I got into cycling 11 months ago and am looking into buying a trainer/rollers. Icy roads and purple toes are limiting my road time and as an eight year rower I still never want to get on a those - rowing machines. The only problem is I'm not sure what to buy. Though I dont want to spend a lot I feel as if im going to have to. I've used a friends wind trainer but found the resistance wasn't sufficient and another friends blackburn seemed unable to adapt to bursts of power (and the mounting mech drove me nuts I think he broke it though).
3 main conserns
1) resistance - I would to use the trainer for workouts from short max effort sprints, to intervals, to long steady state tempo, and everything in between. some trainers ive seen are rated up to 750watts (most dont say). i want to make sure I buy a trainer with sufficient resistance. On the rowing machine (concept 2 erg) i've produced around 1000 watts, 1 stroke max around 500watts avg for 60sec, and on a bike 20 months ago I produced over 788 watts (but am physically stronger now). additionally im interested in the ability to adapt my resistance quickly (seems like mag and fluid are best here) so I can have flexibility with my training.
2) durability - I would like the trainer to last for years. some of my friends trainers are...well...worn out. I want a trainer to last for years (my erg is going on year 9 and still works like it did out of the box). fluid seems to be the best kind of trainer...but....leakage? It seems like cycle ops and Kurt Kinetic have solved this but would like to know others experiences with them. Is it better to get a magnetic trainer long term?
3) rollers. there certainly cheaper and ive riden them for my 'warmups', if you can call them that i dont warm up properly for races ... its a problem. but im not sure how they work for interval training and well I cant afford a trainer and rollers.
any comments, experiences, or suggestions are wanted. im still cluless with these dam bikes. Feel free to be harsh Im a slow learner...having the experienced boys (or girls) kick my ass is good for me.
PS: I'll always prefer racing shells (quantum racings "King" shell design...a personal favorite).
3 main conserns
1) resistance - I would to use the trainer for workouts from short max effort sprints, to intervals, to long steady state tempo, and everything in between. some trainers ive seen are rated up to 750watts (most dont say). i want to make sure I buy a trainer with sufficient resistance. On the rowing machine (concept 2 erg) i've produced around 1000 watts, 1 stroke max around 500watts avg for 60sec, and on a bike 20 months ago I produced over 788 watts (but am physically stronger now). additionally im interested in the ability to adapt my resistance quickly (seems like mag and fluid are best here) so I can have flexibility with my training.
2) durability - I would like the trainer to last for years. some of my friends trainers are...well...worn out. I want a trainer to last for years (my erg is going on year 9 and still works like it did out of the box). fluid seems to be the best kind of trainer...but....leakage? It seems like cycle ops and Kurt Kinetic have solved this but would like to know others experiences with them. Is it better to get a magnetic trainer long term?
3) rollers. there certainly cheaper and ive riden them for my 'warmups', if you can call them that i dont warm up properly for races ... its a problem. but im not sure how they work for interval training and well I cant afford a trainer and rollers.
any comments, experiences, or suggestions are wanted. im still cluless with these dam bikes. Feel free to be harsh Im a slow learner...having the experienced boys (or girls) kick my ass is good for me.
PS: I'll always prefer racing shells (quantum racings "King" shell design...a personal favorite).
