Michigan winters can be long and cold, and despite all my best intentions I’ve always struggled to ride outdoors in the bitter cold. Besides, even if there’s a brief break in the weather, the roads are often dangerous due to the patches of snow and ice or covered in a layer of corrosive salt.

Given that, I needed a means to keep fit in the winter months. Initially I joined a gym to go spinning, but realized it would be more convenient to be able to workout at home on my own schedule and avoid the travel time to and from the gym – time is valuable with a young family. So, for the past three winters I’ve been riding an indoor trainer at home, mainly on Zwift.

US houses often have basements, and I’m fortunate enough to have nearly 1,000 square feet of finished basement in my home. I remodeled the basement a few years ago, converting half into a carpeted ‘living room’ and the other half into a gym. The gym side of the basement is now my ‘pain cave’ that I’ve set up to make indoor cycle training as enjoyable as possible. I understood some time ago, that the more enjoyable I could make indoor training, the more I would be motivated to ride.

This post provides an overview of my setup, what I use and why, and was written to pass on what I’ve learned over the past three years of indoor training with the hope that some will find it useful.

I’ve included a breakdown of the complete setup with links for each item at the end of the post.

Trainers

I bought my first smart trainer – a Wahoo KICKR SNAP – back in November 2017. Several friends owned Wahoo trainers, rated them highly, and I’d been very happy with my Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT, TICKR heart rate monitor and Cadence sensors, so I looked no further. The two trainer options from Wahoo at the time were the direct drive KICKR ($1,100) or the wheel-on SNAP ($600).

I’m a member at REI, they have sales 2-3 times a year and conveniently I got my KICKR SNAP in the November sale, right when I needed it, with 20% off.

There are plenty of good reviews already and I’d direct you to DC Rainmaker for everything you need to know: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2017/07/wahoo-kickr-snap-2017-v2-trainer.html

The KICKR SNAP has worked flawlessly. The only problem I can report are that I had a number of flat tires, which seemed very odd on an indoor trainer, and it’s still a mystery to me what caused them. Initially I used a regular road tire (Conti GP4000), then switched to a Vittoria trainer tire, then switched to a Conti trainer tire and have had no issues since. Regular tires are too soft for an indoor trainer and are not designed to withstand the heat that’s generated between the tire and the roller.

I bought my wife a gravel bike in the spring of this year and set her up with the bike on the trainer so she could get used to riding it. She took to it straight away and began riding daily on Zwift. To avoid competition for the trainer, and to avoid having to keep swapping bikes, I decided to buy a second trainer and at the same time upgrade the pain cave so we could ride together.

Happy with the KICKR SNAP, the second trainer was also going to be a Wahoo. I decided I wanted to upgrade to a direct drive trainer, so to avoid the flat tires, and to make it easier to take the bike off the trainer and ride outside if I ever wanted to. The choices were the KICKR ($1,200) or the KICKR CORE ($900). While the reviews noted the KICKR had a few advantages over the KICKR CORE, most commented that there was very little noticeable difference between the two when riding: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/08/wahoo-kickr-v5-2020-smart-trainer-in-depth-review.html

So I was leaning towards the KICKR CORE. https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/09/wahoo-kickr-core-trainer-in-depth-review-2.html

I went to REI’s website the morning the November sale started, they had the KICKR CORE listed but not the regular KICKR. That made the decision easy, and I got the 20% reduced sale price despite the terms and conditions stating that indoor trainers were excluded from the sale.

The KICKR CORE worked great. I didn’t find it too different to the KICKR SNAP. It was quieter, essentially silent apart from drivetrain noise. It broadcasts cadence, which means I don’t need a separate cadence sensor.

Sometimes when I sprint out of the saddle on the trainer, the trainer can feel a little unstable and I get concerned that I could topple the trainer over if I’m not careful. This seemed slightly worse on the KICKR CORE than I remembered it on the KICKR SNAP. I measured the distance between the front feet on the two, the KICKR CORE has them 23″ apart whereas the KICKR SNAP has the front feet 29″ apart, which is why the KICKR CORE feels less stable. This is just something for me to bear in mind and be careful of, although I found myself holding back on sprints more than I would have on the KICKR SNAP – at least while I got used to the KICKR CORE.

Smart Trainer Workout Applications

The decisions about what hardware to use to control the smart trainer can be very dependent upon the intended applications, how important the graphics are and how much interaction will be required. The two applications I’ve used most extensively are Zwift and TrainerRoad, which are very different.

TrainerRoad https://www.trainerroad.com/ is a cycling workout application that can be used on smart trainers and also outdoors with Garmin and Wahoo head units. Like other applications it connects to the smart trainer to receive power measured and broadcast by the trainer, and where required, it will adjust the resistance to maintain a specified power level. It’ll also receive heart rate and cadence broadcast by their respective sensors. TrainerRoad has apps for either iOS or Android (smart phones or tablets), or can be run from trainerroad.com on Windows or Mac computers.

The TrainerRoad workout screen is relatively basic, displaying the workout profile and key metrics (actual and target power, heart rate, cadence and workout time etc.). Therefore computational and graphics requirements of the device running trainer road are basic. It runs well on a smart phone or tablet and there’s little to no benefit of using 4K high definition TV or Monitor. I ran TrainerRoad on my iPhone with my phone on a handlebar mount, but my 50 year old eyes found the information hard to read without reading glasses. I got around this by mirroring the display to a Gen 3 Apple TV I had connected to a 39″ TV in the gym (that pre-dated the smart trainer setup). Once a workout has been started, the only interaction required is to adjust the intensity level or to end the workout, which is easily done with a smart phone or tablet.

If you intend to run TrainerRoad on a computer, then you have the option to overlay the workout screen on another application, so you could watch a streamed TV show or movie while performing your workout. Indoor training can be monotonous and boring at times, so anything that makes it more bearable or enjoyable can only be good.

Zwift https://www.zwift.com/ describes their platform as ‘Serious Training Made Fun’. The platform allows cyclists (and runners) to interact, train and compete in a number of virtual worlds. The creators market Zwift as a game, and riders have the option of riding freely around the virtual worlds, joining organized group rides, competing in races, or performing workouts similar to the ones found in TrainerRoad.

Zwift has become very popular and has global participation. During April 2020 with many countries in lockdown due to the COVID pandemic, Zwift recorded a new record of 34,940 riders in the game at the same time.

The first ‘world’ that Zwift made available is known as ‘Watopia’ which is a fictional island in the South Pacific. Watopia is being continually expanded and new worlds are being added, some fictional and some that are replicas of real locations. The worlds are incredibly detailed with lots to attract and keep a rider’s attention and keep it interesting. The intent is to make Zwift an immersive experience. Although it’ll run happily on a smart phone, it lends itself to a large high resolution monitor or TV to draw the rider into the game.

While riding, Zwift displays a leaderboard showing riders ahead and behind with details including time gap, nationality, distance ridden and current power output (in W/kg). Riders can communicate with each other via messaging and riders can give each other ‘Ride-Ons’ which is a way of showing appreciation, similar to a ‘like’ in Facebook or ‘kudos’ in Strava. A ride-on is shown as a thumbs up symbol which is displayed above the rider and it is then put into the riders jersey pocket as they ‘collect’ ride-ons during the ride. Zwift can therefore become very socially interactive. Additionally, a number of game controls are available from the game screen. Again, while a smart phone could be used on its own to run Zwift, it’s not ideal, due to the small screen for both viewing and interaction.

When I started with Zwift, I used an iPhone 8 and mirrored the display to my 39″ TV via a 3rd Gen Apple TV. This worked satisfactorily. I also sent audio from the iPhone to the Apple TV via Airplay which played through an old AV Receiver I have connected to a pair of cheap speakers. I find music makes workouts much more enjoyable. I also tried using my iPad instead of the iPhone. While a better standalone option compared to the iPhone due to the larger display, it doesn’t work as well mirroring to a TV as the aspect ratio of an iPad causes the TV to display black bands to the left and right.

Connectivity

Smart trainers and sensors typically broadcast using Bluetooth or ANT+ (or both). These days most devices are capable of connecting directly via Bluetooth, but typically only computers can connect to devices directly via ANT+. ANT+ usually also requires a dongle for connectivity to a Windows or Mac PC, preferably on a 3′ USB extension cable to place it close to the trainer.

Bluetooth is more universal, but there are some limitations. With an iPhone, if an application is using a Bluetooth device then it can’t be used by a second application on that iPhone. I’ve found this to be problematic when setting up to start a workout and having difficulty pairing the trainer or sensors with Zwift. This then requires me to close all apps apart from Zwift, then toggle Bluetooth off and then back on again. Sometimes I find I need to restart the iPhone to resolve the issue.

ANT+ doesn’t have this issue, but can be prone to signal dropouts if not set up carefully. Bluetooth connectivity for Windows PCs running Zwift is only possible with Windows 10, before that ANT+ was the only option to connect a Windows PC to Zwift.

Internet connectivity will more than likely be required for a smart trainer workout session. However the bandwidth requirements and data usage for Zwift and TrainerRoad are low, so in a pinch cellular data could be used. With both TrainerRoad and Zwift, an internet connection is only required to start a workout, and to upload the workout at the end (although with Zwift, if the internet connection is lost during the workout, other riders will disappear from the game).

Computer and Display

Smart phones, tablets and computers can all be used to run the various training applications that are used to control smart trainers. In addition to workout application specific considerations discussed above, there are other factors that may influence decisions:

1. What do you currently own that can best do the job?
2. Will the trainer setup be temporary or permanent?
3. If the setup is permanent, how much space is available and is there space for a monitor or TV?
4. What can you afford or want to spend?

I’m fortunate that I have a space I can dedicate to indoor training and set up as my pain cave as I’m describing here. If I needed a more basic or a temporary setup, I’d probably use either my iPad or laptop PC, depending on which I could best place on a stand in front of the bike. The laptop would probably be the best choice as it allows access to the keyboard for interactions with Zwift, while providing a large display. With a PC, I’d make sure notifications from other apps or the internet are disabled so they don’t interrupt the workout.

As mentioned above, when I first remodeled the basement, I installed a 39″ TV for entertainment during workouts, mainly thinking about my wife who was running on a treadmill regularly at the time. When I bought the KICKR SNAP I ran TrainerRoad and Zwift on my iPhone 8 mirroring to the TV via a Gen 3 Apple TV.

4K Apple TV. I later learned that the newer (Gen 4 and 4K) Apple TVs would run Zwift through an iOS Zwift app for Apple TV that could be downloaded from the Apple App store. The 4K Apple TV was recommended over the Gen 4 as it had a faster processor. It cost $200 at the time, but I managed to get one free with a three month trial of Direct TV.

One limitation with the Apple TV is that it can only connect two Bluetooth devices at once, and having the KICKR SNAP, a heart rate monitor and a cadence sensor to connect, I needed to connect three devices. However Zwift has an app called the Companion App, which serves a number of useful functions during and away from the game. One function is to act as a bridge between the iPhone running the Companion App and an Apple TV, this allows more than two Bluetooth connections to the iPhone, and the iPhone then sends the data from those devices to Zwift running on the Apple TV. The Companion App also allows the iPhone to operate the game controls during the game and to message and give ride-ons to other players. The iPhone and Apple TV have to be connected to the same network (via ethernet, 5kHz or 2.4kHz WiFi, it doesn’t matter as long as it all goes back to the same router) and once everything is setup and the devices are paired, I’ve found it works flawlessly.

Once the device running Zwift meets some minimum requirements, the level of detail shown in Zwift is dependent upon the capability of the graphical processing unit (GPU).

There are two separate definitions related to the graphics in Zwift, resolution and detail.

Display resolution is user selectable from the settings menu in Zwift, with the options offered dependent on the capability of the device running Zwift. The most capable devices will allow resolutions of 576p, 720p, 1080p, 1440p and 2160p (which is 4k).

Detail is not user selectable, but is determined by Zwift based mainly on the capability of the GPU. Here detail refers to things such as depth of field, lighting/shadow effects, textures, and environmental elements such as water effects, flower, trees and wildlife seen. The levels are basic, medium, high and ultra.

Even though the 4K Apple TV is capable of streaming movies in 4K ultra high definition, it is only capable of running Zwift in the game at 1080p with basic detail.

Dedicated Zwift PC. As I was adding a second trainer to the pain cave, I needed a second device to run Zwift. There have been rumors about the imminent release of a new Apple TV, that may or may not have better graphics capabilities to allow more detailed graphics in Zwift, the other option was a dedicated PC that would be capable of running 4K resolution with Ultra detail.

For some time, I’ve been following a Facebook group called Zwift PC Master Race https://www.facebook.com/groups/zpcmr which is a group for Zwifters who want to build inexpensive PC’s specifically to run Zwift in high resolution with High or Ultra graphics detail. This is an excellent resource for those interested in buying or building such a device and there’s a lot of well documented information in downloadable PDF files that are regularly updated.

I was initially reluctant to venture down this avenue as I was concerned it would be too much effort and take up too much of my time. However, after reading through the documents, the requirements were clear to understand. I then discovered that reconditioned office desktops were available on eBay that would be a great basis for a dedicated Zwift PC – and that they were inexpensive.

Minimum requirements for a Zwift PC with high or ultra graphics capabilities are as follows:

• 4th Generation (Haswell) Intel processor, such as an i3-4170
• 8 GB of RAM (more won’t make a noticeable difference in Zwift)
• SSD hard drive on which to install Windows and Zwift, doesn’t need to be big for Zwift
• Tower case to give more options for inexpensive graphics cards
• Windows 10, can be installed free and run without activation if necessary
• GTX 1650 Super graphics card if you want to run 4K at 60 fps (for best graphics)
• 400W Power supply with a PCIe connector for graphics cards that require external power
• GTX 1650 graphics card, if you don’t have a PCIe connector, but this won’t run 4K at 60 fps

After some searching on eBay, and following recommendations in ‘The Frankenstein Guide.pdf’ on ZPCMR, I found what looked to be a great match: Dell Optiplex 7020 MT, i5-4590@3.3GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD.

This ticked all the boxes apart from the power supply, which was rated at 290W and didn’t have PCEi connectors. However I discovered that the power supply can be easily replaced with an aftermarket power supply with increased power and a PCEi connector. There are several videos on YouTube that show how to upgrade the power supply and graphics card in a Dell Optiplex PC:

After confirming that the PC I’d found on eBay would work for me, I bought it for $150 (including $30 shipping). I then bought a used power supply off eBay similar to the one shown in the YouTube video, and bought a GTX1650 Super graphics card and a 24 – 8 pin connector as shown in the video.

The computer arrived, and worked without an issue out of the box. It had been listed as not having an operating system, but it had a new, activated installation of Windows 10 Pro, only requiring me to finish off the installation. I installed WiFi and ANT+ dongles I’d bought years ago that were gathering dust in a drawer, downloaded Zwift, connected the PC to the TV and went for my 1st Zwift ride. It was that easy.

It took a couple of weeks for the power supply to arrive (due to delays with USPS), but when it arrived, the upgrade process was quick and easy. I installed the power supply and graphics card, made the cable connections, downloaded the drivers for the new card, adjusted the settings and was up and running Zwift in 4K Ultra.

When Zwift is running, it keeps a log of graphics performance and ANT+ or Bluetooth connections. https://zwiftalizer.com/ is a useful website for plotting and reviewing the data stored in the log files. They also provide good insight into the results and recommendations for improvements.

Here’s a comparison from zwiftalizer.com of the graphics performance as received and after upgrading:

These plots from zwiftalizer.com show that by upgrading the graphics card to a 1650 Super, the graphics went from 1080 with basic detail running at 23 frames per second, and varying between 17-30 fps, to 4K with Ultra detail and holding steady at 60 fps (the dip just after the beginning was when I joined a group ride).

TVs. Adding the second trainer also required a second TV. I thought it wouldn’t look right for the two TVs not to match. The 39″ TV I had was old and it would be hard to find a second the same, so I needed two new TVs. Fortunately TVs are cheap these days. I figured I could go bigger than the 39″ TV I had, and that bigger would mean more immersive, but I needed to make sure I could fit two next to each other and in line with the bikes. I bought two 4K Hisense 50″ Roku TVs from Costco for $220 each – which I though was incredible value – and mounted them with mounts I bought in a half price sale at Target for $25 each. Setup was easy and I’m very impressed with the TVs, how easy they were to setup and the picture quality.

Fans are essential in a pain cave. Anyone who’s ever tried riding a trainer indoors without a fan can attest to that. The gold standard for fans for indoor training is the Wahoo KICKR Headwind. This is a powerful fan that will pair with either a heart rate monitor or the speed signal from a trainer and vary the fan speed accordingly. Great idea, but I’m not going to spend $250 on a fan, even though it’s supposed to be a very good one.

Instead the fans I use cost around $20-30. They’re simple and straightforward and do everything I need, meaning they keep me cool enough.

One thing I did though is buy a couple of Wyze WiFi Smart Plugs into which each of the fans is plugged. These only cost $20 for two from Home Depot, they were easy to set up with the app and they work well. This allows me to start a workout with the fans switched off, then when I’m warmed up, I can switch the fans on from my phone while I ride. A good cost effective compromise.

Lighting. When I remodeled the basement, I drywalled the ceiling and installed recessed lighting. The lights are on a dimmer, but I thought it would be good if I could dim the lights remotely after I’d started a workout. I went to my local Home Depot to look for some WiFi connected bulbs and came home with five of these for the gym:

These are dimmable, can change color and are controllable via an app or remote control (which was free when you buy two bulbs). Now, the lights are on full and their normal color when I’m setting up for a workout, then once the workout has begun, I switch them to a setting via the remote where they each invidually change color slowly. This adds a nice mood and ambience to the room.

The final touch was to add hue lights to the rear of the TVs. I bought two strips off Amazon for $13 each.

They attach to the back of the TV using self adhesive strips and connect to the USB port on the PC for power. They’re controllable via an app and both light strips showed up in the app 1st time I opened it after downloading.

Stands. Before my pain cave upgrades I needed a stand to allow the TV and Apple TV remotes to be within reach along with a water bottle and tissues (I always seem to get a runny nose when I work out), and also somewhere for my reading glasses. This laptop/projector stand was $30 off Amazon and fit the bill perfectly.

Now I’ve found I need a second stand and room for a keyboard, another remote (for the lights). Wahoo’s KICKR Indoor Cycling Desk has always seemed the best solution, but at $250 I put this in the same ‘poor value for money’ category as the Headwind.

These days however, some copies are available for much cheaper and have received very positive reviews, including this review from DC Rainmaker https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2020/09/rad-lifeline-conquer-cycling-trainer-desk-cheaper-wahoo-desk.html

I managed to find a RAD Cycling Products copy of the Wahoo desk for $130 including shipping.

Summary. Hopefully you found some of the information here interesting and useful. As you will have noticed throughout, I’ve done my best to minimize the costs of the setup by looking for deals and waiting for items to go on sale. This is because ultimately, indoor cycling and the pain cave is a means to an end, and I’d prefer to spend my money on bikes. I’ve limited my costs to around $2,500 for everything I’ve discussed inclusive of all shipping costs and taxes. I think this is pretty good considering the trainers alone would normally cost $1,590 at full retail price including 6% Michigan sales tax.

Bill of Materials

Here’s a breakdown of everything I used for my setup, with links to help find each item (better prices may be available elsewhere):

• 1 x Wahoo KICKR SNAP smart trainer Wahoo Fitness
• 1 x Wahoo KICKR CORE smart trainer Wahoo Fitness
• 1 x Wahoo KICKR Trainer Floormat Wahoo Fitness
• 2 x Wahoo TICKR Heart Rate Monitor Wahoo Fitness
• 1 x Wahoo RPM Cycling Cadence Sensor Wahoo Fitness
• 1 x 2001 Yeti Road Project
• 1 x 2020 Giant Revolt Advanced 2 Giant Bicycles
• 1 x Continental Hometrainer Folding Tire Amazon
• 2 x Hisense 50″ R6 Series UHD TVs Costco
• 2 x Core Innovations Tilting TV Mount 30 – 79″ Target
• 1 x Dell Optiplex 7020 MT, i5-4590@3.3GHz, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD PC eBay
• 1 x PNY – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER graphics card Best Buy
• 1 x EVGA 500w gold 80plus power supply Amazon
• 1 x 11 Inch 24-Pin to 8-Pin 18AWG ATX PSU Power Supply Adapter Cable Amazon
• 1 x Mini USB + ANT Stick Amazon
• 1 x Powered USB Hub Amazon
• 1 x USB 3.0 Extension Cable 2 Pack[3.3ft + 6.6ft] Amazon
• 1 x USB WiFi Adapter for PC Amazon
• 2 x Nexillumi 9.8 Feet TV Backlights Amazon
• 5 x Color and Tunable White BR30 LED Smart Wi-Fi Wiz Light Bulb Home Depot
• 1 x Smart Remote Control for Philips Smart Wi-Fi Wiz Light Bulbs Home Depot
• 1 x RAD Cycle Products Adjustable Bike Trainer Fitness Desk Amazon
• 1 x Universal Laptop Projector Tripod Stand Amazon
• 2 x Lasko 16″ Oscillating Pedestal Stand 3-Speed Fan Walmart
• 1 x Apple TV 4K 32GB Best Buy
• 1 x Apple TV (3rd Generation) Black Market
• 450 sq ft TrafficMaster Rubber Gym/Weight Room Flooring Tiles Home Depot
• Sound system: Marantz SR4000 AV Receiver & 2 x JBL TLX151 Speakers (bought for $100 used) connected to Gen 3 ATV with optical digital cable
• Music source: Tidal/Qobuz/Apple Music