Low-to-high cost indoor training setups from TrainerRoad athletes.
Disclaimer: Prices of the following products are subject to change
TrainerRoad gives you structured indoor workouts and science-backed training plans to get faster. When you get started, you’re given three different ways to train indoors with power. While each one differs from the next, they each give you the benefits of training with power — even if you don’t own a smart trainer or power meter.
There are hundreds of options available to choose between power meters, indoor trainers, speed sensors and smart trainers. To help simplify things, we took a look at the most popular training setups from TrainerRoad athletes. Priced from low to high, here are three specific training setups TrainerRoad athletes love.
Setup #1: Speed Sensor + Trainer (Under $600)
This first setup gives you the benefits of power-based training without a power meter. It’s called VirtualPower®, and it uses the data from a speed sensor to turn your speed into watts while you train. If you already have a trainer — Kinetic’s Road Machine is a huge hit with our TR athletes — you’re already halfway there! All you need is a reliable speed sensor to start training with power.
- Trainer: Kurt Kinetic Road Machine – $339
- Speed & Cadence Sensor: Wahoo Blue SC Sensor – $59.99
- TrainerRoad: 1-Year Discounted Membership – $99
- Mat: Exercise Bike Equipment Mat – $22
- Fan: Optimus High-Velocity Fan – $24.20
- Total Cost: $544.19
Setup #2: Power Meter + Trainer (Under $1, 100)
This second setup is an indoor training classic: using a power meter with your indoor trainer. Stages Power Meters are a popular choice, likely because they are easy to set up, work on a wide range of bikes and tracks and broadcast power consistently and accurately in both Bluetooth Smart and ANT+.
- Trainer: Kurt Kinetic Road Machine – $339
- Power Meter: Stages Power Meter – $529.99
- TrainerRoad: 1-Year Discounted Membership – $99
- Mat: Kinetic Training Mat – $65
- Fan: MaxxAir High Velocity 20-Inch Floor Fan – $48.49
- Total Cost: $1,081.48
Setup #3: Smart Trainer (Under $1,500)
This final setup is one of the most common choices we see from TrainerRoad athletes. The Wahoo KICKR is an indoor training favorite, and when it’s paired with training software like TrainerRoad, the KICKR becomes the ultimate training machine by controlling your workout resistance for a whole new training experience.
- Trainer: Wahoo KICKR Smart Trainer – $1199*
- TrainerRoad: 1-Year Discounted Membership – $99*
- Mat: Wahoo KICKR Trainer Floormat – $69.99
- Fan: Lasko Max Performance Pivoting Utility Fan – $110
- Total Cost: $1,477.99
Other Setups that Allow You to Train with Power
These are just three of the most popular indoor training setups we see among TrainerRoad athletes. There are hundreds of compatible training devices that work with TrainerRoad that let you train with power. Your indoor-training setup is easy to customize based off the devices you own, your training goals and how much you’re willing to spend.
Want to check if TrainerRoad supports the equipment you already own? Visit the equipment checker to verify your training setup so you can start training with power with TrainerRoad.
For cycling training knowledge, listen to Ask a Cycling Coach — the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. New episodes are released weekly. Yes, we know that’s addiction territory 😉
It’s official, I’m totally addicted to @TrainerRoad & Ask a Cycling Coach podcast.Already seeing results on the road https://t.co/sCXKJATO2q
— John Roberts (@j_roberts) June 21, 2016
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Any chance of giving a more detailed break down on the fan selections you made? i.e. CFM, noise, quality of build?
Hey Perry, we’ll keep that in mind for a future post!
I have a cycleop super magneto pro and a stages powermeter, My question is, should
i buy a smart trainer like the kickr? Thank you.
Hi Patrick,
As a owner of a Kickr and that use TrainerRoad. It’s a amazing combination, if you can afford it, you can’t go wrong, and it’s the best money you will be spending on your training, Both me and my wife use the kickr and our riding friends are all saying they can see the difference.
G
A good idea to list some common set ups but you would also need to factor in the cost of the device the software is running on. This could be a phone or a laptop or etc.
Just makes me a little jealous what others can afford I guess but not to worry. I imagine I’ve got one of the cheaper setups, but just to copy an advert…
Trainer: Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro £200
Speed/Cadence sensor: Garmin GSC10 £50
Trainer Road subscription: $99
The ability to train with power with a training plan : priceless 🙂
Can I use power tap wheel ?
Can I use a power tap in the wheel ? I have cycle ops fluid trainer. And, garmin edge 500
Don’t see why not. just use the Powertap readings on your Garmin as the targets.
You don’t need the Garmin. Depending on your PowerTap hub (ANT+ only or ANT+/Bluetooth), you’ll just need a way for your computer/tablet/phone to pick up the PowerTap signal. You may need a $20 ANT+ USB dongle.
Powertap wheel will work fine. Like Eric said, the Garmin isn’t even necessary. I use my Garmin for outdoor rides, but just record my indoor rides right on my PC via the ANT+ dongle.
There will be small differences in the data recorded on a Garmin, and recorded on the PC. For example, my Power2Max power meter sends out L/R power data. The Garmin will record that data and display it in various software if I upload the Garmin file. But the TrainerRoad app doesn’t import this data. On the other hand, TrainerRoad will include every interval as its own lap, which is nice to review afterwards. The Garmin won’t record this, unless you actually hit the lap button at the beginning of each interval, and I’m pretty sure you won’t do that. I decided separate interval data was more important to me than L/R power balance, so I just use the data right from TrainerRoad.
If you don’t already, you’ll need ANT+ connectivity to connect your PowerTap wheel to TrainerRoad. Learn more about ANT+ and all you’ll need to get started here: http://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/201618914-ANT-Connectivity
Edit: The newer versions of PowerTap are dual-band, meaning they connect via both ANT+ and Bluetooth 4.0. Check which model you have and you may be able to get started without any additional equipment. 🙂
Thanks!
I’ve been using Trainer Road with a quarq power meter and a Cycleops fluid 2 trainer for about a year now and with good results. Question: is it worth upgrading to the Kickr? Does Ergo mode make that big of a difference and if so, how?
I got a screamin’ deal on a used KICKR (local craigslist post for $300!), so I upgraded from my Kurt Rock and Roll. On the high intensity stuff, the KICKR really gives you nowhere to hide, so that’s nice. You also never find yourself between gears. Where the KICKR really shines though is on the lower intensity stuff. It lets me focus on TV watching and not accurately tracking prescribed power output.
Am I glad that I have it? Sure!
Would I buy it for over $1k if I already had a Kurt? Nah.
Would I strongly consider it if I didn’t own a trainer but knew I wanted to get serious? Yep.
If you really going for it, a second fan is super good. I run a 50cm industrial floor fan and a 80cm industrial pedestal fan. Having two different air streams cools all over
On thing I would add is a training tire (for the resistance trainers, such as the Kurt Kinetic). Trainers can build up a lot of heat and literally melt a normal tire. I have had my trainer tire for 3 years now and consider it a great investment.
Here is an example of one trainer tire:
https://www.amazon.com/Vittoria-Zaffiro-Home-Trainer-Fold/dp/B001QD0DCU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478016309&sr=8-1&keywords=training%2Btire%2Bfor%2Broad%2Bbike&th=1&psc=1
Is the kickr mat actually better than the kinetic and generic? I’m in the market at the moment, but is there an actual benefit from paying more?
Absolutely love using Trainer Road with my Tacx Vortex smart trainer and for under $600 you can’t beat it! Have seen more progress in fitness levels using the 2 together then ever before!