What Turbo Trainer do you own?
- Thread starter September
- Start date
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I bought a nearly new Elite Mag Alu Speed from Ebay, got it for £50 and local so was able to pick it up myself. They are about £100 in Halfords I believe.
I heard the cheap ones are noisy so was a little worried about this but on the tiled kit chen floor it absolutely fine. It only gets noisy if I set the resistance low and pedal at speed in high gear which is pointless so I run it at level 3 at lower speeds and never change it, changing gear controls the effort.
Turbo training can be boring and you can end up doing wasted sessions if you are not careful. I have a Garmin 310xt (another eBay purchase) and an Ant+ Speed and Cadence Sensor from Decathlon (very cheap). With the Garmin, Ant+ dongle and Trainerroad I follow specific training plans with most workouts being different each time and of course progressive to get results. This system uses Virtual Power which while not as accurate as a real Power Meter is good enough and a cheap and effective alternative. I'm really pleased with it all and enjoy the workouts. You can buy and sync videos if you are really that bored but I find focusing on the workout itself while listening to the radio more than enough for me.
Edit: You don't need the Garmin head unit to use Trainerroad - an Ant+ dongle plus the Decathlon Ant+ Speed and Cadence Sensor will do the trick. You do need a computer of course, I use my laptop on a tall stool in front of the bike and trainer.
I heard the cheap ones are noisy so was a little worried about this but on the tiled kit chen floor it absolutely fine. It only gets noisy if I set the resistance low and pedal at speed in high gear which is pointless so I run it at level 3 at lower speeds and never change it, changing gear controls the effort.
Turbo training can be boring and you can end up doing wasted sessions if you are not careful. I have a Garmin 310xt (another eBay purchase) and an Ant+ Speed and Cadence Sensor from Decathlon (very cheap). With the Garmin, Ant+ dongle and Trainerroad I follow specific training plans with most workouts being different each time and of course progressive to get results. This system uses Virtual Power which while not as accurate as a real Power Meter is good enough and a cheap and effective alternative. I'm really pleased with it all and enjoy the workouts. You can buy and sync videos if you are really that bored but I find focusing on the workout itself while listening to the radio more than enough for me.
Edit: You don't need the Garmin head unit to use Trainerroad - an Ant+ dongle plus the Decathlon Ant+ Speed and Cadence Sensor will do the trick. You do need a computer of course, I use my laptop on a tall stool in front of the bike and trainer.
Tacx Flow, can't recommend it based on the dodgy connection it has at the back. The cable pulled out at the back by about 5mm (no one tripped over it or anything) and this stopped the whole unit working. Had to get it fixed by a sparky and now sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I believe they've updated the Flow (mine is orange and white, it's now blue and white) and may have changed the connection at the back, not sure.
I only use it from about November to February anyway. The rest of the time it's just a place to store my bike!
I only use it from about November to February anyway. The rest of the time it's just a place to store my bike!
PhotoBiker
Regular
- Location
- South Berwick, Maine (US)
I have a Keiser m3 spin bike that I rode last winter to get into bike shape. I lost 35 lbs on the spin bike before losing another 10 on the road. I bought a KK Road Machine in the spring and only used it a little bit when I was teaching my son how to pedal, shift, and get his shoes into the pedal clips. I want to use the Road Machine with Trainerroad in the coming weeks to see how the two play together.
I've listed my Keiser on Craigslist in hopes of selling it so I have room for a Wahoo Kickr, however, no luck. I will probably keep the Keiser and go back to spinning this winter. The spin bike is nice and heavy, no worries standing up out of the saddle and powering through some miles. The bike itself, however, is absolutely nothing like a road bike, not even close. It is easier and cleaner in the house as there is no exposed chain, nothing to lube, nothing to brush up against and get dirty. It's quiet enough that I can spin for hours with my wife in the same room and not drive her crazy.
I really want the Kickr though as it has a power meter (though the Keiser does report power) and it can simulate all my normal routes as well as routes I intend to get to next season (especially some rather challenging mountain routes).
I've listed my Keiser on Craigslist in hopes of selling it so I have room for a Wahoo Kickr, however, no luck. I will probably keep the Keiser and go back to spinning this winter. The spin bike is nice and heavy, no worries standing up out of the saddle and powering through some miles. The bike itself, however, is absolutely nothing like a road bike, not even close. It is easier and cleaner in the house as there is no exposed chain, nothing to lube, nothing to brush up against and get dirty. It's quiet enough that I can spin for hours with my wife in the same room and not drive her crazy.
I really want the Kickr though as it has a power meter (though the Keiser does report power) and it can simulate all my normal routes as well as routes I intend to get to next season (especially some rather challenging mountain routes).
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
No room for one , commute all year around anyway with only maybe one missed all year through weather if its really nasty .
PaddyMcc
Über Member
I got the Elite package from Halfords last year when it was on special. I have used it significantly with CTXC YouTube videos and Sufferfest. I think they are great when work or weather prevents a decent ride.
The same set is now £150, I think it is cheaper to buy all the bits individually! http://www.halfords.com/cycling/acc...s/elite-magnetic-force-elastogel-trainer-pack
The same set is now £150, I think it is cheaper to buy all the bits individually! http://www.halfords.com/cycling/acc...s/elite-magnetic-force-elastogel-trainer-pack
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dickyknees
Guru
- Location
- Anglesey
Cateye Cyclosimulator CS 1000
I bought an elite volare from Halfords and used it more than I thought I would. I kept my sons old diamondback mountain bike on it with a trainer tyre and I used to listen to the radio.
I then bought a Tacx iFlow and a computer to run the software. That cost twice as much as the Tacx. However, it is fun because with the real video, the virtual reality worlds, Google and the GPS software, it keeps you entertained as you pedal away. I still use the same old diamondback. My wife on the otherhand is wanting to use it but she wants to watch DVDs.
I still listen to the radio though.
Start with a cheap setup and see how you get on. You can get a 2nd hand elite for £50 or so on ebay. Cycling outdoors in nice weather is better but, when it is raining, snowing and or windy or just very cold and dull, would you go out on your bike? Only you know the answer. I use an old bike on the TT and keep my better bikes handy so I have the option but I am tending towards indoor training now the days are getting a bit dark and miserable.
I then bought a Tacx iFlow and a computer to run the software. That cost twice as much as the Tacx. However, it is fun because with the real video, the virtual reality worlds, Google and the GPS software, it keeps you entertained as you pedal away. I still use the same old diamondback. My wife on the otherhand is wanting to use it but she wants to watch DVDs.
I still listen to the radio though.
Start with a cheap setup and see how you get on. You can get a 2nd hand elite for £50 or so on ebay. Cycling outdoors in nice weather is better but, when it is raining, snowing and or windy or just very cold and dull, would you go out on your bike? Only you know the answer. I use an old bike on the TT and keep my better bikes handy so I have the option but I am tending towards indoor training now the days are getting a bit dark and miserable.
Cubist
Still wavin'
- Location
- Ovver 'thill
Elite chrono gel fluid here. Bought it because it was quiet and uses the bike's and riders' weight as resistance so you just change gear to alter effort. It is quiet, currently on a piece of off cut carpet on the conservatory tiled floor. All you can hear is the tyre squeaking.
Add
Diet starts tomorrow
- Location
- Powys, Wales
Bought a BKool TT last October as it appeared to be the most competitively priced VR TT on the market....and love it.
Spent ALL winter on it, racing against people I mostly met in here. We set up a couple of leagues and all through winter some of us would meet up for a live ride every Thursday.
Best £350 I ever spent. My bike fitness and stamina has increased exponentially, and it sure beats staring at the wall. The graphics are pretty good, and certainly keep you engaged.
My wife is training for an Ironman, and is still using it now, even though the weather has improved.
And we just use our regular bikes, since we only have one each, mine being a Giant Deft Composite 2, my wife's being a Trek Domane.
If you have a budget that will extend to this amount, I can't recommend the BKool enough. Better still, if you have another £500 kicking about, get the Kickr, which will do the same thing but better. Only thing BKool struggles with is their customer service, but they get there in the end.
Spent ALL winter on it, racing against people I mostly met in here. We set up a couple of leagues and all through winter some of us would meet up for a live ride every Thursday.
Best £350 I ever spent. My bike fitness and stamina has increased exponentially, and it sure beats staring at the wall. The graphics are pretty good, and certainly keep you engaged.
My wife is training for an Ironman, and is still using it now, even though the weather has improved.
And we just use our regular bikes, since we only have one each, mine being a Giant Deft Composite 2, my wife's being a Trek Domane.
If you have a budget that will extend to this amount, I can't recommend the BKool enough. Better still, if you have another £500 kicking about, get the Kickr, which will do the same thing but better. Only thing BKool struggles with is their customer service, but they get there in the end.
Stonechat
Guru
- Location
- Staines, Middlesex
I have the Tacx Vortex Smart
You operate from a phone or tablet app via Ant + or Bluetooth low energy.
The tablet app is superior
So although the phone will connect I prefer the tablet. It doesn't have BLE, so I got an Ant+ dongle, and, connect via that.
The app allows planned workout sessions, and also videos of famous climbs.
The tablet app records the activity, and you can record on the Garmin, including the power data that the turbo generates.
I cannot yet Connect to other software such as Zwift, but this is coming, could do it now if I had an I-phone.
I got it because I had a period in the winter when I could do much reduced cycling time.
I like the shorter high intensity sessions and hard intervals
You operate from a phone or tablet app via Ant + or Bluetooth low energy.
The tablet app is superior
So although the phone will connect I prefer the tablet. It doesn't have BLE, so I got an Ant+ dongle, and, connect via that.
The app allows planned workout sessions, and also videos of famous climbs.
The tablet app records the activity, and you can record on the Garmin, including the power data that the turbo generates.
I cannot yet Connect to other software such as Zwift, but this is coming, could do it now if I had an I-phone.
I got it because I had a period in the winter when I could do much reduced cycling time.
I like the shorter high intensity sessions and hard intervals
bobinski
Legendary Member
- Location
- Tulse Hill
Have a look at the Dcrainmaker site where he sets out the implications of the ant fec update for your trainer. Looks great.
