Turbo Trainer Questions

Cee-Jay-Cee

I've read countless threads on TRs but haven't found the answers to any of my questions.

I'm thinking of buying one to use during the rest of the winter/cold weather and will put it in the garage, which is detached from the house and un-heated. I'm assuming the cold garage is ideal as from the threads i've read, sweating is highly likely and therefore heat too?

Do i need to wear padded shorts?

There are cheap magnetic trainers on ebay for around €75 delivered, would one of them do or am i better off spending more and getting something with a good reputation/name?

Are they really that boring? I was planning on popping earphones in and listening to my ipod for the duration to kill the monotony but if the problem i have is that if its as boring as some say and i find the same thing i probably wont use it again.

morana

CJC999 wrote: »

I've read countless threads on TRs but haven't found the answers to any of my questions.

I'm thinking of buying one to use during the rest of the winter/cold weather and will put it in the garage, which is detached from the house and un-heated. I'm assuming the cold garage is ideal as from the threads i've read, sweating is highly likely and therefore heat too?

Do i need to wear padded shorts?

There are cheap magnetic trainers on ebay for around €75 delivered, would one of them do or am i better off spending more and getting something with a good reputation/name?

Are they really that boring? I was planning on popping earphones in and listening to my ipod for the duration to kill the monotony but if the problem i have is that if its as boring as some say and i find the same thing i probably wont use it again.

padded shorts of course!

I use an elite mag with 5 levels and its fine. I think the best thing is to structure your workouts.I usually do somewhere from 45m to 60min. Use head phones or a power meter to stop it being boring. I have never found it boring more pain full depending on the session!

If you have a fan use it.Gets very warm

DD Mikasa

It obviously doesnt beat getting out on the road but you can get yourself a decent work out in 40 minutes or so if you really push yourself. 40 minutes full out is probably worth 1.5 or 2 hours on the road. you've no downhill sections or free wheeling so it should be constant pain!

As for it being boring, if you push yourself you're not going to be on the turbo for too long anyway so headphones would be more than enough entertainment.

And yeah, for the good of your backside wear padded shorts.

Bambaata

Comparing 40mins turbo to 1.5/2hrs on the road is a bit of a stretch unless you're use to sitting in the bunch and doing no work! I agree you get a better session in but certainly not by anything like that

Up to an hour is fine but i struggle with 2.5hrs + although i'll have some 3 and 4 hour ones coming soon id say

colm_gti

Bambaata wrote: »

although i'll have some 3 and 4 hour ones coming soon id say

I just puked a little in my mouth....

Darkglasses

You still definitely need padded shorts. Wear all the normal gear you would if you were out on the bike, without helmet and glasses obviously. I also find myself doing without gloves on the rollers, because my hands get so sweaty.

Boredom-wise, some people survive better than others. I enjoy it myself, but some people find them unbearable, and would rather the rain/cold/mud

Bambaata

A fan is also a good investment for the turbo. Itll help control the body temp and heart rate

doozerie

I've never done more than 1 hour on the turbo, and it has always been a planned session of one form or another. Boredom doesn't come into it, I find, when it's planned like that (plenty of dread of the impending hard effort stint as I come to the end of each recovery period though). I find music good, but to help me tune out the burning in my heart, lungs, and legs, not to tackle boredom.

If I were planning to do a long steady turbo session in place of a long ride on the road, then I'd imagine boredom would become an issue at that stage though. It would be pure desperation that would have me turning to the turbo for such a session though.

smacl

The turbo's not boring, but not exactly a bundle of fun either. I've yet to find myself mentally making excuses to the other half as to why my turbo session has lasted a couple of hours longer than anticipated

iregk

The turbo can be boring but you can make it interesting. I do a few things here. Put the laptop on a stand in front of me and stick on a climb up a mountain or something to give you something to go on. That or put on a movie. I watched Tron Legacy before while cycling and hadn't realised how long I'd be on the turbo for!

Rita1

Are they really that boring? I was planning on popping earphones in and listening to my ipod for the duration to kill the monotony but if the problem i have is that if its as boring as some say and i find the same thing i probably wont use it again

All I can say to that is Sufferfest !!

http://www.thesufferfest.com/

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Often done 4 or 5hr turbos in training. DVDs, music and reading normally works.

talkabout

Rita1 wrote: »

All I can say to that is Sufferfest !!

http://www.thesufferfest.com/

Practice what you preach Rita

slow

A cheap turbo is fine for most people. Ramp up the resistance by using your bike's gears.

Structure your session by doing something specific (timed efforts) with recovery. Write it out beforehand and switch your brain off. The recovery time will disappear and before you know it, an hour will have passed.

Rita1

talkabout wrote: »

Practice what you preach Rita

Cheeky

yop

Rita1 wrote: »

All I can say to that is Sufferfest !!

http://www.thesufferfest.com/

Have to agree here, downloaded one of their videos and use traineroad and have got a few 2 and 3 hour workouts done when time is tight on a Sunday morning.
There are a few place to "download" spinning videos if you look hard enough.
I have a few from spinervals and they are dead on, they tell you the gearing and you follow their instruction then on the video.

Fan is a must but also ensure you hydrate and if you are doing 1.5+ sessions have a nibble there, remember just because you aren't out on the road doesn't mean that you need to eat

Fan, towel, water, headphones/TV/radio, padded short and pain threshold

kala85

Do you need special tyres for the bike when using the turbo trainer?

furiousox

There are turbo specific rear tyres available.
Worth getting as the turbo is quite hard on tyres.
(Or you can just use an old worn tyre)

Bandito909

Do any of you guys use a mountain bike on your turbo trainer??

I don't have a road bike, but I'd really love to pick up a Turbo soon as I'm really struggling to find the time to get out on the bike these days :mad:

jinkypolly

Bandito909 wrote: »

Do any of you guys use a mountain bike on your turbo trainer??

I don't have a road bike, but I'd really love to pick up a Turbo soon as I'm really struggling to find the time to get out on the bike these days :mad:

I originally used a mountain bike on my turbo trainer. You have to replace the knobbly tires with road tread tires, unless of course you want the neighbours to think you're a trainee lumberjack.
One other issue I had (may not be relevant to you) was that my rear wheel wasn't quick release but just the old style nuts so the fit into the trainer wasn't perfectly snug however by wrapping some electrical tape round one nut (ooer missus) the problem was solved.

just-joe

How heavy is the average turbo trainer? I don't live in Ireland now and so if I buy one now I'd like to take it back when I move, probably in a suitcase on a plane.

Any recommendations from the ones available on wiggle/crc?

yop

just-joe wrote: »

How heavy is the average turbo trainer? I don't live in Ireland now and so if I buy one now I'd like to take it back when I move, probably in a suitcase on a plane.

Any recommendations from the ones available on wiggle/crc?

In or about 10kg.