Does this combination work for Zwift

General Discussion
1

Hi All,

I am very new to Zwift and want to use it.

If I buy a normal stationary bike like SOSUDA one (around $350) which is not smarter training bike, then I use [Wahoo RPM Cycling Cadence Sensor, Bluetooth/ANT+ ]. In this case, can I use Zwift ?

thank you all for your reply.

2

Hi @Kevin_Yan

Welcome to the forum.

No, Zwift does not have a power curve for a stationary bike.

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3

You will need a power meter…easiest is to get pedal power meter: Powertap, Garmin, SRM, Assioma…

But you will have to manually adjust the resistance.

The whole point is to get a smart trainer and have Zwift (or other apps) control the resistance of the bike.

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4

Check this out @Kevin_Yan

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5

Hi Kevin,

To get the best experience on Zwift, I recommend you save money on the bike and spend it on a Smart Trainer.

If you buy a cheap, second-hand real bike and pair it with a Smart Trainer (instead of buying cadence, speed or power sensors) you create your own “smart bike” which can give you the full Zwift experience.

By “full Zwift experience”, I mean that the right smart trainer takes data from Zwift and changes resistance automatically to simulate going up and down hill.

For me, that’s a fundamental part of enjoying Zwift. Any old bike can work; it just needs working gears and a way to drive the trainer via a chain or wheel.

Here’s a great resource to check out:

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6

Hi Paul,

thanks for the reply.

I have a normal mountain bike. Does it work with those smart trainers?

7

Should work with wheel on trainers…get a smooth tire.

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8

hi Mike, very detailed article. It explains well. Thanks

9

hi Chris, do I need to buy an HR monitor separately or just use Garmin’s one.

10

If a recent chest strap, it should work. If it is optical built into a watch, make sure it broadcasts. I think, but not sure, early versions did not broadcast.

11

Hi Kevin, “direct drive” trainers transfer power directly from your chain to your trainer so they work with any bike - mountain or road - so long as it has gears and a chain.

“Wheel-on” trainers need a hard, smooth(ish) tyre to transfer the power from your wheel to the trainer. If you can put a road wheel and tyre on your mountain bike, that should work.

I recommend you have a look at the different trainer specs and prices to see what works for you. I found a second-hand smart trainer for ÂŁ110 on Facebook marketplace and paired it with a donated old touring bike with worn out tyres and no brakes.

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