Is a front wheel stand necessary for a turbo?

ad_snow
ad_snow Posts: 469
edited October 2012 in Road beginners
Just bought a 2nd hand Turbo off here (thanks, Nakita222!) and I notice that most new ones come with a "front wheel stand". Will not having one affect the enjoyment/performance of the turbo trainer? Please enlighten me why they are advised.

Thanks :lol:

Comments

  • only £12 just buy one.
    MADONE 5.2
  • Calpol
    Calpol Posts: 1,039
    Captainlip wrote:
    only £12 just buy one.
    Like he said ^^^
    Failing that a block of wood will do but dont expect it to be too stable if you are sprinting!
  • antfly
    antfly Posts: 3,276
    The turbo raise the rear wheel so you need to raise the front so the bike is level, that's all.
    Smarter than the average bear.
  • Chris James
    Chris James Posts: 1,040
    Just prop your front wheel on a couple of telephone directories or similar.

    I use a pile of old tiles I found in the garage (although they do crack a bit easily!)

    You'll need someting as it is annoying to continuously ride downhill for the session.
  • ad_snow
    ad_snow Posts: 469
    antfly wrote:
    The turbo raise the rear wheel so you need to raise the front so the bike is level, that's all.
    Thanks. Makes sense :)
  • greentea
    greentea Posts: 180
    Well why do you think they are advised?

    I mean, give it really good thought, go on. Let me give you a clue...your back wheel, that normally, out on the road, is on the ground, that stuff they call tarmac yes, and level with your front?

    But on the turbo, its raised up by a few inches and clamped, and the front wheel is still on the ground. So the back wheel is now high...the nose of the bike is pointing down.

    So go on, have a good think, the clue is in the name 'front wheel raiser', ????
  • ad_snow
    ad_snow Posts: 469
    Alright, no need to be a smart ars*.
    This is the beginners section for a reason
  • Lightning
    Lightning Posts: 360
    Some people use old books/telephone directories/whatever to raise it to the same level as the back wheel so you can try that if you want. Just keep in mind you will be able to steer as the wheel won't be "stuck" in one place. I tried it out once just to test as a friend of mine used to do it (I did have a front raiser already though) and found it incredibly annoying as you're putting down power and the wheel keeps slipping so a front raiser is a must in my opinion. You can always try and see if it bothers you?
  • greentea
    greentea Posts: 180
    ad_snow wrote:
    Alright, no need to be a smart ars*.
    This is the beginners section for a reason


    The fact its a 'beginners section' is irrelevant. Surely common sense tells you why? unless of course you like riding 'downhill' on the turbo?

    What do you want to ask next? what the bottle holder is for? :roll:
  • herb71
    herb71 Posts: 253
    They might be advised, but not strictly necessary.

    At my old clubs turbo night, out of 20 guys all lined up on turbos, perhaps 3 had proper stands. The rest of us either did not bother or used the ash trays, upside down, from the social club we used to train in.

    Try it without, if you feel uncomfortable use your ingenuinty and find something to prop the front, or splash out the £12 then.
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    greentea wrote:
    ad_snow wrote:
    Alright, no need to be a smart ars*.
    This is the beginners section for a reason


    The fact its a 'beginners section' is irrelevant. Surely common sense tells you why? unless of course you like riding 'downhill' on the turbo?

    What do you want to ask next? what the bottle holder is for? :roll:

    you r right, i read this question and just thought it was someone out for a rise.
  • OwenB
    OwenB Posts: 606
    My mate uses a house brick turned upside down so the front wheel sits in the indentation
  • greentea
    greentea Posts: 180
    OwenB wrote:
    My mate uses a house brick turned upside down so the front wheel sits in the indentation


    Now that i applaud. A good bit of common sense, i like it. :D
  • Use the Argos catalog like I do :-)
  • ad_snow
    ad_snow Posts: 469
    mikeabanks wrote:
    Use the Argos catalog like I do :-)
    I used some GQ magazines and a harddrive stand (right kind of shape) but was still a bit slippy.

    Going to try a house brick next ;)
  • http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150816517959? ... 1439.l2649

    I bought one of these. For the cost, not worth all the faffing around with anything else.
  • If you don't use one it's like riding downhill. You won't be training as hard then will you.
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    JamesB5446 wrote:
    If you don't use one it's like riding downhill. You won't be training as hard then will you.
    Brilliant i love it. I hope you intentionally missed the :wink:
    Bianchi Infinito CV
    Bianchi Via Nirone 7 Ultegra
    Brompton S Type
    Carrera Vengeance Ultimate Ltd
    Gary Fisher Aquila '98
    Front half of a Viking Saratoga Tandem
  • lotus49
    lotus49 Posts: 763
    JamesB5446 wrote:
    If you don't use one it's like riding downhill. You won't be training as hard then will you.

    But if he uses two bricks he will be going uphill steeply and will be training much harder for no extra effort. How good would that be :D .
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    greentea wrote:
    Well why do you think they are advised?

    I mean, give it really good thought, go on. Let me give you a clue...your back wheel, that normally, out on the road, is on the ground, that stuff they call tarmac yes, and level with your front?

    But on the turbo, its raised up by a few inches and clamped, and the front wheel is still on the ground. So the back wheel is now high...the nose of the bike is pointing down.

    So go on, have a good think, the clue is in the name 'front wheel raiser', ????
    It must be wonderful to have lived your entire life without ever asking a question that someone else deemed stupid.

    To be fair the OP didn't ask what it was for, he asked whether they were necessary.

    In my personal experience, they're nice to have, but not "necessary". I used my turbo for a couple of years without one, and then bought one last winter when we moved into a house with a garage and I could leave my turbo set up.

    I didn't find it particularly slippery with the wheel on the floor, but I'd say it is more comfortable having the bike level rather than pointing downwards.
  • I use an Argos catalogue and its great. I then add a next directory to simulate hill climbs!
  • lotus49 wrote:
    JamesB5446 wrote:
    If you don't use one it's like riding downhill. You won't be training as hard then will you.

    But if he uses two bricks he will be going uphill steeply and will be training much harder for no extra effort. How good would that be :D .
    I have my front wheel on an air bed and I shout "Cat 4", "Cat 1", etc to my girlfriend every so often and she pumps it up to the required angle.