Hey guys,
Thanks for the reality check on my last post about that super cheap PP5 power meter. You guys made a lot of sense—sprinting on a literal noodle doesn’t sound like a good time. Plus, after digging into some more user data, it seems like these early budget power meters still suffer from pretty noticeable power drift (especially with temperature changes). Until they actually fix that data drift issue in a future gen, I'm completely steering clear of their power meters.
So, I’m pivoting my winter training strategy. Instead of a sketchy budget crankset, I’m looking to spend that money where it might actually matter for structured training: a direct-drive smart trainer for my pain cave.
Everyone over on the main forums defaults to Wahoo or Tacx, but since we are on Chinertown, I'm naturally looking at ThinkRider's direct-drive line, specifically the X2MAX or their flagship XXPRO models. Since they've been doing trainers for a while, I’m curious if their hardware and ERG algorithms are more mature than their PM tech.
Since I use Zwift and TrainerRoad religiously, I'm more worried about the software side:
1. For those running the X2MAX or an XXPRO unit, how is the actual ERG mode responsiveness during short, punchy micro-intervals? Does it lag or overshoot the target watts?
2. How has the Bluetooth/ANT+ connection stability been? Any annoying dropouts mid-ride?
3. Does the trainer handle power data better than their stand-alone meters, or does it also suffer from drift and require constant spin-downs?
I’d love to hear from anyone who has put some serious winter miles on one of these units before I pull the trigger.
Appreciate the insights!
