I made the mistake of getting a Saris M2 smart trainer about 8 months ago. Just took it out of the box yesterday and started putting it together, ready to get into this.
I have a standard, cheap single-speed bicycle I was planning on using for Zwift. I am not a cyclist, but need to do cardio. Everything about zwift seems like the best fit for me. I want to get a Zwift Ride or similar option later down the road, but want to use the setup I have now to make sure I will stay dedicated to this.
What kind of hinderances can I expect from a singlespeed bicycle? From watching videos, it seems like I will get destroyed on any hills or gradients, as people with gears can pass me by doing less effort. Is that the only difference?
Unfortunately, I don’t think the M2 is compatible with virtual shifting either.
You can adjust the Trainer Difficulty setting down to make climbing easier. It scales the gradients in the game so a lower value will make climbs easier and descents harder, and when there is no gradient to the road it does nothing. You can also change it during a ride.
Although you can’t use virtual shifting with that trainer, you can use the third-party QZ app to adjust resistance via a phone or tablet. Talk to @Roberto_Viola if you want to try that. You’ll probably need his help to get it going.
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Thank you. The trainer difficulty setting sounds nice. Would definitely hate to be in the equivalent of first gear going up a hill without being able to modify settings.
For the QZ app, I will likely talk to Roberto, and will need to look into it a bit. It sounds like a handy app.
send me a private message in case and i will help you!
Thank you, I’ll send one as soon as I figure out how to send one, haha.
Hey Alex, using a single-speed bike on the Saris M2 for Zwift can work fine! The main challenge will be on hills—without gears, you’ll have to push harder on inclines. But Zwift has plenty of flat routes, and it’s great for building strength. Focus on your cadence, and you’ll still get solid cardio. Good luck!