Tour de France training bike?

[blue_angel]

I've seen this indoor trainer (http://www.proform.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_-1_14201_16002_29511_177903) advertised in association with the Tour. It looks fantastic, but I don't know if I think that just because I'm gripped with Tour madness at the moment. Has anybody seen/ridden one? Is $1200 completely ridiculous for a souped up stationary bike? Do pros actually train with trainers like these?

[Tri Girl]

It doesn't look any better/more comfortable than my bike on a trainer.
I always see the pros warming up on their bikes on a trainer- I don't know that they actually use spinning bikes like this (but maybe they do- what do I know?).;)

Seems over-priced for sure! I'll stick with my bike and my $100 trainer (and I can even take my bike outside). :p

[Blueberry]

I could be wrong but - I don't think they do much training on spin bikes.

I actually think most of their time is spent on the road (unlike pro triathletes - who I hear are more and more spending lots of training time inside). I would think a computrainer with one's own bike would be more effective (but even more expensive) - but what do I know;)

[blue_angel]

I have a trainer, but I hate using it. For one, the workout never varies. Second, you have to change your tire and skewer, or your entire back wheel, when going between trainer and road. I would have guessed that pros would use rollers rather than trainers, as they're more challenging, but I don't actually know for certain. Anyway, being able to have adjustable courses with real incline/decline, plus wind resistance, seems like an added feature worth paying for. Although I'm not sure it's worth paying $1200 for!

[Owlie]

For that amount of money, it had better come with scenery.

[Orange utopia]

That looks like it is just a rebranded spinner. I hate the trainer too, for some reason, even with my front wheel ib the little holder block thing I still feel like my position is all wrong. A while back I picked up a used lemond spin bike on Craigslist and I love it. I think I paid under $400 for it and it is built like a tank.

[Orange utopia]

Oh i just looked at it closer and see that it actually follows the tour route and has you incline and decline based on where you are supposed to be riding. That is kind of cool but I doubt that is what the real riders actually use. Like others have said I think they do most of their training on the road.

[blue_angel]

Oh i just looked at it closer and see that it actually follows the tour route and has you incline and decline based on where you are supposed to be riding. That is kind of cool but I doubt that is what the real riders actually use. Like others have said I think they do most of their training on the road.

I agree, the road is the best. But people who live in flat places probably have to find alternatives in order to work on hills. And many of us in the US live in places where it's not possible (or certainly not comfortable) to cycle outside for 4-6 months of the year. I only discovered spinning about a year and a half ago, and for winter workouts, I prefer it about 2000% to riding in a trainer.

And wow, computrainers are REALLY expensive! Way more expensive than this Tour bike...

[ny biker]

I have a trainer, but I hate using it. For one, the workout never varies. Second, you have to change your tire and skewer, or your entire back wheel, when going between trainer and road. I would have guessed that pros would use rollers rather than trainers, as they're more challenging, but I don't actually know for certain. Anyway, being able to have adjustable courses with real incline/decline, plus wind resistance, seems like an added feature worth paying for. Although I'm not sure it's worth paying $1200 for!

I use the same rear tire whether I'm riding outside or on the trainer. With my old bike, the skewer worked fine with my trainer; the SRAM skewer on the new bike doesn't fit the trainer but I had no trouble buying a different one at the LBS that I could also use outdoors. It's still a just a regular skewer.

As for variety, that's what spinning dvds are for. There are plenty of them out there that emphasize different types of workouts. Or you can make up your own workout with intervals of different duration/intensity.

[blue_angel]

It's not recommended to ride in a trainer with your road tire--trainers eat through tires, and if you have expensive tires, it's a terrible waste of money. Of course you *can* leave the skewer in, but it chews up the skewer and over enough in-and-outs it can compromise the lever of the QR. My trainer came with a spare skewer for precisely this reason. It's not difficult to swap them in and out, but if you frequently swap your bike from trainer to road it's a giant pain (more so with the tire than the skewer).

I didn't mean workout variation of that sort. I meant being able to simulate inclines, declines, and wind resistance. You can change your gear resistance and your pace in a trainer, but little else.

[Crankin]

I think the point of the spinner the OP is talking about is that you can download your own outdoor rides from your Garmin and simulate those. I know that might be better than just doing the trainer, which I hate, in the winter. If someone doesn't want to go to a gym, I don't think 1200.00 is that much to spend on what this machine does. Of course, some are fine with the videos.
I used my trainer less and less every year and depend on x country skiing to keep me in shape. I think I would like another option, though.

[ccnyc]

It's not recommended to ride in a trainer with your road tire--trainers eat through tires, and if you have expensive tires, it's a terrible waste of money. Of course you *can* leave the skewer in, but it chews up the skewer and over enough in-and-outs it can compromise the lever of the QR.

I bought an inexpensive rear wheel (http://www.neuvationcycling.com/product196.html) that I use only on the trainer. I use the skewer that came with the trainer and an old, not road-worthy tire. I just change the wheels, as needed. Easy!

[bluebug32]

My bike shop had Tacx's trainer on display last winter. It hooks up to your bike and to a computer and you can do simulated rides all over the world. Pretty cool, but I think I'd rather put that money toward a biking trip to Italy!