Trainer Recommendations?

[gingerale]

Thank you for asking this! I'm getting some great info for myself since I just purchased a trainer this past weekend.

[malkin]

I look at the cracks in the floor
Recite memorized passages in my head
Listen for the various clocks in the house to count off the quarters
And pray that angels will catch me if I start to fall off the rollers.

[LaurenC]

Thanks everyone. Gingerale, what did you get and do you like it? Martina, I want to try the trainer instead of the gym as I can't really afford the gym right now. Also, I wouldn't be there enough to make it cost effective as most of my excercise comes from horseback riding, kayaking, skiing, and of course biking.

[Velobambina]

Martina - in a word, SPINERVALS. You will be stronger for the suffering.

[Norse]

+1 for the Cyclops Fluid. I am going into the 5th winter of use for mine and never had problems. Fluid and roller trainers are better than magnetic because, my understanding is that, magnetics, like Life Cycles, keep spinning after you stop pedaling so they don't simulate the road very well.

Probably like everyone else, mine is set up in front of the TV and I have a small collection of Spinervals, Train Right videos and Bike-O-Vision scenery DVD's. Sometimes though, like this morning, I just turn the TV to the Dance music channel, turn up the volume and do an interval work-out.

Besides being on your own bike and doing the work-out you want to do, the other beauty of this is NOT having to get dressed to go to the gym, fighting for a bike and driving to and from. I wear beat-up old bike shorts that I would not wear in public and too tight sports' tank tops that I would not be caught dead outside our basement in. I love having the trainer.

[kie_fujo]

we have a bell motivator trainer that we got on amazon and it works great. it's under $100 too!

http://www.amazon.com/Bell-Motivator...6436812&sr=8-1

[GraysonKelly]

Okay,
I looked a whole bunch of trainers online. I don't get it. So I'm gonna ask here (I hope I'm not hijacking the thread).
1. Which type is not gonna wear down my tire?
2. If I'm on it (any type) for an hour or more is it gonna get so hot that it pops my tire? (I read reviews last night about that happening)
3. Do I need a tire prop?
4. What do I need to measure distance? (another bike computer to go on the back wheel or can I get my current computer put on the back?)
5. How do you change resistance? Why would the trainer come with a remote? I thought that you changed resistance by changing gears, is that wrong?
6. Do the trainers come with a list of compatible bikes? (You know, like how bike racks sometimes list which cars they will fit)
7. I want to be able to do interval stuff (speed...I guess like spinning and lots of resistance kind of simulating hills) I saw some trainer that have 3 levels of resistance I'm assuming that if I set the resistance high then I can aso change gears to make it harder. I'm still not sure how the resistance thing works anyway.
8. Will I damage my frame? Will stresses put on the bike from being staitionary gonna damage the frame? If so, should I use the trainer with my mtb or the road bike? i've got slick tires on the mountain bike right now.

Okay, I'm done.
Thanks,
Gray