Trainers?

[Cha Cha]

I have a Blackburn Trak Stand Fluid trainer and it is great. Here's a tip to save you $20 on a front block - if you have a decent size phone book, wrap it with with clear packing tape, covering the entire book both across and vertically. That will keep the pages from shifting. Then on the top and bottom, tape a piece of rubbermaid rubber grip net (it comes on a roll and is made for kitchen drawers/shelves). Put the tape on the back side of the grip net. That will keep your "block" from scooting on the floor, and your front tire from scooting on the book.

I'm sure this idea is neither new nor original, but I sure was "proud of my bad self" when I came up with it a few weeks ago!

Enjoy - and good luck!

Cha Cha

[Bad JuJu]

I don't own a trainer (though I'm thinking about investing in one now), but the two faves in my club are the 1up and Kurt Kinetics. Also, I think Blackburn makes one using the same technology as the 1up, so if you can find that one cheaper....
Be sure to post a review on whichever one you get.

[RoadRaven]

We had a couple of trainers but opted for a spin bike as swapping all the bikes on/off the trainer was a major hassle - plus we didn't want to keep putting out purty road bikes on the trainers

[ribbit_zap]

Thank you so much for all your responses!!! All your information really helped. I will definitely let you guys know what I get and how I like it. Thanks again!

[melissam]

I'm really thankful for this thread too! I had a trainer that I never really cared for. It was a cheapie Performance TravelTrac, and the tension/resistance wasn't adjustable. It was too much tension for me -- I never felt like I could get warmed up, so the trainer sat unused for ... ahem...years. OK, almost a decade.

The first time I'd ever heard of the 1up trainer was on this thread. I did some research and ordered one. It came on Friday and had its "maiden voyage" today.

What can I say? It's fantastic! Easy to set up, even for the mechanically clueless. The resistance is great -- I was able to complete a 55 minute workout this afternoon. The resistance was low enough for me to warm up, but high enough that I feel like I got a good workout.

If you're considering a trainer and $299 is in your budget, I highly recommend this one:

- Getting the bike on and off is a snap (You can't screw it up, so no tools are required to rescue the aforementioned mechanically clueless.) (Don't ask about my nearly disastrous attempt to remove my bike from bikerz's Kurt Kinetic trainer.)

- It easily adjusts to accept my 650C wheels. Apparently it will accept wheels as small as 16 inches.

- The legs adjust. If your floor is uneven, you can make one of the legs longer.

- It's as quiet as a church mouse.

- It comes with the compatible quick release skewer.

- It's a pretty blue! And it's well designed and sturdy. It's so well-built that it has a lifetime warranty.

BikerZ has a Kurt Kinetic trainer, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. Except for the bike removal part. Hmmm, the patented, easy-to-use quick release part was entirely beyond my limited mechanical capabilities. But the riding part was great.

Many Happy Trainer Miles!

[ChickWithBrains]

There's a few considerations you need to take into account when pondering a trainer.

If you have never been on one, and are unsure whether you'll stick with it, get a cheapie that's well rated. You'll hate to throw a $400 trainer in the basement never to be used because it turns out you hate indoor spinning. (We all do, to some extent, but the rewards we reap outside later keep us going.)

True wind trainers, with fan blades, are noisy but cheap.

Magnet trainers are nice, but can skip and feel rough.

Fluid trainers most realistically represent differences you experience outside with regards to acceleration and speed. The effort you need to accelerate up 5 mph is similar outside and on a fluid trainer or rollers, but less similar on other trainers. CycleOps has a good track record and has some nice accessories (front wheel stand, bike mat -- which is a MUST if you're like my hubby and myself who sweat ferociously and leave puddles on the floor) and will set you back $200 depending on the model.

Best bet? Buy one used from someone who shelled out and never used theirs!