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Indoor Cycling

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  • 08-08-2007 9:13am
    #1
    WhatsGoingOn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭


    Has anyone ever used one of these?
    Are they worth investing in? If so can you recommend a good one?
    I recently injured my leg and don't feel strong enough to go back on the roads again yet.


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    #2
    Quigs Snr
    Registered Users Posts: 4,154 ✭✭✭Quigs Snr


    Yep, a lot of the race guys use them in winter. Its tough to stay on one for more than an hour in my opinion, for several reasons.

    1. Boring.
    2. Saddle remains stationary, body weight more static, so sorer backside !
    3. Heat, you will sweat buckets (buy a cheap fan and point it straight at you, tesco do one on a stand for about 16 Euro)
    4. Did I already say boring ? Some people love the trainer, just bores me, even with DVD's / Music playing.

    I have the minoura mag trainer, they are pretty decent, if you are able to survive the boredom, I think they give an even better workout than a real bike (as there is little coasting / downhill etc.... so your effort is more constant).

    This one here: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9747

    is pretty much the same as the one in your link, postage is free to Ireland and extremely reliable, I get all my stuff from there.

    For what its worth in order to combat the boredom of the trainer this year I am going to get the Tacx IMagic VR trainer. On that same site it works out about 590 with the steering unit included, but if I use it will be the best money I ever spent (if not.... well another overpriced gadget to be flogged on adverts.ie !).


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    #3
    ThOnda
    Registered Users Posts: 4,699 ✭✭✭ThOnda


    It is noisy, it whirls the air and dust in your flat, pieces of tyres are going to be thrown all over your flat, you'll br sweating on the frame and handlebars...

    But, you can do it anytime (don't forget the noise), you can watch TV or movies, you can read or study, you can put some thick dictionary under your front wheel to change your position...


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    #4
    tunney
    Registered Users Posts: 12,583 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    ThOnda wrote:
    It is noisy, it whirls the air and dust in your flat,

    Then don't buy a fan one, buy a fluid or magnetic one.
    ThOnda wrote:
    you can watch TV or movies, you can read or study,

    Not if you're doing properly turbo sessions you can't.


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    #5
    bogmanfan
    Registered Users Posts: 1,700 ✭✭✭bogmanfan


    OP, I have the one in your first post. Got it in Cycleogical a few years ago. Not really loud at all, as it's a magnetic, not a wind trainer. It is quite boring though, although also quite tough. You use your gears to adjust the difficulty, but I would liken it to cycling up a slight hill. I usually only do about 30 mins at a time, and the legs can be well tired after that.


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    #6
    WhatsGoingOn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 334 ✭✭WhatsGoingOn


    bogmanfan wrote:
    OP, I have the one in your first post. Got it in Cycleogical a few years ago. Not really loud at all, as it's a magnetic, not a wind trainer. It is quite boring though, although also quite tough. You use your gears to adjust the difficulty, but I would liken it to cycling up a slight hill. I usually only do about 30 mins at a time, and the legs can be well tired after that.

    That sounds like what I need.
    Thanks everybody.


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    #7
    kincsem
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,013 ✭✭✭kincsem


    Quigs Snr wrote:
    For what its worth in order to combat the boredom of the trainer this year I am going to get the Tacx IMagic VR trainer. On that same site it works out about 590 with the steering unit included, but if I use it will be the best money I ever spent (if not.... well another overpriced gadget to be flogged on adverts.ie !).
    I think we would all like a review if you buy it.

    Is this the one where you cycle up the Galibier / L'Alpe d'Huez / Mont Ventoux (while still in your spare room) with a picture of you on a PC monitor?

    I have a Trax trainer. I only last about twenty minutes. Its a subtle combination of steady pedalling, and boredom.


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    #8
    Quigs Snr
    Registered Users Posts: 4,154 ✭✭✭Quigs Snr


    Hi Kincsem, will do. Won't have it for a couple of weeks, no rush to get it right now whilst we still have long evenings, but will pick it up and let you know how it is....

    As far as I know there are 3 parts to the software.
    1. The VR terrains. Essentially a video game against computer generated riders in computer generated terrain, your guy pedals and steers when you do (if you have the optional steering unit), you can apparently also go race online. Furthermore you can save your performance on a particular course and go back and race yourself at a later date...

    2. The Catalyst software, basically a standard set of numbers, HR, Cadence, Power (which is apparently quite accurate), speed etc..... it graphs and stores it all for you too.

    3. The VR terrains, you get a couple of demo's and have to buy the rest, but yes thats the one where you can do the famous climbs, the video slows down as you do, you can't steer, but it makes the resistance tougher as to match what is on screen, although that being said it can only simulate up to 6% gradients, after that it just fiddles with the speed to make you work harder to simulate the gradient (the fortius which is a lot more expensive can do this perfectly - but the imagic is good enough for me).

    Will let you all know how I get on.


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