Best Budget Trainer for V20?

[Winded Lowrider]

Wondering what folks are using for trainers with the V20? I'm still not happy with the way the V20 sits on my 1up trainer. It moves around way too much. I may experiment with a plywood template to keep the feet of the 1up in place and the back wheel of the V20.

I've seen some threads where cruzbikes have been attached to trainers that can swing side to side ( k kinetics). Is that preferred? My # 1 issue is a good solid connection that allows me to really crank up the power without damaging the bike (forks, dropouts).

The wahoo kicker and Tacx Neo look super cool but that does not really fit my budget ( $600 max).

I'd like a smart trainer, but a dumb trainer works fine for what I need ( basic winter fitness maintenance)

Thanks for you input

 

[RojoRacing]

Save up spend a little more money and get a elite direto for $800 and never look back again. For $180 the fluid trainer I get from performance bikes was fine for me and I never worried about it shifting in the mounts. The rear key is keeping the rear wheel in line with the front and if your going to be sprinting or pulling hard on the bars you'll need something to better hold the trainer and rear wheel chock to the floor.

 

[cpml123]

I agree with Jason on elite direto. Watch performance bike's website. I got the elite direto 20% of last November. It worked fine but I ended up returning it after 3 months. It was a pain to put it on and take off the trainer and having to make sure the derailleur doesn't come off, while having to adjust the derailleur cable tension and disc brake alignment every time.

I just ordered an elite roller trainer, and hopefully that works well after I figure it how to balance on that thing.

 

[LarryOz]

Wahoo just put out the KICKR CORE at $300 less than the regular KICKR. I think the only difference is that it does not adjust for different sized wheels. I have had a Wahoo KICKR for 4 years. Love it - and use it at least 5 days each week. Easy to mount the Venedetta on (better if you wax your chain). Look for specials at clevertraining and Performance and you might come closer to your $600

https://www.clevertraining.com/waho...852090407804897499671511822523085929659885368

 

[Winded Lowrider]

Hmmm. Elite direto. Wahoo kicker core both wheel off trainers. Not having to take off the front wheel is a plus for wheel on trainers.

Anyone use wheel on trainer with their vendetta V20. I was eyeing the KK rock and roll smart. Moves with the bike a bit and its smart.

 

[RojoRacing]

Hmmm. Elite direto. Wahoo kicker core both wheel off trainers. Not having to take off the front wheel is a plus for wheel on trainers.

Anyone use wheel on trainer with their vendetta V20. I was eyeing the KK rock and roll smart. Moves with the bike a bit and its smart.

I wasn't a fan of the noise and you still need to remove the wheel for wheel on trainer because you should be using a trainer tire which I would assume is on a spare wheel. Best setup for a cruzbike is wheel off trainer, hot wax dipped chain and a quick link master link on the chain. I just pop off my chain with no mess because wax, drop the bike onto the trainer, tighten the axle and re-thread the chain, again no mess because wax. It's like 2 minutes which ain't all that different then wheel on where you need to hold the boom with one hand and tighten the axle clamp with the other, bring up the contact roller to the correct tension, and oh yeah don't forget to check your tire pressure each ride if you expect semi accurate resistance values.

 

[Winded Lowrider]

OK. I'll put wheel off trainers back in the plus column.

What about drive direction. I keep thinking that the cruzbike is going onto the trainer backwards ( relative to a df bike) so the resistance unit will spin the opposite direction? Does the vendetta mount over the back of the unit forwards or mount backwards at the front of the unit. Language does not serve well here. Anyone got a picture showing your cruzbike mounted on the Direto or tacx neo or wahoo kicker? I'm a bit confused.

 

[RojoRacing]

Trainers have a front and back, bikes have a front and back and the front of one always goes in the same direction front on the other. So the trainer faces forward and the cruzbike rolls up from behind facing the same way and drops on top.

 

[RojoRacing]

pics

http://cruzbike.com/forum/threads/project-quickr.8016/page-2

 

[LarryOz]

This is a really good video comparing the top 10 trainers (wheel-on and off) - plus shows a little of Zwift if you'd like to see it.

I don't think the Wahoo Core was available when this was done.

 

[chicorider]

Before I moved from DF bikes to Cruzbikes, I had a Kurt Kinetics Rock-n-Roll. I still have it and still use it with my Vendetta, going on four years now. No messing with taking wheels off or threading chains. I've never worn out my tire. It's quick and easy to hook up and take apart. It will shift a little when I'm pushing/pulling hard, but I just shift it back by pulling the other way. Mine is seven years old, so it's not a smart trainer ("dumb" trainer?), but I listen to music with a couple thousand song playlist with tunes varying from 80 to 110bpm.

I have a nice Park work stand, but for some jobs I find it easier to mount the bike in the trainer for tune-ups or fit adjustments. It's a nice plus.

 

[Steve Short]

Just remember that on Zwift, you will not get the aero benefit of a Cruzbike. There are no bents in the bike option list. Yet!

 

[Winded Lowrider]

I'm completely ignorant of "Smart Training Apps". My brother in law has a peloton and raves about it. I've got a 1up trainer and a podcast or play list. I sprint on the uptempo tunes.
My needs are modest. In Seattle the cold and rain prevent outdoor rides for most of December and January for me ( i'm a bit of a cold wimp). So I churn along on the trainer for general fitness and I use a speed skating slideboard for intervals. That seems to maintain decent fitness for outdoor rides in February .

I'm thinking if I buy a new trainer it should be "smart". I might like it. How accurate the readings are seems irrelevant as long as they are consistent. I'll be comparing efforts to my past self not to others. Recumbents are clearly at a disadvantage if you are racing others using only power data, but I really no nothing about Swift or similar. Is there a free app I can use? Seems like the KK trainer comes with their own app.

KK rock n roll trainer ( smart): Any advantage over their static model for a Cruzbike? I currently don't rock the vendetta side to side very much in hard efforts.

 

[RojoRacing]

I'm completely ignorant of "Smart Training Apps". My brother in law has a peloton and raves about it. I've got a 1up trainer and a podcast or play list. I sprint on the uptempo tunes.
My needs are modest. In Seattle the cold and rain prevent outdoor rides for most of December and January for me ( i'm a bit of a cold wimp). So I churn along on the trainer for general fitness and I use a speed skating slideboard for intervals. That seems to maintain decent fitness for outdoor rides in February .

I'm thinking if I buy a new trainer it should be "smart". I might like it. How accurate the readings are seems irrelevant as long as they are consistent. I'll be comparing efforts to my past self not to others. Recumbents are clearly at a disadvantage if you are racing others using only power data, but I really no nothing about Swift or similar. Is there a free app I can use? Seems like the KK trainer comes with their own app.

KK rock n roll trainer ( smart): Any advantage over their static model for a Cruzbike? I currently don't rock the vendetta side to side very much in hard efforts.

No disadvantages for a recumbent on zwift unless you count being weaker then other riders a disadvantage. Sure they don't have bents in game but that also means you aren't lugging up a 26 lbs bike up a 9% grade. If anything we have the advantage of equal power to weight values and superior comfort. I'd gave for someone to not try something because they got the impression they were going to be handicapped before they even tried.