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Covert Spinning bike into Smart Trainer


AllAboutRides

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Hi there

 

Anyone out there that bought any kind of “cheap” spinning bike and converted it into a smart trainer to use on Zwift or other platforms?

 

I know it won’t be able to give resistance on hills or power training, but I’m look for an affordable solution to train indoors?

 

I have a MTB with 1 x 12 setup but I’m to flippen stupid to remove rear wheel and put bike onto a smart trainer without damaging anything :-)

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I have taken an old spinning bike, made a small attachment for the Garmin speed sensor and just attached a wahoo cadence sensor, have not tried it on Zwift but it should work. I will post pictures later

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Have a look on Zwift, it will give you options of "dumb" spinners that you can use. Choose one and get the necessary gadgets(speed, cadence sensors and a usb dongle) to let the spinner talk to the program. I think for a litle bit more get the entry level Kickr snap with the usb dongle and you are good to go, o yes and you need a indoor specific tyre for the bike. Hope this helps, there are numerous videos on Youtube that can help.....

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  • 1 month later...

I have taken an old spinning bike, made a small attachment for the Garmin speed sensor and just attached a wahoo cadence sensor, have not tried it on Zwift but it should work. I will post pictures later

 

Any pics of what you did????

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+1 on the idea. Had it in mind for some time myself. But it's going to cost you as much as a Kickr.

 

Spinning bike is about R3k (I know right?!).

Pedal based power meter (only thru Bicycle Power) and that's going for between 8 and 13 grand https://www.bicyclepower.co.za/

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I used a Good second hand spinner R1800.

Stages power meeter XT  gen 2 second hand R4000

And a ANT plus sensor attachment R350 For connecting Garmens telemetry data to Zwift

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There are cheap cycleops fluid 2 in the classifieds, then get a rear wheel and put an indoor trainer tyre, a cadence sensor and you will be good to go using zpower in zwift

 

https://zwift.com/hardware

Edited by shaper
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Thanks for all the info but to be honest I’m not use to remove my MTB’s rear wheel (yeaaah I know) and dont want to remove and put back on before every ride (yes I’m full of k@k)

 

So cheap spinning bike and find a way to fit garmin speed & cadence? Power is bonus later on

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There are cheap cycleops fluid 2 in the classifieds, then get a rear wheel and put an indoor trainer tyre, a cadence sensor and you will be good to go using zpower in zwift

 

https://zwift.com/hardware

 

if you go the 'wheel on' trainer route, you need to get special through axels for the trainer to clamp on to bike. OP is trying to avoid fiddling with his bike 

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Thanks for all the info but to be honest I’m not use to remove my MTB’s rear wheel (yeaaah I know) and dont want to remove and put back on before every ride (yes I’m full of k@k)

 

So cheap spinning bike and find a way to fit garmin speed & cadence? Power is bonus later on

 

cadence sensor is the easy part. not sure how to fit the speed sensor. there are 2 types  - the newer ones wrap around your hub and calculate speed using an inertia sensor to determine the number of revolutions being made, and the older type use the magnet which normally goes on spoke, and a sensor either on the fork/chain stay to count the number of revolutions.

 

i cannot see how you will make use of the newer sensor since the spin bikes have a solid disk wheel. Im sure you can work out a way to mount a magnet to the wheel and the sensor to the front of the bike.

 

afaik though, zwift uses power to calculate speed, and doesnt actually need to get the speed from the smart trainers/sensors. if this is so, you could potentially use power pedals on a spinning bike, but that is really going to drive up the costs.

 

That said, a bluetooth smart cadence and speed sensor will probably costs around 1.5k, and you can get a set of powertap p1s for around 5k on the hub, and the pedal has an integrated cadence sensor, and i think you wont need the speed sensor, so for the additional 3.5k, you getting a better setup.

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Any suggestions on how to setup this bike to see distance / cadence?

 

Thinking of connecting garmin speed & cadence sensor but not sure if this will be possible

post-32445-0-59147100-1580901930_thumb.jpeg

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.....if I find a way to connect garmin speed sensor for distance, just wondering hoe accurate the readings will be as I dont want 70km/ph readings if I pedal at 30km/ph??? I assume the flywheel spin much faster as a normal wheel.

 

 

Please so kind and help me on this one!

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