BT Forum

I've looked thru the ergvideo catalog of all of their videos many times the past year and I've never seen them selling an Ironman course video, so ergvideo is NOT an option if you want a specific Ironman course.  I've got Kona and CDA rcv from the computrainer peeps.  I've only raced and ridden CDA so can't comment on Kona.  No, the rcv does not duplicate the course exactly as far as matching the required power output for given terrain.  For example, there is one specific hill on the CDA course that really isn't terribly tough, but the rcv has the computrainer really increase the resistance to a point that is overkill for the true toughness of the hill.  I don't view this is a reason not to get a rcv.  I rode the CDA course last fall before racing it this past June.  For me, having the rcv and being able to "ride" and visualize the CDA course all winter long was well worth the money to me come race day.  I visited the IM Canada course and drove the bike course a couple weeks ago.  I'm racing IM Can next summer and will definitely be buying the rcv for that race...that's how valuable I think they are...if for nothing else than being able to visualization the entire course.

As for which rcv is best, like someone above said I doubt anyone owns all of them and has raced all of them to be able to say which is "best".  The "best" one is the one for which you are racing next.  My 2 cents.

I don't own either but have heard lots of good things about the Ergvideo's.  I believe they are customizable workouts that are synched with a real video.  You can set wattages and such, as when you are riding the CT in ERG mode.

The real video courses from CT are basically the same thing as the rides from the 3d software except instead of old VGA graphics you have a real life video.

I plan on getting one of the ergvideo's for this offseason.

I also agree with this.  Everything I've read about ergvideo has been positive.  It is a much more powerful training tool than the rcv from computrainer.  My post above was only addressing videos for Ironman courses.   If you don't care about an Ironman-specific video, then ergvideo is by far the better way to go.

Which IM are you planning on doing?

I'd get that one.