Turbo Advice - Elite Crono Fluid ElastoGel (Xmas Prezzie!)

road_runner12

Hi all,

Just wanted some general advice. Managed to have this as part of Xmas, unfortunately can't touch it until then. Any owners out there? Any tips on setup and beginners training advice?

Currently got 'the flu' so already know any fitness I had will be wiped out. So thinking a nice and easy introduction come December 27th....

DavidJB

road_runner12 wrote:

Hi all,

Just wanted some general advice. Managed to have this as part of Xmas, unfortunately can't touch it until then. Any owners out there? Any tips on setup and beginners training advice?

Currently got 'the flu' so already know any fitness I had will be wiped out. So thinking a nice and easy introduction come December 27th....

I got one...its easy to set up you just use the metal QR that comes with it....beware though I chipped some paint off of my dropouts when not looking what I was doing as there is a bolt that comes out of it for fixing to the TT GRRRR...I also had an issue where the QR would come loose so just make sure you give it a decent tighten (you notice way before you'd be in danger of pinging off as the bike starts to wobble)

Other than those small niggles its a decent TT. Id recommend getting some training videos to make the time go faster and give you a much better workout...just spinning @ 90RPM for two hours will make your mind and balls rather numb. I found the train right ones are ok but I'd wack some music on and follow the screen prompts because some american saying 'good job tim' 900 times really pisses you off by the end of the hour.

I only do 1 hour interval sessions on my turbo and maybe another 30 minutes steady pace but I get bored. I do my base rides at the weekends.

DavidJB

Oh and not sure if you've used a TT before but put a towel under the floor, keep one for the sweat (which if you're anything like me will feel like you've put it in the bath after you're done) and have a big fan / bottle of water/carb at the ready

argonrider

I got this trainer about 2 months ago and i have to say it has performed very well. The resistance on it is pretty damn good, using your gears like on the road, the fluid makes it harder resistance as you increase gears.
Defiantly recommend a towel on the floor aswell, thinking of getting a 'bike thong' to stop all the sweat getting on the bike.
Setting up is easy peasy, but like above id really pay attention when rigging it up and you can scratch your frame if your a bit shaky putting it in the rig. Noise levels are low aswell so thats a bonus. I tend to watch a dvd or have some music on the break up the time. Recommended getting some proper headphones (the big whole ear ones) as although its queit the noise can get boring after about 30 seconds!
Enjoy it!

Zachariah

I've had one of these for a year.

Works great as a trainer - as with all other such devices, you'll need serious motivation or lots of videos/audiobooks etc to get you through the hours you'll spend on it.

Ditto the towels. I've narrowed it down to three, a big one, a medium one and a small one. Big one goes underneath on the floor, medium one covers the headset area, small on the seat. You're going to sweat, and sweat loads.

Either I've got a defective model, or some people's noise threshold is much greater than mine (I don't think I go any faster than anyone else, it's louder the faster your rear wheel turns). It's pretty damn loud. At 90rpm with 53x17 gearing, resistance level three on the little dial, you have to really raise your voice to speak to someone next to you and watching TV is impossible. I use earphones to hear my laptop. I use it in the kitchen in a flat, and the downstairs neighbours initially thought it was a washing machine of some kind.

Ditto the advice about the QR - don't even think about using your existing one.

Use a spare/old tyre.

Enjoy! It will get you race fit - but only in cardio terms.

road_runner12

argonrider wrote:

Setting up is easy peasy, but like above id really pay attention when rigging it up and you can scratch your frame if your a bit shaky putting it in the rig.

Having not seen it out of the box yet (girlfriend insists I wait until Xmas..) no idea what I'll be looking for when it comes to setting it up. What do I need to be aware of to avoid scratching the frame?

Zachariah

You know the game Operation? It's a bit like that in reverse. You've got to 'drop' the rear of the bike between the arms that will take hold of the QR. If you're careless, you can easily scrape a bit of the rear triangle (or the derailleur) on the hard metal clamps.

Alex_Simmons/RST

Zachariah wrote:

You know the game Operation? It's a bit like that in reverse. You've got to 'drop' the rear of the bike between the arms that will take hold of the QR. If you're careless, you can easily scrape a bit of the rear triangle (or the derailleur) on the hard metal clamps.

You don't need to do that.

Just release the QR to loosen it's grip on the frame, then completely unwind the QR skewer all the way so that the non skewer end comes right off the end of the skewer's threaded axle, along with the small conical shaped spring (don't lose the spring!) and slide it out of the hub axle. Once you've removed it, just screw the cap end back on the skewer so you don't lose the spring or cap end. Put the skewer somewhere you will not lose it.

The wheel will remain in the frame with the skewer removed, but is just not held in place tightly.

Then simply place the trainer specific skewer in the same way by removing the non skewer end and sliding the skewer through the hub - then put the skewer spring and cap back on (the small end of spring is closest to the frame), wind it on and adjust so that when you close the QR, it's firmly holding the wheel in place. It needs to be pretty tight, but not so tight you can't undo the QR.

Takes maybe 30 seconds and no need to be removing/replacing the wheel in the frame.

Zachariah

I think we might be talking cross-purposes here - I'm not suggesting changing the skewer every time you go to the turbo (I leave the trainer QR in all the time now except for special occasions!). The Turbo has almost no setup required - I just unfold it, ease the bike down between the clamps and turn the screw to hold the rear wheel in place - as you say, 30 seconds or less and it's done (it takes me longer to set up the towels and my ghetto front wheel rest).

It's just that when you're 'backing up', for want of a better term, into the jaws of the turbo, it's possible you can give the frame a bite if you're not paying attention. It's not really an issue of any concern, but you would be a bit miffed if it happened!

road_runner12

Finally got my hands on it and I'm quite impressed. Easy to put together, and with a little care with my bike going in reverse, secured to QR to the trainer nicely. All in working order and ready to go. Thing is, where do you start?

Wanted this turbo to put some meaningful work in. Since I've had the bike it's been basic fitness to enable me to complete sportive. But now I want to complete a sportive and do it in a little more style, and have a good at a TT or two.

But having been unwell recently and not been on the bike doing meaningful work, can anyone recommend a good training regime for someone who's basically starting from scratch?