Training Tacx Films
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Tacx Films
The Tacx films are divided into the following categories: cycling classics, mountain stages, training
with the pros, Cycletours, Climbs Collection, triathlon, download films and Citytrips. On
www.tacx.com you will find information about the films. Here you can order the DVDs through the
online shop.
The Tacx Films are Slope/Distance training rides. The speed of the film is influenced by your cycling
speed. When riding uphill the brake will generate so much resistance that you can really feel the
incline. The i-Genius Multiplayer will accelerate itself in a descent. ErgoVideo stands for power
training (in Watt/Time) with the pros. It is an efficient way to improve your fitness and cycling
technique in a remarkably short time. All films are shot in widescreen and linked with Google
Earth’s 3D maps. You can install the film on the hard drive or play it from the DVD.
You can distinguish the ErgoVideos and Real Life Videos from one another through the icon that is
displayed in front of the title.
Real Life Video
ErgoVideo
Choosing a film
Recent
The quickest way to start a training session is through this button. A list with the last training rides
of the selected user will appear via the menu on the left. These are training rides (with or without
opponents) that you have completed in the past and may want to repeat. At the bottom you will see
Films with an article number lower than T1956.30 are not compatible with Tacx Trainer software
4.
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an image and to the right information about the program. Select one and press the Select for
training button to start.
Recent implies that the settings of the training ride are also saved.
If no image of the film’s starting point is visible on the screen, the Search button will appear in the
Video tab. Click this button. A browse screen will open that allows you to search for the film file (that
might be stored in a different location) in the PC or DVD player.
Video
At the left you select a film from the list. The partial courses that belong to this film will appear on
the screen. Select one and press the Select for training button to start.
Start training
Before you start training you can set the Power Mode value, select opponents and determine the
heart rate settings. There are several more functions that you can customize through the bottom
bar.
Adjust the starting point
By moving the vertical line you can determine the starting point of the training ride.
Videos with an article number higher than T1956.60 have to be activated by means of a security
code. You can activate the video as soon as you start it for the first time. Follow the instructions
on the screen.
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Select info box
With this function you can select info boxes (text messages). In the leftmost box, select the info
boxes you want to use during training. Info boxes provide you with information en route. You can also
add them yourself: Training > New info boxes
Opponents
An opponent is someone who has once completed the same program. That could be you, or a score
you have downloaded through BikeNet (see Import). You can select a maximum number of 19
opponents in this screen. All possible opponents are listed with their average speed and time. They
will only participate in the race if you select them via the checkbox.
With the Duplicate button you make a copy of the opponent. Change the name of the opponent and
adjust the speed (faster or slower). The new opponent will stay close to you during the training ride.
This is useful to improve your performance.
Power Mode
Through Settings (in the bottom bar) > Power Mode you can adjust the settings
of this function. Power Mode is used to adjust the difficulty of the course. You
can either diminish (below 100) or increase (above 100) the brake operation. This enables you to ride
on your own level in films that would normally be too hard. The checkbox indicates whether the
Power Mode is On or Off. If On you can use the arrow keys to set the value (10-200%). During
training this setting can be adjusted.
Functions during training
Start training
After Start training the Countdown will appear. When it
has reached 0, you can start cycling. This is also the
starting sign for the opponents. In case of a false start
the Countdown will begin again.
When you use the Tacx Trainer software for the first time, you will be asked to install the Google
plug-in. Follow the instructions on the screen.
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More information: Tacx Trainer software > First time use
Pausing during training
If you stop training before crossing the finish line, a
Pause pop-up will appear on the screen. It contains
the pause time and current heart rate. All rider data
are held during the break. When you start cycling
again, the computer’s calculations will be based on
these data.
Finish
After finishing a pop-up will appear with your time and the time of the opponents. Click Save when
you want to keep this score. It can be viewed later through Analyser.
Stopping early
You can stop training before crossing the finish line by pressing the Cancel button (VR interface) or
left arrow (Bushido/Vortex computer). A pop-up will appear asking if you want to save the part you
have completed. If so, rename the program and click Save. The score can be viewed later through
Analyser.
Screens during training
While training you can browse through the different screens using up arrow and down arrow on the
handlebar interface.
Screen 1: Video
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Screen 2: Combination
Screen 3: GPS
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Screen 4: Graph
Through the Enter button (VR interface) or right arrow (Bushido/Vortex/Genius computer) you can
call additional functions. A pop-up will appear where you can adjust the settings of the screen in
question using up arrow en down arrow.
Video Zoom
You can choose from two different picture settings:
Best fit The software automatically determines which format best suits the user’s
image resolution. If suitable the video will be displayed full screen.
Full The video is displayed full screen.
Bottom Panel
Using the Bottom Panel you can display the training information in three different ways:
Info minimal Basic reproduction with all the basic information.
Info track Basic reproduction with all the basic information and profile of the route.
Also with opponents, if selected.
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Info Detailed reproduction of the training data, including averages per unit.
Explanation of abbreviations in the detailed display:
Speed
Current speed *
AVS average speed
MAX maximum speed
Cadence
Current pedalling frequency
AVS average pedalling frequency
MAX maximum pedalling frequency
Power
Current power output *
AVS average power output
MAX maximum power output
If the Power Mode is On, below the Current power output the
power output is displayed that you would have delivered if the
Power Mode had been set at 100%.
Heart rate
Current heart rate *
AVS average heart rate
MAX maximum heart rate
Route setting
Slope, Watt or Heart rate setting
The setting’s average
The setting’s maximum
Distance
Trip distance
In a Distance program the total distance and the remaining distance of the route
Stopwatch
Duration of the training session
ETA Estimated Time of Arrival in a Distance program
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Rest. Remaining time of the program
In addition to these functions you can also adjust the following:
Power Mode
Heart rate display
Training info: you can switch the training info (Power output, Slope and Heart rate) on and off
here
Google Earth camera (see GPS Rides)
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Rider positions
The position of the user in the program is indicated by a vertical line. The positions of the opponents
are also visible. Top left you can see the bar with the names of the opponents and the differences in
Time or Distance between them. You can also zoom in on the position display.
GPS display
If Google is enabled in the settings and GPS information from the film is available, you will see a
screen dump here with the Google Earth map. The course is outlined in a white line; the distance
travelled is yellow. The opponents are also shown. There are five possible camera angles, among
which top view, panoramic view (360%) and several zoom modes.
In the settings you can determine whether the riders are displayed in 3D or dot. Various
modifications of the way the 3D maps are displayed are possible.
More information: The function buttons > Google Earth settings
Graph
The course is displayed as a ‘mountain profile’. The vertical line is the position line. It will move
while you ride. The travelled course will change colour. The training data are drawn in a graph.
Standard visible data at every start are Speed, Power output, Cadence and Heart rate. You can
switch these lines Off or On by clicking the mouse on the vertical axis scale.
The graph shows the set Heart rate limits by a dotted line. Right of the graph you can see the values
of the parameters and the time.
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Working ranges
When the current value is displayed in red, it means you are not actually performing as indicated at
that time. Because the trainer’s roll will not turn by itself during a descent in the terrain, like it
would in real life, the software contains ‘virtual speed formulas’. In order to imitate reality as much
as possible, the rider’s speed is artificially increased during descents and decreased uphill. As a
result of this application, the speed indicated on the screen will in many cases differ from the actual
riding speed. This is indicated in the training data by means of red numbers for speed.
Regardless which trainer you buy, it is Tacx’s goal to offer the same work-out on each trainer when
you climb a mountain. Whether you do this on an i- Flow or an i-Genius, in the end the amount of
energy delivered by the rider should be the same. This is complicated, because the braking power of
the i-Flow is not the same as the braking power of the i-Genius. The i-Genius can deal with much
more power. So an 8% slope feels different on the i-Flow (light) than on the i-Genius (heavy, the full
8%), because the i-Genius is much better in simulating a climb. On the i-Flow, the braking stops
around 4-5% (depending on the weight settings).
To reach our main goal, we need to change something in our software, to make sure that the work-
out is the same in the end. This we achieve by reducing the speed of the i-Flow the moment the
maximum braking power is reached. The displayed speed is shown in red in the software (or it is
shown square on the i-Vortex or Bushido). This is what we call virtual speed.
The main difference
Knowing this, it is easier to understand the main difference between the Tacx trainers:
i-Flow
The i-Flow can brake to a maximum of 4-5% depending on your weight settings. Above this
maximum the speed will go down, so you will not experience the actual cycling speed. Climbing at
8% will never feel real.
The i-Flow comes with the Basic version of the Tacx Trainer software 4. This means that certain
functions (like import, export and VR) are not fully available.
i-Vortex
The i-Vortex can brake to a maximum of around 7% depending on your weight settings. It works
almost the same as the i-Flow, the difference being that the % can be spread more evenly over the
resistance power. This means for example that 4% slope will feel like a 3% climb, 6% slope will feel
like a 4% climb and 9% slope will feel like a 6% climb.
Bushido
The Bushido has more braking power than the i-Vortex. This means for example that 11% slope will
feel like an 8% climb.
i-Genius
The i-Genius can go up to 20%. There is no braking manipulation, which means that cycling on the i-
Genius will feel much more realistic.
Other differences
In addition to the above, there are some other differences between the Tacx trainers:
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The Bushido and i-Vortex have a head unit that cannot work without connecting it to a PC.
The i-Genius and i-Flow always need a computer to work.
On the Bushido you can preset Slope-Wattage-Heart rate training. On the i-Vortex you can only
manually adjust during a ride.
The Bushido does not need electricity to operate. A generator in the brake makes it possible to train.
The Bushido is easy to set up and move to any place you want.
Both the Bushido and i-Vortex are ANT compatible (analogue also works) so you can connect an ANT
strap to it.
The i-Flow is only analogue compatible.
List of compatible items: http://www.tacxservice.com/en/4-what-he ... t-included
Cycletrainers
There are several Tacx cycletrainers: Booster, Satori, Blue Motion, Blue Matic and Blue Twist.
The main difference lies in the braking power. The more expensive the trainer, the better braking
power it has on low speeds (to simulate a climb).
It is not possible to connect a cycletrainer to a PC. However there is a program, the Tacx Video
Player, that enables interaction a little.
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