I’m looking to purchase a spinning bike for the home gym - after coming across Zwift, I’d like to find a bike that is compatible with the app, as opposed to buying two pieces of equipment.
My current price range realistically is £400 for the bike.
I’ve seen one advertised which isn’t on the list of supported Indoor Bikes, and I’m sceptical about it being true - it’s by Nero Sports. (Feel the need to add here it does have Bluetooth).
Does anyone have any suggestions / has been through this before? - Preferebly, I’d rather not buy trainers / power adapters for the spinning bike as it will be for family use.
If you’re looking at indoor bikes, please have a look at the list that Zwift officially supports. Although there are many more on the market that will work - it’s important that whatever you buy broadcasts power / speed / pedal cadence data over an open standard of Bluetooth LE or ANT+
Older trainers manufactured prior to 2017 or thereabouts were designed at a time before Zwift and other third party fitness apps forced trainer companies to use open standards. Prior to that, the trainer manufacturers made their own apps, or partnered with specific third party app developers in a closed Bluetooth system that may not work with Zwift.
Verify that the bike you’re after is a more recently-manufactured model
Search this forum for past discussions about the model you’re researching. There are plenty that the manufacturer says will work, but fall short of our community’s expectations.
One would presume that if this bike did not work with the app, such marketing could be misleading - so hopefully I won’t have any issues getting Zwift working with the Bluetooth capabilities of this bike.
People are saying it doesn’t accomodate people that are 1.75 m or taller. It’s also super heavy. Lots of other complaints. Not sure I would trust the photos including zwift in them as proof it works with zwift.
This Forum really needs a sticky on non-smart trainers…
This is my view:
My reply on the same question on DCRainmaker(dot)com…:
Cheapest:
Fluid trainer such as a Saris Fluid2 or Kurt Kinetic Fluid and a speed sensor. Depending on where you are these are found used for ~$150. Get fluid…do not mess around with magnetic. Other option is to check Zwift for compatible trainers. Somewhere on their website. Compatible means they have a Speed vs resistance curve for the trainer and Fluid trainers are reasonably repeatable.
Next Best:
A much experience can be had with a wheel on SMART trainer such as Wahoo Kickr Snap or Saris M1/M2. Search around and you should be able find one used unless you are in the woods. Wheel on means it will work with just about any bike. If you have a road bike get a trainer wheel…$30 on Amazon or wherever. If a mountain/hybrid, get a slick with a solid casing and not a glue on tread. The glue will melt from the heat. Elite and TACX have their versions and are probably more available in Europe.
Much better:
Direct drive but if you have less than 7-8 speeds, might not be possible. Or at the least, difficult/PITA.
Money to burn:
Get a bike: Wahoo Kickr, Tacx, Watt bike (although some issues with Watt bike per Zwift forums) and Stages. DO NOT GET A REGULAR SPIN BIKE WHERE YOU MANUALLY CONTROL RESISTANCE…SCHWINN IC4/8, PELOTON, ETC. It will become an exercise in frustration.
If you find something and are not sure…ASK before purchasing. Just because the device claims Zwift compatibility does not necessarily mean it is so…SCHWINN…Here or on Zwift forums people will readily help you out.
Good luck…it can be addictive…it got me to climb the Zwift Alp and I have weight, age, and inability to breathe working against me.
Im driving myself mad here trying to come up with a solution that obviously doesn’t exist for the money.
Defo think the smart trainer and get a bike is prob the best way to go, just looks ugly in the house so trying to find a nice looking spin bike and trying to get it on Zwift.
Spin bike will work with a power meter…most likely pedal power meter, but at that cost you will have a better Zwift experience with a smart trainer/bike. If you plan to do spin classes or similar it becomes a wash. Note the one review I saw for this Nero bike is not good. on excercise bike review…
I installed a stages left crank arm on my Wife’s spinning bike. It is no as interactive as my H3 but she loves it and it is easy to adjust for my daughter.
Awesome answer, Do you feel as though a person can lose weight ZSwifting with a Saris or Kurt Road Machine or any trainer fro that matter…I know about diet, but far as excersise, if you could on have have one piece of large equipment, is it a good way to go?
If I could only have one piece of equipment it would be a 25 meter, or larger, swimming pool. I can induce cardiac arrest in 20 minutes in a pool.
I have never cross-country skied…supposedly that is the highest calorie burner.
Cycling is great but do a few dumbbells every now and then…especially if you get up to 2+ hour rides.
Best exercise is “The Pushaway”…from the dinner table.
Unless you are exercising hard 2+ hrs/day…caloric intake will be the biggest factor in losing weight. For example…I did an hour and a half ride with 850 meters of climbing the other night…burned 900 calories (estimated) and hurt like hell (I am older and bigger)…punting on a large piece of cake and a couple scoops of ice cream saves 700 calories and only costs a minute or two of mental anguish…So one can do both and only come out -200 calories (3500 cal/lb) which can get lost in the shuffle.
I have a Nero Sport. It works OK with Zwift using Bluetooth. The problem is that resistance is low and can’t be increased. Power output is determined by cadence only and I cant get my legs to spin fast enough to get more than 160watts. So its fine for gentle to moderate rides. You can increase resistance with a friction pad but this doesn’t increase power output.
Got this bike, it works with zwift, it works with my spin class, for the money it is a great bit of kit. 3 months in and I am already looking for an upgrade as use it almost daily, but to get you moving it does what it says, kinda a no frills.
lets do this