Turbo trainers...

[GrantB]

Following this weeks clubrun, I have been persuaded that a turbo trainer is the way forward due to limited time for pre/after work training sessions...

Sorry if this is really old hat, but can anyone advise a suitable budget/quality tradeoff ?? I undertsand we are talking prices beginning around £100 up to £200...for bells and whistles.

Would welcome your advice...

Many thanks

Grant

[Tamar]

I'm also in the market for a turbo trainer, but have noticed that rollers are a bit cheaper....£85ish. Can anyone explain pros/cons of turbo over rollers?

[David Lombari]

I've got an Elite turbo trainer but don't like to use it too much with my bike because I think it places a lot of stress on the rear triangle and wheel. In hindsight, I'd probably get rollers.

[chriscolford]

I've got a turbo and rollers. Mostly I use the rollers. Turbos are better for absolute maximal efforts. You'd fall off the rollers, if you tried that. But rollers are more like actually riding a bike, and are more comfortable. I'd get rollers.

[tridevil]

Don't expect to get a decent physical workout on rollers unless you are really good at riding on them. They are excellent for technique and I have found them really good for cutting down on body movement, which seems to translate well when climbing (for me at least). If you want to get good quality sessions in then the turbo is the way to go. You need to structure the session to get the best of your time but it is worth it. I used a turbo almost exclusively for my bike training for my first iron man (112mls bike) and found it the best use of time and without the hassle of weather, dangerous drivers etc. You still need to get out on the road to learn important handling skills but with a turbo you can train as hard as you like for as long as you like.

[tridevil]

Sorry got carried away with waffle. The point you asked about recommending a type. I use a magnetic which is quite quiet which is handy if you watch the telly or listen to music. It is an elite one from butlers and has lasted four years so thats all I can say.

[tridevil]

Oh and it helps to have a bike just for it as they soon get all cruddy with sweat, which will ruin it.

[Dan B]

No need to splash out on a hack - you can get by with your regular bike, just take precautions.

I notice a lot of mail-order and 'net companies offer chamois-type sweat covers for the top tube.

A lot of training sites recommend opening doors/windows to the area you train in - shed, lean-to, etc. - and use a box fan to cool you, as there's no wind resistance. That will help with sweat evaporation.

Afterwards, towel off the bike and/or quickly rinse and clean it if you like.

The main advantage to this is that you keep your current position on the bike - any tweaks you make are done and dusted and don't need to be transferred to a road bike.

Then again, I could be talking b*ll*cks ...

[tridevil]

Good bike/bad bike. I know thats sounds like a dodgy american police series, a bit like 'CHIPS' but on cycles not harleys, but never mind. I would never use a good bike on a turbo because it doesn't matter what precautions you take sweat will get in it and ruin it. You only neeed an old frame with seat and bar set right and gears. In fact gears are optional. I know one guy who is a sub 21min t't'er whos bike is so rusted he has, in effect, only one gear. another advantage is that you can leave it set up in a shed or room and just get on it. I know for me, the hassle of setting everything out puts me off sometimes. You can get a suitable bike for a few quid in a local paper or just use one thats no good for the road. Most people into cycling have old bits of bikes about that may do. As for frame damage I must admit if I actually had a good bike I wouldn't clamp it into a turbo, I dont like the idea of that pressure on the rear hub from a direction it is not designed to take. But thats purely a subjective thing.

[tridevil]

Good bike/bad bike. I know thats sounds like a dodgy american police series, a bit like 'CHIPS' but on cycles not harleys, but never mind. I would never use a good bike on a turbo because it doesn't matter what precautions you take sweat will get in it and ruin it. You only neeed an old frame with seat and bar set right and gears. In fact gears are optional. I know one guy who is a sub 21min t't'er whos bike is so rusted he has, in effect, only one gear. another advantage is that you can leave it set up in a shed or room and just get on it. I know for me, the hassle of setting everything out puts me off sometimes. You can get a suitable bike for a few quid in a local paper or just use one thats no good for the road. Most people into cycling have old bits of bikes about that may do. As for frame damage I must admit if I actually had a good bike I wouldn't clamp it into a turbo, I dont like the idea of that pressure on the rear hub from a direction it is not designed to take. But thats purely a subjective thing.

[tridevil]

I know thats sounds like a dodgy american police series, a bit like 'CHIPS' but on cycles not harleys, but never mind. I would never use a good bike on a turbo because it doesn't matter what precautions you take sweat will get in it and ruin it. You only neeed an old frame with seat and bar set right and gears. In fact gears are optional. I know one guy who is a sub 21min t't'er whos bike is so rusted he has, in effect, only one gear. another advantage is that you can leave it set up in a shed or room and just get on it. I know for me, the hassle of setting everything out puts me off sometimes. You can get a suitable bike for a few quid in a local paper or just use one thats no good for the road. Most people into cycling have old bits of bikes about that may do. As for frame damage I must admit if I actually had a good bike I wouldn't clamp it into a turbo, I dont like the idea of that pressure on thr rear hub from a direction it is not designed to take. But thats purely a subjective thing.

[tridevil]

I know thats sounds like a dodgy american police series, a bit like 'CHIPS' but on cycles not harleys, but never mind. I would never use a good bike on a turbo because it doesn't matter what precautions you take sweat will get in it and ruin it. You only neeed an old frame with seat and bar set right and gears. In fact gears are optional. I know one guy who is a sub 21min t't'er whos bike is so rusted he has, in effect, only one gear. another advantage is that you can leave it set up in a shed or room and just get on it. I know for me, the hassle of setting everything out puts me off sometimes. You can get a suitable bike for a few quid in a local paper or just use one thats no good for the road. Most people into cycling have old bits of bikes about that may do. As for frame damage I must admit if I actually had a good bike I wouldn't clamp it into a turbo, I dont like the idea of that pressure on thr rear hub from a direction it is not designed to take. But thats purely a subjective thing.

[GrantB]

Thanks for all the advice .. sounds like a turbo is the way to go..!

[JayneToyne]

A good way around using you regular frame but dont want to bugger up the hub is have a turbo wheel.
just a cheapo wheel and a fairly cheap tyre and bung this in for the sessions.
save your expensive tyres and hubs for the road.

[Dan B]

The latest issue of 220 magazine (issue 161) has reviews of this year's turbos - go to page 66. (The reviewer is Ibbo's coach, Joe Beer.)