Are turbo trainer`s boring to use ?

JimmyK

I bought myself from Argos today , a collapsable folding cycling bike for £79.99 , I suppose on those ice cold dark nights when ice on the roads makes it too dangerous to go out, a 60 min spin session whilst watching a movie is better than now`t.

I remember in dec last year, getting to my front gate, hopping on bike, pushing pedals and sliding horizontally to the ground because of black ice. Winter season cycling SUCKS !!

redjeepǃ

They can be. But I use them as an opportunity to catch up on loads of DVD's I never got around to before. I'm just finishing the complete box set (all 6 series) of The Sopranos at the moment.

If you can't rig up a permanent TV/ DVD player, why not use a portable one ? My turbo rig sits in a corner of my shed (it's a big shed) with a fan in front of me, a bathroom extractor fan behind me and the portable DVD player on a small shelf at eye level.

As for the guy who does 20 hours in the dark :shock: . That must be the closest I've ever seen to insanity.

mclarent

JimmyK wrote:

If a turbo trainer was set up in my garage for the winter season, would it not be as boring as anything to use ?

Jimmy

Yes, don't bother. See you next season...

singlespeedexplosif

turbos are ace. I love using mine. 2hrs last night. Rollers tonight for a bit of a change.
4hrs most I've managed though. needed a wee and couldn't be bothered getting back on.

giantsasquatch

You train harder or better with dance beats. Well i do with old skool dance.

Get this awesome mini mp3 player to use with the trainer. It's a big favourite. Popular at the gym due to being so light. Better than IPod due it's small size and excellent sound quality. Also has radio. Uses the same audio chip as there higher product, the Sansa Fuze. Replace the headphones for proper in ear noise isolating headphones for even higher quality sound.
Plays all music file formats. Battery life 15 hours. Tons of reviews all over the web.

Sandisk Sansa Clip. Available in 2gig(£24) or 4gig(£44)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GiqtzkZ47g
http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives ... review.php
http://www.hifiheadphones.co.uk/in-ear- ... ct-29.html

drewfromrisca

I use the turbo daily. Not great but better than no riding. I work 7am-5pm every week day so when I get up it's dark and when I go home it's dark. Plus still living in London doesn't help unless you want to play dodgems with the traffic and I'm fed up of doing that.
I've trained the ol' mind to do quite a few hours on turbo. Stick football on, a sky+ show or dvd and I'm away. Most I've done is 4 hours. Mind numbing but satisfying in a...weird...way.

Try going on itunes. I think they have some podcasts you can use.

slowclimb

Turbos are truly dull as f*ck....however as loads have said with a decent programme, an mp3 player and a bit of determination they are a great training tool.
I would even say that they are more effective than the road for fitness as you dont have the usual distractions, cars, weather, junctions etc
Obviously do nothing for your handling but I nightride on the mountain bike over the winter and that certainly keeps the reflexes sharp!

sedliak

I love my Fortius trainer - wasn't exactly cheap, but it was worth it. Raced myself up Mt Ventoux/Stelvio Pass/Alpe D'Huez etc a couple of times a week last winter and there is no way I could get anything close to that level of sustained intensity on the roads round here.

fudbeer

I do some of my training in the gym on an excercise bike when the weather is poor and to be fair when you are in "the zone" it is ok as you are totally focused on your output and whatever is on the ipod

hopper1

fudbeer wrote:

I do some of my training in the gym on an excercise bike when the weather is poor and to be fair when you are in "the zone" it is ok as you are totally focused on your output and whatever is on the ipod

I'd rather use my turbo than a gym excercise bike... at least my bike fits me

JimmyK

fudbeer wrote:

it is ok as you are totally focused on your output and whatever is on the ipod

(donning my anti - ipod cap )

lotsa reference to that portable player and not one reference to the creative zen . my 10 yr old daughter owns an 8gb ipod and I own an 8gb creative zen with external 4gb sd card , thus bringing it up to 12gb and i also own a creative zen vision m 30gb player too. from tinkering with both , i rapidly came to the conclusion that the zen players are just childsplay to use whilst the ipod is a total pain in the backside.

do none of you guys use zen players, i wouldnt take an ipod if somebody gave it to me.

Jimmy

Pross

Yes, dull as hell - I get on mine when I'm all keen then after 5 minutes realise how bad it is again and don't touch it for months. I also find I can't get comfortable despite it being the same bike I always ride. Not allowed to take it in the room where the TV is either. That said it is a much harder workout than I would ever get in over the same time on the road and good for controlled interval training.

Anyone got any links to sites with decent turbo training programmes they can recommend?

RickyG

JimmyK wrote:

fudbeer wrote:

do none of you guys use zen players, i wouldnt take an ipod if somebody gave it to me.

Jimmy

I used to have a Creative Zen Sleek 20gb version which was excellent. It had very stable software and a radio that you could record straight onto the player plus more menu options thanks to the keys. I left it under the seat on a plane unfortunately.

disgruntledgoat

Pross wrote:

Yes, dull as hell - I get on mine when I'm all keen then after 5 minutes realise how bad it is again and don't touch it for months. I also find I can't get comfortable despite it being the same bike I always ride. Not allowed to take it in the room where the TV is either. That said it is a much harder workout than I would ever get in over the same time on the road and good for controlled interval training.

Anyone got any links to sites with decent turbo training programmes they can recommend?

www.thesufferfest.com

Or PM me and i'll send you over some of my own devising!

JimmyK

RickyG wrote:

JimmyK wrote:

fudbeer wrote:

do none of you guys use zen players, i wouldnt take an ipod if somebody gave it to me.

Jimmy

I used to have a Creative Zen Sleek 20gb version which was excellent. It had very stable software and a radio that you could record straight onto the player plus more menu options thanks to the keys. I left it under the seat on a plane unfortunately.

as capt mainwaring would say..." you stupid boy ! "

Jimmy

sampras38

passout wrote:

And yes agin. They are boring for anything over 20 minutes.

You must have one hell of a short attention span..;-)

Pross

Cheers DG, will look later - the site name is worrying though!