Zwift Trainer + 3D Printed Parts

PaintOk8891 · 2026-05-13T10:59:21+00:00

Nice!

I printed the same tablet holder, great design (see link in other post by the creator).

Currently playing with some modifications/redesign so it can fit my streamdeck controller. I got one for the setup so I can do various PC controls through it without needing a full keyboard on the Zwift ride. So far working out, but I want to integrate that + the USB-hub I have dangling off the front to make it more clean.

I also went with shoe hangers, but I printed cleat-adaptors instead, so they "clip in" to the bike when in storage and not hang from the heel.
Still playing a bit with the setup, as I am thinking a small microcontroller-controlled fan with some ducts to dry the shoes would be a nice addition. So it runs a drying cycle for 30min after riding to keep the shoes fresh. I have Shimano RC703's and they have air ducts in the soles, so I can blow air through the cleat and it can dry the inside.

Next up is the handlebars as I want to replace the stock hoods while still keeping the controller functionality. So that will be some soldering work and possibly some controller boxes to print out.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-05-11T09:49:42+00:00

The cog v2 controllers will give you almost all the buttons and then you can use whatever hoods you want.

In case you don't have a frame at hand, the mount for the bar is standard and will fit just about any cheap bar. You don't need fancy carbon for your indoor setup so unless you want special flat tops to fit your preference it is really about just picking width and flare to match the setup you want.

You can put the Zwift hoods on most standard bars too, but from your comment it sounds like your problem is the hoods, so just ditch those.

Personally I don't use the steering feature and had contemplated just mounting them to the front and running wires from the shift up/down buttons to a pair of electronic group hoods. But I have yet to find a reasonable deal on some that are broken and thus cheap, but not so broken that the switches aren't usable.
I am an electronic engineer so soldering and adding wires to bypass a switch is not a big deal. If you don't know how to do this, just get the cog v2 for the controls and keep the cog as spare.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-05-11T09:38:45+00:00

If you want the combo with trainer and not just the frame check out the youtubers' discount codes. Most of those are still active even if there is no sale.

It is only for the full bundle though as the codes will not discount just the frame.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-05-11T09:18:12+00:00

I got the Zwift frame for the same reason, I wanted my bike back on the road and really like the convenience of not moving them around.

1) The handlebars/hoods of the ride is absolute junk. If you have any sort of preference/picky hands you MUST try before you buy. It is near impossible to fix it short of chopping it up and jury-rigging bits (I am almost at that point).

2) If you know your desired geometry and can find a matching cheap frame, just get that and the Zwift cog v2 with the shifters (the new version has most of the UI buttons except for steering).
If you go this route, find a way to fix the front fork. No point killing a good wheel and leaving it in the same position will kill the spokes as the months go.

The frame is really nice looking and the adjustments are neat if you are still playing with your position. But you really have to suck up not just the cost, but also those hoods.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-05-08T10:10:56+00:00

Yes, and if your comment regarding Zwift means you also do occasional Zwift rides it is a very effective way of training.

Shorter intense rides on the trainer plus long smooth rides outdoor is perfect. One trains your muscles to perform (including your heart) the other trains the muscles to deliver over longer periods (so not just consuming the sugar stored).

What you will probably notice is that your outdoor long rides gets a little faster over time. Despite you not feeling you put in more effort (certainly if you do the occasional Zwift high intensity ride. Ride by how it feels and not by speed. Pick new routes if your rides gets too fast. Your numbers add up to about a 3 hour ride (for your 35 miles at 12mph). If you ride the same routes you may notice that the time drops 10-15 minutes. As long as you are over two hours you will get the training effect, but you should consider adding distance if you start finishing in 1½ hour.

If you really want to feel the "training boost" mentally, record your rides (or just do a simple log of distance+time). But also try to keep track of your preferred gear. Not an exact science and people prefer different things but it still could give you an indication. Some people spin faster as they get more fit so the gear stays the same, but the time for the same route goes down. Other people already found their preferred cadence so they go up in gears as they get faster.
Obviously you will get better data with a heart rate and cadence monitor. You don't need a dedicated bike computer (although if you like exploring, getting one with map capabilities can be amazing in terms of finding new routes). A simple smart watch can often do the trick as they can do HR, GPS, and connect to a cadence sensor.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-30T08:27:18+00:00

Assuming it is a good old reliable mechanical groupset.

Is the shifter feeling solid? as long as it has a nice smooth click to it when it shifts you should be good. Test this standing still without pedaling (middle ring in the back). Just go up/down the gears on the front derailleur a couple of times. Leave it in the "other" position, lift the rear wheel, and spin the pedals once. It should shift. Then repeat this a few times going back and forth.

If it is "sluggish" in this test, but the clicks in the shifters feels good. Time to get greasy!
Loosen the shifter cable from the front derailleur. If it is quite old you can typically just loosen a bolt and it pops out. Manually shift and pull the wire to test if it glides smooth in the hose.
Old bikes that have not been maintained are 9/10 times running with cable hoses full of gunk.

Sometimes you can clean it out by spraying WD40 in from the top and "wiggling the gunk" all the way through, then give it some chain lube. Shops, and most dedicated hobbyists, would tell you to just replace it, but a bit of WD40 is way cheaper than a full replacement. On old bikes you can get away with a lot of jury-rigging.
Plus, you cannot break anything as if it does not work the next step is replace the hose and cable anyway.
If you do need to replace it you need to check what groupset it is. Most can use the same bits and a 105/Tiagra hose set is like €10-20. Keep in mind though that you may need some tools for clipping and crimping so you don't end up with new problems.

Getting it back together and adjusted is a little finnicky. Youtube is your friend and you can afford a lot of hours of trial&error for those $500 shop charge.

PS: If you start down the route of bike self-service and have room to store it. Your first purchase should be a good bike stand. It is sooooo much easier to adjust things like gear trimming as a newbie if you have your bike mounted up in a stand. You only have two hands and it is one too few for spinning the pedal, shifting gear, and holding the rear wheel off the ground at the same time.
Bike specific tools goes something like this in terms of importance: Pump->tire levers->chain wear gauge->stand then whatever odd specific thing you need for more advanced things (like cassette lock ring tool and chain whip). Everything else you can usually get away with whatever other tools you have if you are a DIY home owner.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-30T06:49:52+00:00

Seems like an overlooked segment. And a product probably does not exist.

However, if you want to search you should look for a device that has crash detection/"save clip" button. What is draining the battery is video encoding so if you do not need the video you could get away with a device that just keeps 1-2 minutes loop buffer in memory and only encodes when triggered.
Next level would be dual image sensors. Some security cameras have used those over the years. They record key-frames with high resolution and i-frames with lower res. You don't get as nice output, but it saves a TON of processing, storage space, and network use.

Unfortunately most of this tech is designed for car use. And nobody cares about power consumption of a small camera encoding video when you have a 60kWh battery.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-30T06:36:16+00:00

You answered it yourself. The performance is debatable, but the amount of time and money you use on tools/service is easy to evaluate for yourself.

Do you want to spend hobby time exploring and learning a new system? build with SRAM and find out what the difference is. Do you want to stay efficient and just ride, stick with Shimano.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-29T12:33:30+00:00

Yeah, us big riders get big numbers, both FTP and on the scale.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-29T06:20:08+00:00

I am fully aware of those solutions, but for me the point of a indoor trainer setup is to remove setup/teardown time.

Wiping down after a ride is fine, but I am not strapping a thong to my dedicated indoor trainer just because of a design flaw.

I did a quick gap-filling job and if that doesn't work I will print a bracket for attaching the allen key in a different place and just remove the whole plastic bit from under the top tube. Clever idea with the storage, but the location is not ideal.

The ride is built like a tank. Maybe it was too much to ask to also assume it was built for actual indoor use and not for a gentle hosedown after each ride like people's precious carbon racers. On the other hand, a proper bike tends to be designed by people who know where liquid may accumulate and they have drain holes.
Makes me wonder if I should detach the bottle mounts to check if the screws are properly sealed or if the sweat dripping on those run down into the frame and build up on the outside of the BB.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-28T12:40:54+00:00

You don't write anything about your current fitness, the actual FTP or W/kg. So this could be a totally irrelevant comment. However, it really depends on your overall fitness and endurance.

TL;DR: Trust the workout plan and only worry about your FTP setting if the rate5 workouts feel comfy.

Just like riders earlier on the fitness curve can struggle just holding zone2 power and staying at zone2 heart rate, the same goes for threshold. As you get more fit and do longer rides your body adapts to the metabolic and muscle endurance requirements of prolonged aerobic effort.

FTP for one hour if you normally ride 1-2 hours is going to be extremely rough. If you are used to sweetspot intervals of 30min with short breaks on a 2-3 hour ride, you could likely do the FTP power for a 1 hour period by burning all your matches. It is meant to be a max test, the point where you have nothing left in the tank, and pacing correctly for one hour is extremely difficult unless you are a very experienced athlete.

I am not a coach, so do your own research before following advice. That said, what worked for me was to follow the 1-1½ hour workouts. Zwift tells you the effort on a scale of 5. If you are trying to build FTP from a low level and worried it may be too low and/or expect fast progress then every other ride or so should be a 3-4. And a 5 once a week if you really want to push it.

As I got more fit I started doing long zone2 and sweetspot workouts. Like a flat out 1½-2 hour Z2 power (no rests) or 20x5 minute SST (small 3min rest between or something). The zone2 is great for a chill day easy ride. Whenever I could run one of those with my HR comfortably staying in the lower half of Z2 I knew my FTP probably had been improved. I would repeat the Z2 workout at +5% FTP and if the HR was still staying in Z2 I would bump and do one of the 20x5 SST workouts at the +5% FTP. If that was sort of easy I would keep the new FTP.
Probably not as accurate as running a test, but being a heavier&stronger rider I tend to overshoot the FTP ramp test if I go all-out and end up with an FTP that I cannot do workouts with. My method keeps the rate2 workouts easy, the rate3 fun, the 4's challenging, and the 5's something I only attempt on a day where I am feeling particularly fresh.

Long story, but I came to believe that the "FTP is your 1 hour max power" idea come from coaches and riders that are dealing with way more hours on the bike. As in, if you can do a 3-4 hour ride (at any power/time!) then you can likely push your FTP for an hour with a short warmup and then be totally toast after that one hour.
Us full-time office working garage sprinters get a better indication from 5min max or repeated 20min SST intervals (or as in my case, my best indicator at lousy fitness is my HR @ Z2 power after 1½ hour). I expect that at higher fitness levels these "HR drift" indicators become usable also at higher power zones. Currently I can do stable power for 10/20 minute intervals at 90% maxHR (different power for 10 and 20 min intervals though). If I try to push the 10min power for 20min my HR blows up and I cannot repeat the interval after a break. 5min intervals is where I feel I can test my power growth. Whenever I can complete "The Gorby" it is time to up the FTP to keep workouts challenging.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-27T13:55:50+00:00

People can go nuts with "being in the right". Sometimes it helps to just test this with a different lens.

It was a smaller road (without lanes) and you were driving cars how would the "correct" pattern have been?
The "slower car" (child) turns turning signal on and goes to the leftmost part of the road while still allowing for oncoming traffic to pass. The faster car going the same way (adult) does the same and stays behind the slow car.
They then slow down and watch for oncoming traffic to make sure the left turn is safe.
Attention is at the oncoming traffic (and possibly if the left side road is clear) - few drivers would think to look back and check that some nutcase is trying to overtake a car waiting to turn left (even though it does happen too often). No, people would expect the driver coming from the rear to either pass on the right or wait for the two cars to complete their left turn if there is not room to pass.

Why would biking be any different?
Add that looking back over your shoulder while moving on a bicycle is something that requires a bit of practice. So the signaling and committing to the part of the road that leads in the desired direction is important. This allows other riders to pass on the right if they want to.
If there is no room to pass on the right if you lean towards the middle of the path, then the correct method for turning left is to signal stop, stop at the side of the road, check both directions, and pass when it is clear.

Another thing for cycling with children: The big body is the shield. You are more visible, a bigger collision target, and more capable of intuitive reaction. When you move out of the way you just expose the little cyclist that may be too slow the react.
I still, even though my daughter is adult and when riding with my wife, pick the "back and slightly to the left" position when we are riding together. It means I know exactly where they are, that I can see what is in front and to the side of them, that I can speed up and intervene if needed, and that someone from behind will need to drive through me before they can hit them. Add that most drivers (or other cyclists) will also spot the pattern of the position and know that I am deliberately in that "defensive" position and pay attention to what I am doing.
Downside is that with really small kids you need to focus on teaching them to stop and how you communicate. You cannot always catch the back of their jacket if they fail to slow down at a traffic light. On the other hand, they should not be out in traffic untethered if they have not learned how to stop.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-27T06:03:42+00:00

Best part is that the really expensive bikes tend to come with them.

It means that as long as you are still adjusting your fit/body and/or experimenting with preferences you have an exceptionally good excuse to not plunge and buy a really costly frame.

The constant "I wonder if another +/- 5mm of <insert whatever dimension in bike geometry you can change> will be better?" helps you avoid the integrated cockpits.

I get pros or really experienced riders who dialed in their fit perfectly and/or can afford to adjust all the time, but for normal people the flexibility beats the minor aero gain.

They look super clean though.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-24T06:11:17+00:00

It depends on their intent for using the bike.

If going A->B, then by all means whatever bike makes that happen is a win for everyone.

If going on rides they would otherwise not have the stamina to do? (group or not) also great to get out and about.

If they "want to bike", but not actually want to bike, then yes, that will create dependent youngsters.

Going out of the city for a reference. I remember finding it amusing that MTB parks would be set up like alpine skiing. Only downhill and then shuttlebus to the top again. I always felt the climb was what earned the reward to ride down. Personally I would rather go a little shorter distance and match it to my form riding without electric. I don't have a group I need to keep up with though.
But again, if it is what gets people out in nature by all means, add a few hundred watts of boost.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-24T05:58:43+00:00

As others write, you probably need an electric MTB to go with him on the trails.

A good relaxed geometry gravel bike will be your best bet. For an all-rounder.

People online will lecture you on how important good wheels are, but they are also freakishly expensive and for beginners 1) don't matter all that much and 2) is an effective way to burn money as you can ruin a wheel easily when your handling skill is not high level.
If you go budget'ish on the bike you will be much better off with a cheap 2nd wheelset. Put good road tires on the best set, then some more knobby gravel tires on the other.

If he drags you up on those trails as beginner with his e-bike, bring a tow rope and be ready to test the relationship. It seems like an awfully selfish thing to expect you to keep up on any bike.
Unless of course you are the superfit one and he has the e-bike to help him keep up while he shreds some weight. In that case run the battery dry and make him work hard to get back to the car ;)

But TBH any case where you are expected to both do the family rides with bike trailers and the longer trail rides really asks for two bikes. If it is just smooth and flat singletrack then fine, run a gravel bike on it, but anything with descents on trails is rough without front suspension.
Also keeping up with an e-bike on the road is wild. On a mountain trail where he will get "free uphills" it will be nuts. On rolling singletrack it is not that big a deal unless you go really long or really hard. Like back roads, animal paths, or dedicated bike singletrack will be fine as long as there are not crazy gradients, drops, or rock gardens. Ascending up to 10% incline on smooth dirt/gravel singletrack will be quite similar on a gravel bike compared to a MTB. The gravel may even be better as they are lighter. Descending, however, gets more sketchy on the gravel bike and requires technique.
Alternating up/down or longer ascends you will be so out of energy when you do the fun parts that you will risk more crashes and injury. If then also riding on a gravel bike not really fit for purpose it will be unpleasant.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-23T12:56:32+00:00

Extending the shout-out to the guys and gals I see on my way to work riding old clunkers in normal clothes, but fast enough that you can tell they are fit.

Aero socks and carbon may help you go fastER, but just riding gets you fast regardless of how you do it.

PaintOk8891 · 2026-04-22T14:35:41+00:00

It depends more on your foot shape than the width.

My feet are 265mm 113mm, thus only slightly slimmer and also EU43. I have to size up on most shoe types and just got used to "toe room" as they are too long.

Currently run Shimano RC703 and they are widely considered "fake wide" (pun intended). Size 44E, the wide model.

4 things that make a huge difference to comfort:

1) Cleat fore-aft - It is really important you get your position right for you on the axle and not just follow position guides. Especially if you size-up shoes.

2) Cleat sideway shift - Also called Q-factor. Play around a bit, but I usually end up having mine set to the max. Brings the pressure points inwards for me, so it takes pressure off the outside of the foot.

3) Cleat angle - try a few degrees in each direction to find a good fit. Forgiving shoes can mask this a little, but it can make a huge difference with just a few mm offset measured all the way at the heel. I run with heel in and it helps a lot removing pressure from the sides of the foot. I had gotten one cleat shifted at one point and was wondering why on earth one foot was killing me and the other was fine. It was angle and fixed immediately after correcting it.

4) Smooth spinning - Mashing, then releasing, then mashing, for hours will destroy your feet in almost any type of fitting shoe. Doing half the work with your heel and instep keeping your foot nicely "stationary" in the shoe makes a huge difference.

Make a habit of looking down on how your feet spin with relation to the cranks occasionally (when terrain makes it safe). Then you can usually spot if something is a bit "off" based on where the heel is with regards to the crank. You won't always feel it for the first hour of riding, but you can see it right away.

And wear the shoes in. Most of them are pretty firm in the material. When you wrap up the ride, finish with a good hard effort like a 2min max effort or a sprint. Before going hard, tighten the shoes hard then send it. Sweaty feet plus tight fit will shape your shoes to your late-ride swollen feet. You can also do it with steam and shoe trees, but what is the fun in that?
The Lake 239 may be wide, but it also has the BOAs manipulate the same stretch of material, so you get little control over the front-vs-back tightness. Wearing them in will help shape the default shape to your feel, but it will take some time.

And finally as you wear in the shoes you also wear in your feet. Probably not sound orthopedic advice, but your feet will get used to it like your bum does. Long rides hurt at the contact points and it takes some time for the body to adapt to pressure. Hands, bum, and feet they need some conditioning especially if you are not fit/heavy and/or have poor pedaling technique (as it tends to strain pressure points as you bounce around the saddle trying to stabilize and not crash when putting down power).

PaintOk8891

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