After opening it up, you’ll find the fan sandwiched between some protective cardboard. From there, simply lift it up, remove the plastic, and…well…almost done. Remember that in addition to using the app to toggle between these modes, you can also use that settings button on the front of the fan, which will toggle through these modes and put it into a passive listening mode so the next time you jump on the trainer, it just starts automatically. Undoubtedly we could have easily determined whether the storm-like air movers such as the Vacmaster and Wahoo are better for indoor training than a 9″ desk fan without a full day of testing. Nor does it seem fair to pit the big friendly giant-like circulator fan against the wind tunnel-like workout-specific centrifugal fans. That said, desk and circulator fans such as these are often much cheaper than the two dedicated training fans we have on test, and many riders will already have similar fans in the house.

Ultimately, at this point Elite wins on virtually every feature category except the ability to use the Wahoo bike computers/watch for control – or other apps for control of the fan. But I think almost everyone is gonna either use the built-in app or sensor-driven control. Wrap-Up:I only use the 45 degree setting. I can’t see how the vertical angle could give you any blow without fouling the pedals. The flat to the floor setting is great… if you want really cool pedal cleats (I suppose you could put it on a shelf or some other support). Vertical setting

It’s likely an decent fan would have brought about this epiphany. But for me it was the Cardio54 wot delivered it. So it occupies a special place in my loins. Using The Vacmaster Cardio54Much like the Vacmaster, the Headwind is powerful enough to be uncomfortable for all but the hardest efforts in average room temperature environments. I found myself most often using the middle two-speed settings in my relatively chilly garage. Again, like the Vacmaster, the limited standing positions are less versatile than angle adjustable fans. That said, Wahoo has included two foot positions for placing the fan on the floor or desk and the Headwind channels the air nicely onto the body from both positions. The remote control works well (it just works) and it certainly beats having to get down off the bike each time you need to move up the Beaufort scale. Power Usage… Or How Much Does The Cardio54 Cost To Use?

I conducted the testing at home in Ireland on December 8. Before, during, and after each test I logged a series of subjective measures and results for each fan. Upon completing all tests I exported all the sensor data and training files, including power and heart rate data, to Core for analysis. Each test was numbered 1-6 (four with fans, two without) to ensure Core’s research and development engineer Michele Zahner didn’t know the identity of each fan when analysing the data. Core sensor placement for the indoor training fan test. Indoor training fan test results and conclusionsIt’s pleasing to know that, if needed, the Cardio54 can push sufficient air to RIP MY FACE OFF. Ahem. Versus the Wahoo Headwind, of course, it’s a bargain. The Wahoo unit, for which fan speed can be controlled actively by your speed, heart rate or an app, costs about 2.3x more. Yes, the Headwind adapts automatically, but I prefer to adjust the speed manually and touchscreens do not play ball with my sweaty paws. Better yet, if the airflow distribution is a concern, I dare suggest setting up two Cardio54s in front and to the side of the trainer could provide even better airflow and still only match the price of the Wahoo. Instead, note that Elite says you should aim for replacing the filters (there is one per side) every 500 hours, and that a set of replacement filters is 15EUR (includes two filters) – which seems pretty darn reasonable to me, especially for something you’d likely do every 1-2 years. When the 500 hours of time has passed, the Aria fan will warn you with a flashing red light (but will otherwise function normally). Replacing the filters is relatively easy, you’ll just unscrew the four screws on the side of the fan frame, to pull it out:

Delving deeper into the data we decided to further explore the reasoning for almost identical results from three of the four fans, despite the very different sensations I had. We decided to explore whether calculating each fan’s heat transfer coefficient could quantify its heat transfer capability. I outlined the Elite app earlier in the review, and the Wahoo app in that review, however, you can basically see the entire Wahoo app fan sections above.

Polls

That said, the Vacmaster seems to provide excellent air blowing performance (based on my limited experience). Finally, what about the filters? Honestly, I don’t have a good way to test that or the claim associated with it. So, let’s focus on what it does. First, the filters are “activated carbon filters”, which Elite primarily focuses their marketing/use cases on both “removing odors” as well as “removing pollutants”. One minor item is on the current firmware for the Elite Aria fan, it’s not automatically starting the fan after a passive timeout of 5 minutes – if connected to a smart trainer. Elite says they’re going to change that in the next firmware version slated for later this month. Else, you have to either press the physical fan button or open the app to activate it. Also, while I did have some connectivity issues with the Elite app, after some troubleshooting I figured out it was my phone. I changed to a secondary phone and it worked flawlessly.