Budget Zwift Setup Vs Premium | What Is The Difference?

Whilst you don't need a great deal of kit to get started on Zwift. Aside from your subscription to Zwift itself, all you need is a basic turbo trainer, a speed sensor, and just a smartphone, and away you go. But what difference does the most premium set up make?

In association with Zwift & Wahoo.

You don’t need a great deal of kit to get started on Zwift. Aside from your subscription to Zwift itself, all you need is a basic turbo trainer, a speed sensor, and just a smartphone, and away you go.

However, you can also invest in some amazing equipment to enhance your experience, Wahoo here have kindly supplied us with their full Kickr range, so we not only have an interactive smart trainer, but we also have a smart fan, and the climb which replicates gradient too.

But what’s ultimately the difference between a high end and a more basic setup? We thought it was about time we try out both setups head to head to find out.

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[beigemaster]

Also worth mentioning that investing in slightly more expensive trainers will give you a much quieter ride, always useful if you have family that you love and don’t want to wake up one day wondering where they’ve

[stovetop]

If you are anything like me and have your indoor set up in a cold basement, I think the best $$$ you can spend is on a "smart" outlet plug for your fan. My basement hovers around 45F (7C) in the winter and the fan is too cold until I'm warmed up after 20 minutes or so of riding. When it's time for the fan I can turn it on using my Amazon Echo Dot and Alexa or an app on my phone.

[kennyabsalonson]

I chose the kinetic fluid trainer (tire-on) with a built in sensor and love it. It's quiet, it works. My Trek is a used base model bought for $450, so I'm not about to spend more on a trainer than my bike. 😁

[babygerald]

I'm just finishing my first full week of Zwift on a Kickr Snap and it's been a revelation. I've put more miles on in 6 days than I would in 6 weeks most winters with my old mag trainer and old TdF videos. Having real-time resistance is a massive upgrade and riding with others is a blast, so if you can invest in a smart trainer, I think it's well worth it.

[colinhillson]

I think a good middle ground would be using a basic trainer with a power meter on your bike. Then you know your power is accurate, and you are able to enter races and post real results, as Zwift will trust your power output. Also the added bonus of now having a power meter you can use outside rather than buying a budget smart trainer that you can only use inside.

[LUCYDIAMONDBOXER]

06:20 impressive quick change of shoes mid pedal stroke and back 😳

[avi]

As a beginner, I was doing research on indoor training, this comparison gives me really good insight, I guess I would start with magnetic rollers with speed sensor on my bike.

[brianelander]

I ride Zwift on my dads old 1982 steel road bike on a 25 dollar thrift store spinner and a wahoo something I got second hand. I had to tape it together after it got caught in the spokes.. I just love being a broke high schooler

[konstantintomilin]

I know the biggest similarity between the two setups - you'll suffer on both!

[randyisrad]

$250 for a fan???? Sounds like a wise investment :) :) :) :)

[JonnyImpreza]

I’ve gone even more basic to get me started on Zwift... Indoor Spin Bike with Wahoo Speed & Cadence Sensors... far from ideal but it gets me online until I get a smart trainer next winter. Great video!

[iimmolarious]

Having a great time in zwift for 2 winters now on my budget setup, Rollers and cadance +speed meter

[smallplane]

This winter was my first year using a turbo trainer. I got a turbo trainer from aldi for £25 (down from £50), a speed and cadence sensor also from aldi for £10 (down from £20), used the bedroom fan, a old tyre I'd put to one side and went along to gcn workout videos...

[compassionsix]

Trying to get a friend to use Zwift who has zero knowledge of interactive workouts. This checks all the boxes on what he needs to know. Thanks mates.

[edwardlunn]

Lol I asked just over a week ago if GCN would to a comparison on a basic Zwift setup vs a full bells and whistles one. Et voila!

[kristiannilsson]

I'm primarily a runner, but after getting injuried I jumped on the bike to keep my fitness up. I was using an old taxc trainer, very similar to the cheap one you're using in this video. But after biking for a while I felt I needed something more to keep me engaged. So I started reading up on smart trainers and zwift, found a great deal on a wahoo kickr 2018 and jumped on the smart turbo trainer + zwift train and have fallen completly in love with cycling. To bad the sport isn't as cheap as running... gonna be totally broke after buying a "real" bike to race this summer. Cheers from Sweden!

[langy]

If anyone wants to convert ANT+ signals into Bluetooth and nice Versa I recommend getting a 4iiii Viiiiva HRM which does the job for you and it’s also a HRM!

[yavormihaylov]

LOL, I like how the guys are pushing 140-150 Wats and speaking to the cam as nothing is happening. Thanks for the vid guys!

[samflint]

It is also worth mentioning that on a lot of wheel on turbo trainers it is a good idea to have a dedicated trainer tyre otherwise you wear through a regular tyre in no time

[singingitman]

I’m running an Elite Drivo, managed to get it for £600 as it’s replacement model was just being launched. Found it great. Let a friend who had only ever used rollers and he was amazed by the interactive element when on zwift, the feeling of the gradient change.

So if you’re looking for a trainer, have a look when a new model is being launched you can get a higher end unit at a big discount.