Watch out racers, mtn biker in your midst [archive]

Nathan Otis

That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I ride
a mtn. bike.

I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one exists
that would work for me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be
great)

You guys know about this stuff, so here I am.
Thanks,
n.

Steve

On 1/4/04 5:39 PM, in article vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52, "Nathan
Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote:

> That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I ride a mtn. bike.
>
> I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one exists that would work for
> me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be great)
>
> You guys know about this stuff, so here I am. Thanks,
> n.
>
>
Make sure you have BIG knobby tires on when you use the indoor trainer!! It will last longer.......

Nathan Otis

ba-dum, crash!

Ok, I've done a little more reading and unless I get serious feedback against them, I'm looking at
mag trainers...

comments?
n.

"Steve" <sdsteve@REMOVEsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:BC1E0B9F.8A922%sdsteve@REMOVEsbcglobal.net...
> On 1/4/04 5:39 PM, in article vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52, "Nathan Otis"
> <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote:
>
> > That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I
ride
> > a mtn. bike.
> >
> > I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one
exists
> > that would work for me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be great)
> >
> > You guys know about this stuff, so here I am. Thanks,
> > n.
> >
> >
> Make sure you have BIG knobby tires on when you use the indoor trainer!! It will last
> longer.......

Jtn

rollers.... old style

Lee

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message
news:vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52...

> My name is Nathan, and I ride a mtn. bike.

Welcome Nathan.

You know, admitting that you have a problem is the first step to being cured
:)

With regard to a trainer, I'm using a CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer and really like it. There's some
controversy about whether fluid/magnetic/wind resistance is best, you might want to google it and do
some reading. I went with fluid due to the low noise and overall smoothness.

Pick up a spare rear wheel for your bike and throw a slick on it. It should be fine with
most trainers.

HTH,

Lee

Minoura (850?) makes a rim driver trainer that can be used for road bikes and mountain bikes. The
resistance is applied to the rims, not the tires.

-jl

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message news:vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52...
> That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I
ride
> a mtn. bike.
>
> I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one exists that would work for
> me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be great)
>
> You guys know about this stuff, so here I am. Thanks,
> n.

John Rees

"jl" <jeffl_@removethis.hm.com> wrote in message news:y8gKb.11541$%C7.9157@news.cpqcorp.net...
| Minoura (850?) makes a rim driver trainer that can be used for road bikes and mountain bikes. The
| resistance is applied to the rims, not the tires.
|
| -jl
|

Why ride a mtn bike indoors? Since mtn bikes are ridden off trail, at slower speeds, and are ,
somewhat, protected by the wind, they are great replacements for winter riding versus road bikes.
Slap a light on your helmet and you're good to go. Or have I overlooked something?

Jazzdom

I use a 1-up trainer and am very happy with it. Very little tire wear, extremely quiet when used
with slick tires. Nice heavy roller with well machined parts. Feels very road-like and has
resistance based on your bike's drive wheel speed. For a mtn you can change the resistance curve to
simlulate climbing.

http://www.1upusa.com (http://www.1upusa.com/)

I don't work for them but I feel strongly that this is the best trainer out there ... they only sell
direct and claim that if you aren't satisfied they will buy it back including shipping. I wish all
products were like this

Nathan Otis

Mainly the cold, John. By the time I get home from work in Chicago, it's dark and more importantly,
it's in the low teens. That might be ok for you guys cause biking is like, you're life and stuff...
:-) But for me it's excercise and when I'm on a good trail in the low seventys, it's a fun way to
spend a couple hours.
n.

"John Rees" <junk@jrees.net> wrote in message news:3ff9a444_3@news3.prserv.net...
> Why ride a mtn bike indoors? Since mtn bikes are ridden off trail, at
slower speeds, and are , somewhat, protected by the wind,
> they are great replacements for winter riding versus road bikes. Slap a
light on your helmet and you're good to go. Or have I
> overlooked something?

Raptor

Nathan Otis wrote:
> Mainly the cold, John. By the time I get home from work in Chicago, it's dark and more
> importantly, it's in the low teens. That might be ok for you guys cause biking is like, you're
> life and stuff... :-) But for me it's excercise and when I'm on a good trail in the low seventys,
> it's a fun way to spend a couple hours.
> n.

It might be cheaper to buy a gym membership for a few months and take their indoor cycling classes.
Give 'em a try, they can be fun if not compared to actual riding.

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
"We should not march into Baghdad. ... Assigning young soldiers to
a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinnable urban guerilla war, it
could only plunge that part of the world into ever greater
instability." George Bush Sr. in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

John Rees

"Raptor" <me@attbi.com> wrote in message news:3FFA09F0.9010009@attbi.com...
| Nathan Otis wrote:
| > Mainly the cold, John. By the time I get home from work in Chicago, it's dark and more
| > importantly, it's in the low teens. That might be ok for you guys cause biking is like, you're
| > life and stuff... :-) But for me it's excercise and when I'm on a good trail in the low
| > seventys, it's a fun way to spend a couple hours.
| > n.
|
| It might be cheaper to buy a gym membership for a few months and take their indoor cycling
| classes. Give 'em a try, they can be fun if not compared to actual riding.

I will second this suggestion. I ride a lot, but have always had a hard time doing any decent work
on an indoor trainer. However, for whatever reason, I can work myself to death in one of those spin
classes. I just do my own thing when they start that fruity , hop out of the saddle for two turns of
the crank , sit back down and do it again stuff. Mix that with running and a weight program and you
will keep fit for the winter.

Raptor

John Rees wrote:
> "Raptor" <me@attbi.com> wrote in message news:3FFA09F0.9010009@attbi.com...
> | It might be cheaper to buy a gym membership for a few months and take their indoor cycling
> | classes. Give 'em a try, they can be fun if not compared to actual riding.
>
> I will second this suggestion. I ride a lot, but have always had a hard time doing any decent work
> on an indoor trainer. However, for whatever reason, I can work myself to death in one of those
> spin classes. I just do my own thing when they start that fruity , hop out of the saddle for two
> turns of the crank , sit back down and do it again stuff. Mix that with running and a weight
> program and you will keep fit for the winter.

Glad (but not surprised) I'm not the only one who hates "jumps." I'm an instructor of said classes,
and I do not do "jumps" unless they are long duration and usually irregular. Certain mountain bike
rides include jump-like activity, and I try to keep my indoor rides "real."

--
--
Lynn Wallace http://www.xmission.com/~lawall
"We should not march into Baghdad. ... Assigning young soldiers to
a fruitless hunt for a securely entrenched dictator and condemning
them to fight in what would be an unwinnable urban guerilla war, it
could only plunge that part of the world into ever greater
instability." George Bush Sr. in his 1998 book "A World Transformed"

velomech

Originally posted by Nathan Otis
That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I ride
a mtn. bike.

I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one exists
that would work for me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be
great)

You guys know about this stuff, so here I am.
Thanks,
n.

Nathan
try a rim trainer, the resistance wheels mount to your rim, you can use mountain or road, never have to swap tires....

Scott

Tom Kunich

Mag trainers work fine but they're noisy. If you need an almost silent trainer get a liquid pump
like the Cyclepro.

Also, they are unbelieveably boring so you have to mount them in front of the TV or something and
you can get Flashdance or some spinning tape to take your mind off of how boring it is.

Tom

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message news:i75Kb.285806$_M.1499804@attbi_s54...
> ba-dum, crash!
>
> Ok, I've done a little more reading and unless I get serious feedback against them, I'm looking at
> mag trainers...
>
> comments?
> n.
>
> "Steve" <sdsteve@REMOVEsbcglobal.net> wrote in message
> news:BC1E0B9F.8A922%sdsteve@REMOVEsbcglobal.net...
> > On 1/4/04 5:39 PM, in article vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52, "Nathan Otis"
> > <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote:
> >
> > > That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I
> ride
> > > a mtn. bike.
> > >
> > > I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one
> exists
> > > that would work for me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be great)
> > >
> > > You guys know about this stuff, so here I am. Thanks,
> > > n.
> > >
> > >
> > Make sure you have BIG knobby tires on when you use the indoor trainer!! It will last
> > longer.......
>

Nathan Otis

Wanted to stop by and give thanks to everyone who commented and suggested. I ended up going with a
Mag trainer from Minoura. The frams is aluminum and seems sturdy. The cable to the remote for
switching resistance is a bit long so I'll have to remedy that. There was also a small part missing.
Nothing that effected function too much, but I called the company and they're sending a replacement
part. Very friendly and helpful.

Overall the ride is smooth enough (once you get going :) and resistance is close enough to real
riding that it will serve my purpose. My bike is badly in need of a tune up, so I'm off. Thanks to
everyone once more.
n.

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message news:vf3Kb.221001$8y1.876948@attbi_s52...
> That's right, I'm venturing into your domain. My name is Nathan, and I
ride
> a mtn. bike.
>
> I'd like to ride said bike indoors on one of those trainers if one exists that would work for
> me... (if it were in the $200 range too, that'd be great)
>
> You guys know about this stuff, so here I am. Thanks,
> n.

Kurgan Gringion

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message
news:s6%Lb.16993$na.14599@attbi_s04...
> Wanted to stop by and give thanks to everyone who commented and suggested.
I
> ended up going with a Mag trainer from Minoura. The frams is aluminum and seems sturdy. The cable
> to the remote for switching resistance is a bit
long
> so I'll have to remedy that. There was also a small part missing. Nothing that effected function
> too much, but I called the company and they're sending a replacement part. Very friendly and
> helpful.
>
> Overall the ride is smooth enough (once you get going :) and resistance is close enough to real
> riding that it will serve my purpose. My bike is badly in need of a tune up, so I'm off. Thanks to
> everyone once more.

Thanks for sharing your great experience with us.

I can hardly wait for your reports on how those indoor training sessions go. Great stuff,
compelling, captivating.

B.C. Cletta

"Nathan Otis" <na@spam.smeat.net> wrote in message news:<finKb.231410$8y1.989245@attbi_s52>...
> Mainly the cold, John. By the time I get home from work in Chicago, it's dark and more
> importantly, it's in the low teens. That might be ok for you guys cause biking is like, you're
> life and stuff... :-) But for me it's excercise and when I'm on a good trail in the low seventys,
> it's a fun way to spend a couple hours.

"www.icebike.com" (it's a lot more fun if you're dressed right.) spin class (chicks love
spin classes.)

John Rees

"Tom Kunich" <cyclintom@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:B9pLb.1270$Ix.651@newsread2.news.pas.earthlink.net...
| Mag trainers work fine but they're noisy. If you need an almost silent trainer get a liquid pump
| like the Cyclepro.
|
| Also, they are unbelieveably boring so you have to mount them in front of the TV or something and
| you can get Flashdance or some spinning tape to take your mind off of how boring it is.
|
| Tom

If you have a noisy trainer, like mine, you can also rent subtitled foreign films. That way, you can
follow what's going on without having to hear the TV. This works best if you can put the TV down on
the floor , tilted up.

One suggestion to get you started: "Men", by Doris Dörrie, German film, there are even some funny
bike scenes!

Nathan Otis

Yeah... Well, we all have to start somewhere.
n.

"Kurgan Gringioni" <kgringioni.remove.it.for.mail@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:fc%Lb.10587$uF6.3333910@news1.news.adelphia.net...

> Thanks for sharing your great experience with us.
>
>
>
> I can hardly wait for your reports on how those indoor training sessions
go.
> Great stuff, compelling, captivating.