Turbo Trainer Advice

purple cow

Hi,

I bought my first road bike last November (Giant Defy 2). I've done 2,050km on the roads since then.

I went out all through last winter, but was a little nervy on some of the frosty mornings.

I plan to the same this winter, but I'm thinking that maybe having a turbo trainer would help me spin the legs a bit midweek. The general consensus on here seems to be that turbo trainers are torture and/or tedious. To be honest I can't really see myself spending an hour spinning and going nowhere.

So, two questions.

1) Would I use?
2) What make/model would you recommend? Ideally, the closer to the sensation of road riding the better. I've only ever been on one once, which (I think) was a LeMond. It had it's own cassette that the derailleur sat straight in to. To me, the sensation was very close to being on the road.

Any advice appreciated.

joehayes999

Almost every garage in the county has an unloved exercise bike in it. Great in theory, hard in practice. The main thing is whether you have the discipline to sit on your bike spinning for an hour at a time. It is pretty boring and they can be noisy so watching TV while you are cycling can be difficult. Also trainers are good exercise, but not like the real thing.....no weather to contend with, no hills, no potholes! I would suggest doing intervals - short burst followed by short recovery. You can find various ideas on this online.
The other thing I would advise is using worn tyres and the trainer will wreck good tyres pretty quickly.

nordicb

I find turbo trainer works if you have a goal of some sort. But if it is just to keep fit, it's an enormously boring exercise. I can barely stay for 30 mins on it.

However if you get one, worth considering the one with some sort of a computer to estimate an effort.

Best regards

smurphy29

It's apinful and tedious and unless you have a serious goal in mind such as planning to race next season and really need to train no matter what the weather. I only use mine when I absolutely have to though, and even in the depths of winter one can get out to Howth in the evenings with reasonably well lit roads, though of course, that depends on where you're living.

Green&Red

I love the turbo, u get a great session and it takes just over an hour for set up to shower

nordicb

For the price of turbo, I feel rather going to a gym or spinning classes - at least there is a socializing bit in this...

yop

Turbos are great. You can download videos to cycle to or put it in front of the TV. Sufferfest are a good video to use.
If you have your cadence sensor on you can monitor you workout.
Trainerroad is another option which a good few on here use.

smacl

I use a virtual reality trainer hooked up to an old PC which I find very good. Not as enjoyable as actually getting out there, but very handy for midweek evening workouts in the cold weather. I'd tend to push harder on the turbo than in a gym session with other people around.

carltonleon

smacl wrote: »

I use a virtual reality trainer hooked up to an old PC which I find very good. Not as enjoyable as actually getting out there, but very handy for midweek evening workouts in the cold weather. I'd tend to push harder on the turbo than in a gym session with other people around.

Which VR trainer do you use smacl ?
I just have the Tacx Booster, which is not VR but I cannot use the Tacx software as it is not Mac Compatible.

Purple Cow, I find the Tacx Booster really good and easy to set up. You also get a great workout but I agree with the other posters in so far as you do need great discipline to use it, it is too easy to find excuses not to but I have used it quite a bit but you do need a goal in mind. I use my Garmin 500 for speed, distance etc so at least I can monitor my sessions.

smacl

I picked up a tack flow multi-player a couple of years back. Some comments here and here.

Diamond_25

you can get a great session on a turbo especially if you do something like a sufferfest video and if the weather is wet or cold i use it aswell as in the evenings during the week when its dark

you can pick up a turbo pretty cheap - c here, the cheapest one is €89 so nothing serious interms of cost:

http://www.swimcyclerun.com/turbo-trainers/page/1/

there was a discount code NovExtra5 on a different post here a few weeks ago that gives 5% off so try that and see what happens

i use a tacx (blue matic version i think) myself and have never had any problems with it

ROK ON

I love the turbo.
It is a great way to work on particular areas such as intervals (short or long), working thru the zones(HR, power or PE), cadence, strength.
Key for me is to know what you want to do before the session - then just get on and do it.

Helps if you have a cadence sensor so at least you can play with speed/cadence and try to better yourself.
Music helps. Highly recommend sufferfest videos.

Best thing about having a turbo is not feeling guilty when the weather is bad. I know never train in bad weather - just pick a programme and hop on turbo.

rodriquez

i find the turbo really boring too - i'd rather face the elements (except ice obviously) than spend an hour on it. having said that, the sufferfest videos do make the time pass quicker while putting you though your paces, when you really have no other option.

Briando

Diamond_25 wrote: »

you can get a great session on a turbo especially if you do something like a sufferfest video and if the weather is wet or cold i use it aswell as in the evenings during the week when its dark

you can pick up a turbo pretty cheap - c here, the cheapest one is €89 so nothing serious interms of cost:

http://www.swimcyclerun.com/turbo-trainers/page/1/

there was a discount code NovExtra5 on a different post here a few weeks ago that gives 5% off so try that and see what happens

i use a tacx (blue matic version i think) myself and have never had any problems with it

+1 to Sufferfests. I'd also recommend TrainerRoad for giving you plans/programs to follow. It will tell you your heart rate zones to be in or give you virtual power targets to be at, all in real time. You can do them to sufferfest videos too. I'm looking forward to the turbo once my knees stop aching.

IWBMATTKYT Mofos!

route66

Halfords have the Elite Magnetic Cycle Trainer (link) for sale in store at €124.99 - reduced from €189.99. Lots of on-line reviews and they are mostly positive.

I bought one today. Price looks good - assuming I actually get to use it

RV

My Tacx Flow works well for me, but I also love to put it away when the good weather comes. I have had two; first replaced on guarantee and have 15,000 km up in 3/4 years which is probably a lot.
I use a cheap wheel with the proper trainer tyre which never goes outside because the tiniest flint usually worked its way to puncture the tube. And that was annoyingly ironic.
Training hard I would not be able to take in what I'm hearing/seeing so wouldn't think TV or laptop would work for me. iPod often gets switched off.
I vary my workouts with drills. Sometimes a really fast cadence, sometimes lots of resistance, mostly intervals using a HR monitor. I read and believe what people say here about it being boring for them but it is fine for me. I just started back on mine - buckets of sweat and feel the benefit straight away. I do up to 3-hour sessions it takes 15 minutes to warm up. I wear through rings and chain pretty quickly which is expensive. But I save a lot on gels, coffee shops, bananas, batteries and so on. Safe in the dark and in the ice. I'm set up in seconds and it is a really tough workout but it hasn't beaten me yet. On the road it would take a while to get dressed, lubed, organised and I like it for that too.

mamax

Showing as 139.99 when I try that link to halfords ???

RV

mamax wrote: »

Showing as 139.99 when I try that link to halfords ???

LOL 149.99 now. I reckon they are watching the site

mamax

RV wrote: »

LOL 149.99 now. I reckon they are watching the site

Go to checkout with it and you get €10 online discount

route66

RV wrote: »

LOL 149.99 now. I reckon they are watching the site

I was trying to keep it simple!!!

It’s rather confusingly priced at €159.99 online with 6% discount = €149.99

or

€189.99 in the store with 30% discount = €124.99



Those amongst us with a sharp eye will be thinking the following:

• Why is online dearer than in-store?
• €189.99 - 30% should give a price of €132.99. I paid €124.99 - representing a 34.22% discount.

Picture taken in Carrickmines, Dublin earlier:



I know nothing about Turbos, but from my little bit of research, I'd say that these are entry-level but good quality items and that €125 is a very good price.

But only if I use it ...

P.S. I was too mean to spend €12.99 on a riser block - I've been told a phone book should do the trick for a little less

route66

Just set this up, and I'm impressed.

4 observations:

• Out of the box, the bar clamp for the resistance unit probably won't fit a standard bar. It comes with 2 removable inserts and once removed, it fits fine.
• A standard skewer should fit ok, but mine is black painted and I didn't want it getting scratched. The turbo comes with a skewer which fits perfectly and I decided to use this. It's a little long on my bike and the instructions advise you to cut off the excess.
• I initially thought there was a bolt missing - I'd seen this mentioned in some reviews. It wasn't, it just wasn't in the bag with the other 2 screws where you might expect to find it.
• Be careful it doesn't bite you - the frame can trap fingers and nipped me twice

harringtonp

Got

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/

a few weeks ago. Fluid based resistance and you just use your own gears. Smooth though doesn't feel like being on the road... do any of them ?

Loads of resistance for the types of workouts I am interested in... 53/15 at 95RPM generates 325W with 80KG of fat ass sitting on the bike.

yop

harringtonp wrote: »

Got

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/

a few weeks ago. Fluid based resistance and you just use your own gears. Smooth though doesn't feel like being on the road... do any of them ?

Loads of resistance for the types of workouts I am interested in... 53/15 at 95RPM generates 325W with 80KG of fat ass sitting on the bike.

Have the same as that, v good and totally different to the standard trainer. I have used both and find this tougher as you can control the gearing better as its your own bikes gearing.

Sikpupi

Was in Tralee yesterday - and the very same sign was there only at 20%... a case of screwing the lads from the country. No one ever told them that we have the world wide web down here and we don't pay full price for anything!!! Last time I was in ... they were shocked that I knew what an AXA card looked like...

Sikpupi

Be careful it doesn't bite you - the frame can trap fingers and nipped me twice

.. you are about 6 months too late on that advice.!!!!

The bugger catches me every time !!

PS... is there 2 x Springs on your spare Skewer??? I only have 1 x spring..

pdstck

Hi All
Does anybody know if there is anywhere in Ireland that does turbo trainer hire. What i'm looking for is to hire a set of rollers to see what they are like before i buy either turbo trainer/rollers. Any help greatly appricated

RV

Can't let this thread rest without adding that my Tacx has taken months being repaired on two occasions. I found the bike shop unsympathetic and unhelpful, but think Tacx or the distributor were/also to blame. Perhaps this has recently changed; it has been a couple of years.