How to make turbo trainers more fun.

[Globalti]

I don't know about others on here but I've bought two turbo trainers and sold them as they were so boring and were cluttering up the spare room., My third was a Tacx smart trainer, which works with a laptop and Zwift. This is only slightly less boring than a budget trainer so I managed to use mine about four times before losing interest. The graphics are boringly low-budget and the only high spot was when the virtual Emma Pooley shot past leaving me gasping in her dust.

It's just struck me that turbo training would be far, far more fun if it could be linked to Grand Theft Auto. Just imagine; you could whizz round the amazing landscapes, swerving round pedestrians, shooting motorists with a selection of weapons, robbing corner shops, customising your bikes (anything from a tandem trike to a penny-farthing) and hijacking any bike better than your own. You could experiment with clothing, tyres, gear ratios, all kinds of stuff and the actual exercise would be fun because you'd be hurrying to meet your dealer or racing to escape a demented roadie trying to shoot you dead. Imagine the sprints!

Who's up for it? How would we design the smart trainer interface? I guess the laptop could do most of that.

 

[Milkfloat]

You could just try racing.

 

[Drago]

Pour petrol on them and strike a match? Itd make up for their lack of utility in developing your roadcraft or control skills.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Genuinely love the time I have on mine. It is one time I get completely to myself without interruption. I use TrainerRoad and I listen to podcasts or music. Not into gaming or immersive stuff but I see why people enjoy Zwift.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hateful things - not sure that GFA could even begin to improve the experience.

Every minute I spend on mine is a chore.

 

[Venod]

Ride some RLVs import some of your gps routes and ride them, compare your turbo times to your real ride times, I also soon got bored with Zwift, but the RLVs suit me fine. I can do 90 to 120 minutes now, on a dumb trainer I struggled to last 30 minutes.

 

[screenman]

Not that keen on the time I spend on them but very keen on the benefit I get from it, this keeps me focused. Much the same as my swimming, 80 lengths 4 times a week without a change of scenery, but the benefits are great.

 

[berty bassett]

Turbos ain’t for everybody and some really loathe them
Personally this time of year when it’s wet , cold and dark I don’t mind spending time on mine competing against like minded people

 

[numbnuts]

Good music and dream

 

[fossyant]

Zwift graphics aren't bad - switched from the laptop to a 'small desktop'.with 2x 22" screens right in front of the bike - one with Zwift, one with my music on.
Although I do like the GTA idea !!

 

[JtB]

Turbo trainers are not supposed to be fun and anyone who does find them fun is not working hard enough.

 

[fossyant]

Turbo trainers are not supposed to be fun and anyone who does find them fun is not working hard enough.

Ah but if there is a big nasty dealer chasing you, you'll soon set a PB.

 

[wonderloaf]

I've also got a Tacx smart trainer and though I don't find the actual training (I use the term loosely) too bad I hate trying to get the thing to work, some times it takes longer than the actual session itself.
So now I use it as a dumb trainer, so much for technology.

 

[fossyant]

I've also got a Tacx smart trainer and though I don't find the actual training (I use the term loosely) too bad I hate trying to get the thing to work, some times it takes longer than the actual session itself.
So now I use it as a dumb trainer, so much for technology.

It shouldn't be doing that - you may have a weak WIFI connection/poor ANT+ signal. That's been the frustrations with mine when I first started using it - really got worked up - get that sorted, it's ready to go every time.

 

[sheddy]

I'm not a runner but I think the latest trainers have spring assistance built in.