Smart trainers and the V20

[Phantomrider]

Thinking of buying myself a smart trainer so I can play In This world. Curious what the recommendations would be and if there are any issues with a V and disc brakes on the trainers. My intent is to use it as a weather friendly device and only set it up when needed, so setup/teardown should be easy and storage not an issue. It will live in the garage. Have been looking at the wahoo kicker core and oh BTW I’ll also use it on my ICE VTX also.

any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[trplay]

Direct drive is my only recommendation. Set up/down is no more than changing a wheel. Wahoo does have a handle I believe which is nice if you are moving it. Trike generally no problems but just like the bike disc brakes on your bike its best to check before you buy. Some have to be removed but not all.

 

[Robert Volk]

Have a Garmin TACX Flux dd trainer, I have 2 remove the front disc caliper to get it to fit, but it’s onlY 2 bolts so no biggie

 

[Mathew Fy]

This recent thread:
https://forum.cruzbike.com/threads/vendetta-indoor-trainer-recommendation.13671/
Some smart trainers apparently allow the brake calipers to remain on.

 

[chicorider]

I know that the wheel-off trainers are all the rage, but I also know myself well enough to know that I don't want to mess with taking my front wheel off every time rain chases me indoors, then putting it back on when the sun returns. If I lived where I knew my V would stay on the trainer for most of winter, then fine. But in Northern California the winter weather ranges enough from day to day that my bike would not stay on the trainer for long. So I recently went with the Wahoo Kicker Snap wheel-on trainer. It's well built, easy to use, folds up, and seems to have good road feel with Zwift. For me, the convenience of keeping the wheel on is worth a slightly less authentic virtual (hmmm...) experience.

 

[NeaL]

Anyone have experience comparing Wahoo Snap (wheel stays on) with Wahoo Kickr?

I'm doing my "pain cave" one piece at a time and hope to have one dedicated indoor training frame.

Right now I have a complete Sofrider but never ride it. Eventually I want to replace it with a V20.

For control and display, just an iPod Touch.

My plan is to put the front end and trainer on something like a big turntable or lazy susan.

LBS has a couple Wahoo Snaps in stock, for $500. He said the new Kickr is about $1,200. Is it really worth it for the Kickr over the Snap? I'd rather just buy one and be done with it, rather than buy one now and upgrade later.

 

[trplay]

It all depends on your intended use. The direct drive is regarded as better for a lot of reasons easily researched. The Kickr Core is a less expensive yet good direct drive trainer than the Kickr.

 

[Robert Holler]

Trainers where the wheel stays on the bike are not compatible with our front ends. Possibly some could be rigged up to work, but I haven't seen one. Direct drives are the only ones that work near universally.

 

[benphyr]

My conversion kit and qx100 both worked fine on a cheap magnetic Minoura but it really is not a premium product. And they both work great on my stacZero trainer (but they were bought out by 4iiii and it is now called fliiiight and has undergone some changes since my model). So it can be done but it may be worth checking fit before buying.

 

[MrSteve]

Trainers where the wheel stays on the bike are not compatible with our front ends. Possibly some could be rigged up to work, but I haven't seen one. Direct drives are the only ones that work near universally.

My ancient 1up USA trainer has been keeping me in shape, mostly on my Sofrider but occasionally it's fitted to my Vendetta ... for years.
The stupid (it's not smart) trainer is easy on tires, accommodates both 26" and 700c wheels and, finally, is stable enough for intermittent 'sprinting'.
Drawbacks?
The 1up USA is no longer made, it does not talk to anything, takes some minimal maintenance, and required a special-length trainer-friendly skewer to fit my Cruzbikes.
Also, Mr. Holler is WRONG!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

 

[LarryOz]

I used to think wheel on trainers were pretty lame. But a friend just got a Wahoo Snap and rode my Vendetta on it. I was very impressed. Very quite and the power was very accurate too. I still think the direct drive are "better" but they are also more expensive. I would say that for minimal to normal use and ease of use for not having to take you drive wheel off the SNAP is a great trainer and a great value for $500. I actually bough my wife one for Christmas to stick her Trike on when she can't ride outside. Plus now I have a backup!

 

[chicorider]

As I mentioned earlier, I would go with wheel-on if I was setting up a dedicated trainer bike, or leaving my outside bike mounted on the trainer for long stretches due to long, predictable stretches of bad weather. But in Northern California, where the winter weather bounces back and forth between glorious and awful, I went with the wheel-on Wahoo Snap. I cannot compare it a wheel-off trainer because I have never used one, but the Snap brings me plenty of pain during an hour on Zwift. I don't feel like I am being somehow shorted on getting a workout.

But what I am really posting for is to add a few pics to show that my S30 mounts up to the Snap just fine. No fit or compatibility problems at all. The V and S40 have the same front end as well. But again, if I was setting up a bike that was going to live on the trainer for long stretches, or permanently, I would have ponied up the extra cash for a wheel-off trainer. As Trplay says above, "It all depends on your intended use. The direct drive is regarded as better for a lot of reasons easily researched." I agree.

 

[benphyr]

@chicorider It looks as though you would be spinning the trainer the opposite direction than with the rear wheel on a rear wheel drive bike. Does it report power regardless of spinning direction or did you have to make any adjustments or calibration changes? My stacZero only works one direction (unless I take it apart and rebuild it for recumbent).

 

[chicorider]

@benphyr I'd never even thought of that! Apparently it reports power in either direction without adjustments or changes. I imagine that would have been frustrating. (This is my first smart trainer, after years of using a dumb trainer, which wouldn't care which direction it spun).

 

[benphyr]

@chicorider Does it report power when you pedal backwards?
That could cause issues in some special use cases such as Zwift team time trials. Probably the calibration sets the direction and anything other than what was set at calibration is considered 0W.

 

[chicorider]

@benphyr I'll have to check that out the next time I ride Zwift (the friendly weather of late has made for excellent mtn. biking, so it has been a while for the trainer). My guess is that it does not report power while back-pedaling. That once the forward direction is established, it would recognize coasting and back-pedaling (if I have understood your question correctly).

 

[DocS]

Hey guys, sorry for being a day late and a dollar short
I'm looking at getting a smart trainer (I think mainly for my Vendetta, but may use it on my S40 on occasion).
Anyone compare the Kickr Core to the Snap?
I've been mainly focused on the Core, but I think the Snap would be a relative "Snap", since I can leave my wheel on...
My Vendetta has Rim Brakes and my S40 has disk.

I prefer to ride outdoors, but don't ride in the rain. It's been cold and rainy quite a bit this Holiday in the San Antonio area (when we were home), so didn't ride much over the last 4 weeks...
I rode yesterday and felt sluggish, weak, etc...

I plan on making the purchase sometime in the next week or so...

Since spring is right around the corner, should I wait and see if prices come down?

Blessings,
Rudy (AKA DocS)

 

[Pollock]

I have a Kickr SNAP that I use with my S40 and have been for a few years now. If you are looking at a trainer, I would look at the Kickr Core or Elite Direto XR right now. Both are going to run around $1000 or so. If it is a dedicated trainer bike, the direct drive makes even more sense as you then have less parts to wear (no tire wear).

I'm fairly lazy with my tire pressure. I'll inflate it about once a month The spin down test for a wheel on like the SNAP is easy to do in Zwift (or Wahoo app). They are usable and easy to set up. Add/removing the bike takes just a few minutes max.

 

[DocS]

I'll have to look at the Elite Directo XR...

Thank you,
Rudy

 

[cpml123]

I'll have to look at the Elite Directo XR...

Thank you,
Rudy

Elite Suito... you don't need to take the disc brake caliper off. I have it with my S40. I want the minimum hassle.