Turbo Trainer Fan Advice

a_t_pickering

Right then, here we go... I've got my training room built, the turbo trainer is in, and the bike is ready for some interval training, i just need fan.

I'm not sure whether to go for a pedestal fan for face cooling, or to go for a tower fan for the full body cooling.
Has anyone used either and what would you recommend?
Any advice is greatly appreciated

Alex_Simmons/RST

a_t_pickering wrote:

Right then, here we go... I've got my training room built, the turbo trainer is in, and the bike is ready for some interval training, i just need fan.

I'm not sure whether to go for a pedestal fan for face cooling, or to go for a tower fan for the full body cooling.
Has anyone used either and what would you recommend?
Any advice is greatly appreciated

Get the largest bad-ass industrial fan you can fit (otherwise known as a BFF). Domestic fans simply don't cut it, their rate of airflow is simply too low.

whojanicanackerov

Yes dont muck about with toys from argos. go for the big one and save money in the long run because you wont have to buy twice.

amaferanga

I've got 2 cheap 16" pedestal fans. More than enough cooling for my garage. Never had them both on full. In the winter, which is when I spend most of my time on the turbo I rarely have any more than both fans on '1' (max is '3').

Dave_P1

Has anyone got any links to the fans they own?

rickr55

I use a large pedestal fan that moves up and down it has a remote control that i keep in the bike thong so i can crank the speed of the fan (four speed settings) when things get a bit hot was bought from Argos for about £60 last year.

rickr55

this is mine gone up a bit though
http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/p ... 960873.htm

dru

I have a £10 desk fan placed on a chair just in front of the bike and not blocking the computer monitor.
It blows air and thats enough.

Getting hot and bothered is fine - it means when you cycle outside or on hot days you are used to it

napoleond

This is the mofo I have.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004AZG ... mdp_mobile

I got mine from Tesco for about 28 quid though. Think they've stopped doing them though.

Alex_Simmons/RST

My sustainable turbo power at threshold went up 20 watts the day I replaced my domestic fan with this:

ilm_zero7

I had a 14'' one - worked a treat

mrc1

NapoleonD wrote:

This is the mofo I have.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B004AZG ... mdp_mobile

I got mine from Tesco for about 28 quid though. Think they've stopped doing them though.

I've got this one as well - also from Tesco. I love it. You can definitely get more powerful ones (although I've never really needed more than this on full whack) but given that I don't have a permanent space for my turbo (I use the kitchen) this is the best compromise as it takes up very little room and being plastic its easy to move around.

Tom Butcher

I'm with the biggest you can find lot - especially if the turbo is in the house - I do most of mine in Winter in the garage and I still have the fan on full whack when I start working hard - it's too cold like that for a warm up but get going and you need it.

twotyred

+1 for the Tesco/Amazon unit NapD posted. Got mine at Tesco but as NapD says they;ve stopped doing them now. Mine's never needed to go past the lowest setting

Dave_P1

Cheers for the links guys

paggnr

I like mine on the ground blowing up at me as opposed to one on a stand. Still get the biggest you can though!

a_t_pickering

Thanks for all the advice guys, and for the links.
I've been out to a few shops today to test out some tower fans and to be honest, they seem pretty much useless. They look nice and have some nice features (remote control being very important) but the air flow from them just isn't enough.
I'd love to have one of those Dyson tower fans, but they're a little too expensive at around £250!!
It would appear that the way forward is indeed a pedestal or floor "standard" fan. But hopefully one with a remote!!

whojanicanackerov

This is the one
http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/cooling-air- ... n-11607659

ariege_cyclist

+2 for the fan NapD posted, I also got mine from Tesco.

I train outside under a car port and still need it on full power if the weather is above about 7C (usually night time or really throwing it down, otherwise I'd be on the road). I start with it on 1 then stop after a 5 min warm up to crank it up to 2 or 3 depending on the ambient.

Last night though it was -2C when I started and I had a full on East wind in my face, the fan was spinning on it's own and I didn't need to switch it on at all, just the opposite, it took half way through my first 2x20 to get feeling in my fingers!!

neeb

This is the one I use:

http://www.produktinfo.conrad.com/datenblaetter/525000-549999/533498-da-01-en-Bodenventilator_HV_142E.pdf

It's so powerful I don't always even need the top setting. It's about 10 times more powerful than those pathetic white plastic things that are all you can buy in most shops. This is definitely a purchase decision where you want to look for the word "industrial" in the product description. It should be heavy, made of metal and make a sound like a turboprop.

BeeTee666

Just purchased a(Honeywell HS-216E) Oscillating Pedestal Fan - 135cm. from Argos £39.99,down from £49.99...so cool now 8) ...perfect for home use.

springtide9

Personally...

Currently have a 15" standard stand fan. but on hard turbo sessions it's no where near enough...

I have been looking for an industrial 24" drum fan on Ebay as I think that's what's really needed. There is a similar fan at the local (spinning) gym - and really does the trick.

springtide9

Managed to pick up a s'hand Prem-I-Air DF24 (24" Drum Fan)

http://www.aircon247.com/p/394545/prem- ... heels.html

... from Ebay for a bargain of £30 (and it's local!)

So I'm now all set for when the temperature rises (but can't get outside for various reasons)

3 speeds with 300 watts of cooling (or is that extra heat?). I guess as my current 18" stand fan is only 50 watts, it's going to blow like the North Wind!

Murr X

springtide9 wrote:

Managed to pick up a s'hand Prem-I-Air DF24 (24" Drum Fan)

http://www.aircon247.com/p/394545/prem- ... heels.html

... from Ebay for a bargain of £30 (and it's local!)

So I'm now all set for when the temperature rises (but can't get outside for various reasons)

3 speeds with 300 watts of cooling (or is that extra heat?). I guess as my current 18" stand fan is only 50 watts, it's going to blow like the North Wind!

This is exactly what is needed for turbo training! Unlike the totally unsuitable fans that most cyclists use this will actually enable you to train properly.

I wish everybody had your sense and realized that an expensive turbo is not much good without a suitable fan. Kind of like buying a $7000 bike than riding in boots and flat pedals along with baggy clothes...

Murr X

ncr

a_t_pickering wrote:

Right then, here we go... I've got my training room built, the turbo trainer is in, and the bike is ready for some interval training, i just need fan.

I'm not sure whether to go for a pedestal fan for face cooling, or to go for a tower fan for the full body cooling.
Has anyone used either and what would you recommend?
Any advice is greatly appreciated

A second smaller fan set about 6 ins. from the pedal and aimed at the BB is great for keeping your feet from overheating.

jotko

I have one of these - £30 bargain

http://www.screwfix.com/p/18-high-veloc ... rome/54056

morph

springtide9 wrote:

Managed to pick up a s'hand Prem-I-Air DF24 (24" Drum Fan)

http://www.aircon247.com/p/394545/prem- ... heels.html

... from Ebay for a bargain of £30 (and it's local!)

So I'm now all set for when the temperature rises (but can't get outside for various reasons)

3 speeds with 300 watts of cooling (or is that extra heat?). I guess as my current 18" stand fan is only 50 watts, it's going to blow like the North Wind!

Springtide9, How noisy is it when running at an adequate speed to keep you cool? I currently have a 16" pedestal fan that really doesn't do the job, but at the same time I need to get a quieter turbo and don't want to undo that with a noisy fan.

Cheers

springtide9

morph wrote:

springtide9 wrote:

Managed to pick up a s'hand Prem-I-Air DF24 (24" Drum Fan)

http://www.aircon247.com/p/394545/prem- ... heels.html

... from Ebay for a bargain of £30 (and it's local!)

So I'm now all set for when the temperature rises (but can't get outside for various reasons)

3 speeds with 300 watts of cooling (or is that extra heat?). I guess as my current 18" stand fan is only 50 watts, it's going to blow like the North Wind!

Springtide9, How noisy is it when running at an adequate speed to keep you cool? I currently have a 16" pedestal fan that really doesn't do the job, but at the same time I need to get a quieter turbo and don't want to undo that with a noisy fan.

Cheers

Sorry missed this.... and only picked it up last night..



The fan isn't the quietest, especially on it's fastest setting, although it's not so bad on 'low' (which still moves a decent amount of air.
But one thing worth pointing out, the noise get dampened pretty well by the surroundings, so once the door is closed it's not like a whining turbo (or loud music)

rubberbullet

Resurrecting a very old question, but I've recently had my bike room exiled to an external garage, well away from power sockets. Has anyone come up with any ingenious methods for powering a fan of some kind without mains electricity? Are there any battery packs or similar that might be up to the job? A generator might be a bit overkill with the fumes and noise...

markhewitt1978

rubberbullet wrote:

Resurrecting a very old question, but I've recently had my bike room exiled to an external garage, well away from power sockets. Has anyone come up with any ingenious methods for powering a fan of some kind without mains electricity? Are there any battery packs or similar that might be up to the job? A generator might be a bit overkill with the fumes and noise...

Electric motors just suck far too much power for a battery powered fan to be a viable option. Unless perhaps you could rig up some sort of collector to use the power from your pedalling.

florerider

BeeTee666 wrote:

Just purchased a(Honeywell HS-216E) Oscillating Pedestal Fan - 135cm. from Argos £39.99,down from £49.99...so cool now 8) ...perfect for home use.

Got one too, just make sure you get it lined up right to get the full blast.