Help me surprise my hubby with a cycle trainer for Christmas please!

[adkmtngirl]

Have PM'd you

Received, much appreciated! xx

[amaferanga]

A wheel off trainer will be more accurate when it comes to power and therefore when using software like Zwift will give a better experience. Definitely avoid a cheap non-smart trainer if the intention is to use it with Zwift as these are notoriously inaccurate.

I have an Elite Direto OTS 2 which I bought from Halfords at the start of lockdown. Its been great and I'd thoroughly recommend it. It's <£600 too so one of the cheaper wheel off trainers. Unfortunately, as with most trainers, they seem to be in short supply again.

[rfryer]

A wheel off trainer will be more accurate when it comes to power and therefore when using software like Zwift will give a better experience. Definitely avoid a cheap non-smart trainer if the intention is to use it with Zwift as these are notoriously inaccurate.

I have an Elite Direto OTS 2 which I bought from Halfords at the start of lockdown. Its been great and I'd thoroughly recommend it. It's <£600 too so one of the cheaper wheel off trainers. Unfortunately, as with most trainers, they seem to be in short supply again.

I'd echo this. My experience is that direct drive is much better than wheel-on, and the Direto is a sound choice.

[adkmtngirl]

Thank you both! What would you say is the difference in setup time for the direct drive option versus wheel on? Given his busy schedule, I fear a more complex option would be a deterrent to him using it.

[rfryer]

I'd say that you're looking at 30s for wheel on vs 60s for direct drive (once you've had a bit of practice). May double those numbers if you're not trying to break records!

However, that's assuming you use wheel-on with your outdoor wheels. Ideally, you want to be using a trainer tyre, which will mean a wheel swap as well, and end up needing slower than direct drive.

Be aware that direct drive needs a cassette on the trainer. I'm assuming you'd buy one for the purpose; it doesn't need to be high end. If you didn't, then fitting the bike would involve swapping the cassette from the wheel to the trainer, which would add a couple more (oily) minutes and be enough to discourage me! Personally, I keep an old bike on the trainer at all times - saves wear on the good bike and makes me more likely to use the trainer.

[eileithyia]

^^^ this is one of the complications with a wheel out / direct drive trainer, the number of cogs on the rear gears needs to match the number of cogs on the bike you are using... ie the number of gears, because we have a mix of 10 and 11 speed bikes in our garage, when my other half bought a direct drive trainer, we had issues sorting two bikes that would be compatible, as it is I have continued to use the full bike set up / wheel on trainer (as we originally thought there was a problem with it and it was on it's way out but we solved the problem), while you can buy a trainer tyre I just use my bike as it is set up for the road.
Quite honestly if it was the only choice I would faff with wheel out option, but the messing around with it would put me off... though it helps if you can leave the bike on whichever trainer you choose... and then it is always set up to go.... especially if over the winter you are likely to use the trainer more than being outside.

[adkmtngirl]

I'd say that you're looking at 30s for wheel on vs 60s for direct drive (once you've had a bit of practice). May double those numbers if you're not trying to break records!

However, that's assuming you use wheel-on with your outdoor wheels. Ideally, you want to be using a trainer tyre, which will mean a wheel swap as well, and end up needing slower than direct drive.

Be aware that direct drive needs a cassette on the trainer. I'm assuming you'd buy one for the purpose; it doesn't need to be high end. If you didn't, then fitting the bike would involve swapping the cassette from the wheel to the trainer, which would add a couple more (oily) minutes and be enough to discourage me! Personally, I keep an old bike on the trainer at all times - saves wear on the good bike and makes me more likely to use the trainer.

Thanks, very helpful! I was thinking it would be much more time intensive than that, so DD looks much more appealing now. Would someone clueless like me be able to figure out what cassette to buy? He only has one bike so no old bike to put on it.

[adkmtngirl]

^^^ this is one of the complications with a wheel out / direct drive trainer, the number of cogs on the rear gears needs to match the number of cogs on the bike you are using... ie the number of gears, because we have a mix of 10 and 11 speed bikes in our garage, when my other half bought a direct drive trainer, we had issues sorting two bikes that would be compatible, as it is I have continued to use the full bike set up / wheel on trainer (as we originally thought there was a problem with it and it was on it's way out but we solved the problem), while you can buy a trainer tyre I just use my bike as it is set up for the road.
Quite honestly if it was the only choice I would faff with wheel out option, but the messing around with it would put me off... though it helps if you can leave the bike on whichever trainer you choose... and then it is always set up to go.... especially if over the winter you are likely to use the trainer more than being outside.

Ah I can see how that would be frustrating! He only has one bike and I probably won't be competing him for it thankfully. I suspect he would leave it on the trainer M-F and then pop it off at the weekends here and there when the weather and his schedule dovetail. As you say, certainly over the winter (assuming I can manage to find the right unit in stock) it would be more on the trainer than off.

[adkmtngirl]

Thanks all for your patience, the Elite Suito is looking pretty good to me now. It comes up well in the recent DC Rainmaker guide. It folds up a bit, which is very useful to us. It helpfully comes pre-assembled with cassette, addressing some of my concern with a DD trainer. It's in stock near me so no need to be on a waitlist praying for Christmas arrival. It comes in £50 (plus the cost of the cassette) cheaper than something like the Kickr Core and is just about in budget. Have I missed any important considerations?

[eileithyia]

Yes the cassette needs to have the same number of sprockets as there are on his bike because the gear change levers will be designed for 9,10, or 11. Or he may have to change one or the other to suit, can you subtly ask 'so how many rear gears does your bike have?'

[rfryer]

The included cassette will be compatible with the bike if the rear derailleur on the bike is made by either SRAM or Shimano, and the bike has 11 sprockets on the cassette.

If a different number of sprockets,, then you'll need to buy a different cassette.

If the derailleur is made by Campagnolo, you'll need both a new cassette, and a new freehub (the bit of the trainer that the cassette slides on to).

[adkmtngirl]

Brilliant, thank you! I think it'd be okay; looks like SRAM 11-speed to me?
https://imgur.com/a/VhG8H6K

[rfryer]

Certainly SRAM. It might be my eyes, but I can only count 9 sprockets on that photo, though.

[Paulatic]

It’s the number of sprockets there are which matters.
I can only count 9

[adkmtngirl]

Here's a better angle on it?
https://imgur.com/a/kDCrtDL