Exercise Bike Vs Turbo Trainer

BlakeysFC

Hi All,

Thinking about buying a Turbo trainer for the days during the winter months when there is snow and ice about.

However, I've got a gym membership and can use the exercise bike down the gym whenever I please too, so Is there much point in buying a turbo trainer?

I know that with a turbo you get to ride your actual bike on a trainer and I'd imagine the resistance you can set on them is more realistic than that of an Exercise bike? Plus I'm not overly a huge fan of gyms in the first place, plus I could listen to/watch whatever I want with a trainer whereas at the gym they set the music/tv I watch.

Just don't want to spend £100-£150 if my gym exercise bike will do?

Suppose what I'm trying to say, is, is there actually any health/cycling benefits from using a trainer rather than an exercise bike (as its on a actual bike, resistance greater etc.) or would I be best of saving my money and just using the exercise bike at my gym?

Captainlip

BlakeysFC wrote:

don't want to spend £100-£150 if my gym exercise bike will do

Answered your own question

#david2012

For me it was all about convenience, im sure the physical benefits are the same. Ive set up mine in the loft prop up my ipad infront of me and watch sky go etc. Again personally id rather ride my own bike and use the gears for resistance just feels all together more of an experience, yes its a cost but only a one off one that you have for keeps.

saprkzz

I have a turbo trainer in my garage, and I have also just joined a gym.

The difference I find, is the excerise bike seem easier to use. I perfer the settings and are more comfortable.

If i was to list pro's & cons:

Gym:
Pro's
Comfort on excercise bike is better than road bike on a trainer
I push myself harder because of the functions on the excercise bike
You can combine the workout with running/weights and rowing
Access to free spinning classes
Can have a swim/sauna afterwards
Get to look at women
Gets you out of the house
Is a fantastic adition to a 6 day a week program

Cons:
Cost
Have to travel to gym which effects motivation
In busy times of the day you may not get on the bike

Trainer
Pro's
Convenient
Do as long as you want
Can do whatever you want
Can watch whatever program/film you want
Shorter time frame required

Con's
A pain in the a*se to set your road bike up (explain below)
Wear in tyres
Bike is under use, strain on components
Cold if in your garage
Trainer in the way unless you have somewhere to store it
Uncomfortable
To noisey (when kids in bed)

*The bike set up - I have to remove the rear wheel to get the training wheel on, then set it up on the trainer. The next day i go out on the road bike i have to swap it back over. I do have a "best" bike as well, but there is no way i would put the trainer. It does become a pain, and i am quite a lazy chap.

In the summer you dont need the trainer as the conditions are generally ok to get out, either on a MTB or road bike. In the winter, going to the gym to use the equipment is great.
Hope this helps.

greentea

For me theres no comparison, a gym exercise bike is nothing like a turbo trainer. Turbos offer a far better workout, you dont see Pro teams using gym bikes do you?

The difference between a gym and turbo bike are this. On a gym bike the resistance is all in the pedals and cranks as a fixed resistance. You hit a button, the resistance moves up, the pedals get a bit hard to turn. But its still all at the pedals.
With a turbo, the resistance can be changed with gears but that resistance can be felt in the whole bike and more importantly, the back wheel, which is where you will find it on the road. Some turbos also have resistance setting on top of your gears. But the most important thing is that the resistance is identical to the road.

On a gym bike, you only feel it at your feet, body weight doesnt come into it, moving on the gym bike doesnt make any difference, you can sit there and pedal, thats it.
Turbo, you feel it everywhere, if you sit back on the seat the rear wheel gets harder to turn, you feel it throughout your whole body.

For me, its night and day, turbo wins every time, especially for training purposes. Sure, you'll get fit on an exercise bike but you'll get much fitter on a turbo.

I know plenty of mates who have given it the big one with me in the gym, keeping up 25mph on an exercise bike, but then come round, try the turbo and find that struggle to hit 20mph and those that do are sweating their nads off after ten minutes.

Exercise bikes are for women clad in lycra talking on their mobile phones, they are for lazy bast@rds.

kayakerchris

I think as well you are moulding your bum and saddle to each other with a turbo.

I now find gym bikes really uncomfortable.

jgsi

There are no cons against turbo trainers.
None at all.

Still as a beginner, I'd probably look to getting to actual riding and yes using your gym membership.
Whilst you are still in the initial phases of coming to terms with road bikes and all what that entails, then spending on extras like turbos can wait.
Eventually you may become as afflicted as me, who trains on turbos to only one end, to keep fitness, get stronger, to get crushed in races... to sit on a turbo trainer for any other purpose you have to be even more fuddled.

Bobbinogs

OK, my view is that both are good...but the turbo is much better. I find that using exercise bikes are just not right for decent sessions as the q factor is usually immense and the saddle is just not made for cyclists (all squashy and fat, the saddle that is).

Using a turbo can be great for other things like fettling; they are really spot on for gear faffing, messing about with stems, saddles, chains, etc. Also, I try and do at least one stretching session per day which is ok when using the bike properly (so one can stretch afterwards) but if having an 'off the bike' day the stretching is definitely best after a 10 min light warm up on a turbo (yes, an exercise bike at the gym would also do this but who wants to go to a gym just to do 10 mins on a bike). Also, I have used my turbo a lot when recovering from injury and having something in the house makes me much more likely to do a gentle 20 min low resistence ride twice a day than if I had to go to a gym...the temptation would be either not to bother or do too much to make the trip worthwhile and then suffer a breakdown in the recovery.

Using a turbo at home for proper training is a breeze when you can follow sufferfest videos on a laptop...makes the hour of suffering feel like...err, well, an hour of suffering but at least it is not boring as well

fast as fupp

these sufferfest videos?

saprkzz

Reading the replies since my reply, has made me think of your (op) actual original question,

And I agree with peolpe above, in the terms What is better: Excercise Bike Vs Turbo, and yes the turbo is the better workout,

I was thinking of the Gym as a whole... My CV has taken a huge leap forward since joining the gym, as I still do an Hour on the turbo doing training DVD's in the week, but going to the Gym for an hour and half, *FOR ME* gets me going much more than the turbo will do.. In the time, i work on Rowing, Running, Swimming and core strength (V-sit ups, planks etc etc) including 35 minutes on the Race style excercise bike. It is amazing for CV and noticable. Sorry, I got carried away, as you were asking what was better, the Gym Bike vs Turbo, i answered more Gym vs Turbo.

BlakeysFC

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I'd only be using the turbo trainer/exercise bike one day a week to do a 10 mile recovery ride on Mondays after doing 45/50/60/65/75 miles the weekend beforehand.

The rest of the time It'd be a last resort if because of snow/ice etc. in the winter months and I couldn't go out on the road.

If I bought a turbo trainer would I need to get a new back wheel to use on it too?

saprkzz

Not really, you can use your bike wheel, but tyre wear is the main problem. I have a turbo trainer specific tyre, and because of this i fitted it to a spare ally wheel which i just swap over when i want to use the turbo.

For warm up sessions, doing 15 minutes before a hard ride i do use my normal wheel and tyre set up. I change it over when i know I am going to sit on it for half an hour or more.

dandrew

I do both. I prefer the turbo but enjoy mixing it up a bit by going to the gym and spinning or doing a hard hours hill climbing on a gym bike.

Bobbinogs

BlakeysFC wrote:

If I bought a turbo trainer would I need to get a new back wheel to use on it too?

Just look out for a cheapo 2nd hand rear wheel to make things easier, like an RS10, Racing 7 or R500, etc. Then, just stick an old cassette and old tyre on and swapping over is a 10 seconds job. You can use turbo specific tyres but I don't bother. Don't forget to get the biggest fan you can afford as the sweat you will generate is quite incredible, so an old towel for the floor is a good idea as is a small towel for your bike to stop all the salty water dropping onto the headset, etc.