indoor tainers

[spokes]

it's cold today!!! yikes! i got to work this morning and had to check if my chin was still there. (this means i can look forward to another winter of a co-worker saying 'it's c-c-c-c-cold out there!! about five times a day. and yes, he says cuh-cuh-cuh-cuh-cold EVERY SINGLE TIME. if the weather doesn't drive you nuts...)

so: i neeeeed an indoor trainer (that'll help with the cold but not with the annoying guy;) ). which is best for me-- road biker, bike commuter, eventually will be expanding to more frequent/longer leisure rides? fluid, magnetic... what does that mean anyway? i've seen rollers, but it looks like an awfully long fall... and does size matter? :D ...ahem!! ...i have a small living room and not much else room (in a condo) so are there better options in this regard? what are your personal preferences? are they just a pale substitute for the road or are they actually useful? any info would be helpful as i haven't a clue. thanks!!!

[Veronica]

This has been talked about in two other threads one titled trainers and one titled rollers vs trainers, both in the open forum. (I think.) Anyway - I stand by my opinion that the Kurt Kinetic is great. It's very stable, you can even put a tandem in it :D and it takes up about a foot or so of space beyond the bike. Thom and I both found it to be a reasonable substitue for the road when used in conjunction with a training video. Although as long as the weather is good - I'd rather be outside. Good luck and happy riding!

Veronica

[spokes]

i looked in the tips/techniques to see if this had been covered but didn't check open forum because it's too huge to look through!! i'll take a look then. thanks for letting me know, veronica.

[Irulan]

did you try the "search" button?


(d'oh!!)

Irulan

[Veronica]

I did a search on the word trainers to find it, much easier than wading through all the posts.

Veronica

[spokes]

search the forums... wow, a whole new world has opened to me. you know, i've used the drop-down menu a hundred times but never seen the options before. selective sight, i guess... those threads were very helpful. :D thanks!

[annie]

Regardless of what trainer you end up buying, it only helps if you use it. :p I agree with Veronica that the training videos are great, but you can get tired of the same old, same old over and over unless you can afford to buy lots of videos. Some people can ride to TV shows. I get my best indoor rides when I use music that I specifically choose to ride to. I teach Spin classes and so I am always trying out music for that. I use it at home first on my trainer and then if it works, take it to Spinning. The right music can be very inspiring. You can shut your eyes and see the road or trail in your mind. Have a variety of videos, music, anything that works to keep you going! Invite some friends to bring their trainers over and work out in a group. That always makes time go by faster and everyone seems to work harder than if working out alone.

I dread the time of year when I have to move my riding indoors, but it's a fact of life here in the midwest. It gets dark so early that unless you like night riding, there's no time to get out after work. Until it is too cold, at least weekend rides are an option.

Good luck finding a trainer.

[Irulan]

Annie, ,this is a bit of a hijack but re: music... consider Missliz and my suggestion to take the classic Led Zeppelin tune "Kashmir" for a sustained climb in spin class.... ;-)


That could be a whole new thread, music suggestions...

Irulan

[goddess1222]

i bought the Travel Pro wind trainer from Performance. it helped keep me sane when i was sick this summer. i paid 110.00 bucks for it, and i looooooove it.

[han-grrl]

Another option is looking through the classifieds or at bike shop bulletin boards for used. I picked up one at a flea market/garage sale, and one from a friend. Ok they aren't the nice quiet magnetic kinds, but they work, (yes you definitely need good music or a tv). plus they were like about 40$ each. (i like cheap).

[VenusdeVelo]

I'd like to see if anyone has more feedback on indoor trainers. Living in the midwest means cold weather...I do some weekend riding outdoors but that is it. I have 2 trainers and 1 will be going back -- 1.) the Cyclops Fluid2 and 2.) just bought a TACx Flow trainer (like a low end Computrainer) because once I tried it I decided to return the Cyclops.

Question I have is whether anyone has tried the fluid trainers v. the electronic trainers -- the elec trainers are just so much more smooth to me, and really simulate the road. The Cyclops to me was a bit jerky at times, adjusting the back wheel each time seems to take 3-4 tries. Plus, it is based on the fact it increases resistance as you pedal faster...which is not really the case when you are on the road. The TACx (or a Computrainer) seemed like I was really on my bike. I feel like I could control my training specific to what I wanted to do so much better. Price diff: TACx is about $120 more.

Any feedback out there on trainers? Does anyone have the Cyclops, had the same problems and got used to it?

[pedalfaster]

Originally posted by annie
Regardless of what trainer you end up buying, it only helps if you use it.

Too true Annie!

I've been skipping this thread (as well as the "spinning" section) because I don't want to think about it. Denial is bliss.

I avoid the vomitron like the plague. I have some fluid thing that someone gave me (the bastard!) years ago.

In the winter I'll run, xc ski, mountain bike and swim for general fitness. Lift for strength, yoga for flexibility. I might break out the trainer 1 or 2 times a week for short (30-45 min) interval sessions.

Spokes: you mentioned you live in a condo. If you have "attached" neighbors(especially downstairs) you will probably need to find spin time when they are not home, no matter what type of trainer you choose. ALL trainers generate noise and vibration. Just be aware of that before you drop a lot of cash.

[emily_in_nc]

I actually *like* riding my bike on a trainer! Maybe because it's only October? ;)

What has helped beat the boredom for me is Spinervals tapes (I especially like
"Sweating Buckets" - a tough 50 minute workout, and a heart rate monitor.
Between the tape and my heart rate, I have plenty to watch, and the tape is
pretty varied intervals of spinning fast, out of the saddle, pushing hard gears,
and recovery time, so the time passes fast. Afterwards, I really feel that I
got a good workout.

I'd prefer spin classes for the camraderie and variety, but there aren't any
offered close enough to where I live.

I ride on the trainer two weeknights per week now that the time has changed,
and try to get out for 1-2 outdoor rides on the weekends, weather permitting.
It's supposed to be 76 and sunny this Saturday in NC - I can't wait! :)

Good luck!

Emily

[MightyMitre]

Ladies - I don't want to alarm you but thought I should pass on my experiences...

Last week I was on the home trainer watching TV for about 45 mins but the next day woke up with a terrible pain in the side of my neck. The reason for this - I wasn't directly in front of the box and had my neck turned about 40 degrees for the whole session so I could see the screen!

What a chump!:p The moral of the story is to make sure the telly is actually in FRONT of you when you train, not just in the same room... :D :p

[annie]

Oh, OUCH, MightyM! Thanks for the warning. I don't usually ride in front of the TV, never anything on worth watching, but just in case, if I do, I'll plant the trainer right in front of the screen. I think I do better riding to music. I can shut my eyes and picture a route that I'm on and go for it. Besides, I am always trying out new music for spin class, so that helps motivate me, also. Indoor riding is better than no riding, but it will never be as good as outside. We had temps in the 50's today and I managed to get out for a 25 miler and it was so wonderful, just to be outside. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold and windy again Today was a gift.