Are home trainers any good?

kingaaa

I got a Giant CRS 1 on the bike to work scheme and I'm well pleased, can feel the fitness level rising already. The only setback is I work shift, so sometimes its just no practical to cycle to work. I was thinking of getting a home trainer for late nights and early mornings just to keep the work going, are they recommended/expensive/a gimmick?

IM0

They are like cycling your bike.....in holland [polders] with no wind, and locked into a rig. they have a job, they do it well, it sounds like you will get something from it it, no gimmick.

kingaaa

me@ucd wrote: »

They are like cycling your bike.....in holland [polders] with no wind, and locked into a rig. they have a job, they do it well, it sounds like you will get something from it it, no gimmick.

Any recomendations?

Ryaner

They can be good - I have the Tacx Fortius trainer. Haven't used it since the winter however as cycling outside is always better. It generally turns into a sweatfest due to the lack of air movement.

You can cycle at night too, just get some bright lights. Personally I recommend the Hope LED 1. Takes rechargeable batteries and worked very well out in the middle of the countryside with no lights during the winter.

Captain Havoc

I'm not going to lie, it's a horrible invention. It is very useful in the winter for keeping the training up or as you say, late at night. I have a BBB one that I got in my local bike shop. I will do everything in my power never to use it again but I know this will be unavoidable.

mc2000

when you say home trainer, you've two choices - one is the turbo trainer, where your back wheel is locked in and against a resistance wheel. The other choice is rollers, where you put your whole bike up on the rollers, the back wheel on two rollers, the front on one roller, and the back rollers drive the front so the bike wheels are moving and (after some practice) you stay upright

I bought a turbo trainer originally, and after a year I'd say I'd used it twice. I hated it. It is the work of the devil.

So after that I tried a set of rollers, and I find them a good bit better, I'll actually use them (esp in winter when theres sheets of ice, or sheeting rain) to keep training up, esp when getting ready for the racing season during Jan-March. I find the rollers a lot less boring than the turbo, probably because you've to really concentrate on not falling off into the television. When you're starting off on the rollers, put them in a door frame, get on the bike, lean against the frame with your shoulder, clip both feet in, start pedalling, and the bike will bring you upright when you get up a bit of speed.

I think the rollers are good for getting high cadence and spinning into your legs, and you can certainly get a good workout using the gears and a HR to measure that you're getting the work done. The turbo however can usually be adjusted to give more resistance for a harder workout.

IM0

kingaaa wrote: »

Any recomendations?

The one I have is Tacx Cycleforce swing, its about 5 years old now, and there are different kind of 'flywheels' some are apparently more quiet then others, some have magnetic [mine] flywheel, and others are fluid and more quiet?

post this on here>>>

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| "what is the quietest and gives the closest road feel trainer that you have treid"|

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I have only bought the one and found it great as it also has adjustable resistance which attaches to the bars [very usefull]

ednwireland

Air resistance - The original turbo trainers used a plastic fan to generate wind resistance. In fact they still live on in the market because 'Turbo' refers to the fan part of the machinery. They sound like Concorde taking off, which is the main reason they seem to have died out in the trainer market.

Friction large flywheel - Used on spinning bikes in the main and the size and weight can be limiting. Spinning bikes are quiet and solid but very expensive and difficult to store.

Fluid resistance - A a fan revolving in oil. Complicated ones have valves and more control via a handlebar mount. Quiet. Usually smooth, usually expensive too.

Magnetic resistance - These units use a metal plate spinning inside a magnetic field. A simple cable operated lever control at the handlebars moves the magnet to create more resistance. Most of the sophisticated electronic trainers use magnetic resistance, However they aren't always as smooth as fluid trainers.

Electronically controlled - These are the latest breed of magnetic trainers and they offer the best control via an electro-magnet, but they come at a price. Now available with all sorts of computer simulations and add-ons to (try) to make indoor workouts a little more stimulating.

http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/bike-reviews/turbo-trainers/970.html
http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15590804
http://turbo-trainer.co.uk/

more here
http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&source=hp&q=turbo+trainer+recommendations&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&fp=9dc2b8cabdcb1c6d
usually gets discussed to death around october
i have a gist magnetic cost about 100 works nothing fancy (i use it in a shed with concrete floors so noise isnt that much of an issue)

kennyb3

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I'm not going to lie, it's a horrible invention. It is very useful in the winter for keeping the training up or as you say, late at night. I have a BBB one that I got in my local bike shop. I will do everything in my power never to use it again but I know this will be unavoidable.

+1 id cycle in the snow (exaggeration), rain or wind and night or day just to avoid the tedium that is a turbo trainer.

BUT

they do have a roll when its really bad weather or you ve only time for a very quick session

07Lapierre

kingaaa wrote: »

I got a Giant CRS 1 on the bike to work scheme and I'm well pleased, can feel the fitness level rising already. The only setback is I work shift, so sometimes its just no practical to cycle to work. I was thinking of getting a home trainer for late nights and early mornings just to keep the work going, are they recommended/expensive/a gimmick?

Why? Unless you work too far from home, why don't you get a set of lights and cycle to work? I have a trainer at home, nice one, good as new, still have the box it came in. I've used it a few times but its BORING. I'd much prefer "real" cycling any day, even in the dark.

Lumen

I've owned three turbos. My current one, a Tacx Satori, is fantastic.

They're not exactly fun, but you're only doing it because there is no better alternative, and it's very effective training as long as you're prepared to put the effort in.

It takes a couple of weeks to get comfortable, a bit like hot weather adaptation, so it's best to keep your sessions short to start with, e.g. 15 mins warm up, 15 mins hard, 10 mins cool down.

IMO an HR monitor or power meter is pretty much essential unless you are really good at judging perceived effort.

spurscormac

07Lapierre wrote: »

Why? Unless you work too far from home, why don't you get a set of lights and cycle to work? I have a trainer at home, nice one, good as new, still have the box it came in. I've used it a few times but its BORING. I'd much prefer "real" cycling any day, even in the dark.

Having previously worked shift, and depending on the time you start, a car a that hour of the day or night may take 10 mins, compared to a 35min cycle.

With bad sleep patterns, those extra few minutes can be crucial to keeping you sane during the week.
At a more normal commuting hour, the difference between car & bike journeys can be considerably less.

Trust me, having been there before, anything for a few minutes extra sleep & I'd snap your hand off.

The other thing to ask is whether you could go out on the roads for a cycle rather than on a turbo trainer in the house. I assume if you start early, you'll finish early - won't you have the time then?

DualFrontDiscs

Lumen wrote: »

IMO an HR monitor or power meter is pretty much essential unless you are really good at judging perceived effort.

I've an old style magnetic turbo trainer. I used to have a handlebar mounted resistance adjuster, but I misplaced it. Now I just hitch the trailer on and load it up. I've managed to increase trailer weight by 10% per week consistently for the last year, which I'm happy with, though the trailer does appear to be suffering under the load. Go me!

DFD.

07Lapierre

spurscormac wrote: »

Having previously worked shift, and depending on the time you start, a car a that hour of the day or night may take 10 mins, compared to a 35min cycle.

With bad sleep patterns, those extra few minutes can be crucial to keeping you sane during the week.
At a more normal commuting hour, the difference between car & bike journeys can be considerably less.

Trust me, having been there before, anything for a few minutes extra sleep & I'd snap your hand off.

The other thing to ask is whether you could go out on the roads for a cycle rather than on a turbo trainer in the house. I assume if you start early, you'll finish early - won't you have the time then?

There's a guy in our Club who works shift. If he's on "Early" he goes cycling after work. If he's on "lates" he goes cycling before work. I know everyone's situation is different, but I still think cycling is possible even if you do shift work. A turbo trainer is handy if you want a "workout", but its very boring compared to road cycling. Some people love turbos, but not me.

Lumen

DualFrontDiscs wrote: »

Now I just hitch the trailer on and load it up. I've managed to increase trailer weight by 10% per week consistently for the last year, which I'm happy with, though the trailer does appear to be suffering under the load.

I don't think it's healthy for your kids to be gaining 10% bodyweight per week.

DualFrontDiscs

Lumen wrote: »

I don't think it's healthy for your kids to be gaining 10% bodyweight per week.

How very dare you. It's only 10% between them, so that's like 5% each, right?

Lumen

07Lapierre wrote: »

A turbo trainer is handy if you want a "workout", but its very boring compared to road cycling. Some people love turbos, but not me.

It depends what you're trying to achieve.

I find high intensity training nasty and painful whether on the turbo or on the road. I'd rather hop on the turbo and get it done whilst watching TV or listening to music than go out after dark dodging potholes in the rain and cold.

For longer fun cycling there's obviously no contest, but no-one sane does four hour turbo sessions.

07Lapierre

Lumen wrote: »

It depends what you're trying to achieve.

I find high intensity training nasty and painful whether on the turbo or on the road. I'd rather hop on the turbo and get it done whilst watching TV or listening to music than go out after dark dodging potholes in the rain and cold.

For longer fun cycling there's obviously no contest, but no-one sane does four hour turbo sessions.

+1 Turbo's are great for getting a workout, agreed. (There still boring though )

tunney

kingaaa wrote: »

I got a Giant CRS 1 on the bike to work scheme and I'm well pleased, can feel the fitness level rising already. The only setback is I work shift, so sometimes its just no practical to cycle to work. I was thinking of getting a home trainer for late nights and early mornings just to keep the work going, are they recommended/expensive/a gimmick?

This year I rode 95% of my rides on my trainer. Circumstances meant I couldn't stray from the house I rode 3-4 hours as my long ride most weekends in the shed. I did sessions during the week that were shorter too.

Where you can't get out on the road, or when the sessions needed to be more focused that riding on the roads allow, then they are the dogs.

ednwireland

Lumen wrote: »

For longer fun cycling there's obviously no contest, but no-one sane does four hour turbo sessions.

tunney wrote: »

This year I rode 95% of my rides on my trainer. Circumstances meant I couldn't stray from the house I rode 3-4 hours as my long ride most weekends in the shed. I did sessions during the week that were shorter too.

Where you can't get out on the road, or when the sessions needed to be more focused that riding on the roads allow, then they are the dogs.

kennyb3

tunney wrote: »

then they are the dogs.

i'd probably lick a dogs Bxxxxx before id be willing to do 3-4 hours on a turbo so kudos

spurscormac

07Lapierre wrote: »

spurscormac wrote:

The other thing to ask is whether you could go out on the roads for a cycle rather than on a turbo trainer in the house. I assume if you start early, you'll finish early - won't you have the time then?

There's a guy in our Club who works shift. If he's on "Early" he goes cycling after work. If he's on "lates" he goes cycling before work. I know everyone's situation is different, but I still think cycling is possible even if you do shift work. A turbo trainer is handy if you want a "workout", but its very boring compared to road cycling. Some people love turbos, but not me.

Agreed - and thats what I suggested above. May be preferable to cycling to or from work in the small hours when what you want at that hour is a few mins extra sleep or to get to the bed asap.

kingaaa

spurscormac wrote: »

Having previously worked shift, and depending on the time you start, a car a that hour of the day or night may take 10 mins, compared to a 35min cycle.

With bad sleep patterns, those extra few minutes can be crucial to keeping you sane during the week.
At a more normal commuting hour, the difference between car & bike journeys can be considerably less.

Trust me, having been there before, anything for a few minutes extra sleep & I'd snap your hand off.

The other thing to ask is whether you could go out on the roads for a cycle rather than on a turbo trainer in the house. I assume if you start early, you'll finish early - won't you have the time then?

MY EXACT REASONS;);)

kingaaa

spurscormac wrote: »

Agreed - and thats what I suggested above. May be preferable to cycling to or from work in the small hours when what you want at that hour is a few mins extra sleep or to get to the bed asap. [/QUOTE\]

Earlies (start at 6am) means getting up before 5 - way too early

Nights (start at 10pm - finish 7am) I do be shagged after these, especially by the end of the week as I dont get much sleep during the day - especially when the kids are off school.

To be fair I've a good set-up for a trainer, can set it up right in front of the "footie" lcd in the shed. Purely want it for exercise, nothing else.

kingaaa

OK, I think my mind is made up, I'm going to get one - but which one? I know absolutely nothing of these devices, I've a budget of about €300 and I wouldn't really need computers or the like. Tacx seems to come up in all searches, are they the best?

ednwireland

actually i have no idea i have a gist one and the quality aint great

kingaaa

By the way lads, how easy is it to mount/remove a bike from one of these gizmos?