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Smart bikes are not cheap, so you better choose the right one before regretting your purchase. Luckily, you are at the right place because I will guide you through the features to consider before purchasing.
I tried multiple smart bikes and talked with other owners about their experiences. So, let’s dive into the features to look for.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Except for features like resistance, accuracy, gradient simulation, etc., you should consider ergonomics, shifting, and fit customizability. I also recommend comparing the price and your personal brand preference, as you may be paying a higher price just because of the brand.
Features to Consider When Choosing a Smart Bike
The following sections explain the features you will encounter when shopping for a smart bike.
Resistance
Most smart bikes offer resistance of around 2000W. This is enough even for the most powerful riders. The resistance affects the ride feel to a certain extent, for example, when sprinting or climbing.
To put resistance into context, most untrained people can’t even reach 1000W peak power. Strong sprinters, however, can easily reach 1500W and even exceed 2000W. (Source) The following chart shows the resistance of the best smart bikes.
As the chart above shows, resistance is not the deciding factor when choosing a smart bike.
Gradient Simulation
Gradient simulation means that the bike can slow your pedal stroke (e.g., increase the resistance) when you start climbing in a training app. The most common gradients are 20 and 25%.
For example, some smart bikes, like the Tacx NEO Bike, can even simulate downhills. Its motor runs the flywheel, making your indoor ride closer to riding outside.
Similar to resistance, most smart bikes offer enough gradient simulation that you will probably need to reduce the trainer’s difficulty in the training app. Unless you are a masochist, training on 20% hills is not fun, right?
Accuracy
A smart bike’s accuracy means the power deviation at a certain power. For example, if you ride at 250W and the bike’s deviation is ±1%, your real power will be between 247.5 and 252.5W.
If you are not a marginal gains hunter, you shouldn’t care too much whether the smart bike has an accuracy of ±1% or ±2%.
The following table shows the power variance for different accuracy rates and power output levels.
| Accuracy | 250W | 500W | 1000W | 2000W |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 247.5-252.5 | 495-505 | 990-1010 | 1980-2020 |
| 2% | 245-255 | 490-510 | 980-1020 | 1960-2040 |
| 3% | 242.5-257.5 | 485-515 | 970-1030 | 1940-2060 |
| 4% | 240-260 | 480-520 | 960-1040 | 1920-2080 |
| 5% | 237.5-262.5 | 475-525 | 950-1050 | 1900-2100 |
NOTE: The accuracy also applies to cadence.
Customizable Shifting
Most smart bikes, or their dedicated apps respectively, allow you to customize:
- The shifting behavior (usually Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo, or custom).
- The number of teeth on the cassette and chainrings for easier or harder gears, depending on the terrain you will ride.
Wahoo KICKR Bike is the best in both areas, thanks to the ELEMNT app and the hardware (i.e., shifters).
It’s close to Di2 shifting, but you can customize it for SRAM or Campagnolo. On the other hand, Wattbike Atom has limited customization for shifting.
Noisiness
The noisiness level is important mainly for those who need to use a smart bike in the early mornings or late evenings without disturbing other household members.
Direct-drive smart trainers are noisy mainly because of the drivetrain noise. On the other hand, smart bikes don’t have the cassette-chain-chainring interface, so they are quieter.
Tacx NEO Bike and KICKR Bike are considered the quietest smart bikes.
Connectivity & App Compatibility
Smart bikes usually offer ANT+ and Bluetooth connectivity. This means you can connect them to compatible indoor cycling apps.
By purchasing a smart bike, you sometimes get a free trial on apps like Zwift, ROUVY, etc.
One of the downsides of smart bikes (if you want to use them with these apps) is that you have to pay for the subscription once the trial period ends.
Multi-User Friendliness
Let’s say you are looking for a smart bike suitable for you and your partner. Since you likely don’t share the same height and weight, you will have to adjust the bike’s fit.
Different smart bikes use different mechanisms to adjust the fit. Some use quick-release, some levers, some knobbs.
Here, it depends on your preference. I find the QR most user-friendly. Remember, some smart bikes require adjusting the weight settings in their dedicated apps to simulate the ride feeling properly.
Price
The price of smart bikes starts at around 2500 USD but can easily exceed 3000 USD. The following chart shows the prices of smart bikes that are popular among cyclists.
Depending on your price sensitivity, the budget can easily narrow down the options to choose from.
Other Features to Consider
- Build quality and reliability – some smart bikes feel more durable than others. For example, Stages SB20 is very rigid and well-built.
- Weight – heavier smart bikes are less portable. Check if the bike has wheels for easier moving around if you need to relocate it often.
- Flywheel weight – some people tend to pay too much attention to the flywheel weight. The heavier flywheel doesn’t necessarily mean a better, more road-like ride feel.
- Cranks length – depending on what crank length suits you, get a smart bike that offers the desired crank length. The general rule is that the shorter the cranks, the higher the cadence, and vice versa.
- Tablet/phone holder – some bike trainers come with tablet holders, but some don’t, so you will need a dedicated table or a TV/laptop for the cycling app.
- Charging ports – some bike trainers come with USB charging ports so you can recharge your mobile devices directly from the bike.
Summary
I hope you now know better what to look for when choosing a smart bike. Most smart bikes offer similar features, so it’s a matter of price, brand preference, and a few details.
Do you consider a smart bike to take your indoor cycling to the next level? If so, which one? Let me know in the comments below. Also, feel free to contact me if you need assistance when choosing a smart bike.
