Turbo trainer beginner.

KillerMetre
KillerMetre Posts: 199
edited June 2009 in Road beginners
Hi

I've been creepily lerking on this forum for a good few months now as i am seriously considering taking up road cycling.However I cannot afford a bike and all the relevant,very expensive,clothing etc. for atleast 6-7months as im a poor poor student.

So i have decided to get myself a turbo trainer and use it with my mountain bike.Can anyone suggest me what kind of turbo i should be looking at (£100-200) and could anyone suggest any training plans etc.Im in fairly good shape weight wise but havnt exercised seriously for a good 5 months.

Cheers.

Comments

  • pianoman
    pianoman Posts: 706
    It's Summer, why not invest the £200, plus whatever you can flog the MTB for, into getting a basic road bike? Raleigh, Viking and Vitus do bikes in the £200-300 range.

    Check this out:
    http://www.holcroscycles.com/productdet ... Bike-(2009).html

    My local bike shop has started selling them, because people like yourself want affordable options to get them started in road riding.

    Best of luck with your bike hunting :D
  • MRadd
    MRadd Posts: 205
    Whack some slicks on.

    It'd be cheaper, and a sod less boring than turbo training!
    : "Why don't i remember breaking my face?" :

    : Semi Professional Grease Monkey, Full time Tea boy... :
  • Ollieda
    Ollieda Posts: 1,010
    Hi, where are you a student at? If you're at uni try signing up to your uni cycling club, they should have the low down on any good student offers and discounts out there and might have their own club discount at a local shop....you never know!
  • Barkiesnake
    Barkiesnake Posts: 244
    If you get a turbo trainer then download the sufferfest video podcasts from itunes. they will give you a good workout
    "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, your right" Henry Ford
  • PhilofCas
    PhilofCas Posts: 1,153
    you'll soon get bored on a turbo, you ought to be out on the road. As others have said, either get slicks for the MTB and do road work on that or find yourself a cheap starter bike, this came out really well in Cycling Plus recently, though they had it down as £329.99, not £379.99 http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_272635_langId_-1_categoryId_165710
  • sandbag
    sandbag Posts: 429
    get the trainer. you do alot consistent cycing and lose weight faster with less distractions. you can perfect your pedalling stroke/cadence. i do it listening to music, it isn't boring. pick 2-3 easy gears on the middle ring and concentrate on 85-100 RPM cadence. mountain bikes make good for indoor and too heavy for road anyways. if you use on road while getting into it you be using alot harder gears, hills etc.then you wont be able to maintain the cadence to lose weight as good. your reward after 1 month is you get the road. it will be alot more easier, enjoyable when you finally hit the road.
  • Dunkeldog
    Dunkeldog Posts: 138
    Not really much help if you're short of a bit of cash but I bought an Elite trainer that hooks up to my PC and lets me ride Giro stages on DVD. The turbo can replicate up to 10% hills and gives you a blinding workout. The DVD quality is excellent. Not saying you ever forget you're not halfway to Sanremo but it sure beats staring at the wall!
  • pianoman
    pianoman Posts: 706
    Speaking of those training DVD's......can you race online against other turbo users? You could take any supplements you want and smoke as much weed as you like and even if you beat the others by 10 minutes, no-one would recognise you :P

    Regarding trainers, you could try rollers too, they're usually cheaper.

    I still think you should get a starter road bike for the money you're saying you have, even if you need to flog the MTB for, say, £50 to help.