Sorry Newb Needs help

General Discussion
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Hi, People quick run down.

I had been riding on a stationary bike using IFIT for over a year the goal was to get down to 90kg.

I hit my goal yes its been ok, but about 8months ago I got bored with it and stopped now I have put on 10kg through inactivity i enjoy riding but getting out with small kids and a wife that works shift work is hard.

I was having a chat to mate who does a lot of road cycling and he said that I should have a look at zwift and said that I would enjoy it more then Ifit so after a lot of research and reading and watching Youtube, this is where I am at unfortunately he is in the AirForce and away for six months so I am a bit stuck and would like to get moving.

I like the idea of a kickr core,keep it all static and setup but I guess then its a bike if I buy a Kickr can I get away with a cheap second-hand road bike just for the Kickr, then buy a road bike so I can get out when I can (I have a mountain bike atm).

Am I better off spending more money on the smart trainer to start with and upgrade the bike if needed?

Any Thoughts are appreciated :slight_smile:

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The Kickr Core is a decent trainer and will give you everything you need to get going. Yes, you will need a bike to put on the Kickr, and this can either be a cheap dedicated bike (road, gravel, MTB, anything you like, as long as it’s compatible), or you can just have a single bike (like I do) and take it off the trainer, put the wheel back on, and get on the road when it is good. I prefer the option of a single bike, as I can invest the money I would have done on a cheap trainer bike into a better road bike, but others may have a different view. I also like the fact that I have the same setup, size, gears, saddle, etc between my training and real life riding.

Once you have the Kickr and the bike, consider the platform you are running Zwift on (iOS, Apple TV, PC, Mac, Android) and ensure you get the right accessories to ensure you can connect up (ie: bluetooth or Ant+ heart rate monitor, if you want that)

I started Zwift using a cheap wheel on trainer, and became so addicted I hav enow bought a proper direct drive smart trainer, and dedicate a part of my study as a permanent Zwift setup. Try it… you won’t regret it. There is so much on Zwift to keep you motivated; group rides, races, workouts, private meet-ups.

Obviously, you don’t need to go straight to a direct drive trainer. There are lots of wheel on style trainers out there which are much cheaper and still give you the thrill of riding. If you go for this option, ensure you get a dedicated trainer tyre.

Just read the forums here (lots of noobs / newbs have asked simialr questions), and read sites like DCRainmaker and ZwiftInsider, watch trainer reviews on YouTube etc.

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From experience i would say that investing in a direct drive trainer when you have small kids is essential. Wheel on trainers tend to create lots of noise, so if you are training when they are napping or sleeping overnight you want something as quiet as possible.

A cheap 2nd hand bike that lives on the trainer is a great option but be sure to get one that needs as little work on the drivetrain as possible (reduces potential to spend more money).

If there is a chance that your wife would be interested in taking up Zwift too then take a look at dedicated smart bikes. These offer great value when there are multiple users as you have everything in a single unit that can be adjusted per rider (rather than having multiple bikes to swap around on to a trainer unit).

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I agree with Martyn,i have a tacx genius wheel on trainer and are really tired of the noise after 1,5 year of riding it, would really reccomend a direct driven trainer if your budget allows it!

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Thanks guys,

Would love a dedicated bike but sadly in Australia we only seem to the the Atom at 3.5k even those coming soon seem to start at that price would be a stretch or maybe even a divorce.

So yes I think I will look around for a cheap decent Road bike spend the $$ on the Smart Trainer.

Thanks

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