After training with TR for the first part of the year which has made a much stronger cyclist I am keen to do more inside workouts, and looking to upgrade to a Direct Drive turbo.
Currently have a Turbo which I use but communicate the power through Garmin V3 pedals to ensure I get the same readings inside and out, TR communicates with the turbo and increases the resistance in line with the programme (I believe this is what is called ERG mode?!?).
Does anyone know with the Elite Turbo Muin Smart B+ offers this option as cant seem to find out?
Thanks Chad, back to research then to find a Direct Drive Turbo offering ERG mode so can continue with the same power meter recording for both inside and outside.
Keep up the good work as love the product and podcast
Sorry not that Chad, appreciate your help. (hope didn’t offend!)
Currently working on a Elite Qubo and looking to upgrade for a better feeling / lower noise / avoid heat flats etc. as always money tight but was looking at around ÂŁ500 mark which I think what I am looking for makes it impossible so may as well stick to what I have.
No offense taken. It’s flattering really. I just try to make sure people know who I am and that they aren’t talking to the TR coach.
For that price, you will likely have to find a sale on something like the Elite Direto (2) or Tacx Flux S. Those are close to that price, but a bit above. There seem to be good and bad experiences with both, so I recommend some good research before buying (really true for any trainer purchase).
But the mid-level trainers seem to be a mixed bag. I generally recommend saving a bit more to get one of the higher level trainers, as they sidestep some of the limits in the lower ones and tend to give a better experience.
Worth checking Halfords, if you’re UK or Ireland, and can get the 10% discount with BCF or AXA.
I got a hammer around this time last year that was a better price than I could find elsewhere, before discount. fwiw, at the time TrainerRoad people recommended the Hammer (original) over the Direto, but it might have been an earlier model Direto.
The hammer is good, but noisy, which isn’t an issue for me, but probably limited availability as they were clearing stock last year. But I definitely recommend going smart, as I’m back on non-smart portable rollers for my weekday workouts (the minora equivalent of the feedback sports omnium) and I really miss erg mode!
I have been looking at this trainer as well. Do you know if this trainer is at least compatible with TR’s software, if I purchase the speed sensor? Can I use this without ERG mode? Thanks a lot for your help.
Do keep in mind that the power data is HUGELY incorrect and should not be compared to any other data source. It is the worst kind of virtual power, but it is consistent enough to be used for your own training.
If you are willing to go wheel-on, I think the Kinetic Road Machine Smart 2 is a good option. It is their awesome fluid trainer with the InRide pod that is a decent virtual power option. That said, the regular Road Machine with a speed sensor paired to TrainerRoad is also good.
The RMS2 just gains the option of adding calibration via the Kinetic Fit app to improve results. Even with that, keep in mind that it’s Virtual Power and still should not be compared to outer data. But I have seen examples where the RMS2 data is reasonably close to other power meters.
If you are in the EU area, there could be other good options, but I am less familiar with the ones from Tacx and Elite in particular.
That’s great, i’ll look into these. I don’t necessarily need a wheel-off machine, I have just heard that these are significantly quieter as I’ll be doing majority of my training early in the morning before the family is awake.
I bought an Elite Volano, the smaller brother of the Muon. So far, it has been excellent. it is relatively quiet and I can use it to warm up before races. These and Elite’s other direct drive fluid trainers are currently on sale, and I highly recommend them.
I noticed that as well. I am from Canada and saw some great deals on the Elite’s. I just wanted to make sure that they are able to output power readings with TrainerRoad. @mcneese.chad, what are your thoughts on the noise output of the RMS2 with a slick tire? ERG mode would be a great tool but it of course isn’t a necessity for my first trainer.
Thanks a lot for the personal feedback, it’s nice hearing first hand reviews rather than relying on website “reviews”
I have an original Road Machine (no Inride pod), and I think it is reasonably quiet. There is a “whooshing” sound from the resistance unit in general use. I don’t find it “loud”, but that is dependent on so many factors.
Tire squeak can be more of an issue from what I have seen. Some tires seem to be louder for whatever reason. It probably relates to the casing pliability, and rubber durometer (hardness) and tread pattern. I had good luck with a regular tire like the Specialize Espoir and I know others seem to prefer these “cheaper” road tires over the dedicated “trainer” tires.
The standby recommendation from some people (including myself) is to get a great “dumb” trainer and a power meter vs getting a mid-level smart trainer. The ability to take power outside is great, and the quality of some mid-level trainers is not always the best. I like having the cheaper and more reliable fluid trainer with more accurate power meter. Then consider adding a higher level smart trainer if you want to step up to ERG and wheel-off.
Thanks a lot for all of the information. I think I’ll go with your recommendation. I am extremely out of my element with these machines so this is great help. Much appreciated.