NEW 2015 BEST VIRTUAL REALITY TURBO TRAINER AVAILABLE HERE!
In an ideal world we'd all be cycling outside on the open road, but unfortunately things are not always perfect. The weather can be bad, and while we can all say it doesn't matter, the reality is that riding in the pouring rain or on frozen roads just isn't fun. Also, time can be an issue, and getting out after a long day in the office can be difficult. To add to this the fact that a lot of us live in built up areas and it would take a car drive to get anywhere decent for a ride. At weekends this is ok, but during the week it is not always possible. So, what can we do? Ride your bike indoors of course.
Virtual Reality Indoor Trainers
In principle, hooking your bike up to a turbo trainer and working out indoors is great, but it can become monotonous and after a while you can find it hard to stay motivated. Adding some sort of visual or competitive aspect into your indoor training can certainly help, and at the very top end of this is virtual reality (VR) experiences.
At the time of writing (November 2013), and to the best of our knowledge there is only one company offering a true VR experience when it comes to indoor training. Tacx, who are a name strongly linked to cycling, have many indoor turbo trainers covering all major resistance technologies, and they also offer virtual reality software to which some of their higher end trainers hook up too. There are other brands that offer interactive experiences, but these are limited to videos rather than a true VR environment. This article is focused only on the full virtual reality trainers.
The Software
To get the virtual reality experience you will need Tacx Trainer Software 4. There are 2 versions, the Basic and the Advanced, with Basic being a limited version of Advanced. See the figure to the right to compare what you get with the Basic and Advanced software (click the image to see a larger view).
Note that licenses are needed for the multiplayer and Google Maps features. Some trainers come with a license but others don't so you should check this when you buy.
The first two or three minutes of the video below shows off the Tacx Trainer Software 4 VR experience. In our opinion it looks pretty awesome. You can also see the other features of the Tacx Trainer Software 4 Advanced in the rest of the video.
The video above shows you just about everything you need to know about the Tacx Trainer Software. To recap (in case you have not or can not watch the video above), you can choose from several fully immersive 3D rendered courses or tracks, which include Montagna (mountainous terrain in Italy), Valeggio (sloping terrain in Italy plus criterium race in an Italian village), Downhill Valley (overwhelming nature experience in America) and US Metropolitan (criterium race in an American city), as well as indoor velodrome races. As you ride your turbo trainer resistance reacts accordingly to the terrain, and with the most advanced motor trainers (see compatible trainers below) you not only have increased resistance as you do an uphill climb, but your back wheel even gets driven as you head down a decent.
Multiplayer Races Against Real People
You can either compete against AI (articicial intelligence) computer riders or against real-life riders. This is a fantastic experience where you could be in your front room in the UK competing against someone in America or Spain for example. When you buy a Tacx trainer you should check with the retailer about the licenses that come as standard. Most of the trainers come with some kind of license (whether it is a trial or a full year), but it is safe to check because without a multiplayer license you cannot compete against other real-world riders.
The maximum resistance and power output varies across the VR trainers, with the more expensive motor resistance brakes providing the greatest power. This means when you are pushing up a steep incline on a mountain race there may be an unfair advantage to those with less powerful trainers. This is however compensated for by Tacx. Virtual speeds are calculated and represented on-screen so that all different VR trainers can compete against each other, and more importantly the races are fair whether you are on a higher power trainer or not.
Compatible Virtual Reality Turbo Trainers
Only Tacx turbo trainers are compatible with their software, and from the Tacx range only a few have the specifications necessary to be compatible. Below, in order of lowest RRP first, are all compatible Tacx trainers.
i-Flow ' RRP 449.99
The i-Flow can be purchased as a stand-alone standard trainer, but the addition of the Software transforms it into a VR trainer. However, if you purchase the i-Flow you get a handlebar controller that allows you to control the computer software running on your PC, while the stand-alone Flow comes with a handlebar computer with display that allows you to set your workouts and monitor performance.
The i-Flow can be used with a standard front wheel riser block or a special VR steering frame, which allows you to steer in the VR environments. The i-Flow is the least powerful of all the VR trainers by Tacx, with a maximum power output of 800 Watts. The resistance is controlled electronically (electro-magnetic brake) and there are 6 permanent-magnets, 6 controllable electro magnets and a 2 kg flywheel. The resistance of the trainer can be adjusted in increments of a percent. The i-Flow comes with the Tacx Trainer Software Basic, but you can always upgrade to the Advanced software if you choose.
See more on the i-Flow and compare best prices.
i-Vortex ' RRP 574.99
The i-Vortex offers the best of both worlds in that you can monitor and control your workout with or without a PC. Of course, to take advantage of the VR functionality a PC or laptop is necessary. Like the i-Flow turbo trainer the i-Vortex uses an electro-magnetic brake, but it produces a more powerful resistance of 950 Watts (the i-Flow is 800 Watts). The increased power is generated by the use of 8 permanent-magnets and 8 controllable electro magnets. The system is wireless, there is no cable running between the brake and the handlebar computer, although you do need to connect the trainer to a plug socket. The i-Vortex comes with a standard front wheel riser block, but you can upgrade to the BlackTrack steering frame that will enable you to steer in VR races. It also comes with the Tacx Trainer Software Basic, but again you can always upgrade to the Advanced software.
See more on the i-Vortex and compare best prices.
i-Genius ' RRP 999.99
The i-Genius is the Tacx's best trainer, and it is the only fully motor resistance brake unit available. The motor brake generates a huge 1500 Watts of power and when riding on VR, video, or GPS courses this represents an incline of 20%. These stats are the highest in the Tacx range and are on par with the very best available anywhere. The motor brake not only simulates inclines but it even simulates declines, physically driving your back wheel as you decent a steep slope. This is a unique feature and adds to the realism of your ride. The i-Genius comes with the Tacx Trainer Software Advanced as standard, and had a Skyliner front wheel riser block.
See more on the i-Genius and compare best prices.
i-Genius Multiplayer ' RRP £1149.99
The i-Genius multiplayer is an identical trainer to the standard i-Genius above; however it comes with a BlackTrack steering frame and a 1 year multiplayer license. The BlackTrack steering frame allows you to steer in the VR races and also provides a solid base for the trainer to sit on. This steering frame has an RRP of around £200, so if this is a feature you'd like then the i-Genius multiplayer pack offers good value. Also, the multiplayer license costs around 35 a year, which is included in the price of this trainer.
The video below is of the Tacx i-Genius Multiplayer turbo trainer in action.
See more on the i-Genius Multiplayer and compare best prices.
One Final Option!
On the official Tacx website they only promote the above trainers as VR turbo trainers, but there is one other turbo trainer that can be used for virtual reality training. The Tacx Bushido is a powerful trainer that uses an electro-motor brake to generate maximum power outputs of 1400 Watts, just a little shy of what the i-Genius generates. It can simulate includes of 20% and declines of -5%. A nice feature of the Bushido is that it has a handlebar computer that displays important training information, such as power output, heart rate, cadence, speed and time. As standard this is not a VR trainer, but you can upgrade with the 'Upgrade i-Bushido', which includes the Tacx Trainer software 4 Advanced and an ANT+ USB II dongle. This dongle means you can connect the Bushido wirelessly with the PC.
The Tacx Bushido has an RRP of 774.99 but can be found for as little as 525, so even with the upgrade costs this could be a good option. See more on the Tacx Bushido and compare best prices here.
Summary
Tacx are the only brand to offer true virtual reality turbo trainers. Their software integrates with their VR trainers to allow you to cycle through famous cities, or race on world famous pro race stages. The cheapest VR compatible trainer is the i-Flow, with an RRP of 449.99 (although you can pick it up for around 330.00). The i-Flow is however the least powerful of all the VR trainers with a maximum power output of 800 Watts. The i-Vortex has a slightly more powerful 950 Watts resistance brake, and is a nice option if you would like a stand-alone as well as a PC powered turbo trainer, and these extra benefits will cost you around £100 more than the i-Flow. If you are looking for the very top end VR trainer then the i-Genius generates an impressive 1500 Watts of power, and simulates both inclines and declines. The i-Genius Multiplayer comes with a special steering frame and a multiplayer license, although it does carry the highest RRP of £1149.99, but it can be found for online for as little as 849.95.
Learn more about the VR software on Tacx's Official Website, and see their range of trainers here.
Need more help? Visit the homepage and browse/filter all turbo trainers, or check out our popular Best Turbo Trainer 2013 Guide or our new Best Turbo Trainer 2014 Guide.
