Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Any owns a turbo trainer at home? What are they like?

Options

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    sullivlo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,994 ✭✭✭sullivlo


    The only way that I've seen turbos damage bikes is the rear tyre can get damaged. If I'm going to be using my turbo for an extended period without bringing the bike outdoors, I switch my tyre to a turbo tyre. Others have an entirely spare wheel and cassette for the turbo.

    Once you're careful it shouldn't damage the quick release parts. My turbo came with a separate lever to use too.


  • Options
    #3
    Galego
    Registered Users Posts: 1,237 ✭✭✭Galego


    Thanks for your response and info.
    Would you spend a bit of money in a turbo trainer or those "cheapo" ones from Amazon (like the one in the link which I posted) would do the job?


  • Options
    #4
    sullivlo
    Registered Users Posts: 9,994 ✭✭✭sullivlo


    Galego wrote: »
    Thanks for your response and info.
    Would you spend a bit of money in a turbo trainer or those "cheapo" ones from Amazon (like the one in the link which I posted) would do the job?

    As the old saying goes - you'll get what you pay for. I don't use mine overly heavily - at the highest use it might be an hour two or three times a week because I find it really tiring! I got mine in aldi and I find it grand. But maybe more intensive use might warrant better quality?


  • Options
    #5
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,618 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    one reason i didn't get one was i'd be using it on a suspended wooden floor, which would probably be very noisy for anyone else in the house. just something worth considering/investigating if it might be a factor for you.


  • Options
    #6
    Beasty
    Administrators, Social & Fun Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 76,477 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Beasty


    sullivlo wrote: »
    Others have an entirely spare wheel and cassette for the turbo.
    ... and some may have a spare bike (or 2):pac:

    In my case I put an old hybrid that would otherwise have been scrapped on the turbo which is permanently stationed above the garage


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,754 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Beasty wrote: »
    ... and some may have a spare bike (or 2):pac:

    In my case I put an old hybrid that would otherwise have been scrapped on the turbo which is permanently stationed above the garage

    Same, old road bike permanently setup on the turbo, ready for use whenever. The less faffing about involved, the more likely I am to use the turbo. I found before doing this, as often as not I just went out for a run instead (or said 'feck it' and had few beers instead).


  • Options
    #8
    Sinbad_NI
    Registered Users Posts: 1,059 ✭✭✭Sinbad_NI


    If your planning on using a trainer with trainerroad or zwift you need to get one that they have the data for.


  • Options
    #9
    Ranjo
    Registered Users Posts: 446 ✭✭Ranjo


    I bought a cheap one from decathlon and its fine for what I need. I've just dusted it off for some winter use. Two things I would recommend: First is to use a pedestal fan while you're on it. I sweat on the bike more than an other exercise so the fan keeps me from burning up & also fogging the hell out of the room. Second is I follow turbo trainer sessions on youtube, with the laptop in front of me. Good to give you something to work towards rather than just spinning away.


  • Options
    #10
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Last winter I used my old bike with a cheap (halfords) turbo and the cheapest halfords trainer tyre. No damage to the bike, but I did have issues with slipping.

    After running into injury issues that were around my bike fit, for this winter I upgraded to direct drive (Elite Turbo Muin). It is very quiet - more noise from the fan to be honest. In fact, when I came down from testing it the first time, the missus first comment was "I thought you were going to do turbo", so noise didn't travel in our timber framed house!


  • Options
    #11
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Last winter I used my old bike with a cheap (halfords) turbo and the cheapest halfords trainer tyre. No damage to the bike, but I did have issues with slipping.

    After running into injury issues that were around my bike fit, for this winter I upgraded to direct drive (Elite Turbo Muin). It is very quiet - more noise from the fan to be honest. In fact, when I came down from testing it the first time, the missus first comment was "I thought you were going to do turbo", so noise didn't travel in our timber framed house!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Hungrycol
    Registered Users Posts: 2,246 ✭✭✭Hungrycol


    Fan and tall table to put your tablet/laptop on to. Load some cycling sufferfest videos and and lots of water to hand for sweating buckets. Towel on the floor and/or the bike. They're not bad if youre prepared and have a routine to do.

    Don't forget your shades, overshoes and Helmet. And bring a few spare tubes in case of bad sections of road on the Sufferfest video.


  • Options
    #13
    robyntmorton
    Registered Users Posts: 4,263 ✭✭✭robyntmorton


    smacl wrote: »
    I found before doing this, as often as not I just went out for a run instead (or said 'feck it' and had few beers instead).

    You can't have a few beers on the turbo? They're ideal re-hydration fluids!


  • Options
    #14
    terrydel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,881 ✭✭✭terrydel


    I have one, not a fan but its a necessary evil in the winter.
    Depending on the type, the resistance is different to road cycling, so I find it harder on the knees.
    You can spend more and get more realistic ones, but personally I wouldn't bother.

    I'd an issue with the wheel when I was using the road bike on the turbo, as the trainer wheel was a giant pr3 and the road wheel was a campag zonda, so I found the gearing was off when I switched it to the turbo.
    But now I have an old bike permanently on the turbo so no longer an issue.


  • Options
    #15
    terrydel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,881 ✭✭✭terrydel


    I have one, not a fan but its a necessary evil in the winter.
    Depending on the type, the resistance is different to road cycling, so I find it harder on the knees.
    You can spend more and get more realistic ones, but personally I wouldn't bother.


  • Options
    #16
    Sinbad_NI
    Registered Users Posts: 1,059 ✭✭✭Sinbad_NI


    terrydel wrote:
    I have one, not a fan but its a necessary evil in the winter. Depending on the type, the resistance is different to road cycling, so I find it harder on the knees. You can spend more and get more realistic ones, but personally I wouldn't bother.


    I've a cycleops fluid pro or something like that and find it quite realistic for road feel TBH. At least never noticed it vastly different. Are the magnetic ones different?


  • Options
    #17
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Hungrycol wrote: »
    Fan and tall table to put your tablet/laptop on to.
    Ironing board!


  • Options
    #18
    terrydel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,881 ✭✭✭terrydel


    Sinbad_NI wrote: »
    I've a cycleops fluid pro or something like that and find it quite realistic for road feel TBH. At least never noticed it vastly different. Are the magnetic ones different?

    Yeah, I'd imagine they are, but I'm no expert.


  • Options
    #19
    Londonirish72
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭Londonirish72


    I've had a Tacx smart trainer for about a month now. I am just getting into Zwift but had been using workouts that I had loaded onto my Garmin. Some people hate indoor training but I quite enjoy it. I'm learning a lot more about structure for workouts and the turbo is a great way to train.

    If you want to do this with less cost there are loads of cycling training videos on YouTube (CTX are fun).

    I do cycle all year around but getting longer rides in during the winter can be difficult so the turbo is coming in really handy. Just pop some dance music on and the time flies.


  • Options
    #20
    Galego
    Registered Users Posts: 1,237 ✭✭✭Galego


    Londonirish72 wrote: »
    I've had a Tacx smart trainer for about a month now. I am just getting into Zwift but had been using workouts that I had loaded onto my Garmin. Some people hate indoor training but I quite enjoy it. I'm learning a lot more about structure for workouts and the turbo is a great way to train.

    If you want to do this with less cost there are loads of cycling training videos on YouTube (CTX are fun).

    I do cycle all year around but getting longer rides in during the winter can be difficult so the turbo is coming in really handy. Just pop some dance music on and the time flies.
    Do you put a turbo tire or spare wheel for the turbo trainer?


  • Options
    #21
    Londonirish72
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭Londonirish72


    Spare wheel with an old tire. It all depends on your budget but if you can afford it a spare 2nd hand wheel with a cassette makes life a lot easier. I use the bike on my turbo for weekend cycling too.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    halvis
    Registered Users Posts: 64 ✭✭halvis


    What they like? boring!


  • Options
    #23
    Londonirish72
    Registered Users Posts: 75 ✭✭Londonirish72


    For some yes. I know loads of cyclists who hate turbos but I think minute for minute time spent in a turbo with a decent training plan is better than equivalent time spent on a road. Turbo sessions often leave me with wobbly legs from the effort and I live the fact that on a rainy Tuesday evening in the winter you can spend an hour training instead of watching TV. I find that sessions with many short intervals based on cadence/heart rate or watts will be more interesting than say 60 mins of constant effort but each to their own. It is solitary but helpful.


  • Options
    #24
    benneca1
    Registered Users Posts: 487 ✭✭benneca1


    Rollers aren't a bad alternative. Very good for bike handling and balance but very very hard to get the hang of. Make sure nothing nearby to fall on or against I learned in the corridor with two old mattresses either side. You will fall but once you get that you can cycle with no hands on rollers it will take a hell of a lot to put you on the road in real cycling as your instincts to shift balance and flick your weight become automatic. Not for everyone but worth considering. I do a few sessions every month in winter just to mix it up. Obviously no added resistance but is much more like real cycling (maybe on ice).


  • Options
    #25
    Galego
    Registered Users Posts: 1,237 ✭✭✭Galego


    Looking now to add a Bluetooth sensor (panobike speed/cadence) and link to Zwift.


  • Options
    #26
    dahat
    Registered Users Posts: 16,788 ✭✭✭✭dahat


    Londonirish72 wrote: »
    For some yes. I know loads of cyclists who hate turbos but I think minute for minute time spent in a turbo with a decent training plan is better than equivalent time spent on a road. Turbo sessions often leave me with wobbly legs from the effort and I live the fact that on a rainy Tuesday evening in the winter you can spend an hour training instead of watching TV. I find that sessions with many short intervals based on cadence/heart rate or watts will be more interesting than say 60 mins of constant effort but each to their own. It is solitary but helpful.

    Agree with this, I have found that when following a plan the effort is constant and true so every minute counts during your chosen workout. It's very easy to get a proper workout in a short time when the weather is foul outside.


  • Options
    #27
    Ryder
    Registered Users Posts: 995 ✭✭✭Ryder


    benneca1 wrote: »
    Rollers aren't a bad alternative. Very good for bike handling and balance but very very hard to get the hang of. Make sure nothing nearby to fall on or against I learned in the corridor with two old mattresses either side. You will fall but once you get that you can cycle with no hands on rollers it will take a hell of a lot to put you on the road in real cycling as your instincts to shift balance and flick your weight become automatic. Not for everyone but worth considering. I do a few sessions every month in winter just to mix it up. Obviously no added resistance but is much more like real cycling (maybe on ice).

    Don't do as much cycling in the last 2 years but prior to that used rollers almost exclusively. They are good in that easy to set up and use and you get a fairly I tense workout out on them at FTP level.

    Not great for really really intense intervals (even with a resistance unit) as I was always afraid the bike would pop off. The other issue I found was that it's hard to shift position on them so you get saddle numbers after 10mins so that limits duration of interval.

    Can get a front wheel frame to sort all of the above but TBH if buying again I'd get a fluid turbo trainer road compatible


  • Options
    #28
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,754 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    halvis wrote: »
    What they like? boring!

    Depends on your set up. I use the virtual reality tacx software most of the time which makes the training more fun as you're competing against virtual components. For an easier session I just put on a movie or episode of whatever I'm currently watching, so no more boring than just watching the TV in that case.


  • Options
    #29
    smacl
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,754 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    robyntmorton wrote: »
    You can't have a few beers on the turbo? They're ideal re-hydration fluids!

    I'm borderline puking during a hard turbo session already, maybe beer on the turbo could lead to some much needed dramatic weight loss ;)


  • Options
    #30
    Macy0161
    Registered Users Posts: 9,455 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    halvis wrote: »
    What they like? boring!
    I used to find them boring. This year I following a Trainerroad plan, and while I wouldn't go as far as enjoyable (just because they are hard work), there's definitely a degree of satisfaction from doing structured workouts.

    If you are training, I definitely see more bang for my time buck than group or solo spins anyway. Obviously, there's other reasons why getting out on the bike is brilliant, but just in terms of training...


  • Advertisement
Advertisement