Let the new trainer games begin! Oh…crap…wait, they already began – earlier this summer with new CycleOps trainer, Elite trainers, and even Tacx trainer updates. But, with a brief summer intermission completed, we’re back into the swing of new trainer announcements. And oddly enough, it’s once again CycleOps kicking off this round of new trainers – just like it was back in May with their new Hammer direct drive trainer.
This time around they’re focused on a trainer half the price ($599) that appeals to the $600 crowd of other trainers in the same price range. This electronic trainer is fully controllable from apps the likes of Zwift, TrainerRoad, Kinomap and more. Plus, it transmits all your powers on ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart.
I’ve had one since early July* and have been using it throughout the summer. While it is a pre-production unit, I’ve got a pretty good gist on things. As such, since it’s a pre-prod unit, this isn’t a full in-depth review. Think of it as more of a preview. Once the final unit comes out this fall, I’ll look to squeeze in a full in-depth review then.
*Funny tidbit, I had to cut short my meeting with them that day, as The Girl went into labor just prior to the meeting starting.
Magnus Tech Basics:
With this being the second trainer that CycleOps has announced this season (following The Hammer), it seems only appropriate that we start with the name – Magnus. What’s in a name you ask? Well, I’ll defer to Urban Dictionary to help with this one. What follows is the official definition for Magnus:
“F@#$king most awesome name in the world. If you are so lucky to have this name, you should be a celebrity because of it. all Magnus’s are supreme beings and they kick all other’s asses”
Well then. That settles it. Alternatively, you could just go with the more academically Latin meaning, which is simply ‘Great’. Hmm…, Urban Dictionary seems more 2016 to me.
In any event, the trainer is essentially competing with the Wahoo KICKR SNAP, Elite Rampa, and the Tacx Vortex. That means it has the full electronic control of a resistance controllable trainer, but doesn’t have the direct-drive (wheel-off) design of something like the KICKR, NEO, or Hammer. Still, it can deliver the power just fine – coming in at a peak resistance of 1,500w.
Like other smart trainers on the market these days, it’s all about being bi: Dual ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart transmission that is. In this case it transmits:
ANT+ FE-C (Trainer Control)
ANT+ Power Broadcast
Bluetooth Smart Trainer Control (for apps via API)
Bluetooth Smart Power Broadcast
The above line-up roughly matches what other companies have in the market. The only difference is that Tacx and others will also transmit your speed, and cadence too on Tacx trainers (albeit estimated, but usually pretty good). But otherwise, the above specs make them equal to others from a core power/trainer tech transmission standpoint.
It’s these transmission specs that matter though – because if you want to be able to use any of the dozens of trainer apps out there, you definitely want to be on these standards. This allows this trainer to easily integrate with Zwift, TrainerRoad, Kinomap, and numerous others. It also allows you to control it via your bike computer – such as the Garmin Edge series, and soon the Wahoo ELEMNT.
The unit is capable of receiving firmware updates for itself, which will be done via Bluetooth Smart wirelessly. That’s also in-line with all other competitors.
Officially the trainer is listed at 69 decibels at 20MPH, and my testing seems to put it in the same rough region. Sound testing is full of variables, the most notable being speed (not power level), but also the exact tire used. Some tires are louder than other tires (oddly, I find trainer tires are among the loudest). To demonstrate the sound levels, I cover it within the video later on in this post. Plus, I get to pull out my newest and coolest decibel meter.
Next we look at the compatibility matrix for bikes, which supports the following types on its 2” roller width: 650b, 700c, 26″, 27″, and 29″ – up to a 2.0 tire. Note that it does not fit 650c wheels however, and not all 29er tires – so you’ll want to double-check your exact tire there if you’re looking to put either a circus bike or mountain bike on there.
Meanwhile, the skewer holding system has three settings (I’ll talk about that more later on), which support the following skewer types: 120mm, 130mm and 135mm. Additionally, you can pickup an accessory thru-axle adapter for 142x12mm and 148x12mm.
Finally, on the accuracy front – things are still a bit TBD in terms of the exact stated accuracy range they’ll be able to achieve. Right now it sounds like at least +/- 5% (same ballpark as others for this price range), but they’re hoping to get that down a bit lower by time they make a final accuracy claim. Note that it does support a roll-down calibration, and said calibration even works properly with the Garmin Edge units FE-C calibration menu (one of the few trainers I’ve found that does work properly there).
Hands-on Thoughts:
Ok, now that I’ve covered all the basics, let’s go hands-on with it a bit. If you want the video version, you can skip all the text and photos in this section, and just watch this video:
For you non-video folks, we’ll continue on with the textual excitement. First up is that the trainer is actually pretty light. I weighed it at 20 pounds/9 kilograms, which is almost half the weight of the heavier KICKR SNAP. The most noticeable element of that being the frame itself is lighter. The flywheel itself is 2.6lbs/1.2kg.
It’s the quick release system on the frame that’s different than other trainers in that it’s got three adjustability settings, which you can see below with those notches. This allows you to quickly lock it in place, even with dramatically different bikes.
Once you’ve got the unit locked in, you’ll then use the clutch-knob style system that essentially works the same way as a gas cap on a car: Just keep turning until it clicks/pops. That’ll produce consistent power each time. This is easier/better than having to spin a knob a certain number of times and hope it’s right. As with any trainer that’s wheel-on, you’ll want to have consistent and good tire pressure (I usually just do 120psi, since that’s straight-forward enough). The resistance knob is that yellow handle.
Now that everything is good to go, you’ll want to do a calibration/roll-down. In theory with both the locking system and the same tire pressure, you wouldn’t really need to do so each time. But in reality, I like to do one just before I start, and then about 10-15 minutes in after the tire has warmed up. The calibration process can be triggered from most apps, or devices – like the Edge series.
With that – it’s just a case of riding like normal via the apps you prefer to use. In the case of CycleOps, they do have their own training suite, called Virtual Training, which is pretty extensive (actually, it’s the training suite with the most breadth out there). Of course, if you prefer Zwift or TrainerRoad, then those work too.
In my testing, I found the power accuracy actually pretty solid for being a prototype. Especially an early prototype unit that they’ve told me the power isn’t perfect on; and that they’re working to get me an updated/final unit which improves the power accuracy. I’ll get some step data published shortly, but I found that as long as the resistance was strong and you did a roll-down, it was within 1-2% for me compared to both the PowerTap P1’s and a Quarq RIKEN. If however the wheel-on resistance wasn’t done correctly, then it was far more variable. But I’d like to see how the final units look before making any final conclusions there.
As for road feel, the unit ‘feels’ like any other wheel-on trainer with a relatively small flywheel. It feels fine (like others in this price range), but isn’t particularly special in terms of feel. In many ways, until you get to much larger flywheel sizes, you won’t really get that inertia feeling, but those same resistance controlled trainers tend to cost a fair bit more (or, if at this price point then lack the resistance controlled elements). Said differently: I don’t tend to overthink road-feel. For me, a trainer is still a trainer, and still feels like a trainer – even the high-end ones. I’m still inside and I’m still staring at a wall. I can’t mentally undo that.
Comparison Chart:
Just to briefly compare to this to the Rampa, Vortex, and KICKR SNAP, I’ve added the Magnus into the product comparison database. This allows you to compare not only top-level specs, but also any trainer that I’ve reviewed or otherwise had hands-on time with. You can mix and match and make your own product comparison here.
| Function/Feature | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copyright DC Rainmaker - Updated November 23rd, 2021 @ 7:47 am New Window | ||||
| Price for trainer | $499 | $599 | $529 | $599 |
| Trainer Type | Wheel-On | Wheel-on | Wheel-on | Wheel-on |
| Available today (for sale) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Availability regions | Global | Global | Global | Global |
| Wired or Wireless data transmission/control | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless | Wireless |
| Power cord required | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Flywheel weight | 2.6lbs/1.2kg | 2.3KG | 4.4lbs/2.0kg | 10.5lbs/4.8KG | Resistance | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Can electronically control resistance (i.e. 200w) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Includes motor to drive speed (simulate downhill) | No | No | No | No |
| Maximum wattage capability | 1,500w @ 20MPH | 1250w @ 25MPH | 950w @ 20MPH | 1,500w @ 40KPH |
| Maximum simulated hill incline | 15% | 10% | 7% | 10% | Features | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Ability to update unit firmware | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Measures/Estimates Left/Right Power | No | No | No | No |
| Can directionally steer trainer (left/right) | No | No | No | No |
| Can simulate road patterns/shaking (i.e. cobblestones) | No | No | No | No | Motion | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Whole-bike physical gradient simulation | No | No | No | |
| Can rock/tilt side to side (significantly) | No | No | No | Accuracy | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Includes temperature compensation | No | No | No | Yes |
| Support rolldown procedure (for wheel based) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supported accuracy level | +/-5% | +/- 5% | +/- 5% | +/- 5% | Trainer Control | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Allows 3rd party trainer control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supports ANT+ FE-C (Trainer Control Standard) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supports Bluetooth Smart FTMS (Trainer Control Standard) | Yes | YEs | Yes | Yes | Data Broadcast | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Transmits power via ANT+ | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Transmits power via Bluetooth Smart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supports Multiple Concurrent Bluetooth connections | No, just one | No, just one | No, just one | |
| Transmits cadence data | Yes | Yes | No | Purchase | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Amazon | Link | Link | Link | N/A |
| Backcountry.com | Link | |||
| Competitive Cyclist | Link | |||
| REI | Link | Link | DCRainmaker | Saris M2 | Elite Rampa | Tacx Vortex Smart | Wahoo KICKR SNAP (Original) |
| Review Link | Link | Link | Link | Link |
And again, don’t forget that you can mix and match and make your own product comparison here using the full product comparison database.
Wrap Up:
This being the second trainer of the season for CycleOps, it helps to fill out a lower electronic resistance controlled trainer price point (they have a number of other non-electronic trainers that are far cheaper), while still giving folks the higher end option from them with the Hammer.
Both units are slated for shipping this fall (thus a bit of a delay on the Hammer’s original August estimates). And it’s at that time that I’ll be able to make any final determinations for things like accuracy. However, at this point this looks like a very strong contender. As you can see, that $600 price point has numerous really solid options from a number of major players. So it’s in some cases going to be a matter of deciding which specific subset feature is the most important to you (i.e. accuracy vs max incline vs max wattage). Or perhaps it’ll just be styling. I do think that simple product availability may end up being a huge driver for trainer purchasing decisions this year.
In any case – stay tuned for more on this trainer and many others as we move into the northern hemisphere training season. Thanks for reading!
Preemptive footnote: I’ll have my annual trainer recommendations guide out in September, based on units that I have in my hands at that time. Rather than waiting forever and ever for last minute trainers into October and even November to release the annual trainer guide (like years past), I’ll be drawing a bit of a line in the sand earlier this year. Thankfully, most trainers being announced I’ve had some amount of hands-on time with already. Also note, yes, there are more trainers to be announced, but you won’t see my posts/comments on them here until they are officially announced. Mmmkay?
Found this review useful? Or just want to save 10%? Here’s how:
I’ve partnered with Clever Training to offer all DC Rainmaker readers exclusive benefits on all products purchased. You can read more about the benefits of this partnership here. You can pick up the Magnus (Saris M2) trainer through Clever Training using the links below. By doing so, you not only support the site (and all the work I do here) – but you also get to enjoy the significant partnership benefits that are just for DC Rainmaker readers. And, if your order ends up more than $49, you get free US shipping as well.
Saris M2 (Magnus) (US – Clever Training – Save 10% with DCR10BTF)
For European/Australian/New Zealand readers, you can also pickup the unit via Wiggle at the links below, which helps support the site too! With Wiggle new customers get 10GBP (or equivalent in other currencies) off their first order for anything over 50GBP by using code NEWGB at check-out after clicking the links below.
Saris M2 / CycleOps Magnus (EU/UK/AU/NZ – Wiggle)
And finally, here’s a handy list of accessories that most folks getting a trainer for the first time might not have already:
| Product | Amazon | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Apple TV 4K 64GB WiFi (2022) | Amazon | There's no better bang for your buck in getting Zwift (or FulGaz/etc) on your big screen TV than Apple TV - it's the primary way I Zwift. |
 | Basic Trainer Mat | Amazon | This is a super basic trainer mat, which is exactly what you'll see me use. All it does is stop sweat for getting places it shouldn't (it also helps with vibrations too). |
 | Elago R1 Apple TV Remote Silicone Case with Strap | Amazon | I use Apple TV for Zwift the vast majority of the time, but also just for watching YouTube/Netflix/etc on the trainer. The Apple TV remote sucks though. This $8 case fixes that, it's a silicone strap that makes it easy to grab, but also has a strap to easily place on the edge of your handlebars. Boom! Note: Not compatible with 2021 Apple TV Edition. |
 | Front Wheel Riser Block | Amazon | Here's the thing, some people like front wheel blocks, some don't. I'm one of the ones that do. I like my front wheel to stay put and not aimlessly wiggle around. For $8, this solves that problem. Note some trainers do come with them. Also note, I use a riser block with *every* trainer. |
 | Honeywell HT-900 Fan | Amazon | I've got three of these $12 fans floating around the DCR Cave, and I frequently use them on rides. They work just fine. Sure, they're not as powerful as a Wahoo Headwind, but I could literally buy 20 of them for the same price. |
 | Indoor Cycle Trainer Desk (RAD/CXWXC/Vinsetto/Conquer/etc...) | Amazon | This desk is both a knock-off of the original KICKR Desk, but yet also better than it. First, it's got wheel locks (so the darn thing stays put), and second, it has two water bottle holders (also useful for putting other things like remotes). I've been using it as my main trainer desk for a long time now and love it. Cheaper is better apparently. Note: Branding varies by country, exact same desk. |
 | KOM Cycling Trainer Desk | Amazon | This is by far the best value in trainer desks, at only $59, but with most of the features of the higher end features. It's got multi-tier tablet slots, water bottle holders, non-stick surface, adjustable height and more. I'm loving it! |
 | Lasko High Velocity Pro-Performance Fan (U15617) | Amazon | One of the most popular trainer fans out there, rivaling the Wahoo Headwind fan in strength but at a fraction of the price. It doesn't have smartphone/ANT+/Bluetooth integration, but it does have secondary outlets. I've been using it, and a similiar European version lately with great success (exact EU variant I use is automatically linked at left). |
 | Tacx Tablet Bike Mount | Amazon | I've had this for years, and use it in places where I don't have a big screen or desk, but just an iPad or tablet on my road bike bars. |
Or, anything else you pick up on Amazon helps support the site as well (socks, laundry detergent, cowbells). If you’re outside the US, I’ve got links to all of the major individual country Amazon stores on the sidebar towards the top.
Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible.
Error in the table? Zwift controls the resistance of my Vortex Smart. So there seems to be an error in the table in row:
ALLOWS 3RD PARTY TRAINER CONTROL
Second error: The street prices of the Vortex Smart is much lower in Europe than 529 USD
Oops, fixed that, not sure how ‘No’ got in there. Anyway, all good, thanks!
As for street prices in Europe on trainers…well…it’s a mess. Basically US has MAP (minimum advertised price), which makes it relatively straight-forward for figuring out prices since companies can’t sell below a listed price. In Europe though, it’s all over the map because MAP is illegal. So there’s then list pricing, which is the closest thing to compare to. After that, it just depends on how much the retailer wants to take a loss on one item to get you hooked into their system for something else down the road.
I think the list price is only the manufacturers suggestion…. Shops get the items for about 40% less. (They have to live from the difference). Large orders from a shop can get more discount, especially when the manufacturer is overstocked or a model is going out of production.
This worked well before the internet and the megastores. Now the customer just browses till he finds the cheapest option – and shops take a 20% (or less) margin in order to move the items in bulk. As a result nobody pays list price – it is a starting pont from where you search for cheaper options.
(The Tacx Vortex Smart goes for between € 389,- to € 449,- in the Netherlands at the moment, according to a quick google.. That is including VAT and shipping).
In the US, list price is actually a requirement (yes, it’s silly). Violating MAP (minimum advertised price) will typically get a retailer banned from sales. For example, a single instance of selling an item below MAP for a Garmin retailer will get them a 6-month ban for selling that item – without the ability to re-stock during that timeframe.
In the rest of the world, specifying a minimum price to a retailer is considered illegal. In fact, in the EU, if a company even hints to a retailer that they should be at higher prices, that company is liable for a 20% final on worldwide sales. It’s crazy.
I got my Tacx Vortex from a company in Germany (I am in the US). It arrived in less than two weeks, for nearly $200 less than that MAP. The rules you are referring to would be unenforceable to Euro-based companies.
Of course, I did have to spring for a Euro to US plug adaptor to make it work!
I am interested, how would this work for Clever Training? They are US based, but now have operations in Europe? Could Garmin et. al. still slap them for selling below a price point in Europe? What if the European branch shipped an item to a US customer?
It’s complex, but roughly speaking, yes they could.
While MAP is illegal in Europe, it’s actually not illegal for companies to limit distribution to certain countries. So Garmin can limit a company selling from Europe to the US. That’s why if you look at Wiggle and change your country to US, things get interesting really quick.
That didn’t use to be the case – but changed semi-recently. In the case of European retailers, Garmin (or whomever) could shut off their supply of devices if found to be shipping outside of territory. For major companies like Wiggle or CT shutting off that supply is easy, because they have direct relationships with major brands. Whereas for some smaller webshops they may go through a web of distributors, which makes it tougher to execute on.
But again, GoPro is an example is one of the fieriest companies in this regard. In fact, they even track serial numbers by country. So if a serial number from Clever Training shows up in Europe somehow, CT gets whacked for it. Obviously, there’s challenges there because for someone like me, I could have totally legally bought something in the states at a Best Buy (or CT) and then moved to Europe. Not sure why the retailer gets whacked for my move.
Anyway…
My only suggestion on all of this would be in these comparisons, to then let the shoppers compare themselves on price, but don’t leave out models that are known could be validly compared.. ie. for this article, you could/should have also included the Bushido Smart which can be purchased less than the Magnus’s list price.
I don’t know details of MAP in this segment, but in other categories (eg. electronics), couldn’t the “Call for better price” options exist.. thereby etailers avoiding “advertising” a price they’re not allowed to?
I found some amazing deals for trainers at a German site. I am a little afraid to order one but it sounds like it worked for you. was the electrical plug the correct format for the US? or was it EURO style plug?
All trainer companies today ship dual-voltage trainers, so they work anywhere. At worst you’d have to buy a $1 power adapter online.
However, again the biggest challenge with buying trainers while in the US from Europe is that if something goes wrong with it, you’ll need to ship it back to Europe. Generally speaking that costs a crapton.
There are numerous sad stories about this in the comments of the different trainer reviews, especially for Tacx and Elite trainers.
Not saying it might not be worth it – but as one who has shipped heavy things overseas, it’s likely not worth it for most trainers.
Ray, noticed you are rocking the SSU and not the 735 in this review, are your personal preferences changing to the SSU vs the 735?
He usually just wears what he is testing currently. I wouldn’t make a fuss out of it.
Yup, correct, just a case of what I’m currently testing.
A slightly related question:
From what I know, there are 3 types of trainers: the totally dumb ones that just do resistance, the ones that do resistance and broadcast power data and the ones that do resistance, broadcast power data and are controllable via some app.
As I already have a Power Meter on my bicycle, I’m wondering why I have to pay for a second one inside of the trainer to have a trainer that can be controlled by an app. Couldn’t the trainer app or the trainer itself read the data from the power meter on the bicycle? Or does this already exist?
A bike with a power meter on a dumb trainer can only record whatever your power output happens to be.
In contrast, a smart trainer (via ANT+ FE-C or Bluetooth equivalent) can provide a specific wattage of resistance as set by a computer, bike computer, or smartphone/tablet app.
Indeed, but the Smart trainer must have some kind of Power Meter built in to know what resistance it’s providing at a certain point, and I was wondering if it couldn’t use the power measured by my bike power meter for that…
Any modern software worth it’s salt would be able to read your power meter so yes, in this case there is no real need for second type of trainer.
@Tom: What makes a “smart trainer” smart isn’t just that it can read power (or in some cases estimate power), but that it can also dictate a specific resistance (like 400 watt intervals) or replay the effort of an Alpe d’Huez ascent.
That’s not to say that a dumb trainer with a power meter won’t meet your particular needs (it’s what I have) but that it would be up to you to dole out the correct wattage with your legs and the gears on your trainer. But that’s not a smart trainer (despite what Kinetic is marketing).
Hello Ray. What is actual most silent wheel-on trainer + tire combo?
I haven’t done a lot of tire testing, which is honestly the biggest driver of that combo. In this case, I’m just testing trainers with the same tire. Though realistically there’s not going to be a ton of difference in most of these.
Tire testing would be a great intern-type job though. If…only I had an intern. :-/
PSA: Don’t buy a trainer until after Eurobike/Interbike. ;-)
Definitely. Though, I’m not expecting any Interbike announcements at this point, unless there’s someone totally out of left field new into the game.
Looking forward to the review of the new Kurt electronic upgrade. Don’t need it, but it’s always want not need…
Yup – as soon as a unit hits my hands, I’ll be diving into it. I don’t know when that’ll happen however.
Perhaps someone more into the numbers can help me, but I would have assumed max wattage and max incline would correlate — i.e. if a trainer can handle a higher max wattage, then it should be rated for a higher max incline.
What am I missing? Gearing / flywheel speed?
I don’t think that I personally care if my rear wheel is spinning at 20 mph if I can achieve a gearing where my cadence is OK and my power is in the right training zone?
It’s speed. Basically some designs can’t handle the lower revolutions at higher wattages. It’s why most trainers can technically go above their listed max wattage values, but at higher speeds than you or I could realistically attain.
Ideally everyone would standardize on 20MPH (30KPH) references for both decibel levels and max wattages. And then for inclines, do something like @ 6-8MPH, which would be appropriate for any substantial incline (i.e. above 8%).
How does the maximum wattage work for these trainers? I have a Vortex Smart, which is supposed to top out at 950W, but I’ve seen higher numbers than that. As you know, Zwift has achievements for reaching higher wattage numbers and I’ve (reportedly) gotten north of 1100 watts. Are the trainers not reliably reporting about their maximum numbers? Am I breaking my trainer?
The maximum wattage is the maximum resistance the trainer can deliver to the wheel. When you reach that, they start faking it, by reducing the (reported) speed you achieve. If you want to keep your speed up, you have to work harder – the software recalculates this effort to more watts.
Also, sometimes above those levels you get slippage or skips.
Ray, so you’re telling me I need a new trainer? Can you be the one to break that to the wife? You’re a safer distance away from her then I am.
Oh, it’s gonna be much more than a new trainer you need. I think you’re looking at the works: New bike, new cycling shoes, new trainer. Likely even a new big screen TV and speaker system for it all too. Might even consider building out a man cave just to be safe.
FWIW, my new-ish CycleOps Fluid2 has that same quick release wheel mount and tire/roller adjustment, and both are better than any other wheel-on trainer I’ve ever tried. Highly recommended.
Ray, could you add the dB to the comparison charts? The trainers seem so similar that how quiet they are might nudge me to select one over the other.
I’ll try. I may have to put a line in the sand and do it going forward.
Ray, could you comment about how well the trainer worked with TrainerRoad? Particularly with using the Quarq as the power meter to control the Magnus? I’m wondering how well the Magnus works in ERG mode and how it reacts to quick sprint intervals, etc.
I didn’t use power match with TR on this trainer yet, but, I’ll try and squeeze it in before the end of the week.
Just pre-ordered my Magnus. Hoping to get an update from you in regards to how well it works with TrainerRoad with power match in ERG mode. Thanks!
“INCLUDES MOTOR TO DRIVE SPEED (SIMULATE DOWNHILL)”. I would fix that a bit. The purpose of the motor in high end trainers is primarily to act as electronically adjustable flywheel. Ability to “downhill” is just an added benefit.
Technically true, but no consumer cares about that from a feature standpoint. They just want to know whether it can simulate downhills.
Ray, in your next recommendations guide I expect a new badge or medal for the trainer you’d select to have on the room next to the one where your baby sleeps. Or something like that ;)
Haha…like it.
Well, I know of one trainer that won’t win that award: The LeMond Revolution Pro.
Great!
While for now the only ‘baby’ I have to please is also the missus, I believe that’s a feature/characteristic evermore important as a deciding factor for those without a personal cave for several reasons.
Is this the first trainer supporting boost?
Boost?
To be specific, the original commentor meant Boost148, the “official” name for the 148mm rear dimension. :)
The front wheel 110m width spec is officially Boost110.
Correct. Thanks for clarifying
Yay for the traffic light!
The bkool pro and classic trainers are also a budget electronic trainer option as they can do ant+fe-c to play with non bkool software. Not sure what their prices are in europe and usa but I got mine for 500 nzd new (about 350 usd). They also have a pay as you go pricing but payg ones can’t do ant+ fe-c with other non bkool apps until 1 year of payment I think.
Great work ray, thanks!
Yup, they’re good options, but I suspect that Bkool is going to have challenges in competing going forward as Wahoo/CycleOps/Tacx/Elite all have released trainers in the same ballpark as the Bkool, but with more features and better accuracy.
Any observations on within-interval calibration drift? On my Tacx Vortex, if I’m doing say 5 minutes at threshold then a few minutes easy and repeat, then I see up to 10% drift within the intervals (measured against Powertap hub). It warms up during the hard interval and cools during the rest. I don’t know how much of that is the tyre and how much is the unit, but would like something more stable.
I did some repeats and I’m trying to get the graphs working to put in the post, but they were recorded on a unit with the new .FIT file specs and that in turn is hosing up my graphing/analyzer tool. So probably going to re-do them tomorrow.
Great, thanks very much! (If Powermatch worked properly for me then I wouldn’t care, but it randomly craps out about one time in five.)
“once against” should be “once again”
Sorry. Can’t put the copy editor to sleep.
I’m so confused. With the DCR discount the Tacx Vortex is less than $500. Could have had the Elite Digital B+ over the weekend from nashbar for $355 with the discounts but now see why as it does not broadcast power. Want a new trainer but trying to restrain myself based on your repeated suggestions to wait for your full trainer recommendations. Leaning towards the Vortex but this one is only $100 more. Between this and Vortex, which one? Guess I’ll wait unless you tell me to pull the trigger on one of them if there is nothing better in the pipeline in this range.
Good to see some manufacturers taking into account that rear (through) axle standards are becoming wider and wider (142, 148 and even 156 or 157 mm wide for some).