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Post by Rocket on Nov 23, 2016 19:36:04 GMT
My trainer is a Minora magnetic. The resistance is just a powerful neodymium magnet which the manual control indexes over 7 different positions on a disc. It's not electro-magnetic. Adding a servo to this would allow computer control but only over the 7 resistance levels available in rather large steps.
With an electromagnetic setup there is no fixed magnet and the magnetism for resistance is varied by altering the DC current through a winding of wires (said electro-magnet). This gives it the advantage of being infinitely variable so no large steps in resistance.
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Post by william39 on Nov 23, 2016 19:48:20 GMT
I've got the cheapest BTWIN magnetic trainer. There are seven settings but I always leave it in the hardest setting, using the gears on the bike to alter the resistance. Am I missing something or what is the advantage of this altering resistance rather than using gearing (unless you are using Zwift or equivalent)?
If I want to simulate going up a 10km climb at 7% then I select the gear that gets my heart rate up to approx. 165 whilst maintaining my favoured cadence (90 to 95) and continue for the approx 45 minutes the climb takes in real life. I might be 'going' at 37km/h rather than 13km/h on the actual climb but that doesn't really matter to me.
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Post by RobP on Nov 23, 2016 21:37:37 GMT
My previous unit the Tacx Bushido had no power lead at all. You powered the electronics by pedaling
Needed a warranty replacement by Tacx of the main unit as the bearing was failing and they supplied the higher spec Genius unit instead which does require power as it has a powered decent mode. i.e. it simulates negative incline in zwift by adding upto -5% decent as power to flywheel
Wouldnt have paid extra for that feature at all but the main bearing has lasted longer and further already
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Post by chas on Nov 23, 2016 21:39:19 GMT
My trainer is a Minora magnetic. The resistance is just a powerful neodymium magnet which the manual control indexes over 7 different positions on a disc. It's not electro-magnetic. Adding a servo to this would allow computer control but only over the 7 resistance levels available in rather large steps. With an electromagnetic setup there is no fixed magnet and the magnetism for resistance is varied by altering the DC current through a winding of wires (said electro-magnet). This gives it the advantage of being infinitely variable so no large steps in resistance. The resistance in the 'magnetic' trainer is still strictly electromagnetic. I've not taken a turbo trainer apart, but in my cross trainer the 8 positions were just 'clicks' on the dial which moved the magnet closer to the disc via a cable (which is why I took it apart) and a servo would provide stepless control. We had an ivortex set up as a demonstrator last winter and you could hear the servo when altering the resistance. Controlling an electromagnet may be a simpler (cheaper) way for the newer models to work, (the smart is cheaper than the older ivortex and has less resistance) though the models in the article were expensive direct drive types.
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Post by joek1973 on Nov 24, 2016 12:30:07 GMT
Just been looking at the Black Friday deals coming along and spotted this. For Β£50, this would appear to be great value. A couple of things I would like to know if anyone can help here - would this be OK for a beginner cyclist (I've done MTB'ing but would class myself as pretty unfit and lacking power!) - and would it / how does it connect to an app like Zwift or TrainerRoad?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 24, 2016 13:53:50 GMT
Just been looking at the Black Friday deals coming along and spotted this. For Β£50, this would appear to be great value. A couple of things I would like to know if anyone can help here - would this be OK for a beginner cyclist (I've done MTB'ing but would class myself as pretty unfit and lacking power!) - and would it / how does it connect to an app like Zwift or TrainerRoad? It would not connect directly to either Zwift or TrainerRoad, you could however use virtual power by using a speed and cadence sensor and the power curve data from either program. Looking at the list of compatible trainers (https://www.trainerroad.com/equipment-checker) that one you spotted is not listed on TrainerRoad. Nothing stopping you using another Blackburn power curve but the data might not be 100% accurate.
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Post by r0b1et on Nov 24, 2016 17:44:46 GMT
Also not a Zwift supported trainer, so it would be a generic power curve... which is highly limited, and basically made up nonsense.
It's cheap for a reason, And I'd expect another reason is it's feak and weeble.
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Post by william39 on Nov 24, 2016 19:18:51 GMT
It's cheap for a reason, And I'd expect another reason is it's feak and weeble. Zwift compatibility aside I am sure it is perfectly fine for the beginner or intermediate cyclist. How many on here are putting out more than 550 watts for more than a few seconds to 'beat' the cheap turbo trainers?
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Post by chas on Nov 24, 2016 22:09:21 GMT
How much electricity do these trainers you plug into the mains use? It seems wrong to me that something which should be capable of generating electricity actually uses it instead. Had a look at the Smart Flow and it says 60w on the box.
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Post by r0b1et on Nov 25, 2016 11:31:59 GMT
It's cheap for a reason, And I'd expect another reason is it's feak and weeble. Zwift compatibility aside I am sure it is perfectly fine for the beginner or intermediate cyclist. How many on here are putting out more than 550 watts for more than a few seconds to 'beat' the cheap turbo trainers? I always did. I would say any kind of HIIT is not viable on the cheap trainers, they spin out at too low resistance - sure they're ok for longer intervals... but most people training do at least some VO2Max efforts. I'm a lightweight relatively speaking too, so If I'm spinning them out...
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Post by Paulinblack on Nov 25, 2016 15:29:41 GMT
Took the plunge on a Rampa - Not sure whether that was the right thing to do or not!
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Post by joek1973 on Nov 25, 2016 16:15:32 GMT
Took the plunge on a Rampa - Not sure whether that was the right thing to do or not! Let us know how it goes! Very interested to hear how you find it for noise, immersiveness etc
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Post by Paulinblack on Nov 25, 2016 16:23:29 GMT
Took the plunge on a Rampa - Not sure whether that was the right thing to do or not! Let us know how it goes! Very interested to hear how you find it for noise, immersiveness etc Not allowed to use it until Xmas
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Post by Rocket on Nov 25, 2016 16:43:55 GMT
You need to unpack it straight away to make sure it works. Don't want to find a duffer on the day do you.
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Post by william39 on Nov 25, 2016 19:52:03 GMT
Let us know how it goes! Very interested to hear how you find it for noise, immersiveness etc Not allowed to use it until Xmas Order the Β£50 trainer from Chain Reaction to keep boxed up as your 'xmas present', the Elite can just be something you have 'borrowed from a friend' to keep you ticking over for the next month.
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