Tacx Flow Smart Trainer

My old indoor trainer, a Cycleworks Magneto, was getting long in the tooth and the local bike shop was having a good sale on new trainers. I also was getting a little bored with the linear resistance thing, so was jonesing for a “smart” trainer.

What I wasn’t looking to do was drop $1000 on a bike trainer that I would only use for a couple of months a year or one that required a ton of work to set up. That ruled out most of the smart trainers. They all seem to be wheel off set ups that require buying a trainer and a rear cassette. That does allow for more accurate power adjustment, simulating road feel, and quieter use. It also looked like it allows for greater “true” power ranges.

I was excited to see that the bike shop offered one wheel on smart trainer option and that it was not crazy expensive. The Tacx Flow was only $350 and allows me to pop the bike into it with a simple click. One the bike is on the trainer, you should do a quick calibration to make sure the resistance and power readings are accurate.

Time to get bike on trainer and calibrated is under five minutes. It makes it is easy for those days when I want to ride but the rain gets in the way.

The Flow easily connects to several apps like Tacx’s own app and Strava. Getting the Tacx app connected to the trainer was a snap. It comes with a free month trail period, so it was a good way to get started. The app has a wide variety of rides. Some have nice videos and others are just GPS tracks, but they cover the gamut of rides. There are nice easy rides through the countryside or along the shore and there are long brutal climbs. The did experience a few hiccups where the videos would buffer, but the bike is far away from the hotspot and I have a tween who lives on TikTok. The other odd thing about the app was that if it connected to my bike’s cadence sensor, it would not record cadence data. I’m not sure how the trainer figures out cadence better than a sensor stuck on my pedal. I decided to pony up for the $100 yearly subscription without trying any other apps. I don’t know any Strava heads and liked the movies.

The trainer can also be driven by my fenix watch which can be loaded up with GPS courses from Garmin Connect. In some ways this a better way to use the trainer as the data integrates better with my other Garmin data and I can train on rides that I actually take instead of dreaming of far off lands.

In either case, the trainer gives me a better workout than the linear resistance of a non-smart trainer. It is more fun to have to deal with simulated climbs or to run a workout where the resistance changes to simulate sprints.

I also like the fact that I get power readings from the trainer. Power is not a metric I would pay $1000 dollars to add to my bike, but for $350 it is a nice to have. I might miss it once I am back on the roads and trails.

Is the Flow a great smart trainer? No. It is not a great trainer. It doesn’t simulate road feel and can really only simulate up to a 5 percent grade with any accuracy. It also requires regular calibration to make sure the bike’s tire and the trainer are properly connected.

It is however a great trainer for my needs. It didn’t break the bank. It is easy to set up and use all year long. When properly calibrated it can programmatically fake more than a 5 percent grade and really most of the places I ride don’t have very steep hills.

For a recreational rider in his 50’s with moderate needs. It is more than enough.

I would rather spend the extra money on upgrading my mountain bike to full suspension or enjoying fancy ciders after a long ride.

The ocean, the road, and the trail

 The other day as I was slogging up one of the many hills around my house on my road bike I began pondering why I do this to myself.... I like road biking despite the monotony and the pain, but why?

My default thought pattern in these deep philosophical moments is to try to relate my question to kayaking.

I like road biking because it is like kayaking - long stretches of time time where your body is doing mostly monotonous motions without really thinking too much about it.

But that is not really true. There is plenty of thinking and presence that goes into kayaking. One must always be scanning the ocean, feeling the water move, and being ready for surprises.

For the most part road biking is pretty thoughtless. Sure you need to adjust for hills and watch out for pot holes. However, shifting becomes pretty automatic and the roads I ride are pretty good. It is really just time for zoning out while legs spin.

Then I thought kayaking was more like mountain biking. You are always reacting to the terrain; always thinking and adjusting.

But that is also not really true either. Kayaking is not quite as white knuckled as mountain biking. There is a lot more flow and space to breath.

As I crested the hill, my lungs heaving and my legs burning (I may not have shifted as smartly as I could have), I gave up trying to figure it all out.

Kayaking is the perfect combination of zen and adrenaline; you have space to breath and just feel the motion of the paddle through the water and the thrills of waves and constantly changing conditions.

Road biking gives me the zen without the adrenaline. It is all space to think and feel the burn of spinning the peddles.

Mountain biking gives me the rush and active body thinking. It is all about being aware, reacting, and feeling the bike move.

I'll take the kayak over the bikes every time, but options are always good - particularly since COVID has limited my access to the ocean but not the roads or the trails.

The Best Ride Ever

Last fall Bug decided that going on a bike ride meant "me on me bike, daddy on daddy bike." The trailer was no longer a first class citizen. Family bike rides became a little more difficult. Bug insisted on using her coaster bike. We still brought the trailer along in case she got tired, but getting her in it was a struggle.
I started looking at trailer bikes for those longer family rides. After a bunch of research, I decided that the Burley trailer bikes were the best. They were a little more expensive, but the hook up seemed a lot more secure. I liked the way it hooked up the bike like a fifth wheel. The seat hitches seemed flimsy in comparison.
All of this was purely theoretical. When I tried to buy one, the sales guys (they were all guys) told me that Bug wasn't tall enough. Trailer bikes are 20" bikes. There are not alot of good solutions for kids between four and five. They out grow the trailer, but don't quite grow into a trailer bike. They also don't have the stamina to do long rides on their own.
A few weekends back we met a family that had one of the Burley trailer bikes and loved it. Their boy was the same height as Bug, so we figured she had to be tall enough for it. Still it was a big money commitment, so we didn't rush out to buy it. It could wait until later in the summer when the opportunities for long bike rides was greater. Waiting also gave Bug more time to get used to riding her two wheel peddle bike. She has the balance part down and the peddle part down, but she hasn't quite put it all together yet.
The following week, I was sitting around and H said I should go to the bike store.... I bought the Piccolo which has gears. I know that at this stage the gears are superfluous, but over time they may prove to be useful. Bug and I were thrilled.
The bike shop put the required rack on my bike and showed me how to hook it to the rack. The attachment is like a 5th wheel on a pick-up truck. It vertically mounts to a heavy-duty rack and has a single pivot joint. The attachment has a level of redundancy. First is a quick release latch that provides a basic connection between the trailer and the rack. To fully attach the trailer, you screw the trailer into the rack. It is a sturdy connection.
I got it home and adjusted it to fit Bug. There are two adjustment points: the seat goes up and down and the handle bars slide up and down the tube. The seat adjustment has a quick release and the handle bars are hex bolts. It was pretty easy to do. It took a few minutes to get it adjusted and for us to get on the road.
Before heading out we had the safety talk. Bug must keep her hands on the handle bars, her bum on the seat, and her feet on the peddles. If she wants to stop, she needs to tell me and wait until I tell her it is OK to put her feet down. We are a team. Daddy is the pilot; Bug is the co-pilot.
We started out slow by doing a few short rides up and down our street. Then we branched out to a trip around the block. Bug did a great job and was utterly thrilled. She squealed with glee almost the entire time.
For a true test, the family went down to the Minuteman Trail for a Sunday afternoon ice cream run. From the parking lot we use to Lexington Center is about three miles. It was a good distance for a road test. Pulling the trailer bike is different than pulling the Chariot trailer. The trailer bike is more active. I can feel when Bug moves around and when she peddles. If she leans, it can be a little destabilizing. When she peddles it is a nice boost. The boost is particularly nice on hills.
Since getting the trailer, Bug and I have expanded our horizons. We have taken two trips from our house to the library. It is about five miles each way and involves some back roads. Taking the trailer bike on the road is a little nerve wracking because you never know what the cars are going to do, but I feel more comfortable with the trailer bike than I would have with the Chariot trailer. Bug is positioned where a car would expect a bike rider and she can see around better. Still I would not take it on a anything other than a quiet back road.
Bug loves the rides. She sings and laughs most of the way there and back. I love the rides too. I get a little bit of exercise and get to spend time with my daughter. I also get a chance to teach her some road safety first hand without worrying about her doing something too impulsive.
It is an expensive toy. The Burley version is about $100 more expensive than other models. I think it is worth it. The interface is substantially more solid. The addition of the gears also helps adjust the amount of assistance the child provides and gives them a chance to learn about shifting. Longer term, the Burley also has a conversion kit that turns the trailer into a regular bike.
Regardless of the money, it has been worth it for the sheer joy it has brought Bug. It gives us a fun, healthy way to spend time together outdoors. You cannot put a price on hearing your child happily singing "I love biking with Daddy. Playing with Daddy is great."

Back in the Saddle

I got out for the first ride of the season today. It was a short 10 mile ride, but there was more than enough hills. I also managed to get a good variety of riding conditions in: country roads, bike paths, dirt trail, and major roadways.
The two things I learned on the ride: I am in terrible shape and I really like my bike.
Despite going to the gym regularly all winter long, I was not prepared for riding outside. Nothing new there; I always forget how different it is between riding in the gym and riding in the world. I didn't actually feel that bad, but I did have to keep my pace down to a lowly 12mph.
The good news is that Spring is here and there are many months of prime riding weather ahead!

It's All About the Bike

I picked up this book based on a recommendation from a friend and a review from a trusted magazine. If you are remotely interested in bicycles, it is a must read. It packs the history of cycling and a good amount of technical information into a shortish and fun to read package.
Penn uses his quest to get a custom built bicycle as the backdrop for unravelling the story of the bicycle and its special place in the world. For the history buff it is an interesting lens through which to see the changes that have taken place over the last 150 years. As Penn points out, the bicycle was a leading edge of many of the changes in the early 20th century. It made the populace more mobile, it helped liberate women, it provided a healthy past time, and was a huge employer.
For the bicycle buff the book is an even vaster treasure trove. It has some technical details. It tells the stories behind some of the biggest innovations in bicycling. It validates the special place a bicycle holds in your heart.
For the rest of the world, it is just full of great stories and good writing. Hopefully, it is also full of inspiration to hop on a bicycle!

Gearing Up

I love my Tricross single speed. Not worrying about shifting and the silence of the drive train are magical. The only trouble with a single speed is that you need to be in good enough shape to complete your ride in the bike's gear. It was becoming obvious to me that I was not in good enough shape to complete my commute to and from work in the bike's gear. It was also obvious that I was not going to be able to get into good enough shape if I kept trying to do it on the single speed.
I needed gears.
I have an old geared bike, but I just don't like riding it. The drive train is twitchy and the aluminum frame rattles my bones over the smallest bumps. I could have done some upgrading by putting better components into the drive train and getting a carbon fork, but that seemed like a lot of money to put into a cheap bike.
So I decided to buy a new bike. I knew what I wanted: my single speed with gears. I considered putting an internally geared hub on the single speed, but there are no shifter choices for drop bars. I wasn't really prepared to spend the money needed to switch to straight bars. Nor was I convinced that I wanted to ride on straight bars.
Then I saw that my local bike shop had a new Tricross Comp in stock. It is the same frame as my single speed, but with a Shimano 105 drive train. I figured I'd give it a test ride and see if it felt right. While I was there I also tried out a few other cross bikes, just to make sure.
Two of the other bikes that I tried had SRAM components, but I really didn't like the double tap shifting. Remembering that one tap did something and two taps did something else and a long tap did a third thing just wasn't working for me. The other bikes were also more traditional cross racing frames and felt twitchy.
The Tricross' shudders are easy to understand and smooth as butter to shift. The geometry is nice as well. It is a slightly relaxed cross racing geometry. It is a little longer and more stable which is what I was looking for in a commuting bike. The Triccross frame also is fender and rack ready. O e other nice feature of the Tricross is the triple from ring. The granny gears come in handy on the big hill between the bike path and home after a long day at work.
After two weeks and 200 miles on the bike, I am very happy with the upgrade. It really is just like riding the single speed, but with gears. I thought that I would be bothered by needing to constantly think about the gears and the clicking of the cassette. Instead I find that I appreciate the gears because I can commute to work in a reasonable amount of time without nearly killing myself.
In fact, I hardly even think about the gears. I just tap the lever when I feel like I'm struggling. The click of the cassette is a pleasant chant reminding me that all is well. Good gears are great.