My Zwift Setup
Up in my part of the world, training outside in the eveningsĀ (and some days) is pretty difficult between October and April. During this period,Ā I rely on my Turbo trainer for cycling fitness. Iām lucky enough to have aĀ dedicated room for my training, albeit in our outbuilding.
Neo Trainer
Late last year, I upgraded by mid-2000ās vintage Tacx FlowĀ to a Tacx Neo. The Neo is a direct-drive trainer, meaning that the bikeĀ connects directly to it, rather than the bikeās rear wheel resting on a roller,Ā like in a traditional turbo trainer. My last trainer did have controllableĀ resistance, but it was from a time when few trainers had a computer connection.Ā Having the trainer controller by the software has made a big difference to myĀ experience on the trainer.
Zwift
Since I got the Tacx Neo Iāve been using Zwift. Prior toĀ this, for the past couple of winters, Iāve used the Sufferfest, first just theĀ videos, then the app once that was released. While the sufferfest provides aĀ good workout, it didnāt provide anything for unstructured, ājust cycling alongāĀ days. With Zwift, thereās the option to just cycle the roads of the worlds theyĀ provide.
Of course, the latest Sufferfest provides much more thanĀ just training sessions, providing yoga and weight training sessions as well.
Thereās a number of VR-type cycling apps on the market now,Ā including Bkool, Road Grand Tour and others. Zwift works well for me, and IādĀ rather spent my time training, then trying out other apps. For a good review ofĀ the various options, have a look at DCRainmakerās trainer software review.
Computer/Keyboard/Monitor/Adaptors
Iām using my main laptop, a 2018 Macbook Pro, along with anĀ Apple keyboard (MB869LL/A). The keyboard has two USB ports, one at each end. IntoĀ one Iāve plugged a cheap mouse, and to the other, a Suunto ANT+ adaptor. TheĀ Macbook needs to have a keyboard connected to run in clamshell mode (i.e., lidĀ closed). Although a Bluetooth one will work, I used a wired one as it allows meĀ to use a cheap mouse and also provides a port for the ANT+ dongle. Iāve alsoĀ got an additional power adaptor for the laptop to save having to drag one outĀ every time Iām training.
Iāve got a BenQ 21ā monitor (GL2250HM) that I picked upĀ cheap on Amazon, and a stand to hold the laptop vertically so that it takes upĀ less space on the worktop (the unit is an old kitchen unit from our house). AĀ plethora of USB-C adaptors are used to connect these ā I swear the adaptors costĀ more than the laptop!
WiFi is provided by a TP-Link PowerLine adaptor connected backĀ to the Internet router in our house.
Iāve got Honeywell fan from Amazon which sits on the desk toĀ provide some cooling airflow. To control the fan (only On/Off), Iāve got an EveĀ Homekit switch ā this means I can turn the fan on and off without having toĀ dismount from the training, using an app on my iPhone. In the winter, itās aĀ bit too cold to have the fan on from the start of the session, and I usuallyĀ need 10 -15 minutes warming up before it goes on.
On the bike, Iām using a Tacx Sweat Cover with an iPhoneĀ pouch on it. In Zwift, thereās a companion app that runs on iOS and lets youĀ control aspects of Zwift without using the mouse or keyboard. I also use theĀ iPhone to control my fan.
Performance
The setup works very well. However, looking the zwift logsĀ in zwiftilizer.com, it looks like the distance between the Neo and the ANTĀ dongle might be on the limit, as the log files show some dropouts, although IĀ havenāt noticed this either when using zwift or in the .fit files when reviewingĀ at them later. This may also be due to the TP-Link WiFi base being too close toĀ the ANT dongle as both of these work on the 2.4 GHz frequency. I probably needĀ to check exactly what channel the WiFi is using as well, as itās recommended toĀ uses channels 1-5 to avoid interference with ANT+ and to definitely avoidĀ Channel 10, as itās exactly the same frequency that ANT uses. Using 5 GHz WiFiĀ is also an option, although I donāt think my current TP-Link unit supportsĀ that.
With my 2018 Macbook pro, Iām getting 60 frames per secondĀ on average, using the 720 & basic settings in Zwift. I need to experimentĀ with higher settings, but I always forget to do this before starting the ZwiftĀ session!
Conclusions
The change to using a Neo and Zwift has certainly enhancedĀ my training this winter. If nothing else, itās motivated me to training moreĀ often, which can only be a good thing. Getting the environment right alsoĀ reduces the friction to getting going for a session.