Indoor trainer advice?

[CyborgQueen]

I got some money for my birthday, and would like to invest in a indoor trainer. Sometimes i just want to ride for 20 minutes, and I can't because it's too hot outside and I have to drive 30 minutes away to be in bike friendly areas.

I have narrowed it down to three and I wanted to know honest opinions of what you think.

Blackburn Trakstand Fluid Indoor Bicycle Trainer

Cyclops Fluid 2 Indoor trainer

Kurt Kinetic Road Machine

I know the Road Machine is a bit on the higher end, but I like Cyclops and it seem to be pretty solid, and little cheaper than the Road Machine.

What I need is the ability to change resistance as I go along, and from what I see is the Road Machine has a lot more range of resistance, but do I really need it all?

Background: Beginner Cyclist, recreational rider, doing it for fitness/lose weight, not for racing.

Two questions - Can I still use the trainer without clipless pedals? I will be starting some spinning classes that is BYOT (bring your own trainer) and it's $5 a class. However, I don't have clipless pedals. Eventually I will get them, but not now.

Secondly - Is any of the trainers okay to use on a carpeted area or does it have to be on hard floors? It's a consideration as I probably will have to rearrange my house a little in order to use the trainer on a hard floor.

[aicabsolut]

I vote for CycleOps. It's what I have, and they have fantastic customer service. You get a lifetime warranty on the resistance unit, and if they change the technology and you want to upgrade the unit, you can do so cheaply. Great company, and since you're looking at all good fluid units, something like that would be a tie-breaker for me.

As for carpet, it will be probably be ok, but there are some things to think about. Is the carpet thick? If your trainer (which is fairly heavy) is going to be sinking into it a lot, then your rear tire could rub on the carpet, which won't be good for your training or your carpet. You'll also want a riser block or a thick book for the front tire to keep your bike stable.

Finally, is this carpet stuff you care much about? Gunk from your chain, dirt in your cleats, all potentially bits of rubber from your rear tire all will probably wind up on this carpet. You can get a hard rubber mat to protect your hard floor or thin carpet. There are several to choose from. Many of the companies that make trainers and rollers will make some kind of floor mat.

As for the indoor cycling class, you can use platforms. It'll be good to use some kind of clip or strap if you're going to be doing any work out of the saddle. Plus, trainers can also make any dead spots in your pedal stroke seem more pronounced, so being able to pull up will make the ride go more smoothly.

[CyborgQueen]

I vote for CycleOps. It's what I have, and they have fantastic customer service. You get a lifetime warranty on the resistance unit, and if they change the technology and you want to upgrade the unit, you can do so cheaply. Great company, and since you're looking at all good fluid units, something like that would be a tie-breaker for me.

As for carpet, it will be probably be ok, but there are some things to think about. Is the carpet thick? If your trainer (which is fairly heavy) is going to be sinking into it a lot, then your rear tire could rub on the carpet, which won't be good for your training or your carpet. You'll also want a riser block or a thick book for the front tire to keep your bike stable.

Finally, is this carpet stuff you care much about? Gunk from your chain, dirt in your cleats, all potentially bits of rubber from your rear tire all will probably wind up on this carpet. You can get a hard rubber mat to protect your hard floor or thin carpet. There are several to choose from. Many of the companies that make trainers and rollers will make some kind of floor mat.

As for the indoor cycling class, you can use platforms. It'll be good to use some kind of clip or strap if you're going to be doing any work out of the saddle. Plus, trainers can also make any dead spots in your pedal stroke seem more pronounced, so being able to pull up will make the ride go more smoothly.

Awesome advice. exactly what I was looking for. My carpet is pretty much already dirty (old), so I don't care much for it at the moment, until we decide to get rid of it. I can always get a mat later (or just put an old thin towel underneath...may do the trick?)in the future. The carpet seem to be a low cut, so I think it should be okay. Worse case, I'll have to move things around in the useless guest bedroom (although it will be tight in there along with the Bowflex). If I buy the Cycleops, I will have a bit money left over to buy clipless pedals and shoes. So that's another thought.

Thanks for the advice, that helped to make my decision. :-D

[aicabsolut]

I don't know about a towel on carpet, but a fairly cheap yoga mat will do. Those are also a little cushy, so I'd prefer to use them as a cheaper alternative to the hard mats on a hard floor. If you're going to use the trainer as a repair/cleaning stand, old towels under the bike will work well.

[wildeny]

I also vote for CycleOps, since that's my trainer.

Can I still use the trainer without clipless pedals?

Yes, you can. But with clipless pedals you can pedal at high RPM more easily. It's worth the investment.

Not all clipless pedals & shoes are so expensive. I got mine about GBP 50-60 in total for both (bought them from UK when the pound was low).