Best Cycling Smart Trainers - 10-Way Mega-Test
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- This video contains paid product placement on behalf of Zwift.
Smart trainers allow third-party apps like Zwift, TrainerRoad and The Sufferfest control the resistance to replicate hills, headwinds and draft inside group rides as well as guide you through power-based interval workouts - perfect for those foul weather winter months.
We've tested 10 of the best smart trainers on the market today - including models from Wahoo, Tacx, Elite, CycleOps and Kinetic - on Zwift and against pairs of power meters.
The trainers on test -
Wahoo Kickr Snap
Tacx Vortex
CycleOps Hammer
Tacx Neo Smart
Wahoo Snap
Tacx Flux Smart
Elite Direto
Kinetic Rock and Roll Smart Control
Elite Qubo Digital Smart B+
Elite Arion Digital Smart B+ - กีฬา
sometimes i only watch bikeradar videos because the this presenter is so good at talking :)
Great video. Nice to see some definitive answers to this question rather than to only say it "depends on X". Good tip about the power meter as this really changes how I will approach purchasing one. Thanks!
Fantastic review technique by Ben, well spoken and clear all whilst being honest.
Thanks
The poor fella looked like he had to do a 6 hour ride to test the power accuracy on all these units. Solid effort.
My guess is this is a full working days worth of filming, training, video editing, voice over and then uploading.
Much appreciated, all for free on the youtube. Thanks
Thanks, Ryan. Man - I WISH that was just a full day. More like six weeks!
Ben Delaney That is a flawless effort! Having decided to do the test when you did you covered every single trainer worth your time and this is basically the best video on the whole of youtube regardless of what country anyone will be purchasing the trainer.
This video will stand the test of time too as I doubt manufacturers will be releasing anything updated for at least 2 years on the half decent models.
Huge thanks for the effort you put in and also to the team filming editing and bringing it all together!
Excellent video outlining the differences between all the popular brands' offerings on smart trainers, much appreciated!
That was the most helpful video I saw to decide which one to buy. So many options with price tag also! Thank you very much for it!
Very well done video. One really gets a great overview on what's currently out there. I would however shy away from the tacx flux. It caused me nothing but problems. I had to return it twice and it took forever due to delivery shortages. Now I upgraded to the Neo and I have to say that you cannot compare it to anything else out there.
These all look so much more fun than my rollers! Great review.
Thanks, glad you found it useful!
Awesome video.
So the best option is "smart rollers", they actually teach you skills you need to learn and if you already have a powermeter they are perfect. I spent all my rainy days looking at the shed wall riding rollers on my track bike as a junior to stay in touch of the men when point racing (track). Rollers are the best!! Even if you don't need them as a trainer, use them as a training tool. You learn balance and pedal technique at high cadence, something a "smart trainer can't do. Rollers are so intuitive and fun.
Best comparison video I've seen. Thanks!!
Great to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
Awesome video. Thanks for testing and sharing these awesome trainers. I've been daydreaming of this technology to be available at the consumer level for about ten years now! I just found out about Swift and "smart" trainers yesterday . I still have not decided which one to get but this concise review will help me narrow don the options. Thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Good one, Ben. One note for those with 140mm disc brakes, many of the trainers can have fatal flaws. Ordered the Neo and though it offers a thru axle adaptor, it’s a little sketchy to use and the bike doesn’t fit with a 140mm brake on. The axle adaptor for the trainer rubs the thru axle threads on the frame (it may eventually wear them out rendering the frame kaput) and I need to unbolt the disc caliper from the frame to get it to fit, a pain if you take bike on and off. I’ve pedaled down the block before realizing I need to remount my caliper! Wahoo looks like it has plenty of room for a disc caliper, but the thru axle adaptor still rubs away at the threads of the frame. The Hammer is the best in this regard as I can simply use the actual thru axle that came with the bike and thus no damages to the axle threads in the frame... but does it have enough room to leave the brake caliper on?
As always, thorough, fair, and well-explained. I bought the Tacx Neo Smart. Very smooth ride, but my mechanic and I could not get the rear derailleur not to rub the body of the trainer, even with extra spacers. Ended up returning it and getting the new Wahoo Kickr. Have been very happy with it.
Thanks, Eric. Were you using the Neo with long-cage derailleur?
I'm using a Dura-Ace R9150. I don't think that's considered long-cage, though it looks so when stretched over the 30 on the rear cassette. Thoughts?
I'm using a Dura-Ace R9150. I don't think that's considered long-cage, though it looks so when stretched over the 30 on the rear cassette. Thoughts?
No, it's not long cage. I don't know what was going on. Maybe the bike was a little crooked on the axle? I'm stumped on that. Sorry.
Great video. Very informative! I also agree with the comments regarding the presenter. That guy has a magnificent voice. Should do voice overs for radio and television.
I have been using Elite Rampa and it’s been a good trainer with a modest price. I just renewed the Elite’s iOS app subscription and it was 10.9 EUR per year.
this is a great help for me to motivate in my indoor cycling. great job.
very impressive and accurate review! thanks man
great video - really clear, really helpful!
Great reviews, thanks.
Nice video. I do have one correction with the Wahoo Kickr. If you turn off ERG power smoothing with the Wahoo app the controlled power will report the same as pedals or another power source so you won't get the bar graph look. ERG power smoothing is averaging things out. I have compared with using Garmin pedals and with ERG power smoothing turned off, you couldn't tell the difference in feel or results.
Flux also doesn't work with long cages. So I decided for the Direto, coming with thruaxle parts in the box.
kona6812 love my Direto, 3 mths no issues...I’m using the thruaxle as well on my gravel bike
I ended up choosing the Tacx Neo over the Wahoo Kickr mostly due to noise. The Neo is nearly silent and the bike chain is louder than any noise it produces. Shifting however is pretty loud which I'm guessing is due to the metal hub. The Kickr produces a fairly loud wine which may not sit well with family members or neighbors. Also I liked the idea of 0 calibration, just get on and ride.
Excellent video!!!!
Excellent video.
Thanks!
Nice review...great info! Any recommendations for any of these that either work well or don't work well with a 29" MTB?
Thru axle adapters are necessary for wheel on trainers when spacing is TA142 (or boost 148).
Had a neo for 4mo last winter with a GS derailleur and a 11-32 cassette (v2017 model). It DOES work. But 1 day it didnt wake up and there were no more in country and tech couldnt help in any sensible time. So it i returned the dead trainer and bought a kickr. Not as quiet, no downhill stuff but not knock on wood many happy miles. U10
Would have been useful if he commented on lag responding to terrain changes on Zwift. Some trainers are quicker than others. The Hammer having about a 4 second lag which is really noticeable on the Watopia S's and the escalator in London. It also has issues of power momentarily dropping to zero. I agree with the Hammer power being a little bit lower than a power meter. ERG mode as he said works really well.
Nigel Doyle - So which are the best trainers in your opinion, in terms of least delay in those "S"s?
Is there a speed setting so I can listen to Ben in normal speed?
def for people who wanna learn some skills while cycling indoor
The Anderson Cooper of Cycling Journalism...
Hi Bikeradar!
Is it possible to order that team kit? It looks very nice!!
Thanks!!
Thank you. Not right now, but we'll look into it. In the meantime, you CAN get BikeRadar kit in Zwift.
I have the elite Qubo Ant+ smart trainer. I have a power meter so i'm not worried about the power readings. I wasn't sure if i'd like the indoor training/racing on Zwift so I cheaped out. I regret it because I love riding in Zwift and its a little noisy. I'll wear it out and then upgrade. Great review, I'm leaning towards the kickr when I upgrade.
Agreed. It will only get louder though, so I hope you can get the kickr or equivalent, sooner rather than later!
You should have been impressed, rather than disappointed, that the NEO's power numbers were approximately 10W less than your crank-based Pioneer. With a trainer, you are measuring power downstream from drivetrain losses. So, assuming your crank-based Pioneer PM is correct, all of the trainers that were at or close to your Pioneer were inflating power.
i need one of these because of COVID19 i want to train and exercise at home
I wanna get a direct drive bike trainer. I am not a professional rider so I don't need all the measurement instruments, but I like the idea of the resistance changing while using an app like zwift. Any thoughts?
Is it possible to use the Elite Arion Digital rollers with Vector 3 pedals? Use the pedals for power readings/input, then have the resistance sent to the Arion rollers? I'd think this would give more accurate power, but I'm not sure if you are able to do it.
These prices seem so stupid in 2020, we’ve come a long way in such a short time
Who makes that TV stand on wheels???? great idea
Do you have to use a road bike? I hate paved roads so I don’t have one. I like gravel and mountain. The gravel bike, a Salsa Cuthroat, has a single chainring. Will the apps work for it?
I liked this video, I've got to do something similar for my channel
Hi, do you know if the Tacx Neo is compatible with an eTap derailleur using a CeramicSpeed Oversized Pulley Wheel System?
So which one should you get? well, here's a shorter version of everything I just said about all of them...
Nice review BR! Are there any fitment issues with any of the direct drive units? I’ve heard some complaints about the Kickr needing some tuning to have the cassette alignment dialled in so that shifting is accurate
Thanks! Sometimes you do have to tune your derailleur. Depends on your bike's cassette alignment, and how similar or dissimilar that is with where the cassette sits on the Kickr. I didn't have to mess with it, using older Tarmac and Foil bikes and a newer Allied.
does the max wattage output make a difference when using zwift . I have seen 400 watts on some rides if the max is 200 watts like the kick2 snap . Can you explain how the watts work and why watts is important when racing in zwift And what watts should you get ?
Hi Ben, thanks for this great review. I need some advice. I am tossing between a Kickr or Kickr Snap. I do not have a power meter but I am thinking instead of buying the Kickr, I should maybe get the Snap and Powetap P1's or Vector 3's. What would you recommend?
I would recommend you save a bit on the smart trainer and invest in a power meter for sure. I'd go for the Vector 3s over the P1s.
Ben Delaney thank you very much. Which Trainer would you then recommend in that regard?
Hello maybe you can help me i look for a smarttrainer for zwifting which one you would take tacx genius smart or wahoo kickr snap ? Thank you
I just had Zwift confirm that the Elite Qubo Digital Interactive is NOT supported in Zwift. Did you guys get it to work in Zwift? if so, I'm dying to know how.
If you're using you're own powermeter and having Zwift match it with the trainer, do you still need to do the calibration?
For the prospective buyer looking at the small budget end of trainer choices, I wish to inform of my experience with Elite's Qubo Smart B+ (El'cheapo) trainer's reliance on the rider's weight for rear wheel contact with the trainer. El'cheapo does not play well in Zwift's simulation environment. When the rider needs to put in an 'out of saddle' effort, say, a sprint, or when 'pushing' steep inclines, the rear wheel looses grip easily at the slightest change in weight distribution. Thus, not a great experience when racing, 'all-outs for best time efforts' or some workouts. Even the Elite indoor tyre (tire) does not help. It's a good trainer to putt-putt around like touring or a gran fondo? Also, already reported as the loudest, only gets worse over time! Buyer beware, you get what you pay for. Like I said already, my experience only! Very good call in this BR vlog to the suggest the Tacx.
I second this. I just got a Qubo Interactive and it is not terribly stable, but then I'm not using Zwift...I'm trying everything out but leaning toward Rouvy. I prefer Grand FOndos and climbs. If I want to get nuts, I go out on the road with the club. Another thing I noticed withthe Qubo is the whole bike pivots in the stand enough that the tire can move a good 2 inches side to side on the roller. I double checked the skewer and clamp tightness and they are all in spec. Just something to consider if you hammer on these things
Gravat. Try it.
Thanks for the vid, you say you can calibrate the Kickr Snap in Zwift? How does one do that please?
Sure. Go to the pairing menu. Connect your Snap as the Power Source. Then underneath the Power Source icon you should see an orange 'Unpair' button and next to it an orange wrench icon. Click that wrench icon and it will lead you to a spindown calibration. I can't post a screenshot here, unfortunately, but email me at ben@bikeradar.com and I can send you one if that helps.
@BikeRadar I checked with Tacx support and they confirmed the NEO will fit with Long cage derailleur. It is just the FLUX that won't fit with Long cage derailleur.
Thanks for that!
Neo power readings actually should be lower than power meters if it measures power correctly (2-4% drive train loss).
Do any fit a Brompton?
Anyone have any experience with the Elite Qubo B+ trainer?
What bottle cage is that?
Give me your thoughts on Rollers versus Trainers? Preference?
Hello, ,Do you think SmartTrainers are a good option for Weight Loss? If you could only have one, would you purchase a Direct DriveTrainer, a Bikeerg or a quality Spin bike.Thank you ..Interested in everyone's opinion.
What about the Drivo?
No BKOOL? I love how now Zwift is getting more and more popular...the price is going up!
a Smart Trainer is; A piece of kit to stop you losing your damn mind ... SOLD!!
Another problem of "wheel-on" trainers that you neglected to mention: Every winter when you ride in the basement on your trainer, you burn through a complete rear tire. So when Spring comes around, you're dropping $90 - $180 for a new pair of tires for your bike. Don't forget that.
Ugh. Wish this stuff wasn't so damn expensive.
Not more expensive than medical bills?
@@sonerogarcia True BUT it is possible to have both expenses. Just because you are physically active doesn't mean you are immune to disease.
@@ShiftingCloudsYT he means getting hit by a car
Nick Williams lol well an indoor trainer will def prevent that. I just actually invested in some cycling armor for that reason. Winter is coming here in PA. Gotta field test equipment beforehand to be certain it will stand up to distracted drivers worldwide
@@ShiftingCloudsYT from someone who got hit by a car last month and hasnt been physically able to ride yet, good luck
You need to account for the drivetrain loss with the Neo vs a crank/pedal power meter.
What is vexing to me there is this: The Neo and the Hammer read lower than crank/pedal/spider meters. But the Kickr (and PowerTap's hub-based meter) read similarly as meters 'higher up' the drivetrain chain.
Something about the Elite Qubo video tells me that your tire pressure would be causing power issues. Typically I've seen 90 percent of trainers require pressure at (or around) 100 psi and the amount of "give" in your tire bouncing on the roller would seem to suggest it was well below 100 psi. I do not own the Qubo, or have ridden it. Just going by what I know about typical trainer specs etc. etc. etc. If I'm missing something let me know! Just was curious from what I saw. Also, great review of all, currently tried the Direto from our Elite rep for 2 weeks and only have amazing things to say. Totally changed my Zwift experience. So on those God-awful days of sleet and 7 degree F weather outside I can actually get a good workout in... Definitely going to purchase one.
Well spotted, but bear in mind Ben's testing was finished long before setting foot in the studio. We try to get visual details correct to avoid misunderstandings, but what you're seeing on camera is just for the camera. We'd need to check with him as to what pressure he ran, but he certainly would have controlled it very carefully for the testing itself.
Less wheel slippage on the Qubo (reviewed) with lower the psi. Just my actual experience using various brands of tyres (and bikes), including Elite's indoor tyre (tire). Innertubes burst with high psi. PS. IMO not a great idea to use only rider weight to create required friction point btwn wheel and machine! Glad you liked the Direto. Thank goodness that Elite are capable getting something right; slap!
I just got the Qubo Interactive and I can say it does slip slightly on the roller at 110psi (Schwalbe Ultremo ZX tire) with hard efforts or extreme climbs. Not a lot...just a "squeek squeek" with the pedal strokes. Haven't tried lowering pressure. The Qubo does not inspire confidence with out of the saddle efforts due to its design.
what caused those 0 drops on power at 8:14 ?
Is the flux s worth it? Please someone tell me.
which one is the cheapest?
Is that a roubaix?
How can you possibly accept power readings that are two watts off?? Outrageous!!! I'm never going to win the TDF next year without knowing my exact wattage.
who needs to win the TDF??? I just wanna stay fit on my bike so I don't have to start from scratch each summer.
Chris jT sarcasm mate
Most of these trainers are more expensive than my bike😭
Fran Maric ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh so sad to hear
Don't have to worry so much about them getting stolen though.
are the direto and kickr snap really as quiet as the tacx neo? i find that hard to believe. I've ridden the tacx neo smart and it was silent. the only noise was the chain.
Almost as quiet. I recorded the Tacx at 70dB at 200w/80rpm and 80dB max. I recorded the Direto at 71/80 and Snap at 70/81. The Neo is overall the quietest for sure.
That is fine recommendation,but i am interessed what turbo is best for 95 kg rider on supersix evo frame 60 cm with very thin rear triangle,i am affraid to put it on any turbo,sont have money for spare bike,it is winter bike or turbo
You should ask Cannondale or your Cannondale retailer if they have any weight restrictions. Otherwise I think you'd be good with any of these. I'm 85kg.
Tacx Neo with its road feel or a 2017 kickr with kickr climb? It would work out around the same price.
Man, that's tough.... I'll try to get a Climb in for test!
For the same price, the Neo. It's by far the most quiet direct drive trainer and, in addition to the 'road feel' feature, it can spin the flywheel for downhill simulation.
Legal
How to use them on ZWIFT if they don't even go up to 400W? For example I see you at more than that some time.
That's the resistance level of the trainer, not the power level of the rider.
What about using smart trainers with carbon frames? Some manufacturers like bmc do not recommend to ride on smart trainers on carbon fibre frames because of you you can damage dropouts while sprints
I already got too much stuff hanging around. I might add some more junk later.
Why no Cyclops Magnus?
i was wondering that my self
And no Elite Drivo😙
I can still ride a tacx flux without any computer at all, no smart whatever, just ride and listen to music, right ???
The name of the app in the screen?
Antonio Figueroa zwift
What bike is that?
An older Tarmac frame. It was a demo bike - but I hit a deer with it coming down a mountain and Specialized had no more use for a broken frame. So I had my friend Brady Kappius of Broken Carbon repair the seatstays.
Elite smart trainers have better prices.
Really good comparison particularly regarding the commercial vs residential grade, but it's obvious there is considerable bias here due to the fact that the OP cannot sell Peleton bikes.
1) It's interesting that one key feature missing from this comparison is the fact that Peletons are SILENT in comparison to the Schwinn which is a huge selling point (due to their choice of belts).
2) The levers used to adjust the Peleton are considerably easier to use compared to those found on the Schwinn.
3) While you can rest a tablet on the Schwinn three things to take into account is the size of the tablets, whether the tablet is always on hand, and as the stability of the tablet under load (spoiler the Peleton is better here).
Overall I'd still agree that the Schwinn is a superior authentic stationary bike, but certain customers will find the ease of adjustment, integrated tablet, and quietness outweigh the warranty of the Schwinn bike and would likely enjoy the Peleton more particularly due to the fact that many riders may only be on the bike 45mins/4 times a week.
Next time challenge yourself to see the reasoning in both products and let users choose vs. posting videos clearly aimed at discouraging users to buy products you can't sell.
This video presents smart trainers. The "Peleton" (I thought it was a typo and then I saw you mistyped it a second time) is not a trainer, so your rant doesn't make any sense.
any chance of giving numbers % +/- on the qubo
Sure. On average, the Qubo was off a little more than 4% compared to the meters' average. So that's not bad. What IS bad is how much the Qubo varied across different efforts, especially when accelerating or decelerating when it would be off by 50-100w. For steady state stuff, it's not bad.
thanks for the reply ben, good to know its not too bad on steady state efforts bad to know my feeble sprints are even worse than i thought.
No - other way around! The Qubo is likely not catching the top end of your sprints. Check out the last power graph in my review on bikeradar. The boldface is the Qubo, and the two faint lines are power meters:
www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/accessories/resistance-trainer/product/elite-qubo-wireless-digital-trainer-46619/
Made 1700 on my trainer ,fixed. Where is my prize?
This guy remind me of Howard Hamin
Anyone know this guy is?
Good content, but please fire or retrain your video editor; background music is exceedingly annoying with loud spikes and overall makes it much hard to hear the speaker.
John Krasinski's voice ?
No Magnus :'(
And the magnus is really good. Especially with recent firmware updates, it now sends cadence(along with power) on a single bluetooth channel, and is more accurate. It gets panne din some reviews for having hte smaller flywheel, but that lowers the lag he talks about. I don't agree that any wheel on trainer is similar to riding outdoors, but for pure physical training and the magnus is quite good, and that lowered lag is helpful in Zwift racing, in an honest way...lowered lag is allowed. If you add your own power meter, then zero lag, and even greater accuracy.
lmfao @ 9:22.... that is the funniest BS I’ve heard all day, Ben obviously have hearing problems because it is definitely NOT quiet, in fact I’d say it’s prob the loudest of the bunch tested in this video....
Glad to make you laugh, Michael. :-) Seriously though, I may have overstated that, as the Kickr certainly does have a whine to it. But I did measure all the trainers with a little dB app at 200w/80rpm and at max effort, and the Kickr was among the quietest.
A
Ich kotz grad voll ab, jede dritte Fahrt muss ich abbrechen weil der scheiss kickr core ständig den ERG modus verliert und sich neu verbinden muss. Wenn er funktionieren würde wäre ja schön aber da war der alte Tacx Flow ohne smart doch irgendwie besser.
Ich will den grad irgendwie zurück schicken aber dann bekomm ich warscheinlich erst nen neuen wenn der Winter rum ist..... echt voll zum kotzen.
5:04
Check Lama's video of Tacx Neo vs Powertap. Either you or Shane have a power meter that isn't calibrated properly as Shane's Neo tracks the Powetaps very closely! th-cam.com/video/61_LLSpdUYg/w-d-xo.html
I tested the Neo against pairs of meters (Pioneer/Vector 3, Shimano/Vector 3, Stages/Vector 3). In each case the Neo followed very closely, but always 4-8w lower. Similar deal with the Hammer. Tacx and others chalk this up to drivetrain efficiency losses.
Here is some more detail on my experience, with comparative charts. www.bikeradar.com/us/road/gear/category/accessories/resistance-trainer/product/tacx-neo-smart-50058/
Drivetrain loses would be precisely correct. If Neo tracked identically to those other power meters, then something would be off. Since it didn't (and was consistently 4-8w lower), it means it's basically perfect.
I paused the video to point out that the 4-8w lower is exactly what the neo should show given drivetrain loss but seems thats been pointed out
Hey Ray! What I'm stumped on is this: Neo and Hammer read slightly lower than pedal/crank/spider meters, but Kickr and a PowerTap wheel - at the same downstream place in the drivetrain - read similarly to those meters. Any insight there?
is he payed by Zwift?
is there a smart trainer that is not 100% dependent on an ios or android app.. most of these are paid subscriptions, so your 1200 trainer is useless without paying the monthly extortion fee, the major brands give you gimped native apps, forcing you to the subscription apps... its a scam imo
Hi, with the elite you get PC software (not sure for the latest models, you need to check that). The iOs, android app are paid subscriptions. I have an Elite Real Turbo Muin. I use the PC software, you have the possibility to do a power test, based on that you can have the software create you 4 weeks of training (form, flat or climbing). I have been using it now for 3 years and I have been able to improve my capabilities.
I own a TACX Bushido and you don't have to pay to use their Android and IOS apps. Plus, they have a Windows software you can pay for that has some really awesome features.The ability to ride anywhere with Google Maps.
Check out Bigringvr and Golden Cheetah. Avoid the Kinetic trainers, they connect with Kinetic apps only, iirc.
The entire point of a smart trainer is the ability to have video game like similutation and a multitude of training options. With Tacx app you can control the trainer, but that's pretty boring.
Late reply, but I believe that with the Bkool trainer you get a free year of service tho their app
socks with cycling shoes should be banned lol
Ugh. I don't want to see this stuff on BikeRadar. Post it on GymRadar or IndoorFitnessEnthusiastRadar.
How about some videos on Studded Tires or Fat Bikes or winter cycling footwear? You know, for real cycling.
Join the Zwift Sucks club on Strava. The best Zwift Sucks club on Strava. No Zwift or trainer rides or goofy Zwift 'ride' photos are allowed in our activity feed. www.strava.com/clubs/192032
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