[ Studio Notes — 01 ]
The Pain Cave Setup Guide
Nine sections for building an indoor cycling setup that actually works — based on two years of refining our own setups in Rotterdam.
Trainer placement, rocker setup, maintenance, airflow, screen height, bike storage, a 90-second mobility primer and the recovery zone. Fifteen minutes to read. Each section stands on its own.
[ Free guide ]
Read the full guide.
Enter your email to unlock all nine sections right here. You'll also get the guide by email, plus three short follow-ups on setting up your pain cave.
[ Unlocked ] The guide is also on its way to your inbox.
[ 00 ]
Before you read this.
Most indoor setups are assembled. Ours — the ones in our own apartments — were decided. Every piece of hardware earned its spot. Every cable has a reason to exist. Every object that didn't help got removed.
This guide is that decision process, written down. It's not a gear list. It's a set of questions, in the order they need to be asked, about the one room where you'll spend hundreds of hours a year.
You can read it end-to-end in about fifteen minutes. Each section also stands on its own.
A note on the product mentions
Where StudioVelo3D hardware directly supports the advice, it appears in a clearly labelled product note. Those modules are optional. The rest of the guide works without them.
Contents
[ 01 ]
Trainer placement.
Where the trainer sits determines everything else. Get this wrong and nothing else in the room works.
Before you buy a single accessory, walk into the room and ask four questions. In this order.
-
01Can you get air across your body?
The trainer needs to face an open wall or doorway, not a corner. Heat dumps off your back and sides — corners trap it.
-
02Is the floor level?
Put a spirit level across where the trainer will sit. An unlevel floor loads one leg more than the other. Shim the low foot or move the setup.
-
03What's underneath?
A trainer mat is strongly recommended. It protects the floor from sweat, catches bolts when you're adjusting things, and deadens vibration for anyone in the apartment below. Size it to the trainer's footprint and the zone around it where sweat actually lands.
-
04Can you get on and off without moving furniture?
You will skip sessions if the answer is no. The path from the door to the bike to the bottle of water has to be frictionless.
Clear space in front
Two metres of clear floor in front of the trainer is a StudioVelo3D starting point, not a fixed rule — for you, after the session, stretching or just standing up without stepping over something. If that space is occupied by something you have to move, you won't use it. Design it in now.
Model-specific calibration
Wahoo KICKR CORE — Original / V1: run a manual spindown calibration after at least ten minutes of warm-up, and again after setup or relocation.
Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 / V2: calibrates automatically — no routine cold calibration is needed before rides.
Other trainers: follow the manufacturer's current instructions for your exact model.
[ 02 ]
Rocker setup.
Controlled movement can feel more natural on a trainer. How much you need is personal.
A rigid trainer cannot reproduce the small lateral movements of outdoor riding. Controlled movement can feel more natural and may improve comfort for some riders, especially during longer sessions or out-of-saddle efforts. The ideal amount of movement is personal, and research into indoor cycling sway remains limited.
Two routes that work
Route A — Full rocker plate
A wooden or aluminium plate under the whole trainer, on slider bearings. Adjustable tilt per side. Works on any trainer. Larger footprint — best for a dedicated pain cave.
Route B — Rocker Feets
Small feet that fit directly under each corner of the trainer. Each foot holds a tennis ball as a compliant spring element under load. Fit is per-model. No footprint added — best for shared spaces or apartments.
The core lineup
Zwift Ride and the Wahoo KICKR CORE 2 are our current focus — the two base trainers we see most.
[ Fits ] Zwift RideRocker Feets — Zwift RideFront feet for the Zwift Ride.See the product
[ Fits ] KICKR CORE 2Rocker Feets — Wahoo KICKR CORE 2Set for the KICKR CORE 2 / V2.See the product
What we make
Rocker Feets, 3D printed on demand in Rotterdam, sustainably made — one fitment per trainer model. More trainer fitments are in development.
[ 03 ]
Trainer maintenance.
Sweat is the enemy. Most riders find out too late.
The problem nobody photographs
Sweat doesn't just hit the floor. It drips down the frame, across the bottom bracket, and toward the drivetrain. Salty sweat can contribute to corrosion — left unchecked, moisture works into bearings, hardware and the chain over time.
The minimum maintenance routine
-
After sessionWipe the frame dry
Wipe down the frame, the fork, and the bar after every sweaty session. Focus on the bottom bracket area — that's where sweat pools.
-
RegularlyInspect, clean and lubricate
Check the chain and drivetrain on a regular basis. Clean and re-lube as needed — a dry lube is a common choice for indoor use, since it attracts less dust.
-
PeriodicallyCheck the whole trainer
Periodically check for corrosion, play, roughness, noise and loose hardware. Spin the cranks by hand — resistance or grinding is a sign to look closer.
[ 04 ]
Drivetrain cover.
Cleaning is reactive. A cover keeps sweat off the drivetrain in the first place.
A drivetrain cover reduces direct sweat exposure around the chainring, crank and bottom-bracket area. It does not replace wiping the bike down. Remove and dry the cover after use, and confirm that it cannot touch moving components.
Available nowDrivetrain Cover — Zwift RideA precision-fit shield over the drivetrain during indoor sessions. Covers the chainring and bottom-bracket area. Snaps on and off in seconds. Washable.See the productMake it yours
Every part in this guide is 3D printed to order, which means colour is a choice rather than a fixed spec.
Available now
A standard colour range at checkout — including matte black, white, and accent tones to match your frame or kit.
By request
Custom logo or sticker sets, applied by hand in the Rotterdam studio. Email hello@bemocollective.com before ordering.
[ 05 ]
Fan position.
Indoor cycling gives you far less natural airflow than riding outside.
Start with one strong, stable fan aimed at the torso. Add a second fan for the face and hands when the room, session intensity or personal preference calls for it.
Fan 1 — Torso
Aimed at your upper body from a stable position in front of the trainer. Start here — this is the one doing most of the cooling work.
Fan 2 — Face and hands
Closer, angled at your head and hands. Add it when one fan isn't enough for the room, the effort, or your own preference.
One thing worth planning for
Put the fans on the same switched power strip as the trainer, so they start when the session starts. It's easy to underestimate how much heat builds up in the first few minutes.
[ 06 ]
Screen distance.
Too close and your neck cramps. Too far and you squint.
Whether you're running Zwift, TrainerRoad, Rouvy or just watching a race, the screen is where your eyes spend most of the session.
Where to put it
Place the display directly ahead of the normal sustained riding position. For a monitor, start around 50–100 cm away and adjust distance, interface scale and text size until readable without leaning forward. Set the top of the display at or slightly below eye level. Use manufacturer guidance for larger televisions.
Height matters more than distance
Measure your eye height in your actual riding position — in the drops, not sitting upright — then mount the screen so its centre matches. Most setups are mounted too high, built for someone standing in the room rather than riding in it.
Tablet or phone as second screen
If you run Zwift on a big screen and your head unit on a second device, that second device needs its own mount. Propping it on the stem with a rubber band is a rite of passage — and a problem.
Available nowTablet Holder — Zwift RideAttaches to the Zwift Ride's bar clamp. Fits tablets up to 11 inches, landscape or portrait. Steadier than an improvised mount.See the product[ 07 ]
Bike storage.
The bike has to live somewhere between sessions. Against a wall is not a strategy — it's damage.
A bike leaning against a wall marks the paint with black streaks from the tires and bar tape, and slowly rolls sideways until the derailleur catches the skirting board. A proper mount solves both problems.
Two mounting styles, one decision
Horizontal wall mount
Bike parallel to the wall, at roughly chest height. Fastest to get on and off. Uses the most wall space. Best for dedicated cycling rooms.
Vertical wall mount
Bike hanging nose-up by the front wheel. Smallest footprint of any option. Required ceiling height = the bike's stored length + the mount's offset from the wall + the floor clearance you want. Measure before choosing this option.
What we make
Each mount lists a rated load and the fasteners it needs; check both against your bike's weight and your wall type before installing.
Available nowWall MountFor road and gravel bikes.See the product
Available nowVertical Wall MountRoad, gravel and MTB.See the product
Available nowWheel MountHolds the bike by the wheel.See the product
On drilling into walls
Use wall plugs rated for the wall substrate — plasterboard wants cavity anchors, brick wants standard expansion plugs, concrete wants hammer-drill plugs. Re-check the fastener periodically, especially after repeatedly moving the bike on and off. If you're renting and can't drill, freestanding floor stands exist, at the cost of more floor space.
[ 08 ]
The 90-second mobility primer.
What you do between walking in and settling into the effort shapes the first twenty minutes.
A cold-start session is a session where you spend the first stretch waiting for your legs to come online. A short mobility primer, followed by progressive easy riding, fixes this — but only if the space to do it is right there, ready.
The two-square-metre starting point
Two square metres of unobstructed floor, next to the trainer, with one foam roller and one resistance band visible and in arm's reach. If any of those things requires you to open a cupboard or walk to another room, the primer won't happen.
What lives in the space
Always visible
Foam roller. Resistance band. Water bottle, already filled. Towel.
Nearby, not visible
Massage gun if you use one. Spare chamois cream. Backup bottle. Heart rate strap.
Available nowHook — Zwift RideGives a towel or accessory a fixed place on your Zwift Ride. 3D printed on demand in Rotterdam.See the productThe 90-second primer, then progressive riding
Hips (30 seconds): lie on your back, knees bent, drop them side to side. Thoracic spine (30 seconds): cat-cow on hands and knees, full range. Shoulders (30 seconds): band pull-aparts, slow. Follow it with 5–15 minutes of easy, progressively harder riding before the main effort.
[ 09 ]
Recovery zone.
The session isn't over when you unclip. Design the minutes after.
Everyone plans the ride. Almost nobody plans what comes after. The recovery zone is the spot you walk to once you're done — where the kit gets dropped and the body settles before you walk back into the rest of your day.
Three objects, in reach of the floor
A mat you can sit or stretch on. A towel that lives on a hook, not on the floor. A recovery drink or snack, already prepared, in the fridge.
Cool-down and stretching — optional
Finish with a few minutes of easy pedalling when it helps you settle your breathing and heart rate. Gentle mobility, stretching or foam rolling is optional. It can feel good and may improve short-term range of motion, but it is not required for soreness prevention or recovery.
If you do stretch, hip flexors, hamstrings, calves and shoulders are common places riders focus on after a ride. What to eat or drink afterward depends on how hard the session was and how long until the next one — there's no single answer that fits everyone.
One last thing
The best pain cave is the one you actually use. Everything else is decoration.
Most of this guide is about removing friction. A setup with no friction gets used regularly. A setup with friction — even small friction — gets used less and less. Design out the friction now, while you're reading this, and the sessions will take care of themselves.
— Jesse, StudioVelo3D
[ End — Studio Notes 01 ]
That's the guide.
If any of it changed how you think about your setup, we've done the job. If something's missing or wrong, reply to the email this came with — we read everything.
Most of the hardware in this guide is made on demand in our Rotterdam studio and ships within 48 hours.
Rotterdam, NLhello@bemocollective.com@studiovelo3d