Elite Crono fluid elastogel turbo

Graeme Jones

Hi guys and gals,
Just had the above delivered from wiggle and set it up for a quick 5 minute go as I have my 8month old son with me whole mum has popped out so saving myself for tomorrow for a proper go if the weathers poor.
My question is has anyone else got one and how do they find it?
Would you say effort per gear is comparible to riding on the flat?
If so is it worth getting a cycle computer to monitor distance even though I'll be doing mainly interval training?

It is so quiet so very suprised at that! I will need a fan as you get hot quick without that breeze that you get out on the road.

Also got some new bibbed trousers today so hoping not to be a girls blouse and still get out through the cold weather and use turbo for windy, outing down or icy conditions.

thefd

Hi mate - I just ordered one of these yesterday. Good to hear your positive comments. Out of interest you mention you will be doing interal training. Can you tell me what you will be doing exactly?

I was planning,to follow one of these.

I have a Garmin 500 with speed and cadence sensors, as well as a heart rate monitor which I plan to use. I will switch off the GPS and log my turbo sessions separately.

rollemynot

I got one 3 weeks ago, I use my garmin 410 forerunner with speed and cadence with it. The 410 has pre programmed training plans for HR, interval and distance. So far I have just done distance work sessions at 10 and 15 miles, alternating with high cadence or big gear to replicate tempo hill work. The resistance is not as natural as a Kurt kinetic I had borrowed previously but I am now used to it. I would say the effort required is far greater than the road and a fan is vital. Not sure if you need motivational DVDs, I find the radio and my garmin is enough to stem the boredom. You'll not need bibbed trews BTW

Graeme Jones

I have been searching for interval programmes online and there is a website just for this if you google turbo trainer interval plans. There are a lot if good ones I will set up a winter plan over the next few days as I want to work on threshold, getting out the saddle as well as don't do much of it currently.
I have started downloading some decent music for my sessions and the winter bibs are for the road not trainer ;-) ill be wearing just my shorts lol. I need to sort a fan ASAP.
I haven't found a wheel riser for it a necessity as of yet but would prefer the wheel to be stationary which would help.
Good to know its tougher than road no time over winter to take it easy want to be ready for some sportives and maybe a few TTs next year!

dw300

I have the older version. It's fine as a trainer, nothing fancy, but robust and dependable.

See the TrainerRoad thread link in my sig below .. if you can fork out another £30-40 for a USB Ant+ stick, and £6 a month for subscription then it may interest you.

amaferanga

I go on about this a LOT, but unless Elite have changed the design of this turbo (mine is from ~2009) then the resistance is very dependent upon temperature. Here's what happens with mine if I ride at a constant power (so speed should be constant):



If you look at the two main blocks of 20min where power (middle graph) is held pretty much constant (there's still variability, but the average power for any period of >~1min is constant through each interval apart form at the end of the 2nd one where I ramped the power up). Then look at the top graph which shows speed. You'd hope and expect that speed would be fairly constant, but it's not. So if you're using speed to gauge your effort and holding that constant then your power output would be dropping through the interval, which clearly is not what you want. The speed/power relationship also depends on the ambient temperature so if your turbo is in a garage or unheated room then on cold days you'll be going slower for the same effort.

For comparison, here's the same thing with a Cycleops Fluid 2 turbo (costs about the same):



Constant power and constant speed in this case.

Just saying like.

Herbsman

Thanks for the info!

mkviken

just bought one of these

can anyone recommend a good training dvd to keep me from getting bored and stay motivated

cheeers