Tacx is the leading provider of modern options for training indoors with your own bike. The modern solutions are as far away from the simple free training roller as a modern e-bike is from the folding bike of the seventies. The new trainers of the Tacx Smart series can be connected to a tablet, a smartphone or even a computer. With the help of the software you can plan your training exactly according to your needs, such as training according to incline, performance or heart rate. Or drive well-known competition routes or training laps in virtual reality worlds or compete online against your friends in a race. And it works: What sounds like a frustrating installation marathon isn't that bad. We had the opportunity to test a Tacx Bushido Smart in practice - you can read the test here on Velomotion next week.
Training with a tablet or smartphone is done via the free Tacx Cycling app. If you want to train with a PC or a laptop, you need the Smart upgrade.
Become a better cyclist
Similar to the Bushido, the first home trainer in the Smart line, which has been available for almost a year, you can train however you want with the Vortex. The maximum braking power of the electric brake during a sprint (10 seconds) is 950 watts.
Aside from the power supply, the Vortex is wireless. The home trainer communicates with the end device of your choice and most training accessories, such as a chest strap, via ANT+ and Bluetooth.
"With the right software, you can become a better racer,” claims movement scientist Jim Van den Berg of the Tacx Training Center – and he's arguably right; It is not for nothing that an old racing driver saying says that races are won in winter with consistent training. “Cycling with the software provides training data that can then be analyzed and used to make training as effective as possible. You put together your own training program with the Catalyst training software and you train specifically for performance. You won't be disturbed by anything, which is often a problem when you train at high speeds on the street. You will not encounter red traffic lights or other obstacles on the Tacx exercise bike. You can do exactly what you have to do,” continues Van den Berg.
Even when the weather is nice, Van den Berg lets the pros he looks after train on a Tacx exercise bike. "Goal-oriented training is never boring, after all the software keeps you informed about your personal progress. When you're focused on a goal, training is always exciting! Inside and outside."
The Vortex Smart is available in stores now. The recommended retail price is €449.
Visit www.tacx.com for more information