The flight is a slightly unusual trainer in that it’s wheel on, but doesn’t actually touch the wheel.
I didn’t realise it when I got it, but this has quite a few benefits I really care about:
taking the bike on and off is quick. I only have one bike, so not having to take wheels off, mess with calibration or adjust the flywheel pressure on the wheel is great
it’s totally silent
it’s very compact - I just fold it up and slide it under a couch when I’m done
Also, it supports 3 simultaneous Bluetooth connections. I always use 2 and didn’t realise how’s rare supporting multiple Bluetooth connections was in trainers.
On the flip side it’s “rated” for a 250w ftp and I’m bumping up against that. Sometimes the magnets touch the wheels when the trainer has to try and generate higher resistance, which is why I’m investigating replacing it.
I’m looking at direct drive and wanted some real world feedback on convenience.
It doesn’t look like noise is an issue at the higher end.
Space and easy storage are what I’d like to know about.
I don’t have the space to leave my bike attached to the trainer, so which trainers are easy to get the bike on and off and then fold up and move into a corner?
I think your biggest problem will be the weight of the direct drive trainers - almost 3x as heavy as your fliiiight.
Both the Kickr and the tacx fold up fairly compact to hide behind something but only the kickr has a handle. Its not practicle to store them on their side so you wont be sliding them under your couch.
You also have to factor in that dirty cassette…one side of my couch is ruined because of my kickr So the neo is better in that regard because the legs fold up over the cassette.
Upgraded it from a wahoo kick gen 1 and it was night and day when it comes to portability. its much lighter to move around and it packs into a square and not an odd shape when placed down in the boot of a car.
I have had to carry the trainer up 3 flights of stairs and because the handle balances the weight evenly, I can do it in one ago. compared to the Wahoo Kickr I have to stop at each flight (also due to the lighter weight).
it doesn’t have the solid smooth feeling of the heavier flywheel of the kicker but the power accuracy is pretty darn good.
Lastly, if you need to keep it away, it packs to a much smaller size compared to when the legs are extended. easy to store. personally feel that its 20% smaller footprint than the wahoo kickr.
So the neo is better in that regard because the legs fold up over the cassette.