trainers

[amg]

Well, a recent visit to the doctor has explained why my sprained ankle was taking so long to heal - and I've been VERY good and not ridden my bike even though I wanted to. It turns out that my ankle was actually broken and somehow no one at the emergency room managed to communicate this to me. A month later, the doctor at the walk-in clinic (my regular doctor is on holiday) is looking at the report in my file and saying to me, "and you didn't know about this until today?". I'm thinking there's some poor guy out there in a cast who doesn't need to be...

Anyhoo, planning ahead (it helps me to be patient) I have made the decision to buy a trainer when I get the ok to pedal again, because the days are getting shorter and with starting school full time again my free time is much less! After some inquiries on my local board, Performance brand trainers were recommended as a decent budget trainer. Anyone have experience with these, or any other suggestions?

I don't have a lot to spend, and would like to find one that is fairly quiet, as I live in a basement suite with my landlady upstairs! I have heard that fluid trainers offer the best "road-like" experience, but should I write off mag trainers as an option? Noise difference between the two?

Thanks,
A.

[Pink Kona]

Hey A,
Good luck with the ankle! Strange that the ER never told you it was broken?

Regarding trainers - they pretty much all do the same thing. I would recommend getting a trainer that has a resistance knob you can adjust while riding to somewhat simulate hills. I have a couple teammates who have that option and it beats having to stop and get off the bike to adjust it. Also - and more importantly - get some really good cycling dvd's. Because your movement is limited it's hard to stay on the trainer for long. I tried last winter to pedal indoors - and only had 3 days on the trainer before I was back outside battling the elements.

Another option to a trainer are rollers. I found a pair at Supergo for $100 and it's a great way to simulate road riding. It will help you with balance and bike handling. And it's not as boring as sitting on a trainer. But that's my personal opinion. And if you are still recovering from a broken ankle then I'd hold off on the rollers - you tend to fall at first due to the learning curve.
Cheers!
Jen