The Best Budget ZWIFT Setup For 2023 - DON'T DO THIS

My best budget ZWIFT setup for 2023 indoor cycling season.
Many other budget ZWIFT setup videos suggest using a speed sensor to quickly get connected on ZWIFT. This method is very inaccurate and there is a much better solution at near the same cost.
The HR2VP app calculates power meter data based on heart rate and can broadcast a power signal to ZWIFT from either your smartphone or smart watch.
Sponsored by HR2VP app - bipr.fr/training-with-heart-r...
There are 3 important things to know in order to get a good working setup:
--- 1) Use the direct connection and not the one through the Companion app
--- 2) Grant all permissions, especially location permission which is mandatory for Bluetooth
--- 3) On Android, disable Battery optimization for HR2VP otherwise some parts of the app managing Bluetooth may be killed by the OS
How to pair smart watch for heart rate signal - • Zwift: pair your Galax...
How to use a spin bike on Zwift - • My Indoor Cycling Setu...
How to Use a Heart Rate Monitor as a Power Meter for ZWIFT? - • How to Use a Heart Rat...
Equipment used in video
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-- Speed / cadence sensor amzn.to/3JmKhIG
-- Spin bike amzn.to/3Y1VnXH
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[@TwoWheelCruise]

What is your ideal Zwift setup?

[@bluefishblitz9577]

Full CrMo road bike with a crank arm power meter (4iiii - NDS only) on a Kinetic Rock and Roll trainer. I'd feel a bit timid using a carbon frame, or even fork on that trainer. Also use a floor fan and sweat catcher that extends from the bar to the seatpost. The heart rate conversion app does sound like a workable alternative to a power meter.

[@MrVindler]

Trek 2300 on a Wahoo Kickr trainer.

[@irvhh143]

I have an Elite wheel on trainer. It was setup according to Zwift, 3/8 resistance, 25/700 tire. But, it was way too optimistic. 500w for 2 minutes for a cat 5 outdoor rider. I juggled the resistance and other settings to get more real world numbers. I did 35kph on an outdoor TT and 900m in 1hr on an outdoor Hillclimb. The ramp test is now 20% less, and stimulated speeds much closer to RW.

[@mumblecake251]

Wish I had known this. I could have been cycling on Zwift for 3-4 years now. I was only able to make the jump when our old dumb indoor bike died and we decided to upgrade to a Stages Smart Bike. The HR2VP is obviously not as accurate as a power meter and will struggle with dynamic efforts as heart rate generally lags behind but it seems pretty powerful considering the little information that it requires to function.

[@classifiedinformation6353]

I had no idea I could document my Zwift rides without a smart trainer . Thanks for sharing the information.

[@ikuwilld]

Hello from Japan. My wife and I also use this setup from your advice in a previous video. It was surprising that the recorded number of kilometers and power rode on zwift matches the numbers on my stationery bike nearly exactly. hr2vp is very impressive! Thanks for introducing it.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Awesome, glad to hear it's worked well for you. I've also been very impressed with how accurate it is.

[@christopherrygus4265]

I'm Impressed you two. Deadly setup to get that X-Factor of the power output

[@IRSA1]

You are really well set up to keep up your careful training indoors, away from the pesky rain and wind. The standing desks are wonderful, we have got one with the matching treadmill underneath, and there is nothing better than reading the papers or a book or using the laptop without slouching on a chair.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

It's really nice to have a reliable and safe solution to cycle indoors. Standing desks are really great, we love ours.

[@fredmcgough748]

Thanks for the video. Really appreciate the advice. Happy to hear that a regular bike and trainer can be used with zwift. Thanks.

[@artten5002]

Well this video gave me way more important informations I needed, thank you very much of this alternative, absolutely will use this app :D

[@ksc8673]

Great to see both of you getting back into cycling routine. This is the first year that I been using a indoor cycling software subscription. In the past many years I was using the Spinerval DVDs with my bike on a turbo trainer. This last fall signup with Rouvy and using same turbo classic trainer used prior with BT/ANT+ speed/cadence sensors and HR monitor.Was getting BT dropouts with sensors so switched to ANT+ and its been rock solid. The real world video makes it appear like you are almost there in person. Yesterday rode up Mt Hood,OR to ski area and today did the Biwaichi Cherry Blossom course in Japan which had amazing scenery. Hardware wise - I am using a Win11 mini PC displaying with 43" 4K smart TV using ARC on HDMI for soundbar and 2nd HDMI for video. Both are wired ethernet. Rouvy has a Android Companion App for phone used over WIFI to remotely control some of the metric graphics on TV and rides. The ride catalog is extensive with rides around the world.

[@grecinos2]

I have a similar configuration. I have a Win 11 PC, 4k 43" TV and a soundbar playing my favorite music. I had a similar problem with Ant+. I use BT to connect my smart trainer to my laptop. It works great. I have a heartrate sensor that requires Ant+. I bought an Ant+ dongle and a USB extension cable. This way, I can move the Ant+ sensor closer to me. It works like a charm. A word of advise to others that I learned by experience. A large TV isn't necessary to get an immersive experience. I traded a 50" TV for a 43". The bigger TV seemed overwhelming. I had to move my head left and right to see the metrics. So, proportionate to the distance between you and the TV is more important. Just my two cents worth.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

It's been great being able to get back into a good routine and regular cycling again. Having a dedicated indoor cycling setup really helps with that. We haven't tried Rouvy yet, but it looks really nice with all the different course options.

[@ksc8673]

@@TwoWheelCruise They have a free trail period for evaluating. It's nice to ride locations again that I did many years ago only slower :)

[@kenfreeman8888]

That was very helpful. Thank you.

[@jojosx]

I'm so glad I found this video, I can now ride on Zwift and other apps. Great channel!

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Glad we could help!

[@teresaw.4512]

Fantastic video. Thank you!

[@BigQ07]

Great advice thanks!! Downloading app now, grabbing a fan, shoe straps and stand for my iPad 🚴🏾

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Enjoy!

[@keithhatton7761]

Thanks for this video and the link.

[@dugfriendly]

Thank you so much for this!

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Glad it was helpful!

[@PedroHama666]

Nice video! Will a cadence sensor on the spinning bike will be a good add here for better control on the cadence ?

[@ablsmain]

Thanks for the kind useful video.

[@batistadabiker3073]

Wow thank you so much for this can I use my Apple Watch as a heart rate sensor

[@patrickorourke152]

Awe cruise fair play I have just downloaded the app always wanted to go onto Zwift no I have the chance thanks a million

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Awesome, I hope you enjoy it! 😁

[@marcusstoner1641]

Good advice, cheers. Weather in UK wintertime is cold and wet! Roll on spring. When you were in Japan it was much colder in winter but less rain than Vietnam? I'm missing the long summer rides ☀️

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yeah, Japan was a lot colder in Winter and very little precipitation, but very strong wind.

[@aktux]

HR2VP is a great idea! I use it too! Especially if you combine it with a cadence sensor, it will send 0watts when cadence is zero.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yeah, adding the cadence sensor makes it even better.

[@listicnene5390]

What cadence sensor do you use please?

[@HuSanNiang]

Great that there are more option available. We have 1 smart trainer - Elite Suito (so not that expensive) and either of us can use it. Sometimes the scheduling is difficult . Not enough space for a 2nd set up Normal Zwift runs via the Laptop via Ant+ , sometimes we use the tablet via BT Plastic mat on the floor to protect the wooden floor, table, ventilator, towels, water and MUSIC. Cannot ride without fast music. Sometimes I watch Concert DVDs . Hubby can use his roadbike or his TT bike using his power pedals I use my roadbike with power crank (bought 2nd hand) and at the moment my MTB (data directly via the smart trainer) as I have back problems at the moment Easy as we all have 11 gears *ggg* In the summer time you can fold it together and then the smart trainer doesnt use any space. I always give Thuong Chan a like on Strava. Girl power

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yeah, sometimes the hardest part is the scheduling when we both want to ride at the same time 😂

[@anbunuz8776]

Do I need a heartbeat monitor to play or only zwift app indoor bike and speed sensor?

[@DeinaOKC]

I finally saved up for a direct drive trainer but this is great info! Wish I knew about it last winter 😀

[@NeilLavitt]

A direct trainer is better, no offence Cruise. This is controllable by Zwift which makes a massive difference in sim mode. Cruises approach is great for erg mode type activities but for simulation mode, it’s a manual effort to change resistance to match slope. Still they probably leave that to their outside rides.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Smart direct drive trainers and advanced indoor bikes are best of course, but they are not cheap. The changing resistance feature can be nice for the extra realism, but it doesn't necessarily help with training if that's your goal.

[@NeilLavitt]

@@TwoWheelCruise the pandemic end has left lots of secondhand cheap smart trainers on the market. Worth looking at.

[@stevefantastics6595]

What a great video! Thank you so much 🙏 So I could actually do this on the spin bike at the gym and watch zwift on my phone while I ride. 😎

[@davidosolo]

You cannot have Zwift on the same phone that is using the HR2VP app, so you should bring a second phone or tablet.

[@davidboscolo7933]

@@davidosolo What if you have HR2VP running on your apple watch at zwift on your phone?

[@davidosolo]

@@davidboscolo7933 Never tried It myself. But I think that should work. It is all about your phone connecting to an external bluetooth signal.

[@spingirl4855]

Awesome setup!

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Thanks! 😃

[@endtimeslips4660]

good education. it look fun play game and also do training when in raining day.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yes, it makes it a lot more enjoyable

[@priscillanunez4118]

I can use the app and the speed and cadence sensor for zwift too?

[@alexewers7467]

I did my first Zwift ride today using this method, thanks so much for the info 🙂 I am amazed more people aren't doing it, as it's such a cheap and easy solution. My only question is with inclines -I feel I am cheating if I don't add some resistance on the hills. Do you adjust the resistance according to the incline on Zwift, or not bother?

[@TwoWheelCruise]

If you want more of a real feel, you should increase the resistance on the hills. But it won't give you an advantage if you don't since the watts will make you climb slower otherwise.

[@paulclarke4340]

Great info topic in this video. Cruise is it just me or are you in great shape here? 💪🏾

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Thanks! I've been trying to build my fitness back 😁

[@jamesfelizardo9515]

Wow this is a great help, I've been longing to use Zwift but couldnt afford the smart trainers, thanks to you I can live that dream. I only have 20 inch folding bike and minivelo and sadly not compatible with smart trainers. Were you able to use your folding bikes for Zwift? Please share if it's possible.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yes, you can use this method with folding bikes. You'll need a set of rollers or a regular trainer that your folding bike can attach to.

[@ErikBrakkee]

my zwift setup is a spinning bike (Life fitness Ic5) that provides rpm and power over ant+. Then I use the North Pole Engineering CABLE device to provide a bluetooth connection based on the ant+ signal from the bike. Then I use an android tablet to run zwift which connects to the CABLE device. Sometimes I also use chromecast to cast the tablet screen to TV. I also use a polar heart rate monitor. As for the hr2vp thing: it is definitely better than speed only. However, what usually happens when I am working out is that my heart rate increases slowly at the same power and when pushing hard, the power goes down while having the same heart rate. Also your power to hear rate relation changes as you become more fit. So how to calibrate this?

[@bipr]

If you connect your spin bike to HR2VP as a power meter, the power used will be the one from the Life Fitness Ic5 and at the end of your workout, the app will compute the best FTP parameter to use in order to match with your power source. This is how you can calibrate HR2VP.

[@assortedmountainlife]

How does it calibrate the heart rate to power output? By analyzing real world rides? There's a very loose connection between heart rate and power output because those two values alone ignore fitness. I have some KOMs where my heart rate is 40bpm lower than everyone else in the top 10. Then I have some rides where I'm at 175bpm but really struggling because I'm 3+ hours in already.

[@stokular]

Yeah, this seems insanely inaccurate. For example, it was showing 50 watts without him even touching the pedals…this seems like a terrible setup

[@rokkietan]

Hi Cruise, would like to hear your opinion on a 1X gear set up and dual suspension for exercising n commuting use...thanks

[@TwoWheelCruise]

I can't imagine the dual suspension is necessary unless you're commuting on some rough trails, but the extra weight will probably give you a better workout. For my commuting bikes, I generally prefer single speed aluminum/steel bikes so I don't have to worry about mechanicals/thefts as much, but whatever bike you are comfortable on can do the job.

[@JoseNewsReligionPolitics]

Ok with a kinetic trainer i can reach 280-300 watts max, however my heartbeat never has gone over 165. Im 65 years old ; that is my max. Heart beat. Whenever I have tried your app, it shortchanges me on my watts, stating that i cant go over 150, which I know is wrong, this limits me on races etc. Any ideas ?

[@bipr]

You can fine tune parameters such as FTP, max HR and min HR values in the app. If the power output is too low check the max HR which should correspond to your real max and increase FTP parameter.

[@LukesLibrary]

I use a Cannondale Synapse on a Wahoo trainer, it works well but I wish I had a dedicated space so I didn't need to take it on and off the trainer. I also did my first ever "bikepacking" partly thanks to your video about the rinko bags, had a great time down in Kyushu. I didn't enjoy hitting my bike on random things while carrying it though lol.

[@gordoncVT]

The spin bike in the description links to the yosuda, but the bike in the video looks completely different. What model is it? Thanks

[@user-mo6ul7pk2b]

Right

[@aleksanderwangensteen6462]

Hi, love your videos.. how do you get HR2VP app to pair with swift? Thanks

[@kacey0125]

Mine showed up as my iphone. It relays the power data, but zwift won't let me do any races because it doesn't detect and actual power meter.....at least I think that's the reason.

[@joramvandervorst7715]

May i suggest an accoustic damping panel of some kind in your room?

[@TwoWheelCruise]

That's a good idea. We usually use a different microphone which helps, but it's been malfunctioning lately so I will need to buy a new one.

[@DavidPurviance]

Have you looked for a bushing to adapt from your power pedals to the cranks? If you know the thread sizes, I bet you could find a local small machine shop that can make them for you.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Thought about it, but don't want the pedals to stick out too far.

[@aarendal]

👍😎

[@harpldlewis7764]

It is possible to get on ZWIFT even cheaper. The Mekbelt CM16 or the Bancon ZWIFT Stationery Bike are both listed on Amazon for less than $300. Both bikes are well made and connect to ZWIFT and some other Apps via their built-in bluetooth sensors. These bikes are economical smart trainers and have built-in powermeters and connect to the ZWIFT App via the profiles of Power, Cadence, Controllable. I happen to own both bikes and would give the edge to the Mekbelt CM16 which is very sturdy and looks for more expensive than its listed price tag. When you purchase these bikes there is no need to purchase anything else to connect to ZWIFT.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

These kinds of bikes can be a good way to connect easily. I do not know these specific models, but other similar type bikes I have tried have been very inaccurate with their power numbers. But hard to ask for more at this price point and they do let you get on zwift easily.

[@harpldlewis7764]

@@TwoWheelCruise Exactly.

[@NeilLavitt]

Noticed they spelled ‘completely’ incorrectly on the app. I know you have your spin bike, but for the cheaper flexible solution, surely better to use a Wahoo Kickr Rollr. Just plonk your road bike with power meter (pedals) and you’re good to go. I know, more cost.

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Smart trainers or advanced indoor bikes are the best way to fully enjoy ZWIFT if you want to race or have more realism. For general training purposes I think a simple dumb trainer or spin bike is good enough with proper workout plans. It's a lot easier to get started for $100 with a dumb trainer than $700+ for any advanced setup. I also generally prefer something like a spin bike since it does not put any extra wear on your normal bike and will never break.

[@NeilLavitt]

@@TwoWheelCruise yeh, I hear you. I started with an Echelon EX3. The comfort that came from my road bike on a trainer though made a massive difference. But yeh, wear and tear. Watts are watts no matter how you get them.

[@irvhh143]

Power meter not required for kickr as Zwift will calculate watts based on rear wheel speed sensor. Be aware that elite level races do require power meters though. Also, more and more races are category enforced meaning power meter is required.

[@kevinyang367]

does this work for running on zwift?

[@bipr]

Yes, running speed will be based on heart rate as well. You need to select the running mode in the Settings.

[@ragweedmakesmesneeze]

My brain glitched after you said using a speed sensor "would give us a false assumption of what our actual speed is." I'm not sure what you were trying to say, as rate (or speed) is simply distance divided by time. That's just middle school math. It doesn't matter your gearing or cadence, if you've input the correct wheel size, then you should get accurate speed or rate information no matter if you like to mash on big gears or spin high cadences. But then I googled it I see that the Zwift speed sensor is not a traditional magnet based speed sensor used on many cycling computers.

[@pancreasnou]

Wish i had space in my apartment for a spin bike :(

[@BixRibene]

Budget?

[@ToddNZMTB]

Some clever person could invent some kind of pressure pad or similar to put in your shoes for power data, power meters are so expensive!

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Hopefully more competition will bring prices down, but for now I think this app is a very good cheaper alternative.

[@ToddNZMTB]

@@TwoWheelCruise so us pleb/normies can see just how much we suck ha ha ha 😆

[@iobmmarketing4543]

Cany hear you please check sound when recording thanks

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Sorry, my main microphone is malfunctioning lately so I had to use a backup mic

[@kaylaquaqualezzi711]

Katie Koocaburra bought a Taxc flow trainer, she is another bikerider from london... Check her out...

[@TwoWheelCruise]

Yes, those are good too but much more expensive

[@NeilLavitt]

I like Katie, but unlike Cruise, she does not really disclose as clearly that she is sponsored by Garmin who own Tacx.

[@kaylaquaqualezzi711]

Katie Kookaburra is her name...

[@Nhkg17]

I've found that it's better for me to buy proper clothes and ride outside even in winter (or light rain) than to suffer at home...

[@TwoWheelCruise]

I generally prefer to ride outside (even in snow), but I usually will stay inside when it's raining. It's a lot safer and I don't like cleaning my bike more than necessary.

[@Nhkg17]

​@@TwoWheelCruise I have a gravel bike and I don't clean it very often. :D Luckily in Europe it rarely rains two days in a row.

[@bluefishblitz9577]

There's often patchy ice in winter where I am, but I do prefer breathing that crisp winter air when the road surfaces are clear.

[@kinglion6275]

Many times I can’t get outside because I have a child at home. Looking for an easy swift setup that won’t kill my pockets

[@ianhunter9971]

Hi. Thanks for this. How do you get the speed data please.

[@Georgtt1968]

Не мучитесь, друзья, купить педали с датчиком мощности, и не будете гадать верно или не очень Zwift регистрирует вашу скорость.

[@augustgames6502]

A sponsered video where you recommend a product is not informational, it's a commercial.

[@66mikkim]

30 bucks a month for a app? Save the money for a year and you can get yourself a proper Powermeter that actually shows the Power you are putting in th pedeal

[@bipr]

This is for Lifetime, the monthly price is around 3$.

[@thewattbomber]

The statement about speed sensor not being accurate on Zwift is not exactly correct - specifically when using "dumb" trainers and a cadence sensor that is supported by Zwift. Given you are using a supported "dumb" trainer, and you have setup the trainer correctly (eg. applying the correct pressure of the flywheel driver to the wheel), Zwift will have the power lookup table for that "dumb" trainer given a particular speed and cadence, which solves for the accuracy issue as they've done numerous tests to create this lookup table for the supported dumb trainers. Using this formula in cubic form, you can calculate the groundspeed velocity for any given power: aVgs^3 + bVgs^2 + cVgs + d = 0 where: a = 0.5 ⋅ Cd ⋅ A ⋅ Rho b = Vhw ⋅ Cd ⋅ A ⋅ Rho c = (9.8067 ⋅ W ⋅ [sin(arctan(G/100)) + Crr ⋅ cos(arctan(G/100))]) + (0.5 ⋅ Cd ⋅ A ⋅ Rho ⋅ Vhw^2) d = -(1 - Lossdt/100) ⋅ Plegs given: Cd is drag coefficient A is frontal area (m2) Rho is air density (kg/m3) W is weight of your bike and you (kg) G is steepness of a hill in terms of percentage grade (%) Crr is coefficient of rolling resistance Vhw is headwind speed (m/s) Lossdt is drivetrain loss Plegs is power at the legs (watts) solved by using Cardano's formula: Q = (3ac - b^2)/(9a^2) R = (9abc - (27a^2)d - 2b^3)/(54a^3) S = 3sqrt(R + sqrt(Q^3 + R^2)) T = 3sqrt(R - sqrt(Q^3 + R^2)) therefore: Vgs = S + T - (b/(3a)) given: Vgs is groundspeed Zwift will basically take the wheelspeed and cadence reading from your sensors, get the power from the supported "dumb" trainers power lookup table, and then feed it into the formula to provide you with the groundspeed. The groundspeed and power reading will not be perfectly accurate, but I'm confident that it would be somewhere in the vicinity of +/-5% when compared to a direct measure power meter (which would use the same formula but rewritten). I've probably stuffed up the formula somewhere so take a look at Steve Gribbles page on Cycling Power and Speed, he has a complete breakdown of the relationship between cycling power and speed.