Fan controlled by Zwift

The Archives Archived: Feature Requests
1

I would like to simulate the wind during an outside bike ride by allowing zwift to control the speed of air flow from a fan to match the current bike speed.

Of course, this would also require a special fan.

2

another spending spreee…

 

3

The heck with wind simulation. What about snow and rain?

1 Like
4

I’m sensing sarcasm (not what I was expecting).  I have a Tacx Neo trainer that has road feel which I think is great.  I have a remote fan that I control while riding with Zwift, but on a real ride, there is something exhilarating about 40+ mph wind in my face as I’m going down after a long hard ride up a steep grade.  Anyway, apparently, I might be unique.

There is really no need for further sarcasm (that is unless somehow it makes you feel better).

2 Likes
5

I can’t see Zwift being the slightest interested in this. More things to go wrong.

6

David,

Realistically you’re probably sensing this unlikely to happen via Zwift… you’re going to get the down-vote from the community who probably want them to focus on other things.  

As an aside, and extension of your follow-up comment, I don’t think people really know how cool Zwift can be, particularly if you can improve as much of the immersive element as possible, including environmentals.  Best case we’d all own a Holodeck right? -  but tech isn’t there yet.  VR headsets will be the next big thing but for now, some of what is possible includes:

Visual : Big 4K screen and a good graphics card

Feel : Tacx Neo road feel

Motion (L-R):  Rocking platform (e.g. Co-Plate) or home-brew version on Zwift Blog

Motion (Up-Down): Wahoo Climb - currently incompatible with Neo or Co-Plate?

Sound : surround-sound not supported AFAIK but 360 degree speakers ?

Lighting : ideally room should get dark when Zwift is night time.

Precipitation :  Ok I draw the line here.  ;-)

Wind :  here we are…

The easiest thing would be to jury rig it yourself:

Simplest is you get one fan with variable output speeds - and a remote - which you could strap that to your handlebar/stem. Turn it up, turn it down.

or get a one or more basic fans and have them remote controlled for on-off using a smart power-outlet device.  You could even set them to different fan speeds like 1st fan: low,  2nd fan: medium, 3rd fan: gale force

There are a variety of products that allow you to turn devices on/on remotely

e.g. iDevices Switch  - you can even get a 3-pack

https://store.idevicesinc.com/idevices-innovation-pack/

Belkin also makes a remote control power bar, although it is not a smart device…

if you are already using Zwift Mobile Link on a phone on your handlebars (say using the awesome Quad Lock mount) then you are half-way there to controlling the fans via iDevices…  

You can flick up the iPhone control panel, hit the Home button, hit the Fan button. Takes 2 seconds. Or yell “Siri, turn on the Hurricane”  or something - name your fan “Hurricane” heh.

If you wanted to get really savvy, you would develop some sort fan-bridge device:  

Input side: you need the speed variable, so you could:

  • rig up a speed sensor on the Neo flywheel (metal part) and your chain/seatstay

  • this could just be electrical, or could be something that sends an ANT+ or BT signal to the fan-bridge device.

(just thinking… this should work even coasting on a downhill… a plugged in Neo keeps the flywheel spinning iirc.  I’ve never looked back at the cassette area while doing that)

  • Alternatively Zwift won’t likely *send* any data, but if you use Zwift Mobile Link, then it must be communicating the speed from your BT sensors, to your Mac/PC and perhaps you could jack into that somehow (tail logs, watch traffic, decipher)

Output side: you need some way to control the fan speed

so either you need a smart fan, and send it the appropriate controls

or you need to do something electrical to control the fan’s speed

 

7

My mistake,  ZML probably isn’t sending Speed… it would send Power, and Zwift would calculate your speed given the terrain etc.

So that method probably isn’t an option.  Back to the speed sensor maybe… 

8

I think controlling the fan would be a feature I would disable should it be implemented.  The job of a fan is to keep me cool and I want it on full blast all the time.  Secondly I don’t want to buy another fan to get this feature.

Zwift could though implement a wind into their game.

Lets say there is a long straight road which when you ride it at 250 watts you average 25 miles an hour.  If they were to introduce an island wind then the speed you travel down the road when you drop 250 watts could be affected by the winds directory.  For example, if it were a tail wind you would travel at 27 mph, whereas into a head wind you would only travel 23 mph.

 

9

Something like this? https://www.instructables.com/id/Internet-Connected-Fan-for-Use-With-Zwift/ You can build it yourself and it can adjust the wind based on speed, power or heart rate.

 

10

Yes, exactly that.  Thank you!