lot cheaper and its better designed as it has a proper lever to engage the roller rather than using rider weight. It is two way smart (so it gives feedback from Zwift etc)and can simulate gradient up to 6%.
No its not a Neo or a fancy wahoo but its £165 quid! And as DC rainmaker says in his review, yes they are better but they are not £700 better
I've done 500km on mine in the month I've had it so far on Zwift and its been a hoot. Easy to set up and I've used an old steel framed road bike as a dedicated trainer bike. I put a halfords turbo tyre on it (£13.50) and I've yet to slip it - however I'm a 75kg stick and don't kick out watts like some on here!
Still I would recommend it.
You'll put decent wear into a rear tyre on the turbo IME - used to get loads of rubber shavings building up around the roller on my old one. I wouldn't run any expensive tyre on it that you wanted for the road.
Buy second hand, you'll get a great deal on wheel on trainers for that sort of money.
Spend the rest on speed and cadence sensors, download some GCN videos, dig out your personal stereo and away you go!
Elite Qubo B+ digital smart would be my choice. Works well with zwift, trainerroad etc and cheap as chips.
If you're running a 29'er get a 29'er trainer tyre, and the same for a road bike - assuming you go for a wheel on trainer - they're loads cheaper, but will pass the time and seem to suit your needs, you also don't need to buy another cassette that you would need on a direct mount type - not essential, but a dam sight easier than swapping your cassette over every time you want to ride outside.