Are rollers/turbos noisy?

[longers]

If used indoors on laminate floor?

I guess they would be but don't know. Is one quieter than the other?

I don't want to pee off the neighbours.
I could find something to put down - rug/mat? I can scrounge quite a few things if something would work. Thanks.

 

[ColinJ]

I found my first turbo trainer with a fan resistance unit noisy because of the 'wind noise'. I then got a turbo trainer with a magnetic brake which was a lot quieter but when I tried using that upstairs, vibrations seemed to travel through the ceiling and the walls so I moved it back downstairs. That room has a solid floor so there isn't a problem.

I've never used rollers but I remember seeing a video of Eddy Merckx going flat out on rollers and they were making a lot of noise!

I'd have thought that your best bet would be a turbo trainer with a magnetic brake and if necessary, put a heavy rubber mat under it to cut down on the transmission of vibration through the floor.

 

[Dave5N]

ASDA do interlocking mats for a fiver. Similar from Decathlon.

 

[piedwagtail91]

we've just got rollers and they do make some noise. we have them upstairs and you can hear quite a loud hum downstairs, nothing that can't be overcome by turning up the tv a bit.
they're just running on a carpeted floor with no sound insulation.
we may have a look at some of the mats mentioned by Dave5N above to see if they cut down on the noise.
they are a lot quieter than my dad's turbo which he uses upstairs in his house.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

you will end up with a pool of sweat on the floor under your bike so some sort of mat, noise or no, is desirable. CycleOps do a good mat, nice thick dense material.

 

[fossyant]

Most are pretty silent. The old 'fan' type, which I have, are very noisy, so I'm confined to the garage.

 

[longers]

Thanks all. Yesterday I was pretty keen on the idea, today I'm not so sure
I might go and see what they've got in my LBS and think on.

 

[ColinJ]

Thanks all. Yesterday I was pretty keen on the idea, today I'm not so sure
I might go and see what they've got in my LBS and think on.

Turbo trainer sesions can be pretty boring unless you really get stuck in. I usually listen to loud/fast music and that really helps.

I plan the music to suit each particular type of workout. One that I used to like was the 1812 overture. There's a nice lonnnnnng slow warm-up and then all hell breaks loose at the climax! I'd ramp up my effort steadily and then pedal like mad against a hard resistance for a couple of minutes at the end. That would often reduce me to a quivering heap.

Some albums have quiet tracks followed by loud ones so I use them for a type of interval training. Warm-up/recover/warm-down on the quiet tracks, hard efforts on the loud tracks.

This winter could go on for another 6-8 weeks so there could be a lot of days where conditions are not good for riding. I know that I'll probably be riding my gym bike a few times a week until the spring. It's good to have an alternative to riding in bad weather. Obviously you could always go to a gym, or go for a run, or a swim.

 

[zacklaws]

I always find that the noise is always variable depending on the time of day if your concerned about annoying the neighbours. For some unknown reason my mag turbo is far noisier early morning and late evening yet during the day its very quite. I have a feeling though that the noise is not as loud as it sounds and you just get a bit paranoid with it, I usually play a music DVD or watch a film on my laptop at my usual volume yet my turbo does not make me have to turn the volumn up so it cannot be that loud. I am looking at cutting some thick expanded foam I have in my shed to put under the turbo as this may dampen the sound and also stop the light down stairs swinging which annoys our lass trying to watch TV

But on the brighter side of things you can gauge how well your pedalling action is by the sound, if its a wuff, wuff, wuff sound, your pedalling action is only on the down strokes, but if you get a constant hum, your pedalling a full circle.

 

[zacklaws]

I always find that the noise is always variable depending on the time of day if your concerned about annoying the neighbours. For some unknown reason my mag turbo is far noisier early morning and late evening yet during the day its very quite. I have a feeling though that the noise is not as loud as it sounds and you just get a bit paranoid with it, I usually play a music DVD or watch a film on my laptop at my usual volume yet my turbo does not make me have to turn the volumn up so it cannot be that loud. I am looking at cutting some thick expanded foam I have in my shed to put under the turbo as this may dampen the sound and also stop the light down stairs swinging which annoys our lass trying to watch TV

But on the brighter side of things you can gauge how well your pedalling action is by the sound, if its a wuff, wuff, wuff sound, your pedalling action is only on the down strokes, but if you get a constant hum, your pedalling a full circle.

 

[andyhunter]

all turbos and rollers will produce some or little noise on all surfaces when in use as mostly will be the wind/friction generated from the wheel or the moving parts of the device your using.

 

[andyhunter]

all turbos and rollers will produce some or little noise on all surfaces when in use as mostly will be the wind/friction generated from the wheel or the moving parts of the device your using.

 

[ColinJ]

But on the brighter side of things you can gauge how well your pedalling action is by the sound, if its a wuff, wuff, wuff sound, your pedalling action is only on the down strokes, but if you get a constant hum, your pedalling a full circle.

I notice that too!

I also notice it riding up long hills when I'm tired. It's wuff (twinge in back on one side) - wuff (twinge in back on the other side) - wuff...

If I concentrate on a nice steady pedal stroke it makes it much easier on my back.

 

[ColinJ]

But on the brighter side of things you can gauge how well your pedalling action is by the sound, if its a wuff, wuff, wuff sound, your pedalling action is only on the down strokes, but if you get a constant hum, your pedalling a full circle.

I notice that too!

I also notice it riding up long hills when I'm tired. It's wuff (twinge in back on one side) - wuff (twinge in back on the other side) - wuff...

If I concentrate on a nice steady pedal stroke it makes it much easier on my back.

 

[just jim]

A trainer specific tyre can cut down the noise, like this one.