Tacx Satori Smart

When the weather outside is frightful, a turbo may not actually be truly delightful, but it can be the best way of maintaining and improving fitness during the winter. The Tacx Satori Smart trainer really does have all the bells and whistles, and is guaranteed to stave off the worst of turbo induced boredom, even if it is best suited to the more technically minded.

The Satori Smart is great for people who easily get bored with more traditional style turbo trainers, and who are looking for one that will provide a little more feedback, to help keep them engaged. It's probably not an ideal first turbo, as the features and add-ons are quite advanced. Consequently it would be a rather expensive purchase if you then found out that you fundamentally don't like it.

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It is however, a good option for those who want to train on a turbo, but need more than a blank wall to look at and don't get on with The Sufferfest style of workout. It also provides the option of extensive training stats and detailed training programmes in the (dis)comfort of your own home or garden shed.

Setting up

Setting up the trainer is relatively straightforward. The device is well designed, folding for storage but unfolding to a very stable platform for the bike. The trainer clamps the rear skewer (a bespoke skewer is provided to ensure a good fit, and to prevent damage to your shiny bike parts) with an adjustable clamp featuring a quick release. It takes just a few minutes to set the clamp up, then clamping and unclamping the bike is a matter of seconds, throwing a reassuringly robust looking quick release lever.

You then adjust the turbo roller to the wheel, again with a quick release to move it into position, and an adjustable screw thread for fine tuning. This fine tuning process is made more simple with the aid of the associated software (more on this later). Once adjusted, another big friendly lever makes setting the roller a doddle. Another optional extra available is a spare tyre specifically designed to work with the trainer, and therefore avoid undue wear of precious road tyres.

The trainer, in its most simple form, is then ready to go. The Satori uses a magnetic brake for resistance, which is relatively quiet (certainly quiet enough to be no inconvenience), and offers adjustment via a 10-setting lever that mounts remotely on a long cable to the handlebar. This is simple to use, but may be a little inconvenient for bikes without much spare space on the bars. On one of my test bikes, which routes the brake cables under the bar tape as is common these days, it was hard to find a suitable position for the clamp. On an older bike, with the brake cable emerging from the side of the STI lever, there was plenty of space so no problem.

Training is then merely a matter of pedalling away at the desired effort, setting the resistance of the brake with the lever, and the gear on the bike.

Breakdown of the trainer is equally simple, with the quick release levers at roller and skewer coming undone and releasing the bike.

Training

I used this trainer with the optional accessory front wheel lift, which holds the wheel at the right height to keep the bike horizontal, and also stops it easily flopping from side to side. It did make climbing on an off the bike a little tricky but no more so than with other trainers. I also used the optional mat, which in addition to protecting the floor underneath, damps any vibration that would lead to greater noise and nuisance from the turbo. Both did as claimed, and made for a very convenient and enjoyable session.

The trainer really comes into its own when paired with the optional software. I used the iPad version, though versions also exist for android tablets, Apple and android phones, and Windows computers. The tablet and phone options are more cost-effective introductions, as the software is free, with payment being required for specific workouts or additional features. The PC software requires an upfront licence fee (€65 when I looked on the Tacx website).

Fundamentally, the app enables more accurate calibration on the roller, allowing you to set the pressure of the roller on the tyre to enable the optimal setup. It also then provides readouts of power, 'speed', cadence, heart rate (from a compatible heart rate monitor), energy output, 'slope' and so on. The initial calibration process for every training session is somewhat brutal, requiring a hefty power output from a cold start!

The app lets you create your own workout from this point, but pre-set workouts are also available as in-app purchases from the relevant app store, along with video play-throughs of a range of iconic routes. These scenic videos play in sync with your pedalling, creating a useful distraction to go along with the various statistics provided.

While the software is really good, it is a little difficult to get to grips with, and the embedded manual accessible while training is non-existent. To really understand the software fully, you need to download the pdf manual from the website. There is also a risk of running up significant costs, as the training programmes and films can add up, as can the optional extra bits and pieces of kit.

> Check out our guide to the best turbo trainers here

To position the iPad in the correct position to use on the turbo, I also used the tablet mount accessory, which clamps to the handlebar and holds a variety of sizes of tablet in the right position. Again, while very good, this takes up valuable space on the bar. I had to remove a GPS mount in order to let it clamp in position on either side of the stem, and while not a big deal, this could get irritating in the longer term.

I have historically been averse to turbo sessions in principal, preferring to avoid the inevitable boredom by just womanning-up (non-gender-specific) in winter and going out on the roads, but the Satori Smart, coupled with a few pretty routes (invariably ridden on gorgeous summer days) on the app might just possibly tempt me back into the utility room.

Verdict

Well made and reassuringly rugged, with a good variety of training programmes and software, but getting the best from it is tricky