I'm looking for a trainer and am wondering if anyone can tell me which is the best or their personal favorite: wind, magnetic fluid? Also, pros & cons to each. Does anyone have a favorite brand? I've been looking into them for a while but have had a fairly rough week and decided to treat myself to something nice today. Thanks!
What's the best trainer?
- Thread starter wackydeirdre
- Start date
I have the Tacx I-Magic which is a very good "interactive" trainer. The I-Magic is contolled by your PC and allows you to cycle thru virual worlds and actual videos filmed at places like Alpe D'Huez, etc.
The PC contols the resistance to simulate climbs up to about a 5-6% grade. So when you see a hill on your monitor screen the resistance is adjusted to simulate climbing.
It is a little on the expensive side ($700), but well worth it if it keeps you engaged in your training. It is a magnetic trainer, but has fairly good road feel to it.
The PC contols the resistance to simulate climbs up to about a 5-6% grade. So when you see a hill on your monitor screen the resistance is adjusted to simulate climbing.
It is a little on the expensive side ($700), but well worth it if it keeps you engaged in your training. It is a magnetic trainer, but has fairly good road feel to it.
I think it is the best on the market these days. I have the Flow (Tacx). It can be upgraded to iMagic (by buying a little interface).bobv190 said:
The brake does not use fluid, but the feeling is good.
Watch out for the upcoming iFortius. Instead of a 3D display (computer), it will be video-like display. And listen to this, while going down hill (on the display), you can stop pedalling, and the back weel will keep rolling until the landscape returns to flat, or uphill.
There are many threads here, and I think some in the Cycling Equipment forum also. This is a good one from 1-2 weeks ago. http://www.cyclingforums.com/t287311-trainers-mag-vs-fluid-vs-rollers.htmlwackydeirdre said:
The prevailing knowledge is that wind or magnetic is cheap, but wind is noisy, and mag resistance is linear, rather than progressive, which contributes to a non-road-like feel. Fluids are quiet and have progressive resistance, but they tend to heat up. I have the 1Up CPR2000, which uses a proprietary resistance system that seems to have the advantages/disadvantages of fluid. The Cycleops Fluid2, if you can find it for significantly under $200 (there are better trainers for not much more than its MSRP), and the Kurt Kinetic fluid seem like good trainers also.
What do you think of the Computrainer or Velodyne? I believe they both have computer interfaces.SolarEnergy said:I think it is the best on the market these days. I have the Flow (Tacx). It can be upgraded to iMagic (by buying a little interface).
The brake does not use fluid, but the feeling is good.
Watch out for the upcoming iFortius. Instead of a 3D display (computer), it will be video-like display. And listen to this, while going down hill (on the display), you can stop pedalling, and the back weel will keep rolling until the landscape returns to flat, or uphill.
I think the Fortius may be out already. The motor-driven resistance is cute, and I think the simulation of downhills and coasting will be a lot better. The iMagic PC software is supposedly upgradeable to the Fortius package ($40) to get the expanded Virtual Reality package. I think the videos are compatible with both the basic iMagic and the Fortius. Their playback rate is simply controlled by the simulated bike speed, you can't steer like you can on the VR courses.
I sort of want to get a Fortius, but you can buy a Powertap (Standard at full retail or a good deal on a Pro) and a good non-"interactive" trainer for that price.
wackydeirdre said:
You can buy a Tacx indoor trainer - bog standard model relatively cheaply.
No fancy stuff - just a resistance wheel and it's very reasonably priced and is sturdy.
SolarEnergy said:I think it is the best on the market these days. I have the Flow (Tacx). It can be upgraded to iMagic (by buying a little interface).
The brake does not use fluid, but the feeling is good.
Watch out for the upcoming iFortius. Instead of a 3D display (computer), it will be video-like display. And listen to this, while going down hill (on the display), you can stop pedalling, and the back weel will keep rolling until the landscape returns to flat, or uphill.
Do you use a seperate brake on all trainers and not use the ones on your bike? If so, do you have a front as well as a rear brake so as not to lose the feeling of actually being on the road? Also, which type trainer is easiest on the tires (where burning rubber is concerned)? And yet another question: At what rate do the tires burn out? In other words, how many tires should I count on going through in a winter riding an average of 2 hours daily? And yet another, I gather fluid trainers give the most road like feel, yet people for the most part seem to prefer magnetic. What are the pros and cons of each? Is there a trainer out there that you can put a mountain as well as a road bike on? My daughters want to be able to ride also.
sergen said:
Isn't that what Deirdre wanted - a no frills, sturdy, economically viable indoor trainer ?
I believe that SolarEnergy meant "brake" = resistance unit. A trainer typically rubs a drum against the rear tire and lets the front wheel rest on the floor, so there is no need for anything on the front wheel.wackydeirdre said:
Mags typically have adjustable resistance, are quiet, and inexpensive. Fluid have progressive resistance ("road-like feel" and "adjust difficulty by shifting gears"), are quiet, but cost more.
Most trainers accommodate 26" (mountain) and 700C (road) wheels; smaller wheels usually require adapters or do not work at all. Knobbies do not work well on trainers, so you will need a slick for the mountain bikes.
It seems like limerickman's suggestion is a good one, try checking that model out.
Good luck putting in two hours a day on the trainer. I really believe the old saying that an hour on the trainer is worth two on the road. That really isn't true from a pure effort standpoint, but from a psychological standpoint it seems like double the time. That is probably due to the boredom you encounter whilst using the trainer.
That is why a trainer like the I-Magic is so much better than a regular trainer. It allows you to have some of the same visual experiences you would have outside thus reducing the boredom level. Even with that, I usually plan to put in around 4 hours a week on the trainer in the Winter. If it wasn't for the lack of daylight, I would still rather endure the cold and wind and ride outside, rather than using the trainer so I ride outside on weekends unless there is heavy rain or snow. I usually do long rides outside in the winter (3 Hours +) on Sat/Sun.
For me, it was worth the extra money to buy a trainer that helped reduce the boredom, thus allowing me to put in enough training time indoors.
Also, Continental has a Home Trainer tire that hardly wears at all, provides excellent grip, and is very quiet. Definately worth the investment.
sergen said:
No worries.
When I saw your reply, I thought that I had been mistaken as to what Deirdre actually wanted ie. something a bit more sophisticated than a tacx.
No worries, sergen
I agree with you 100%. I have owned a Flow for a couple of weeks now, I already plan to upgrade it to an iMagic.bobv190 said:
That is, even with good music, I need to see cyclists, at least on TV to keep my motivation high.
I don't mean that you can't train on a trainer without video help or virtual reality help, but I don't see myself being able to do 1 tempo ride a week (time trial race pace), longer than 30 minutes, without that kind of motivation. To me, trainer is an extention of my bicycle. I spent 2500$ canadian on my bike, and I'll end up spending 1400$ canadian on my indoor training system. And to me, it make perfect sense.
Campy Record gruppo, I don't need it. Veloce works ok for me. Spending 2 or 3000$ extra money to get a bicycle lighter by a pound and a half, make no sense.
A good virtual reality trainer that I will use for at least 5 month and have fun with it, Priceless
Expensive but after all, there is always Mastercard
(No, I am not a Tacx distributor!!)
I rode last year outdoors until some time in Jan. I think. We had a very mild November and December and needed only a sweater on many days, It did become brisk eventually at some point. Too brisk for my lungs, I guess since I ended up with an asthma attack sucking on a nebulizer for a while.bobv190 said:
I was going to try to just find some way to bundle up better this year but have just spent over two weeks in bed from injuries and decided to go with the trainer since I think I have spent my quota of time in bed already this winter.What kind of investment are you talking about for the Continental? I still have to make some attempt to get 4 kids through college, never mind braces, etc. Plus, I basically broke my face two weeks back and want to look like me again. I'm fairly sure my insurance will cover it...they'd better! To add insult to my injuries a guy I'd just begun to see dumped me last weekend. I guess he wanted me to have equal pain inside and out. Sorry, I need to vent now and again.
PS How old can that "old saying" be? Have trainers been around for such a long time?
While I realized there wasn't really a need for a front brake, I was wondering if there was a "dummie" brake so you keep in practice of using the front brake for when you are back on the road again. I suppose you can keep your hand on your bike brake and the rear is the most important anyhow.Flatscan said:
Thanks for the info on the mountain bikes It will be nice for the girls to be able to use the trainer also. What are knobbies and what is a slick? Also is it reasonably easy to move the bikes on and off the trainer? It will be something I'll be doing every day.
Brakeswackydeirdre said:
Since your front wheel doesn't move (unless you are using rollers, but I would stay away from those - especially if you will let your kids use it - you need very good balance to use rollers, but a stationary trainer holds the bike steady- you need no balance at all) you can squeeze the front brake all you want. I don't think I'd really want to use the rear brake - the unit that you are turning with the rear wheel that is usually pretty heavy and using your brakes with it instead of just letting the resistance stop the wheel might be damaging to the tire if you do it a lot. Better to just let the resistance stop the tire, it won't spin much at all if you stop pedaling. I don't think once you get back out on the road you will forget to use your brakes
Setup
Depends on the trainer, but on most models that I've seen putting the bike in and out is pretty easy. Mine (a Cyleops) and I think many other brands, have two thick metal tubes that go over the skewer on your rear wheel -you will need to replace your rear skewer with a metal one if yours is plastic - it only costs about $7 for a metal skewer. So you position the rear wheel so that the left side is set in and then there is a little lever or a screw down handle that moves the tube on the right side in to lock on to the other side the skewer. Then you tighten down the resistance unit until its touching the wheel tight enough to not slip. The whole set up takes probably about 30 seconds to set up and less time to tear down.
Tires
Knobbies and slicks refer to the treads on the tire - knobbies- usually mt bike/hybrid or cyclecross tires have deep treads for riding in muddy/rocky conditions and slicks- like on your road bike have no or very little tread.
Effort
As far as 1 hr on the trainer being worth 2. I have agree that trainer time is harder than road time. I don't know if its 2 to 1, but if you think about road riding - you get to coast sometimes, you stop for lights or stop signs, you get to go downhill. On a trainer its kind of like going slightly uphill the whole time without ever stopping - and there is no breeze. I need a fan when I use the trainer and I still drip sweat all over the floor even though I'm set up in the basement where it is colder and only wear shorts and a sleeveless top.
Doesn't sound like a heck of a lot of fun but I suppose we all do what we have to and pray for the winter to go by quickly. Thanks Eden!Eden said:Brakes
Since your front wheel doesn't move (unless you are using rollers, but I would stay away from those - especially if you will let your kids use it - you need very good balance to use rollers, but a stationary trainer holds the bike steady- you need no balance at all) you can squeeze the front brake all you want. I don't think I'd really want to use the rear brake - the unit that you are turning with the rear wheel that is usually pretty heavy and using your brakes with it instead of just letting the resistance stop the wheel might be damaging to the tire if you do it a lot. Better to just let the resistance stop the tire, it won't spin much at all if you stop pedaling. I don't think once you get back out on the road you will forget to use your brakes
Setup
Depends on the trainer, but on most models that I've seen putting the bike in and out is pretty easy. Mine (a Cyleops) and I think many other brands, have two thick metal tubes that go over the skewer on your rear wheel -you will need to replace your rear skewer with a metal one if yours is plastic - it only costs about $7 for a metal skewer. So you position the rear wheel so that the left side is set in and then there is a little lever or a screw down handle that moves the tube on the right side in to lock on to the other side the skewer. Then you tighten down the resistance unit until its touching the wheel tight enough to not slip. The whole set up takes probably about 30 seconds to set up and less time to tear down.
Tires
Knobbies and slicks refer to the treads on the tire - knobbies- usually mt bike/hybrid or cyclecross tires have deep treads for riding in muddy/rocky conditions and slicks- like on your road bike have no or very little tread.
Effort
As far as 1 hr on the trainer being worth 2. I have agree that trainer time is harder than road time. I don't know if its 2 to 1, but if you think about road riding - you get to coast sometimes, you stop for lights or stop signs, you get to go downhill. On a trainer its kind of like going slightly uphill the whole time without ever stopping - and there is no breeze. I need a fan when I use the trainer and I still drip sweat all over the floor even though I'm set up in the basement where it is colder and only wear shorts and a sleeveless top.
Don't be confused about this. I have yet to meet a rider who gets excited about trainer time. We do it because it is better than not riding if the weather is too cold and/or too dark, and because it allows you to be much more ' scientific' about your workout. But also factor in the need for some kind of entertainment (cycling videos like spinervals, a movie, something) or you will be crawling up the walls within the first 30 minutes.
Oh, and I do them three or four nights a week, about 1.5 hours at a time.
Oh, and I do them three or four nights a week, about 1.5 hours at a time.
Totally agree - entertainment is a must. Some people like music. I personally like DVD's. I admit I can't really pay really close attention so its got to be something entertaining, but that I've seen many times or is mostly mindless. Right now I'm working my way through DVD's of old Avengers episodes (I love campy old TV showsPowerful Pete said:Don't be confused about this. I have yet to meet a rider who gets excited about trainer time. We do it because it is better than not riding if the weather is too cold and/or too dark, and because it allows you to be much more ' scientific' about your workout. But also factor in the need for some kind of entertainment (cycling videos like spinervals, a movie, something) or you will be crawling up the walls within the first 30 minutes.
Oh, and I do them three or four nights a week, about 1.5 hours at a time.
) Cycling DVD's do motivate me to work a bit harder so if I want a really hard workout I'll put in the interval DVD.Similar threads
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