Looking to get on Zwift for the first time? Need a solution that works well without being too complicated? Our favorite Aussie Lama Shane Miller has just posted a video explaining the basics of setting up an easy to use yet high-quality, super-functional Zwift station.
The station has just a handful of components, keeping things simple:
- Wahoo KICKR Core Direct-Drive Smart Trainer with cassette installed
- Apple TV 4K (32gb version is plenty for running Zwift)
- Your bike
- Big Screen
Watch Shane explain it all:
Eric, I have read most of your posts and enjoy them. What is being done with the “Sandbagger issue”? I have been racing most of my life and I love a fair fight and dont mind being beat in a fair fight but I feel like I have a knife in a gun fight with regards to the races in Zwift. In the last D race on Sunday most of the racer was legit. The winner and back @ 10 places were all way above the 2.4 w/kg and a few have been racing in the B group. There are… Read more »
Zwift says they’re working on some things. See my series starting here: https://zwiftinsider.com/enforcing-race-cats/
Eric, since late 2017 when I saw the Shane Miller YouTube vid on this, I’ve been nothing but pleased with the ATV and Zwift’s implementation on it. Not so the !$%@#$ Siri remote (I’ve actually submitted a Features request for Zwift HW to build something usable). It’s gone through two trainers. I’m a ride leader and wouldn’t switch despite the remote. The one thing I would stress is a bombproof WiFi connection or even direct Ethernet to the ATV.
I have seen posts from others who have gotten really frustrated using the Apple TV remote. I too hate it for Zwifting and I have no answers for anyone (and everyone) using this dumb thing. True, it works fine on other ATV apps buts feels like trying to park the Queen Mary most of the time. Does anyone know if a wireless keyboard will work? I have a 2019 Kickr and HRM. Cadence is sent directly through the Kickr so I may have one Bluetooth channel available for another device. Anyone try this?
There’s no support in Zwift tvOS for keyboards at this point.
How have you managed to connect the trainer, the cadence and the hr monitor to the Apple TV? The Apple TV is limited to three BLE, with the remote taking one. Or is your mid-range Wahoo Kickr ‘simulate’ cadence and therefore only use one BLE port? Thanks
The Kickr18 and CORE now transmit cadence over the single BLE device connection. It’s an estimate from the power curve, and one of the most accurate I’ve seen when comparing it to on-bike sensors.
Great
I’ve worked around it by using a CABLE device, which works fine. My setup is Apple TV, Wahoo Kickr, Wahoo HR, Wahoo cadence and CABLE. Much more headache than your set up !!!
This, plus the Climb, is my setup and I’m very happy with it.
From a beginner who wants to ride indoors I appreciate you simplifying the process. I
bought a Neo 2T trainer and the Apple 4K TV. My final purchase is a television.
Would the Zwift experience be any better with a 4K 2160 TV as compared to a 1080
non smart TV? Thanks much Eric.
On a 4k setup, the menus are 4k, but the graphics aren’t. So… it’ll be a slightly better experience, but not much. Same framerate, as far as I understand it.
If it was me I’d probably buy the 4k tv just because it’s more “future-proof”…