New to turbo trainer & a tad confused (Tacx)

[Spudmaster]

Hello!
Having signed up to a London2Paris in June and sh*tty weather & short days seriously limiting opportunity to go out on the road, I have taken the plunge and got a great deal on a Tacx Vortex through Wiggle.

Having eventually got it set up, (I didn't realise it didn't come with the right bits for a thru-axle), I am now up and running, although going round and round in circles with the apps. So, a few (potentially stupid) questions....

Firstly, which App - Zwift or Tacx own one?
I have had a dabble with both using the free 7 day trials. I really like Zwift layout- but my bike keeps stopping on screen and my speed does not tally with my effort...

How do I calibrate on a Tacx wheel-on trainer? I have googled it, but cannot find the menu option in the app.

Do Tacx offer a Companion App like Zwift?- once again I can't seem to find anything. Hopefully sorting this out will solve my issue above with Zwift?

Do I need Tacx Premium for street view on rides?

I have a code for a free 1month trial of Tacx Premium Service. I am thinking to trial this; and then Zwift subscription for a month - or should I just go with Zwift?

I have now finally managed to navigate my way into a 16m ride around London (via Tacx) to at least trial it and was actually quite impressed. Trying to get my head around the whole power thing - but that's a thread for another day.

Any pointers much appreciated, and thank you for humouring me!

Spud

[dangerousB]

Personally, I'd go with Zwift (and have) - the Tacx software has certainly come on a long way from where it started - I can't say I've used the latest iteration, but I can't think it'll be as engaging as the Zwift option - there's the social side to Zwift with organised group rides (at all levels), races and Fondo/Tour challenges which I'm sure would get you using it more often.


Have a look at the latest Tacx offering and see what you think though - whatever floats your boat better will get you riding more and you'll get more out of your investment.

Here's a couple of links that may be handy:-

https://zwiftinsider.com/vortex/

https://blog.tacx.com/tacx-desktop-app-explained/

In terms of calibration have a read of this:-

https://support.garmin.com/en-AU/?faq=SOTW0roXuo9y...

[MockingJay]

Use Zwift for training, it's superior to the Tacx app.

Use the Tacx utility app to calibrate your Vortex. Ensure that you close the Tacx app before opening the Zwift app otherwise the trainer won't connect to Zwift via bluetooth as it will have already established a connection to your phone via the utility app

Have fun.

[stuarthat]

Also sure tacx tts4 doesn’t work on windows 10 , for me zwift is all you will need .

[Ian_sUK]

I'm going thought exactly the same process now too. I'm not a big fan of the tacx app.

I've had lots of issues with Bluetooth and zwift dropping out on both android and windows. At the beginning I couldn't get 20 mins without a disconnect. Managed an hour workout with no issues, only difference was using a Bluetooth cadence sensor. Only thing I can think off is the Bluetooth connection to the trainer was being overwhelmed with so much data.

As for the speed not tallying, that's because the vortex can't simulate the steep hills so slows the on-screen speed down. The on-screen speed is just a function of your weight and the power you are putting out on hills over 7%

Edited by Ian_sUK on Sunday 23 February 17:36

[stuarthat]

I haven’t had any dropout s yet ,did have the vortex and it was very good ,I use the larger usb Bluetooth connector,with hardwired pc Ethernet connection been very good .

[Paul Drawmer]

I just use the Wahoo Fitness app on an Android tablet.

I have a Wahoo HRM, Wahoo Cadence Sensor and the turbo sends speed and power to the app, all via bluetooth.

It's cycling by numbers, which as a nerd who enjoys doing mental calcs suits me fine. After some practice I now know what BPM or power to aim for, turn the music up and ride to a pre set plan.

[MarcelM6]

It depends a bit on how structured you want your training to be. I have used both Zwift and TrainerRoad

Zwift- more fun, semi realistic riding including gear changes, good for motivation in a session as you want to race others
TrainerRoad - Serious training plans, no video's, long term training plans/calendars. But will get you results if you follow the plans. Have a movie or something going on a separate screen to combat boredom

I haven't dabbled in the Zwift training plans, and found that for me TrainerRoad works better than the Zwift rides. I seem to get bored in Zwift also, and trying to watch the latest series of the Crown is too distracting for gear shifting!

Edited by MarcelM6 on Wednesday 26th February 12:06