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Are you prepared for turbo training season? Share pictures of your pain cave set-up over on the GCN app.
Today’s smart turbo trainers work by communicating with third-party apps on smartphones, tablets and computers using wireless ANT+ frequencies or Bluetooth. Wheel-on smart trainers function like classic, ‘dumb’ turbo trainers – you clamp the rear axle into a support while your rear wheel rests on a roller drum. This drum is connected to a resistance unit that communicates with your chosen hardware and app to control the resistance you feel through the wheel. At this price, it’s a little disappointing that a cassette isn’t included and, at 21.5kg with no carry handle, it’s not the easiest thing to move about. Overall, however, the Neo 2T is about as good as it gets in terms of performance.
What about smart bikes?
As with other wheel-on smart trainers, the Flow Smart is louder and does report power with less accuracy than direct-drive models. But if you’re on a limited budget, it will still do a respectable job. These apps can also guide you through power-based interval workouts, with the resistance automatically adjusting to keep you in the required training zones (this is known as ERG mode). Before the explosion of the turbo trainer market, rollers were widespread. Now they’re a rare sight in pain caves, but some riders still prefer them, mainly thanks to their simplicity. Setup is also easy, with the unit’s legs simply needing to be bolted on. There’s no cassette included though, so you’ll have to remember to factor that in. Read more: How to protect your bike while turbo training Equipment and accessories for indoor cycling
Turbo trainers are popular among professional and hobby cyclists alike, allowing them to continue their cycling training even in treacherous weather conditions and poor light by turning their road bikes into a stationary indoor bike. Here at Halfords, we’ve got a number of accessories for both Tacx & Elite turbo trainers to make your indoor cycling more comfortable, including bike trainer stands, sweat guards and floor mats. If you want to protect your new wooden floor, or reduce the noise from your turbo trainer - bike trainier mats are a popular turbo trainer accessory. When testing a smart trainer, we consider its price point, how easy it is to set up and what accessories are (or aren’t) included in the box.
Why should you train indoors rather than just ride outside?
The Tacx Flow Smart is one of our favourite budget smart trainers. Simon von Bromley / Immediate Media Read more: Zwift training challenge - how fit can you get using a turbo trainer? What is a turbo trainer? Even when you're cycling inside you still need to wear the right clothes for a successful ride, you'll be out of the weather so we recommend cool cycling clothing. You'll be on your bike with the same chances of slipping a pedal and smashing your shin, so a cycling shoe is still a good investment. Pinnacle’s HC Turbo Home Trainer is a cheaper direct-drive trainer with impressive specs. Simon von Bromley / Immediate Media
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