I have just discovered Zwift, and the freeride alone has got me on the bike more than anything I tried before, but right now I’m using a recumbent bike that takes up a lot of space, and doesn’t auto-change resistance.
I’m wondering what are some cost-effective ways to get up and running with the full experience on a conventional-style bike/exercise bike?
I am an absolute unit and doing this to lose weight and improve cardio (I’m 2 meters tall and 130Kg, down from 155Kg), so stability of the equipment is an issue.
Exercise bikes, especially the budget ones, are all pretty bad for Zwift. They can’t measure power properly and resistance control is manual. That said, there are some that will work for riding around and maintaining your health, and options will vary depending on which country you live in. On that type of bike you won’t get the full experience and you won’t know how much power you are producing.
The best option for Zwift will be a direct drive smart trainer with a bicycle on it. Do you own a bicycle already? If so, what is it?
you are right at the upper limits of the Zwift Ride frame with a kickr core. The stated weight limit is 120kg and height is 198cm… it would “probably” work for you. I would suggest you look for maybe a local bike shop that might have one setup to test fit, or maybe a friend has one?
I don’t, but I don’t think it would be hard to grab a second-hand one locally if I could get some advice on what I should be looking at from compatibility with a direct drive smart trainer (a bit shocked that they are so affordable now, £300 is totally within my budget, with money left over for a bike)
The Kickr core 2 is on sale right now. About the cheapest you can get for a new smart trainer. You might be able to find a used smart trainer cheaper or see if someone has one you can use to start.. Also agree with trying to find a used bike to fit you.
Wahoo publishes frame compatibility requirements for the Kickr Core, which would be a good choice of trainer. Most mountain bikes at a reasonable price range used would be 135mm rear axle spacing in quick release format, and should work well for a heavier rider. Consider that a used bike may need service or a new chain when put on a trainer, and you may want to shop for a suitable saddle as well.
If using virtual shifting with a Zwift Cog on a Wahoo trainer, 42 teeth would be the smallest recommended by Wahoo. Most inexpensive or older mountain bikes won’t have a really small chainring but it’s worth checking.
Welcome to Zwift. This is Haziel from Zwift Support. It’s great to hear freeride has already got you riding more! That’s exactly the kind of motivation we love to see.
Since you’re looking to move from a recumbent setup to something more conventional and stable, especially at an affordable price.
Please note that the basic wheel-on trainers are both affordable and compatible with most road bikes. While they do not offer the same level of automatic resistance adjustment as smart trainers, they are still effective for getting started in Zwift with controllable resistance.
For a more stable long-term solution, you might want to explore direct-drive smart trainers. These allow you to remove the rear wheel and attach the bike directly to the trainer, often providing greater stability and comfort during your rides.
To assist you further, I will share an article on Compatible Trainers with Zwift. It’s an excellent resource for comparing different setups, helping you to find a balance of cost, stability, and features that suits your needs.
If you have any additional questions or require further assistance, please feel free to contact us. We’re here to support you!
@Pigeon First, welcome to the great world of Zwift and second, grats on shedding some serious weight from your initial effort.
May I humbly suggest the following.
Keep riding, given the physical realities of your size, it will be hard to find a typical set up that will work for you quickly.
While the Kickr Core is on sale right now, if you have any used sporting good stores nearby, check them out. You may find a used Core v1 (which is all you really need) at a better price.
While at the store, see if they have any flat handle / bar mountain bikes in size XL to fit your height. Don’t worry about how knobby the tires are as with a direct drive trainer, you take the back wheel off. I would also check the pedal size and material against your shoe size and make sure they will be comfortable to use. You definitely want flat, non-clip in pedals right now.
When you get everything set up, be prepared for a big shock. Exercise bikes like you have are notorious for significantly over-reporting power. So, once you switch to a direct drive trainer, your in-game speed is going to drop like a rock from what you are used to. Also, do forget to do a calibration on the new trainer as well. Something you can do to help with the transition is under report your height and weight. Zwift does take those into account in its physics calculations, so telling the game you are 170cm and 90kg will lower the power needed to reach speed X in game. Then as you get used to the effort levels, slowly raise your numbers to match reality.
Again, great to see you enjoying Zwift, so keep having fun and enjoy your rides
I use my road bike, I’ve had it over 15 years now & still does the job perfectly, and I bought a smart trainer off eBay for £270. You could also pick up a decent bike for your needs for a similar price. The only thing I needed to buy was a rear wheel cassette, same size as the bikes, for £30. There are plenty smart trainers out there so it’s just a case of finding one, checking it out on Google or whatever search engine you use, and jumping in.
Mine is a NOZA S, never heard of it before, or since really but it’s powered by Acer, the computer people & it’s never let me down.
