Turbo Trainers

[sannesley]

Thanks for the info. I have a Giant Defy with the standard tyre on the rear that came with the bike. It's non treaded so should be ok on that.

Although looking at the price of the Elite Qubo which I fancy I'm beginning to think jogging through the dark winter months might be cheaper on the pocket.

 

[NeilT21]

I have just bought the Tacx Flow T2200 from Decathlon. It's not arrived yet, so I can't tell you whether it is any good but it seems like a very well reviewed trainer for a bargain price - might be worth a look. http://www.decathlon.co.uk/flow-t2200-turbo-trainer-id_8226050.html

 

[screenman]

That looks good value.

 

[sannesley]

I ended up buying the Tacx Satori Pro from Wiggle. It's only arrived at work today so haven't had a chance to use it in anger yet. It comes with a training mat and DVD. Plus it's marked down in their sale.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tacx-satori...360526580&ci_src=18615224&ci_sku=5360526580uk

 

[gmw492]

I've used one of these for the last two winters (and through this spring with the rubbish weather).

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-qubo-wireless-digital-trainer/

It's a real bargain IMO. Pretty quiet, electronic resistance, head unit with calculated speed/cadence/power (which is very close to the virtual power I get from Trainer Road, the cadence reads identically to a cadence sensor I have on the bike). It has built in programs, plus Apps available which with an ANT+ PC/Apple adaptor allow you to plot a route anywhere in the world and the trainer will vary the resistance to replicate the route. You can also create your own workouts.

Is the head unit only for data on it,would it be worth getting the one that connects to iPhone via dongle or is the head unit better value,I like the fact it has courses on it and does it auto adjust to match hill climbs on course etc,is this where you can see virtual partner racing via a laptop or is that another model,I would sooner get one like this as I feel the data and the courses would give more motivation,like rather than think I'm done now you will see the course and stay on till the end,

 

[JtB]

I can recomnend my CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro Trainer which has kept my stamina up throughout the last two winters. It's very quiet and smooth, alhough like all turbo trainers it does require a hugh level of commitment.

 

[smutchin]

I've never had a problem with lack of grip or excessive tyre wear, which are the usual reasons given for having a dedicated turbo rear wheel.

Another reason is to keep road dirt out of the trainer - worth considering if you want the trainer to last a long time. Tyres are consumables, trainer rollers are more faff to replace...

Not essential, but if you have a spare wheel that you can keep aside for trainer use, I think it's worth doing. You'll also need to factor in the cost of a cassette and tyre for it. You could use a standard cheap road tyre or you could get a trainer-specific tyre.

The other option is to get a direct drive trainer like the CycleOps Silencer - expensive but might pay for itself in reduced tyre costs in the long run.