Kickr Snap vs Core

The STAC Halcyon is one key exception, is actually the most quiet trainer on the market, and it’s a wheel-on design.

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Ah, yes, and it is quite unique in that it isn’t a wheel-on trainer either. For that reason I didn’t think about it. But I think you need aluminum rims, correct?

Yup, aluminum rim is a requirement.

You have a power meter
You don’t want to ride ERG
You’re not looking for direct drive.
You don’t want Cycleops

The answer to your question is a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine.

I don’t understand why you’re looking at smart trainers if you’re not gonna use the smart feature.

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Good point… I missed the no erg mode part. Although I would suggest the snap to have that option, if set against it, go even cheaper.

Noise on the snap is only an issue riding big ring x smaller ring in back and not sure how that compares to direct drive at similar flywheel speeds… Small ring up front and mid cassette in back is super quiet and recommended for better erg feedback.

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Not sure where this noisy Snap concept is coming from, all I really hear is my drivetrain. I guess if you want to workout next to your sleeping baby, seek out the quietest trainer availability, however the Snap is plenty quite with the correct trainer tire, pressure and gearing.

I have a power meter and I ALWAYS use ERG. Powermatch has been less than stellar unless you’re at a consistent power and consistent cadence. Powermatch does not do well with sudden power changes or cadence drops, at least with the Kickr Snap and my experience. Luckily my ERG is within 1% of my PM so all it good, your results may vary.

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In regards to noise, it will depend on what you use. You may be lucky with using a good tube, tyre, wheel or something, like myself, use a cheap wheel that came with the bike and it’s not even perfectly round. The drum on the turbo, it doesn’t seem to be exactly centered either. There is a lot more opportunity for the noise on Snap than on the direct drive. By no means any of that is of an issue to lose sleep about. Rather just to mention. Snap is a great unit in my experience. Also, mine is gen1 snap, perhaps later models are made with better tolerances.

That reply was for the OP.

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I got a Core last fall and love it. I had run a dedicated trainer wheel for several years so I was always swapping out the rear wheel anyway so it was no added work for me. The direct drive is better than a wheel on trainer but if you get a killer deal on a used Snap you’ll be no worse off than you are now but a few hundred dollars richer. I would think you might find the 100% no slippage a nice feature for your low rpm high power repeats though. A direct drive trainer really shines in that scenario.

As for removing the rear wheel, there is a technique to it. After getting a car that required me to remove the rear wheel to get the bike in the trunk, I finally buckled down and watched some YouTube videos and can now swap out a rear wheel as quick as the front. If you apply yourself, you can get Tour mechanic fast in about 15 minutes of study and practice.

As for the cassette, the motivation of avoiding having to replace two instead of one if you let your chain go too long might actually save you a lot of money in the long run :wink:

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Here, I beg to differ: I train in the morning, and while it isn’t my sleep that I need to worry about, it is my wife’s my daughter’s and my neighbors’s. I specifically chose a fluid trainer for that reason.

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Just N=1, but I’ve had a Kickr Snap for just over 2 years and haven’t had any issues with it. I’m not religious about doing spin downs, maybe once every week or 2. Folds up pretty small (like my former Kinetic road machine) and sets up in just a couple of minutes. Mount the bike, check the pressure, turn knob 2 full turns after contact (I put a little mark with a white pen on the knob so it’s easy to tell a full revolution).

I have an old wheel with a Vittoria trainer tire on my road bike most of the time and then swap wheels if I’m taking it outside. Makes it pretty easy to just put it on the trainer and get rolling. Anyway, it’s pretty simple and has been a rock solid set up so far (fingers crossed!).

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I have a smart trainer now, and I like how it feels. I have a Kurt Kinetic, and have done workouts on it, and it’s not quite the same. In particular, when I do grinders (similar to slow-force repetitions), I really need the ability to increase the resistance. This is why an electronic trainer is useful, even if you’re not using its smartness.

Thanks to everyone. I don’t really care about noise–I do my workouts in the garage, and no one else is bothered by me. I am pretty sure I’ll just go for the Snap.

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Been on my 2018 Snap for 6-7 months, first power meter / smart trainer experience. All good. I go 2 full turns on an 80psi 28mm tire and I get bit of tire squeal while the tire warms up, then it’s fine, no slip. Biggest observation: 200W ERG mode on the small ring feels like more effort than ERG 200W on the large ring. Maybe 10W more?

Yup, many people experience that.

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Great! My FTP just went up!!

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I have a new core bought in late 2019. I love the device, generally works beautifully but I have to challenge the idea that it’s easy to switch from trainer to road (even though I haven’t actually done that in the dead of winter). When I first connected mine to the trainer, I had to adjust the front der limits and the rear indexing all because the cassette position on the core differed ever so slightly from my rear wheel’s hub. This means for me to throw the wheel back on the back and “just ride” is a bit unrealistic since I will need to inevitably need to retune both derailleurs. Has anyone else had similar issues and are there ways to prevent this inconsistency?

Hello DHellman,
I know this thread is little old but I live in NCA as well and just recently my electronics went on my PowerBeam Pro. Do you still have your PowerBeam and would you be willing to part it? I’m just looking for either resistance unit or just the circuit board.
Please let me know, love to hear from you.
Thanks

Iceman, I’m so sorry… I gave my PBP to a friend, who has moved out of state… I can see if she is using it, and if not, I could see if she would be willing to send you the resistance unit or circuit board. I’m not sure if she is riding bikes now, as I think she’s restarted riding horses.

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly. That would be great if you could ask her if she is still using it.
Thanks again

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