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Wattbikes
Seven reasons most turbo trainer owners eventually buy a smart bike
Before becoming Wattbikers, 54% of our customers say they owned a turbo trainer - published below are the things they say they wished they'd known before they did...
7
You can't train quietly
"Noisy with gear changes”
Users reported their turbo was noisy mainly from the drivetrain and frequently changing gears which prevented flexibility in their training routine, as they couldn’t train early or late at night without disturbing their family or neighbours.
The noise of the electromagnetic resistance system is minimised and protected by the casing surrounding the chainset. At 70 decibels around 70 RPM, the Atom is quiet enough to train without disturbing anyone including sleeping children or sensitive neighbours, allowing more opportunities to train and faster fitness gains.
"The Wattbike is super easy to set up and move around, not too heavy but solid, rather quiet comparing to others, gear shifting is smooth and the data transmission is swift. Wattbike hub app is quite useful and featuring really good short and long term training routes and structures.
Overall it’s worth every penny 👌"
Overall it’s worth every penny 👌"
Burak, Wattbiker.
6
Too bulky to leave out
"I didn’t like the clumsy set up”
Because turbos require your road bike it takes up more living space, and users find themselves packing their bike away after each session.
The Wattbike Atom has a 124cm x 50cm footprint, which is much smaller in comparison to a set up turbo. The Atom is designed to sit elegantly within homes with the original Atom receiving the iF Design Award in 2018.
"Very impressed. Well constructed, real quality and I know it will last.”
Mark, Wattbiker.
5
Too Unstable for sprints
"Always felt like you might tip over on a big sprint”
The survey contained a lot of discussion about the instability of a turbo trainer when riding out of the saddle or doing a HIIT session because of the movement in the frame and nervousness around damaging their bike frame too.
The Wattbike Atom is a rock solid platform for HIIT training providing stability and reliability. Our bikes have been used by Olympic track sprinters and the All Blacks rugby team so you know they can handle some serious power.
4
Slow Fitness Gains
"Always felt like you might tip over on a big sprint”
Users found their fitness progress was slower than they wanted because of the hassle of setting up their bike, unreliable resistance changes, inconvenient training schedules, and lack of stability during interval workouts.
The biggest reason users chose the Atom was to accelerate their gains in strength, stamina, technique and speed. They report this is delivered by the compounding effect of more training opportunities (due to zero-set up and quiet riding), better training (because of live data feedback, structured training plans and workouts all on the free Wattbike Hub app), and longer training sessions (due to its compatibility with immersive virtual apps like Zwift).
"I’ve had my Wattbike for 10 days now and had a few Zwift rides and very impressed. Fantastically well constructed, feels like real quality and I know it will last. The resistance is instant when going up a hill in Zwift (for example) and the gear changes are great.
Very realistic and the range of biking apps it works with means there will be something for everyone. I’m hooked already and I have a lot of confidence this will be my main biking activity in the winter months without any loss of fitness or power. Really glad I took the plunge!"
Mark, Wattbiker.
3
Lacks data Insight
"Inaccurate performance data”
Users reported issues with inaccurate power metres, limited training data and dropouts in connectivity while using training apps.
The Wattbike Atom has industry leading accuracy at 1% meaning you can trust the live in-session data. Follow training plans and complete workouts and watch your the numbers increase.
Additionally, the Atom is designed for seamless compatibility with Zwift and many other training apps, connecting via Bluetooth and ANT+ for the rich, immersive virtual training experience.
"I’ve owned my Atom for nearly 2.5 years, and can honestly say it’s revolutionised my training! I’ve done nearly 14,000km and climbed 225,000m, and can honestly say the realism and data accuracy it affords the user is amazing."
Geoff, Wattbiker.
2
Hassle Switching Bikes
“Fiddly to keep putting bike into”
Taking the wheels off, switching the bike in and out of the turbo trainer and general maintenance of cleaning drivetrains and chainsets were common pain points which drove the decision to upgrade to an Atom.
Users were positive about the comparative effortlessness of training with an Atom; no faffing with a road bike, it's compactness and super easy set up for multiple users - just 4 simple adjustments to fit any new rider.
“The hassle of grabbing my bike from the garage and setting up the turbo trainer was a huge barrier to my training”
Martin, Wattbiker.
1
It Damages my road bike
“Using my carbon road bike on a smart trainer never felt like a good idea”
Some users reported frame and fork damage from training on a turbo trainer. There will also be gradual drivetrain wear and tear through trainer usage. Over time these parts will need maintenance and repairs adding to the cost and inconvenience of training on a turbo trainer.
A dedicated smart bike like the Atom means maintenance is very low. Unlike the drive train of a road bike the key components of the Atom are enclosed and protected against sweat and corrosion. The Atom also comes with a 2 year warranty as standard.
Bonus reasons to choose a Smart Bike
The list doesn’t end here. You may want to hear some more, short reasons why our community upgraded to an Atom…
Turbo Trainer Cons | Wattbike Atom Pros |
|---|---|
Takes up too much space | Much smaller footprint than a set up Turbo trainer |
Hassle to set up | Less than a minute to set up |
Unstable during high intensity workouts | Rock solid stability for sprints/power sessions |
Minimal data | Reads your data 1000 times per second and delivers ±1% accuracy |
Wear and tear on road bike | Road bike stays pristine |
Poor connectivity, resistance dropouts | Bluetooth & Ant+ connectivity and Zwift certified |
Difficult for multiple users | 4 quick set up adjustments for any user |
Road bike is not readily available for spontaneous rides | Road bike always available |
Lacks in-session technique feedback | Unique live pedalling technique score/feedback |
Learn more about the Wattbike Atom
