Recommend a MTB for a turbo trainer

[jonno77]

Hi, unfortunately I've got to stop running due to a foot injury but to keep active I was thinking of getting a turbo trainer to keep fit at home. I would cycle outdoors too but for ease and time i want to be able to jump on a turbo trainer too to get my daily excercise.

The snag is my 15 yr old muddy fox MTB that i used for commuting is a bit knackered - the back wheel came off when I was cycling. I took it to Edinburgh cycles and they reckon it would be £150 to get it roadworthy and even then as it is old other stuff might go wrong with it. They reckon a comparative bike would be about £250.

I've been to JE James and they have some mongoose 21 speed MTBs for £200+ that are reduced. And decathlon have the rockrider brand starting from £100. Speaking to them in the shop the rockrider 5.2 (£200 - 24 speed) or 5.3 (£299 - 27 speed) should be fine if I put a slick rear tyre on when using on the trainer.

My work do cycle to work scheme but for some bizarre reason they only open it for a week in December so I was thinking of doing this then and getting the decathlon Triban 3 road bike (£299) when the scheme opens. But in the mean time I just want a MTB that I can use on a turbo trainer with a slick tyre and also use it for cycling outdoors with the kids.

What MTB would you recommend - would one of the £99 cheap rockriders be no good? These don't have quick release rear wheels so swapping the wheel for a slick might be a pain. Would the rockrider 5.3 be overkill? Any advise would be great. i would be happy to buy second hand but just wouldn't be confident that I was getting an OK bike (i.e. gears not jumping etc). The rockrider 5.2 sounds reasonable at £199 but not sure if a decent bike.

Also what turbo trainer to use in a terrace house so not too noisy. I've seen good reviews for cycleops mag trainer and the taxc satori. Wiggle also have the Elite SuperCrono Inertial ElastoGel Turbo Trainer with 60% offfor £96 ( I think it is air resistence trainer).

Thanks in advance

 

[accountantpete]

Can't help with the specifics re the turbo - but they are the most boring thing known to mankind.

Get a cheapy second-hand one would be my advice.

 

[jonno77]

They can't be any more dull than going to the gym and getting on the exercise bikes and x trainers can they? I was going to can my gym membership and save the hassle/money of going

 

[Crackle]

Ignoring the bike for a mo, not all turbo trainers will take a 26 inch wheel bike, make sure the one you buy will. Also re tyres, you can get hybrid tyres with a central smooth tread and knobbly outers. Fine for most situations short of full on mtn biking.

 

[Pauluk]

I think you can get wheel nuts that fit non-qr wheels that fit into a turbo trainer. I bought a Halfords Elite trainer and its very good and with a slick tyre its very quite. You can hardly hear it in the next room when its going at full pelt. I think its a magnet resistance roller. I'd tend to steer towards a hybrid or road bike for it unless you plan to do mountain biking as well.

 

[marzjennings]

Minoura do a turbo trainer than uses the rim instead of the tyre to apply resistance. Supposed to work well with MTBs and so you can still leave your knobbly tyres on.

 

[Pauluk]

I'm sure Minoura know what they are doing, but I would worry about rim wear with those friction wheels running against the rim all the while.

 

[jonno77]

Cheers for all the advice . To go cycling with the kids at weekend I think I really need a MTB rather than road bike but we will not be doing anything major other than going over bumpy/stoney trails so reading these posts it sounds like i would not need to worry about a spare wheel with a slick. I just get some smoothish hybrid tyres. I posted in my local forum and there someone advised against the £200 - £300 bikes as the suspension will be naff and they suggested I might as well go with the basic £99 rockrider 5.0 from decathlon as they are still a decent bike for the money. If I get the hybrid tyres then it doesn't matter that they aren't quick release wheels.

Then I've got a bike that I can go out with the kids on and build up my stamina/fitness on a trainer. When my cycle to work scheme kicks in and if I want to increase my cycling interest I can then invest in a roadbike like the Triban 3.

I reckon the boredam won't matter. I had a knee op about 5 yrs ago and in my rehabilitation the physio had me doing 50 mins in a exercise bike and 50 mins on a cross trainer every other day and I kept it up for a few months. I thought i misheard him as it sounded overkill but thats what he had me doing and that was boring!

Does this sound like an OK plan?

 

[Pauluk]

Make sure that the trainer you buy can take your hybrid wheels if they are not quick release, or that you can buy the appropriate wheel nuts that fit the trainer. If you want it to be quiet you will need a very slick tyre for the rear wheel unless you opt for a trainer that works against your rims instead of your tyre. Even a lightly treaded tyre will make a fair amount of noise on a turbo trainer.

 

[Rykard]

i got a rockrider 5.0 womens fro about £70 from decathlon and changed the rear wheel for a quick release so I could fit the right skewer. Been fine for me, womens frame so it's easier to get on / off in the garage.

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

My Tacx came with adapters for both road and MTB wheels if that helps. I bought a basic one.

 

[Cyclist33]

It just seems ludicrous to me to buy a mountain bike and immediately kit it out with slicks or semi slicks. Your ride planning needs no suspension, that will add cost and weight for no benefit, as has been pointed out to you already the suspension on a 200 quid bike won't enable hardcore trail riding and the trail you plan to ride is easy with rigid forks. I reckon you could do a lot worse than this http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/giant-escape-3-item171391.html ... When it says perfect for roads, I think you could surely fit semi slicks to at least 32mm probably more, and you'd easily outpace your ride partners.

Stu

 

[jonno77]

Cheers for all the advise. I took my old MTB into a small local independent repair shop today and happy days as they reckon they can get it roadworthy for me for £50. That saves me having to look for a MTB and if I decide to i can get a road bike with cycle to work or pick up a 2nd hand one if get into my cycling more.
Now going to see about borrowing a trainer to try it out before buying one.
Cheers for all the advice