# Bike for Tacx Flux Smart Trainer



## areyouactuallymoving (29 Oct 2017)

Hi,

Apologies if there have been numerous threads on this (did a quick search but didn't find anything) or if it's in the wrong place.

I am looking to get a Tacx Flux Smart Trainer and would like to get a bike just for this rather than having the faff of removing wheel, fixing to trainer and vice versa with my current bike. I don't know too much about bike specs but would I be better going for a cheap new bike or a cheap secondhand bike? What specs should I look for?

I don't know if any of this will make any difference, but, my 'real' bike is a Norco Search adventure road bike and I would prefer a drop bar, plus I live in the Cotswolds so would be looking to use virtual hills to strengthen me up for rides in the real world.

Cheers!


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## screenman (29 Oct 2017)

Anything that you can set up with the same position as the main bike.


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## areyouactuallymoving (29 Oct 2017)

Hi, thanks for your response, do you mean same riding position? Does it need to have the same/similar gearing?

Thanks


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## huwsparky (29 Oct 2017)

I think I could put my bike on my trainer in less than 20seconds. Just saying...


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## screenman (29 Oct 2017)

areyouactuallymoving said:


> Hi, thanks for your response, do you mean same riding position? Does it need to have the same/similar gearing?
> 
> Thanks



Same riding position.


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## areyouactuallymoving (29 Oct 2017)

huwsparky said:


> I think I could put my bike on my trainer in less than 20seconds. Just saying...



You maybe able to, but the trainer I am thinking of getting is a drive train one, so wheels needs to be removed etc. Plus would have to get bike out of shed, up 2 flights of stairs and onto trainer. I know how lazy I am and all that extra faff would put me off. I also intend to keep cycling outside through the winter, so again if I can make my life a bit easier I am more likely to do both.


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## areyouactuallymoving (30 Oct 2017)

Maybe I need to rephrase the question, does the quality of the bike matter? Would a cheap Apollo from Halfords do, or would a better quality second-hand bike (or a slightly more exp3nsive, but still cheap e.g a BTwin road bike) with gearing closer to my current bike be worth the extra money?


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## CXRAndy (30 Oct 2017)

Spend the money on a decent turbo and use your bike. A top end smart trainer are so much better than the budget trainers. Tacx Neo, Wahoo Kickr, Elite? (cant remember model)


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (30 Oct 2017)

As long as the new bike is 9 speed or above and somewhere close in setup to your usual bike, no problem


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## areyouactuallymoving (30 Oct 2017)

Thanks @T.M.H.N.E.T, apologies for the stupid question but do you mean 9 speed in total or 9 on one chainset (if that's the right term, per front cog is what I mean)?


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (30 Oct 2017)

areyouactuallymoving said:


> Thanks @T.M.H.N.E.T, apologies for the stupid question but do you mean 9 speed in total or 9 on one chainset (if that's the right term, per front cog is what I mean)?


Sort of, 9 or more gears on the rear cassette(wheel) the front whether 2 rings or 3 isn't as much of an issue


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## kingrollo (31 Oct 2017)

Personally I would see how go removing the wheel - you might not even like turbo training. A dedicated bike just for the turbo seems a massive expense. And if you want the exact same set up - you going to need the same bike. 
If you really can't hack taking the wheel off - Id go for a used bike at around £150 and take the hit it won't feel exactly same.


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## mcshroom (31 Oct 2017)

It doesnt have to be identical, but you need tobe able to get into a very similar position to tour current bike. It would be preferable if the gear shifters were similar to your current bike too.

You are probably better going second hand imho.


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## areyouactuallymoving (31 Oct 2017)

Hi, 

Thanks again for the replies, you are probably right that I should at least try it with taking the wheel off, started looking for a similar bike and it was looking a bit more expensive than I thought. Never realised that secondhand bikes went for so much.


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## kingrollo (1 Nov 2017)

areyouactuallymoving said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thanks again for the replies, you are probably right that I should at least try it with taking the wheel off, started looking for a similar bike and it was looking a bit more expensive than I thought. Never realised that secondhand bikes went for so much.



Depends what you are looking for. I save loads by buying 'nearly new' of e-bay - for example my alu defy which the owner said had 20 miles on it - (and tbh it didn't look like it had that) £250 v about £500-600 new.
Whats strange is though the values don't continue to drop - a tatty older defy I reckon would still fetch close to £200 !!!


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## areyouactuallymoving (5 Nov 2017)

As expected getting bike up 2 flights of narrow Victorian stairs is a right PITA. Given that I want the turbo trainer as a way to make sure that I get some exercise over the winter except for just a weekend ride (Mr AYAM doesn't like me riding the country lanes on my own in the dark so morning or evening rides are out) rather than because I am training for anything is it essential that the turbo bike be very similar to my other one? Won't any bike of a similar size and gearing be fine? Loads of people have bikes with different set ups and switch between them don't they?


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## rich p (20 Nov 2017)

areyouactuallymoving said:


> As expected getting bike up 2 flights of narrow Victorian stairs is a right PITA. Given that I want the turbo trainer as a way to make sure that I get some exercise over the winter except for just a weekend ride (Mr AYAM doesn't like me riding the country lanes on my own in the dark so morning or evening rides are out) rather than because I am training for anything is it essential that the turbo bike be very similar to my other one? Won't any bike of a similar size and gearing be fine? Loads of people have bikes with different set ups and switch between them don't they?


Any old bike will do. I've had a crappy old Raleigh sprint with downtube shifters permanently on my turbo for 15 years. The set up is nothing like my real bikes. It's purely for winter fitness training. Riding position is irrelevant to me. I even sit upright reading a paper while spinning if I feel like it, and I only rarely do that when I'm out on the roads...


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## rich p (20 Nov 2017)

I'd show you a photo but I'm naked on the only one I've got. It would only get modded again...


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