# Tacx vs. computrainer vs. Powerbeam



## zoikz (Sep 5, 2003)

Rather than stare at the wall this winter was thinking about getting a VR trainer. Anyone with experience with these?
On the surface seems like computrainer has a lot more science, and I like their training programs. Bit more expensive. 3D software sounds like it has a lot of bugs.
Tacx looks downright entertaining and more like riding a video game.
Powerbeam is the basic package without the visuals.


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## master2129 (Mar 30, 2007)

zoikz said:


> Rather than stare at the wall this winter was thinking about getting a VR trainer. Anyone with experience with these?
> On the surface seems like computrainer has a lot more science, and I like their training programs. Bit more expensive. 3D software sounds like it has a lot of bugs.
> Tacx looks downright entertaining and more like riding a video game.
> Powerbeam is the basic package without the visuals.


I am training this winter on a Tacx Bushido Wireless Ergotrainer. All I can say it is an amazing tool. There are NO WIRES. And I mean no wires. The programs in the head unit are pretty incredible. I actually feel like I'm improving and working hard just like I would on the road. The unit is very stable and I have not experienced any rear wheel slippage. For the price I think it was well worth it. I have not upgraded to the PC version yet. I haven't really had a desire to do so since I put music in my ears and I'm in a totally different place.


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## JD73 (Oct 13, 2008)

I say go for the Tacx Fortius. There are so many different ways of getting enjoyment out of that trainer and preventing boredom from setting in. I really enjoy the Multiplayer feature.


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## gibson00 (Aug 7, 2006)

JD73 said:


> I say go for the Tacx Fortius. There are so many different ways of getting enjoyment out of that trainer and preventing boredom from setting in. I really enjoy the Multiplayer feature.


Can you describe how (and how well) the multiplayer stuff works??

thx!


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## JD73 (Oct 13, 2008)

With Multiplayer, you join a server, that either you, someone else or Tacx starts up and 6 people can race at a time. There's a calendar that you can post an upcoming race and see if anyone wants to join you on that specific date or you can subscribe to someone else's race.


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## sabre104 (Dec 14, 2006)

I have a computrainer and use the Ergvideos with it. It can and it will kick your ass.


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## Clevor (Sep 8, 2005)

I just got a Fortius Multiplayer for a $999 from World Champ Productions because a 20% discount wasn't supposed to apply to it, but they honored it. This is my impression of it so far:

1. The bugs have pretty much been worked out of the software. I had no problem during the installation except several updates need to be done on the one supplied on the CD. 

2. YOU WILL NEED A 32-bit OS, as there are no USB drivers for any 64-bit OS yet. As a result, I can't run the software off my high-end gaming laptop and instead have to run it off my little Atom netbook since it has 32-bit Vista Business on it. 

3. The graphics are pretty dorky compared to present 3D gaming, but face it, not not every roadie owns a quad-core overclocked to 4 ghz with $600 Nvidia gaming cards like the 290M or whatever is out nowadays. Therefore the software is designed to work on fairly low end gaming systems. The VR software runs fine off my little netbook at max graphics settings however my Asus does have a Geforce 9300 GS video card since it's a gaming netbook. That's equivalent to an Nvidia 8700 GT or so desktop.

4. The advantage (quite a big one) the Tacx has over the others is the steering feature, if you get the top-of-the-line Fortius Multiplayer. The steering is not quite like the road - it's harder and more twitchy, so it requires concentration, but this sorta ads to the entertainment factor (like riding rollers). You can calibrate the steering response. Steering doesn't work on the real life videos though, for obvious reason.

5. The big problem with these VR trainers is it's hard to tell when you are going uphill or downhill from the screen (unlike the road), except you notice the pedaling gets harder. I look at the % slope to keep track. You can also do track racing or mountain bike racing on the Tacx.

6. On the Tacx, the real life videos are pretty expensive, around $55 a shot, but they do include three free ones when you purchase the multiplayer. I don't use the multiplayer function myself. There is also a Google Earth function which I don't know much about. You can do an actual ride and I think tape it (?) using the software so you can ride it again.

7. Maybe you have deep pockets anyway if you bought the Fortius Multiplayer, but be prepared to shell out more money for a trainer dedicated bike! It is a real hassle to mount and unmount your road bike on a trainer as sophisticated as the Tacx. For one thing, the Tacx won't work without the cadence sensor mounted, and it interferes with the one on my road bike. I thought about foregoing a cadence sensor for the road and just using a speedometer, except the Tacx sensor has a cable so you have to secure it everytime you take the bike on the road. Also it's a hassle to mount the control unit on the handlebar as you have to be a gorilla to pull on those silicone rubber bands. What I'm doing is I building another (cheap) bike to leave on the trainer permanently.

8. One thing you gotta like about these VR trainers is the built-in powermeter, heart rate meter (you supply your own strap), cadence meter, speed, and other data you have access to. You can see it on the screen and graph it afterward. Since the gel roller is hooked up to a computer, that measures resistance and cadence to calculate watts. With the Tacx, some feel it's accurate to within +/- 5% of a Powertap. Moreover you can calibrate it to a Powertap if you have one. Some who have actually climbed Mt. Ventoux say pedaling resistance on the real life video is pretty accurate.

One thing that surprised me about the Tacx is that I figured it was made in the Far East as most things today are. Nope, all the parts (including electronics) are still manufactured in Holland. Quality of hardware and fit and finish are superb. No problems with bolt holes aligning up. All the bolts and nuts are heavily chrome-plated. Tech support is pretty good too, with prompt e-mail responses and a user forum is also available. I think Cyclops is now entering the VR market but they are playing catch-up. I don't think the Computrainer offers a steering function. One thing I like about the Fortius compared to a lot of trainers in general is the quick releases for the skewers and the tire. You don't have to crank a hand knob.


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## JD73 (Oct 13, 2008)

Good review. I actually find it easy to swap bikes on the Fortius. I switch bewteen my bike and my wife's just about everyday and it it takes me all of about 2 minutes at the most I don't mount the control unit on the bike and just leave it on a table beside the trainer. So really it's a matter of pulling the front wheel off the bike, mounting the cadence sensor and you're good to go.
Have you tried Multiplayer yet? There are quite a few more people using it this year then last, so it is growing in popularity.
The new TTS software apparently works with 32 bit and 64 bit systems although I'm still using the Fortius software.


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## Clevor (Sep 8, 2005)

JD73 said:


> Good review. I actually find it easy to swap bikes on the Fortius. I switch bewteen my bike and my wife's just about everyday and it it takes me all of about 2 minutes at the most I don't mount the control unit on the bike and just leave it on a table beside the trainer. So really it's a matter of pulling the front wheel off the bike, mounting the cadence sensor and you're good to go.
> Have you tried Multiplayer yet? There are quite a few more people using it this year then last, so it is growing in popularity.
> The new TTS software apparently works with 32 bit and 64 bit systems although I'm still using the Fortius.


If you don't use a cadence sensor on your road bike maybe it's not much of a hassle. I use a Cateye that mounts in the same area of the chainstay using tie wraps and duct tape, so really a hassle to remove.

For the control unit, I use removable tie wraps and attach the straps that way. The silicone rubber straps need to be redesigned with a loop you can stick a finger through. It won't be that hard then to get enough leverage to pull on the straps. Once that bugger is on there though, the control unit won't come off!

No, haven't tried Multiplayer yet. Still got lots of time left on the subscription.

I bought the Tacx trainer tire (finally something made in Taiwan). Not sure what's different about it than a regular tire. But if you do use the trainer tire, than you have to change the rear wheel out every time you use the trainer.  The problem is the 'cheap' bike I am putting together is costing more than the trainer! It's actually looking nicer than my road bike too! Got a candy red Ridley Boreas frame on closeout. Thinking about full Shimano 6703 . . .


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## Guest (Dec 18, 2009)

The new Bushido is supposed to be pretty easy to mount up. It sounds interesting, no cables, it uses an ANT dongle to communicate with the computer. You do have to purchase the PC upgrade separately so it would be about the same cost as the other VR models to add in that function. It doesn't do the downhill bit like the Fortius I believe but they say its a bit more powerful and smooth in its resistance generation.

I'd really like to try it out.


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## Balrog (Feb 14, 2010)

I have been riding a Tacx Fortius for years. I am tempted by the new Bushido. 

Has anyone ridden the Fortius and the new Tacx Bushido? I am very interested in ride quality. Is the Bushido quieter/noisier? Smoother? Does the Bushido resistance drop enough on "downhill" riding?

With the Fortius one is free-spinning during "downhill" sections. In case someone's wondering, its a safety feature to require pedal cadence at all times the rear wheel is moving. (They don't want you falling into a powered rear wheel during cardiac events!)


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## gibson00 (Aug 7, 2006)

Balrog said:


> I have been riding a Tacx Fortius for years. I am tempted by the new Bushido.
> 
> Has anyone ridden the Fortius and the new Tacx Bushido? I am very interested in ride quality. Is the Bushido quieter/noisier? Smoother? Does the Bushido resistance drop enough on "downhill" riding?
> 
> With the Fortius one is free-spinning during "downhill" sections. In case someone's wondering, its a safety feature to require pedal cadence at all times the rear wheel is moving. (They don't want you falling into a powered rear wheel during cardiac events!)


Cyclingnews recently did a review of the Bushido. It is pretty rare that they will bash a product they are reviewing, but they really weren't impressed with it. Basically it still has a lot of bugs. One thing Tacx is known for - always playing catch up when it comes to patching the defects in their software.
That is why so many people like the Computrainer.....it just works. The graphics might not be quite as nice, but otherwise it is essentially the same thing, including their own version of real life DVD's now. People tend to make comments about how old the computrainer software is, but again, other companies are still trying to offer the same thing (with slightly prettier graphics), but they just can't get it right.
Buy a used computrainer (or new if you can afford it).


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## Guest (Feb 14, 2010)

It takes some time to set up the bushido when you get it, in order to update the software on each of the pieces. But once that's done I've seen no issues with it.

So while I agree with them on getting it setup, after the initial rides and learning how to use it I haven't had any trouble with it at all. Its quick to setup, easy to use and the resistance is smooth and plenty powerful enough. And while expensive still much less than the computrainer.


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## Sonomasnap (Feb 10, 2010)

Bottom line indoor training sucks. I get out if it is above 15 degrees. However I also have a computrainer. It is great for very specific intervals, tempo rides, steady state, etc... You can peg an exact power range and hold it for the length of time you need. I don't care if they have dancing naked women on the screen after 1.5-2 hours on the trainer I am done. So, use any of them for high intensity, specific training. 

Computrainer is great for uploading all of your data to trainingpeaks or wherever you put your workouts for review. 

Anyway my 2 cents worth.


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## Guest (Feb 16, 2010)

I usually do pretty well at putting in my time indoors, but this winter has taken a toll on me, I'm about at the end of my indoor rope. Ready to get outside.


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