Road Cycling

Guess part of it really depends on your seriousness and fatigue levels! I know when I attempt some local 10's next year I'm maybe going to take a rest day before, but I'll ride the 5-6/6-10 miles out to the start points as I won't be serious enough to structure my weeks riding around them. Realistically I'm talking about skipping commuting/leisure riding to be fresher for TT riding, which doesn't overly interest me, I want to do it all! :)

Tacx Vortex Smart. Anyone got one? Looking for fairly low cost alternatives to buying a KICKR and DCR seems to recommend them...
 
Roady said:
Guess part of it really depends on your seriousness and fatigue levels! I know when I attempt some local 10's next year I'm maybe going to take a rest day before, but I'll ride the 5-6/6-10 miles out to the start points as I won't be serious enough to structure my weeks riding around them. Realistically I'm talking about skipping commuting/leisure riding to be fresher for TT riding, which doesn't overly interest me, I want to do it all! :)

Tacx Vortex Smart. Anyone got one? Looking for fairly low cost alternatives to buying a KICKR and DCR seems to recommend them...
Click to expand...

I bought one last winter, though i've been unable to ride most of this year so not used it in a while. It was solid enough, decent ride feel to it. Hooked up to trainer road i loved the fact it just auto adjusts the resistance. So much better when you're really pushing on brutal intervals not to have to worry about shifting at all. Just get your cadence at 90-100 and keep it there and let the turbo handle the rest.

I would point out though that i paid nothing like what Wiggle are wanting for it there.
 
Roady said:
Tacx Vortex Smart. Anyone got one? Looking for fairly low cost alternatives to buying a KICKR and DCR seems to recommend them...
Click to expand...

Yup ive had one since they first came out. I've never tried more expensive trainers so I can comment on how it compares but I've never had any issues with it.

key points:

- Full support for ant+ and Bluetooth. Works with trainerroad, Zwift and cycling head units such as Garmin 500
- ANT+FEC support. Apps like Zwift can control resistance.
- Quick release for skewer locking and rear wheel tension so once set up its really easy to take bike on and off.
- Resistance levels are fine for me. I'm weak and feeble so never come close to maxing it out.
 
Didn't ride today. Which is weird. I don't know what to do with myself. Although a mate is leaving work, so we've been at the pub since 12 and we've just got back to our desks post lunch (to charge batteries) now off to the pub again.

Going to knock out a trainer ride tomorrow as the weather is crap.
 
Lethal` said:
The Vortex was £250 a few months back :/
Click to expand...
tedmaul said:
I bought one last winter, though i've been unable to ride most of this year so not used it in a while. It was solid enough, decent ride feel to it. Hooked up to trainer road i loved the fact it just auto adjusts the resistance. So much better when you're really pushing on brutal intervals not to have to worry about shifting at all. Just get your cadence at 90-100 and keep it there and let the turbo handle the rest.

I would point out though that i paid nothing like what Wiggle are wanting for it there.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was sure I'd seen them around the £265 price mark not long ago, I like my KK RMII but I want something which changes the resistance on Zwift. I can see me riding it much more with more 'engagement' from it. Depending on what winter throws at us I want some structure, the past 2 winters I've not had or needed any but this winter will be my first with proper fitness/form so I want to build a solid base (especially now I have a garage for it!) :)
 
Roady said:
Yeah I was sure I'd seen them around the £265 price mark not long ago, I like my KK RMII but I want something which changes the resistance on Zwift. I can see me riding it much more with more 'engagement' from it. Depending on what winter throws at us I want some structure, the past 2 winters I've not had or needed any but this winter will be my first with proper fitness/form so I want to build a solid base (especially now I have a garage for it!) :)
Click to expand...

I've never tried it with Zwift, but i'd imagine if it works for TR it would be fine with that too.

Just checked, and i bought mine from Wiggle for £245 last October. No idea why the price has been bumped the way it has!
 
Roady said:
Guess part of it really depends on your seriousness and fatigue levels! I know when I attempt some local 10's next year I'm maybe going to take a rest day before, but I'll ride the 5-6/6-10 miles out to the start points as I won't be serious enough to structure my weeks riding around them. Realistically I'm talking about skipping commuting/leisure riding to be fresher for TT riding, which doesn't overly interest me, I want to do it all! :)
Click to expand...

Had 70m on Sunday with a fair bit of climbing and then a hard/fast 40m on Tuesday, then TT'd yesterday :rolleyes:

A 30 minute effort should be pretty managable with a moderate form/fatigue. Chap that broke the 10m and 25m records recently did them one day after the other if I recall, of course it's a bit different if it's your profession but a threshold effort and blowing up at the end isn't as demanding as you make out :)

Tacx Vortex Smart. Anyone got one? Looking for fairly low cost alternatives to buying a KICKR and DCR seems to recommend them...
Click to expand...

Lethal` said:
The Vortex was £250 a few months back :/
Click to expand...

Posted a bit about mine in the 'Spec me a Zwift Setup' Thread. Got mine in July before the prices went through the roof :o

Training app for slope mode is good and works well with the TR apps.

tedmaul said:
I've never tried it with Zwift, but i'd imagine if it works for TR it would be fine with that too.

Just checked, and i bought mine from Wiggle for £245 last October. No idea why the price has been bumped the way it has!
Click to expand...

Seasonal pricing variation ;) everyone want's a turbo for the winter, up go the prices. It was a bargain at the previous prices so inevitable to see some hike.
 
Can find it a for a little over £300 on bike-discount, but still.... maybe it'll be on sale around Christmas, but I really want one for when it's just too dark on an evening, and miserable, and wet. I don't MIND going out in bad weather, unless it's cold and wet. Then it's just no fun at all.

Like mr Roady I mostly want to use it to get fit/strong over winter.
 
Similar Jono, although I just want to continue form rather than MEGA^GAINZ. Bad weather doesn't bother me too much but when it's utterly stinky outside for a week or more I'd do maybe two 20-25 mile base style rides, with the pain cave & turbo I'd probably do more focused 3 or 4 x 15-20 mile+ sessions with intervals along with fasted morning rides and easy 'base' cadence/spin work while watching catchup TV. With commuting I want to see if I can continue 100+ miles per week through the winter, which would give me an incredible base for next spring! (even if most of it is 'easy miles' I wouldn't lose much form/gain too much weight) :D
BennyC said:
A 30 minute effort should be pretty managable with a moderate form/fatigue. Chap that broke the 10m and 25m records recently did them one day after the other if I recall, of course it's a bit different if it's your profession but a threshold effort and blowing up at the end isn't as demanding as you make out :)<snip>
Seasonal pricing variation ;) everyone want's a turbo for the winter, up go the prices. It was a bargain at the previous prices so inevitable to see some hike.
Click to expand...
Yeah, much of it is probably conditioning, but you know how it is - I bet with a lighter 'training load' before your TT you'd have felt more powerful and at your optimum! ;)

Price 'fixing', although admittedly the Euro exchange rate isn't a huge difference to this time last year I think we're still seeing some 'inflation' due to the pound drop in the summer. Could be stock levels/popularity too - more guys cycling, more demand, little 'devaluation' of a trainer which is ~2 years old as they've not directly replaced it (Bushido is quite a bit more expensive).
tedmaul said:
But then i bought it not far off this time last year. Seems weird they want an extra £100 for it a year later.
Click to expand...

Brexit! :eek::rolleyes:

EDIT: Beaten x3 :D ;)
 
Last edited:
When you nail your indexing first time with 0 adjustment to the barrels you do start to wonder if you're in the afterlife!
 
How do my wheels fill up with so much water!

2 and a bit hours in the rain on Friday. Back wheel has just been slowly draining water all day. Chain was rusted from being sat, it all looked a bit sad!

Split the chain and blasted it clean with degreaser and relubed it. Took the cassette off and did the same to it too.
 
splitting the chain seems excessive tbh - I can always get my groupset super-clean with just degreaser and fairy without taking anything off.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom