I began Zwifting and bought my first smart trainer (a Tacx Neo 2T with motion plates) in November 2023. I’ve since put nearly 9K miles on the unit, which has worked flawlessly. I then joined the TR community when the integration was announced.
I spend most weekends in a second location and, for lack of space, have used a SmartSpin2K on a Peloton to be able to ride on Zwift and TR. For a relatively cheap hack, the SmartSpin works incredibly well, though the lack of motion makes longer rides more challenging. I’m soon going to have more space and am looking to put together a more realistic dedicated training rig.
In the best of all worlds, I’d go with a smart bike like the Kickr Shift, especially since I don’t yet have a bike I’m eager to take out of commission to put on the trainer. But I’ve read enough stories about folks cycling through multiple replacements of full-on smart bikes to be wary of that approach. The Zwift Ride/Elite Square approach is interesting but I like traditional brifters and would need to buy rocker plates to get motion. So I’m leaning toward a smart trainer/bike combo.
I’ve really appreciated the 2T’s reliability and like the motion plates for making long rides more comfortable. I could go that route again but balk at spending hundreds of dollars more for it than for the Kickr Move. The alternative would be a Kickr V6 with a rocker plate, but that’s more money and a larger footprint. The price of the Neo 3M, unfortunately, is a joke.
I’ve read all of DCRainmaker’s reviews but remain curious to hear your experience with the Kickr Move, especially as concerns reliability and comfort on long virtual rides. Would you pay the difference for the Neo 2T with motion plates? Am I being short-sighted not to consider the Kickr Shift? Thanks!
Life is short, if it was me… you are investing in your long term health so cost is worth the investment IMO.
For a second location, you didn’t say how long you stay there, but lets say weekends.
I would get a used rim brake road bike that is functional, but not bling nice, and put it on a Kickr Core or Saris H3. I have a early 2000’s Giant TCR as my dedicated trainer bike. Touch points match closely to my road and gravel bikes. Movement is a nice to have, you can train a lifetime without it thou. I would add a Ipad for Zwift or TR.
If you spend more time at the second location then I would consider having matching setups for home and away. For me its ease of use, if it requires setup or breakdown time, then I am less likely to be consistent with my training.
I think a better deal is a Kickr Core plus and InsideRide e-flex. Cost is about the same but if the trainer dies, you just buy another Core or Core clone. If your Move dies 3 or 4 years from now, you are out $1200 with a dead trainer.
I’m only guessing but I’d bet that the Inside Ride offers a better motion than the Move. The Move is nice that it’s all self contained in one unit.
I watch the Wahoo Kickr FB group and have heard of Move’s developing a flat spot in the motion. It’s just a piece of plastic to replace but in typical Wahoo style, that piece is not available as a replacement part. The part that the move glides on should really be stainless steel or something to prevent wear.
FWIW, I do have an InsideRide e-flex. I really like it. It’s added a lot of comfort to my setup. It does feel odd at first but you quickly take to it. I’ve only heard of a few people that ultimately didn’t like it.
I haven’t seen many posts about issues with kicker bikes as of late. Seems most were with the v1 and have been worked out. Personally I have the Kickr Bike v1 (got on sale when they were clearing them out) and outside of the bikes themselves it has been the best fitness/training/ performance purchase I have made. The convenience of not taking a bike on and off is awesome. I mean for $1500 more you can get a Kicker Shift. Well worth it in my opinion, especially if you have the space.
Thanks for all the great feedback so far! Mike, I hear you about the long-term cost/benefit calculation. Even if you factor in the cost of the bike that I’ve put on the Neo 2T–a 2014 Seven Axiom Ti that I got a great deal on–the cost per mile of my current setup is minor, and decreasing daily. AJS914, thanks for the head’s up on the flat spot. That’s the kind of problem that could drive one crazy over the long haul, especially if Wahoo has no plans to address it with existing units. The E-Flex is indeed intriguing although my static balance is not what it used to be. Jolyzara, you’re absolutely right about the benefit of a dedicated trainer set-up. Since I don’t have a backup bike (per Saddlesaur’s suggestion) to dedicate to the effort, I’d need to buy one and would want it to have reasonably modern shifting. That does bring overall cost closer to the Shift, to which I could add a rocker down the line. Ah, ‘first world’ problem for sure!
I don’t find that you need especially amazing balance for an insideride. It’s not like rollers or anything. DC Rainmaker has a video on youtube that is informative.
In general, I’d say it’s probably wise to get any motion platform + a Core over a Move for ultimate flexibility and longevity. I guess I don’t trust Wahoo. If I buy a $1200 Trainer, I expect it to be repairable and last 10+ years.
I’ve never used the Move and haven’t ridden a KICKR in many years, but wanted to respond to the “you can add movement later if you want” comment.
I’m still riding an OG Neo and have added the flex plates. Before that, I had the Neo solo, and then on a rocker. I personally find the fore/aft motion much more forgiving than the side to side, which was much more forgiving that no motion at all. Now that I have it, I absolutely don’t consider movement as a “nice to have item”.
If the Neo ever dies (I have like 30k “miles” on it so far), I’ve considered switching to a dedicated all-in-one trainer bike, but as mentioned above, it worries me that everything is in one unit so when something breaks, you may have to replace the whole thing. I had also been considering the “Move”, but hearing you can’t replace the parts makes me think sticking with a bicycle+trainer+movement (3 different parts) is still the way to go.
Thanks, Pbase! I spent some time yesterday reviewing user comments on the Shift, since I REALLY like the all-in-one option but came away reaffirming the value of the bike/trainer/movement approach you suggest. Your experience with the Neo’s reliability mirrors mine, which is a big point in Tacx’s favor.
I started with an H2, went to a Neo 2, then a 2T, and then a Kickr Bike (v1), and LOVE the smart bike idea (in spite of the problems I had with the Kickr Bike).
ALWAYS have a backup trainer system ready, just in case. After getting out of the Kicker Bike, I bought a Neo Smart Bike, and have been riding that for years. I do miss the movement of the Kick Bike, but not missing the problems.
I have thought of getting the Tacx rocker attachment for the 2T and switching it up riding one and then the other off and on. $300 bucks for plastic seems harder for me to swallow. But, yeah, I would say that everything can go wrong at any moment, and the also that the extra cost of the Move, and 3M seem frivolous wastes of money for what you get, to me…
As long as Garmin supports the Smart Bike I have, I’ll ride the Smart Bike because it’s really easy to hop on, ride like I stole it, hop off and not have the maintenance headache of a ‘real bike’ on a trainer. Although, guilty confession, I have been drooling a bit over the Zwift Ride, wondering if it would be a better more effective ‘travel bike’ than buying expensive cases and dealing with damage/destruction of my Roubaix (jumping lanes, but traveling and humping beat up Pelotons and creepy rented ‘bikes’ really sucks to me) I’d still need a separate trainer to use it, but still better than trying to carry a smart bike, and risking my main road bike. (Thoughts evolving on that Ride idea though)…
I’d pass on the Move, get a Kickr, or Kickr Core/Zwift Ride, and a rocker plate that would adapt to different brands?
I’m old and find a full motion platform really helpful comfort-wise, and for me, essential. I have a Saris platform which can move a lot, but for the most part movement of the saddle is only a few cm left/right and fore/aft. It makes a big difference in how I feel. Standing, the motion can be more. Of course it’s not the same movement as actually riding, but that’s OK. The Saris platform is big and heavy, but I think I’d be happy with a simpler platform, like those that ride on inflated balls or donuts.
I’m happy with mine, local store helped me hook up a dusty old hybrid to it. The trainer on its own is quite heavy, maybe 50-60 lbs, but the legs fold in for storage. I actually had my Move locked for about the first month before I unlocked the forward/back movement and I do prefer the feel with it on. You’l feel it more when you get out of the saddle, but there is always a little movement. The only issue I had early on was the spiral of death but I found a lot of help here on the forums for that, including understanding gearing differences in ERG mode, not touching the shifters, and making sure to keep my cadence up 90+.
Thanks for all your great feedback! I realize that what I really want does not exist: a reliable belt-driven all-in-one smart bike with a realistic set of brifters and motion built in. Both the Kickr Bike and Tacx Neo Smart Bike seem to have had more creaking/slippage/software problems than I’m willing to put up with and, in any event, would require a rocker plate. And given that the market is moving away from all-in-one, I doubt that what I would ideally like will be available any time soon. The Elite Square plus trainer and rocker option is intriguing but I’ve read of some teething pains.
So I’m likely looking at the Neo 2T with a rocker or the Kickr V6 with the E-Flex or a rocker, then finding a reasonably priced bike to dedicate to the effort. Do any of you have experience with the TurboRocks Realplate React?
If I was starting from scratch I would probably buy the Zwift Ride with Kickr Core, it doesn’t look like you can buy the Zwift frame separate, if you could I would maybe go Zwift frame and the Saris H3+. However, like many of the others I also have a past road bike as my dedicated trainer bike sitting on a Saris H3 (>3 years old now). Given there isn’t really places that work on trainers and that when they fail the companies are just like ‘here’s a discount code to buy a new one’ (from what I’ve read), I would prefer to avoid the Smart bikes and stick to old road bike on mid level wheel off trainer or if I didn’t have a old road bike, Zwift frame on mid level wheel off trainer. Looks like the H3 Plus are selling for <$600 Canadian now so if I can get 3+ years out of them, thats reasonable, Kickr Moves are listed at $1900 CAD on Wahoo, so I would be a little more bothered if it died at 3 years and was non-repairable as trainers and smart bikes seem to generally be treated.
Thanks, all, for your very helpful feedback! In the end, I’ve decided to pick up the TurboRocks React rocker plate and to go with another Neo 2T. As noted above, I’m nearly 9K into my first Neo and it’s performed admirably. Unlike many, I’ve had good experiences with Garmin support, including their replacing a Varia rear radar out of warranty when it crapped out. The TurboRocks will go in my primary location and the Neo motion plates I now use there in the secondary. I still need to solve the ‘what bike?’ question but I have a couple of months before the move. Thanks again!
You don’t mention anything about actually riding outside at either of your locations. Does that figure in, and if so, how might it influence your decision?
I ride outside at both. Ideally, I’d like to keep things easy and avoid having to take a bike on and off the trainers. Still haven’t solved that for the new place. Thanks!
Yep. I’m absolutely in favor of having dedicated bikes on the trainers. I’m a big advocate of simplifying and removing any impediments to getting on the trainer or going for a ride. The easier it is, the less likely you’ll skip it.
