Indoor Cycling Rig

How to Setup an Indoor Bike Trainer

It’s October and the bummer with cycling is that it can get inconvenient in the winter, here’s how to set up an indoor bike trainer.

Coldness and darkness pretty much kill your motivation in the Fall/Winter months, basically blowing up the fitness you worked so hard to build in the warm weather months.

The good news is that there has been an explosion of great products introduced in recent years to allow you to scratch your cycling itch in the winter months. 

Here is the Indoor Cycling Setup I Just Completed

Indoor Cycling Rig

I got a subscription to Zwift for $14.99/month with a free subscription. Think of it as a video game for cyclists.  Ride with your friends or make new ones from around the world.  Choose from a number of courses with interesting graphics.  You can just cruise or participate in organized races literally any time and day.  Display the game on your phone, iPad, computer, or TV monitor, and your indoor riding time will fly by. 

Indoor Cycling Rig

The way Zwift imports how much power you are generating from peddling is through a device called a power meter which is one of the functions of a smart trainer. In addition to power measurement, a smart trainer Below are the options I considered. 

The ZwiftHub is the hot new product in this space.  It’s a well-reviewed unit that’s only $499.00.  The only problem is you can’t buy it as it’s on backorder. But it’s worth the wait for the price as it’s $400 cheaper than comparable products. 

Indoor Cycling Rig

I bought the Wahoo KICKR CORE because it is a well reviewed unit that you can actually get in a few days for $899.00 on Amazon.  I just got it a few days ago.  Setup was easy.  I’ve done 3 rides already and am really enjoying it. 

Indoor Cycling Rig

Other Stuff You’ll Need

A Bike.  The cool thing is any old road bike will do so dig around in your garage, ask a friend, or buy a cheap bike on Craigslist. I used a 10 year old Cannondale that I wasn’t riding. Depending on the type of smart trainer you buy, you may need a compatible cassette as well. 

A Smart Phone, Tablet or Computer. 

A Fan, Preferably with a Remote:  

A Mat:  This will reduce noise, protect your floor and make you look cool. 

Another way to go is with Peleton.  $1,445 plus a monthly subscription of $44..  This is a great way to go if you want an all-in-one solution. Peloton will come to your house set you up and you’re good to go.  Peloton offers live and pre-recorded spin classes with fun, really good-looking people to keep you interested.  

Indoor Cycling Rig

Let me know if you have any questions about setting up your own indoor cycling rig and send photos! John

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