This is something that’s true of all trainers to some extent, it’s generally a good idea to spin up your cadence just before entering those intervals to give yourself a bit of a buffer. Here's a brief overview of the best smart trainers on this list, along with quick links which let you jump down the page directly to the product's review. The most basic turbo trainers, these use magnetic resistance to imitate the feel of the road, and are generally the cheapest due to their simplicity.

Software and Apps are Available for the KICKR? What Software and Apps are Available for the KICKR?

On the other hand, this super fast ramping up of the resistance is great for rolling courses on Zwift, with sudden and repeated gradient changes. We've also looked at the alternative of rollers towards the bottom of the page and we've got a separate guide to the best bike rollers if you want more details. But if you have to set it up and pack it down before and after every session, then you’ll need to take this into consideration, especially if you can’t fold down the supporting legs of a trainer or it lacks a carry handle. If you’re really dedicated to indoor cycling, there is another tier of smart cycling device available; the smart bike. The video content entertains, motivates and informs you whereas the structured training plans cover all the triathlon disciplines plus mental training, yoga and strength work.If you’re planning on using the Alpe du Zwift for your attempt, then you’re going to fall foul of ‘the rules’, as the maximum gradient there is 14%.

KICKR CORE Smart Trainer Information and Setup – Wahoo KICKR CORE Smart Trainer Information and Setup – Wahoo

Direct-drive turbo trainers offer a significantly smoother and more realistic ride experience than traditional magnetic or fluid trainers. The other benefit of rollers is the ease of bike mounting - just put your outdoor bike on and start riding. In testing, we found the trainer to be pleasingly quiet, with excellent ride quality and accurate power numbers to boot. The Kickr Core, unlike the high-end Kickr and cheap Kickr Snap, is aimed at the crucial midmarket slot. Wahoo includes a cassette and a generously sized power cable, so you shouldn’t need an extension lead.Again both these points won’t matter to most people, and is part of the reason why this is the trainer that we would recommend overall. Whether you are a cyclist or a triathlete, SYSTM comes with holistic plans for all major race distances. This isn’t an issue if you only free-ride in events and the like with the realism on, and it’s not an issue if you only ride in erg mode (plenty of resistance can be provided there).