Indoor Cycling
For the past two years we’ve been using CompuTrainers for our smart trainers and PerfPro Studio to run everything (and one of our riders has been using TRAINERROAD). We really enjoyed the combination of PerfPro and The Sufferfest and still use this combination regularly.
We also began using the beta of Zwift last year. Initially, it was interesting, but we continued to use PerfPro for our indoor training as we prefer structured workouts. What a difference 12 months can make. As the weather began to shift to fall (colder, darker, wetter), we began using our indoor setups again. That’s when we discovered that Zwift has come a long way since last year. In our opinion its a great tool to have in your training kit and we’ve posted some of our setup info below.
Zwift Setup
- The Computer: Zwift requires a fairly capable PC or Mac. For our PC, we’ve been using the low cost/minimal space HP Pavilion Mini Desktop. We’re using the 300-030 model running Microsoft Windows 10 and have it connected to two large flat screens.
- The Software: Zwift was in beta mode (free of charge) last year and recently moved to a $10/month subscription per rider. It allows you to ride with riders all over the world via your high-speed internet connection, and we’re using it to ride with each other. Many teams and clubs enter the acronym for their team next to their name, so if you ever see [BDR] next to a rider, its most likely a Bad Dog Racing team member – hit the “wave” button on the Zwift app on your iPhone/Android and give us a virtual wave or “Ride On”
Zwift has recently published a series of videos describing the experience, and here’s a good one to get you started:
There have been a number of good Zwift videos on setting up your Zwift indoor trainer, and here’s a recent one from Daniel Lloyd:
Also, there are many events scheduled by the Zwift community on Facebook (Calendar of Events Here), including the famous “Tuesday Night World Championships”! Here’s a great video to give you an idea of what it’s like:
And a few pics of us riding on Zwift:
