Turbo trainer, first thoughts

[fixedfixer]

Only with regard to turbos, not rollers.

It's an interesting question. I imagine slippage is still possible on rollers but I don't know because I've never used them. I have experienced slippage on the Bkool Pro, which unlike other turbo trainers uses the rider's weight to make the contact between tyre and roller, so is more like a set of rollers in that respect - but the slippage only occurred when out of the saddle, which I know you're not really supposed to do on a turbo trainer.

Ta, didn't think that I'd need to change tyres - to be honest I just put the bike on the rollers and can't wait for my allotted time to end .... Roll on Spring. Ice and frost in Aberdeenshire all day and seems set for whole weekend.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Appreciate he said that he needs a 27" but anyone wanting a 700 x 23 might consider the Halfords offering - doesn't have to handle well or anything on a trainer....

Hard to appreciate as the OP didn't mention it until after I'd posted

 

[iancity]

Yorksman...just ordered a smart trainer and I'm really interested int the videos from the site you posted, it looks exactly the sort of stuff I would like to do...however, from just a quick flick through the site it looks like they (the videos) are all DVD. I would connect the bike etc up to the PC which does not have a DVD player, do you know if the videos can just be downloaded, or watched as a 'stream' ?

Very new to this whole trainer thing so might be asking a really stupid q !

thanks

Ian

 

[r04DiE]

Yorksman...just ordered a smart trainer and I'm really interested int the videos from the site you posted, it looks exactly the sort of stuff I would like to do...however, from just a quick flick through the site it looks like they (the videos) are all DVD. I would connect the bike etc up to the PC which does not have a DVD player, do you know if the videos can just be downloaded, or watched as a 'stream' ?

Very new to this whole trainer thing so might be asking a really stupid q !

thanks

Ian

Usually, videos are streamed over your internet connection. At least, that's what happens with Bkool, which is what I use and I think its the same for other brands.

 

[Yorksman]

Some of the videos that are purchased, whether supplied on DVD or downloadable, are designed for use with turbo trainers which interact with a PC. The TT's have an electro magnetic brake and the video has incline information built in so, when you come to a 5% hill, a certain amount of brake is applied to the TT making pedalling harder. That is true of companies like CadenceVR but they also supply the film as with a stand alone video player, so you don't need an expensive TT. However, they seem to be all supplied on DVD. Tacx do downloads for some of their videos but they might be 12Gb in size and are really designed to work with the Tacx software on your PC. If you haven't got a DVD on your PC, it is unlikely to meet the minimum specs to run the software.

However, as mentioned above, there are quite a lot of videos that people have made and uploaded to youtube. There is no interaction with your turbo trainer. If you stop pedalling your video will still run and, if you come to a hill, your pedalling will be just the same, not harder. Some of the youtube videos though tell you to increase the manual resistance on your TT. At any rate, these videos are still fun to watch whilst you pedal away. The variety on youtube is varied from the amateur with a camera just having a laugh to some serious photography. The guy below has a page where he lists all his TT videos. Have a look and then explore others on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?an...9TOVY1lBEyIW7ufBmhcss14Hc&src_vid=nF_owBP6MtA

example:

 

[screenman]

Only with regard to turbos, not rollers.

It's an interesting question. I imagine slippage is still possible on rollers but I don't know because I've never used them. I have experienced slippage on the Bkool Pro, which unlike other turbo trainers uses the rider's weight to make the contact between tyre and roller, so is more like a set of rollers in that respect - but the slippage only occurred when out of the saddle, which I know you're not really supposed to do on a turbo trainer.

No problem out of the saddle sprinting, this is one of the huge benefits over rollers.

 

[Yorksman]

@iancity

Here's someone who has filmed in Italy, I think using a headcam rather than a handlebar mounted cam. It's very good because he 'looks around'. Adverts appear though which are annoying but, it's free and you can watch it today

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I remember my first turbo trainer, one of the original white ones, brought off a club mate in the early 1990's, memories of evenings in the shed watching the heart monitor by torch light with music on cassette on my walkman. Times have changed and theres some fantastic kit about now. I still have a turbo trainer, a modern one, I haven't had a chance to use it yet this winter, and when I do use it it won't be at the intensity or frequency I used to do.

 

[adamangler]

I used to hate the turbo until unfounded bkool. now it's good, sometimes I prefer it to being outside.

 

[AlanW]

I used to hate the turbo until unfounded bkool. now it's good, sometimes I prefer it to being outside.

Try Zwift then, even better IMHO

 

[iancity]

Amazed with Zwift, and the technology behind it. Out now for Ipads and iphones as well :-)