Early Review of Nero Rollers - GREAT
Posted: Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:35 pm
My Nero rollers arrived in the US and at my house last week finally. Now, I have had about 4 days to properly connect up the Nero rollers to the iPhone and iPad apps. I must simply say that Elite NAILED IT with these interactive rollers!
For two years I have been riding the Elite Quick Motion rollers and have enjoyed the experience using the Misuro B+ sensor to export data to my iPad for My E Training [Elite app] and Rouvy apps [sometimes to Zwift but not lately] connected to Apple TV and TV monitor. Quick Motion rollers were fun but without interactiveness, I was required to make my own adjustments.
The Nero Interactive rollers are a complete GAME CHANGER. I have connected my apps through Bluetooth Smart and the Nero has made real-time changes in resistance on the rollers during a ride consistent with video display or workout criteria. Super impressed. One quick note is that Nero can only connect to ONE Bluetooth device at a time so make sure that it is not already hooked up to an iPad or iPhone or some other Bluetooth device when you are starting on one. I sometimes turn off BT for any device I am not using for the Nero until I get it connected to the app and device I am using to control Nero.
Here are my details on the set up and my thoughts as of now:
First, I am using a 3rd Generation iPad [iOS 9.3.5] with My E Training connected to the Nero through Bluetooth Smart. I have also connected my Favero Assioma power meter pedals and a Garmin Dual Bluetooth/Ant+ HRM strap through BT to the iPad and My E Training app. Be aware, it took a bit of fiddling with the My E Training app to get all the sensors connected up but ultimately did so. Had to turn off Bluetooth on iPhone and sometimes on and off the iPad, restart the My E app and plug and unplug the Nero a couple of times. Patience and don't plan on working out the first time you set it up as I must have gotten on and off the bike about a dozen times. Thereafter, smooth sailing -- or riding.
[Just to check or compare data produced, I also use a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt on my bike to show speed, cadence and wattage and was impressed as to how close all data on the Bolt was to the data on the My E Training App for watts and estimated and real speed]
Next, I have done workouts using the My E Training app on the Level Mode, Power Mode and Video Mode rides using the free user uploaded rides. Today, I used the Don Bosco Tour video ride and WOW it was very realistic. On the Video, there was an increasing and decreasing gradients from -2% to approximately 3.5% over 7 miles . The resistance on the Nero rollers was gradual up or down such that if the gradient only went up by 1%, the resistance got progressively harder instantaneously, and really if the grade got harder or easier the change was in real time as the percentage increased and decreased on the video. Super impressed. Also, if My E Training app said my speed was 8 mph going up a hard uphill section, when I looked at my Wahoo Bolt, that was the speed being registered as I rode on the rollers. Power displayed on the Wahoo and the My E Training app were consistent and I could tell that I was going up a slow grade just by seeing my wattage increase.
After getting the iPad working well, I then hooked up my iPhone X with Rouvy app to the Nero through Bluetooth. [Again, this is when I figured out that Nero will only connect to ONE Bluetooth app at a time in Bluetooth mode, so you can only ride on either Rouvy or My E Training apps – not both at the same time.] I chose an augmented road course on Rouvy with 5-7% gradients and AGAIN WOW, the Nero Interactive rollers gave real-time changes in the resistance and speed.
I have not tried to use Zwift or any other app with the Nero Rollers, but with the ease of set up I experienced, I assume that it will work well.
Finally, where my wattage max on my Quick Rollers [in Level 1] normally could not get much past 350 Watts, I am getting well over 400 watts on some efforts but I haven’t tried to max out yet as I am still getting use to the rollers. However, it is clear that the automatic interactive resistance changes on the rollers will allow for a very good workout on intervals it appears.
Hope others have great experience as well.
For two years I have been riding the Elite Quick Motion rollers and have enjoyed the experience using the Misuro B+ sensor to export data to my iPad for My E Training [Elite app] and Rouvy apps [sometimes to Zwift but not lately] connected to Apple TV and TV monitor. Quick Motion rollers were fun but without interactiveness, I was required to make my own adjustments.
The Nero Interactive rollers are a complete GAME CHANGER. I have connected my apps through Bluetooth Smart and the Nero has made real-time changes in resistance on the rollers during a ride consistent with video display or workout criteria. Super impressed. One quick note is that Nero can only connect to ONE Bluetooth device at a time so make sure that it is not already hooked up to an iPad or iPhone or some other Bluetooth device when you are starting on one. I sometimes turn off BT for any device I am not using for the Nero until I get it connected to the app and device I am using to control Nero.
Here are my details on the set up and my thoughts as of now:
First, I am using a 3rd Generation iPad [iOS 9.3.5] with My E Training connected to the Nero through Bluetooth Smart. I have also connected my Favero Assioma power meter pedals and a Garmin Dual Bluetooth/Ant+ HRM strap through BT to the iPad and My E Training app. Be aware, it took a bit of fiddling with the My E Training app to get all the sensors connected up but ultimately did so. Had to turn off Bluetooth on iPhone and sometimes on and off the iPad, restart the My E app and plug and unplug the Nero a couple of times. Patience and don't plan on working out the first time you set it up as I must have gotten on and off the bike about a dozen times. Thereafter, smooth sailing -- or riding.
[Just to check or compare data produced, I also use a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt on my bike to show speed, cadence and wattage and was impressed as to how close all data on the Bolt was to the data on the My E Training App for watts and estimated and real speed]
Next, I have done workouts using the My E Training app on the Level Mode, Power Mode and Video Mode rides using the free user uploaded rides. Today, I used the Don Bosco Tour video ride and WOW it was very realistic. On the Video, there was an increasing and decreasing gradients from -2% to approximately 3.5% over 7 miles . The resistance on the Nero rollers was gradual up or down such that if the gradient only went up by 1%, the resistance got progressively harder instantaneously, and really if the grade got harder or easier the change was in real time as the percentage increased and decreased on the video. Super impressed. Also, if My E Training app said my speed was 8 mph going up a hard uphill section, when I looked at my Wahoo Bolt, that was the speed being registered as I rode on the rollers. Power displayed on the Wahoo and the My E Training app were consistent and I could tell that I was going up a slow grade just by seeing my wattage increase.
After getting the iPad working well, I then hooked up my iPhone X with Rouvy app to the Nero through Bluetooth. [Again, this is when I figured out that Nero will only connect to ONE Bluetooth app at a time in Bluetooth mode, so you can only ride on either Rouvy or My E Training apps – not both at the same time.] I chose an augmented road course on Rouvy with 5-7% gradients and AGAIN WOW, the Nero Interactive rollers gave real-time changes in the resistance and speed.
I have not tried to use Zwift or any other app with the Nero Rollers, but with the ease of set up I experienced, I assume that it will work well.
Finally, where my wattage max on my Quick Rollers [in Level 1] normally could not get much past 350 Watts, I am getting well over 400 watts on some efforts but I haven’t tried to max out yet as I am still getting use to the rollers. However, it is clear that the automatic interactive resistance changes on the rollers will allow for a very good workout on intervals it appears.
Hope others have great experience as well.