CycPlus T3 High-Power Smart Bike Trainer

The CycPlus T3 High-Power Smart Bike Trainer is a good all-round direct-drive trainer if you want accuracy and a streamlined design, though there are smoother rides.

> Buy now: CycPlus T3 High-Power Smart Bike Trainer for £821.20 from CycPlus

For more options, check out our guide to the best turbo trainers.

CycPlus T3 High-Power Turbo: Setup

First things first, I found this trainer really easy to set up, made even easier by the video available on YouTube. It features a quick-release installation on each of the four legs that makes them easy to move out, as well as offering solid stability once fixed in place, which is of course welcome: no one wants to feel like their trainer isn't stable when going full pelt!

Another useful aspect when setting it up is the handle at the top, which made it much easier to get it out of the box and carry it to where I wanted it. I'm really not the strongest of people in the upper body, so this was very helpful.

It comes with a cassette installed, which makes setting it up a piece of cake. It was basically a matter of, once out and the legs secured, putting my disc brake bike onto the machine, securing with the thru-axle, attaching the power cables, and turning it on.

Once I had the trainer where I wanted it, I downloaded the app (which can be for your mobile phone or tablet) and connected it to the trainer. I didn't even have to sign up and make an account, which was great. Connecting to Zwift was also really fast and easy – I didn't experience any issues.

> How to get started with Zwift

I particularly like the way the LED lights on the trainer help with setting up. The red one indicates the power supply is working, blue confirms Bluetooth is connected, blue flashing shows Bluetooth is not connected, and green indicates that ANT+ data broadcast is working properly.

The app itself is a little basic – some allow you to change gear ratios – but being able to adjust the resistance mid-ride and view the power split from each pedal in the app is useful.

Other useful features the trainer comes with include a protective mat and a disc brake spacer to ensure that, once your back wheel is out, if you pull on the rear brake your pads won't go together. Not that I've ever done that, of course...

CycPlus T3 High-Power Turbo: Ride

Once I had the trainer set up and ready to go, it was time to give it a whirl. First off, it's pretty quiet, which can be an important factor if you don't want to be causing a racket if you ride in shared spaces or at unsocial hours.

The ride itself is good. I wasn't blown away by the ride quality, but the trainer did its job in producing information and connecting to Zwift without any issues.

I will say, though, that it didn't feel totally smooth, which surprised me rather; I've also been using the TrueKinetix TrueTrainer 6.2 (full review to come) which was incredibly smooth, and in comparison the CycPlus just doesn't feel quite as good. I think the problem could be down to the flywheel not being heavy enough, thus creating an inconsistent rotation. A heavier flywheel could solve the issue.

CycPlus T3 High-Power Turbo: Power

To measure the CycPlus's accuracy, I tested it alongside my Shimano Ultegra FC-R8100-P dual power meter, which claims +/-2.0% strain gauge accuracy throughout the entire calibration range, and which I think under-reads slightly.

As you can see below from my session on Zwift, the readings are pretty similar, with my prediction that my Shimano power meter would under-read in comparison to be correct as well. There are bigger discrepancies with the higher numbers when sprinting, but that was to be expected from my power meter.

As CycPlus says the T3 is accurate by +/-1%, so more than Shimano claims for my Ultegra power meter, it was hardly a surprise to find that it's accurate, but still good to see.

Moving on to cadence during the same Zwift ride, we can see that they both read at 85rpm, so again you can rest assured that the T3 will accurately produce cadence numbers for all your indoor riding.

CycPlus T3 High-Power Turbo: Value

While it's not exactly a cheap option at £821, it's not bad value. There are cheaper indoor trainers, such as the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One at £579.99 (including a year's membership of Zwift), but you can spend a lot more: the Wahoo Kickr Bike Shift is £2,699.99.

It comes in at less than both the Wahoo Kickr Move Smart Trainer at £1,399.99 (currently £1,149.99), and the Kickr Smart Trainer V6 (£1,099.99 but currently £899.99). I've used the V6 and, like Aaron in his review, really liked it – in fact I'd say I prefer it to the CycPlus as it's smooth and particularly stable when sprinting, something I find very important.

The Tacx Flux 2 Smart Trainer is another comparable option at £699.99. I've carried out a few sessions on a Flux 2 and also found it to be stable and smooth, if not as smooth as the Kickr. Although it comes in a fair bit cheaper, one thing to note is that this one has the lowest claimed accuracy of 2.5%; okay, it's still good, but the other two claim +/-1%. If you pay more, you'll likely receive better accuracy in return.

CycPlus T3 High-Power Turbo: Conclusion

All in all, the CycPlus T3 is a good direct-drive trainer that I enjoyed using, at an okay price. Personally, I really appreciate a smooth ride quality, so if I was spending a large amount of time indoor training I'd consider going for a more expensive alternative with a heavier flywheel such as the Wahoo Kickr V6 or the TrueKinetix I mentioned earlier (£1,134), but the CycPlus is worth considering if you want a solid but streamlined option that produces accurate data.

> Buy now: CycPlus T3 High-Power Smart Bike Trainer for £821.20 from CycPlus

Verdict

Good direct-drive trainer with solid accuracy at a reasonable price, but not the smoothest ride feel