Introducing tech to my training

Rigged

Up until now I've just been riding on the roads with my iPhone running a GPS app to get basic distance, time average & speed data, but having had a winter ravaged by bad weather and long spells off the bike I think I might take the plunge and buy a turbo trainer. Whilst doing this I figure I may as well integrate a bit more tech into my cycling. With this in mind I'm looking to add a turbo trainer, GPS computer, heart rate monitor, cadence meter and if possible a power meter too.

Obviously I know none of this will come cheap, but the way I see it is it's either this or a gym membership at my local which would cost £375 per year to ride on a slightly uncomfortable cycling machine.

This leads me onto my multifaceted question; what's the best solution to this?

Right now, having done some reading of other which turbo trainer threads, I'm thinking a fluid turbo trainer (for the quietness) like a Cycleops Fluid2 or JetFluid, a Garmin 500 and then the only affordable solution to a power meter I've found is the Powercal with Sensor (for cadence). Does this seem about the way to go?

So a breakdown of the topics:
Fluid or Magnetic trainer?
Which trainer for max £300?
Which GPS device (compatible with Powercal or its alternative)?
Is the Powercal good, or are there better alternatives? (I know it's limited in accuracy vs a Powertap etc. but that the averages it provides are meant to be reasonably accurate)

I should add, I'd like to have the same information accessible on real rides as well as on the trainer, which is why I don't want to simply go for a trainer with a dedicated computer.

Sorry for the long and complex post, and thanks for your input!

springtide9

Maybe...

- kurt by kinetic - fluid ... maybe a s'hand rock and roll? (will last for years)
- garmin edge 500 with hr and speed/cadence sensors
- Trainer Road ( http://www.trainerroad.com/)

TR will give you a rough idea of Power as well as obviously offering motivation/training programs etc.

I'd skip on the Powercal. Not sure what this really offers anything and is next to useless for the shorter intervals (i.e. if I hold 120% of my FTP, it takes minutes for my HR to rise and level off)

Rigged

Interesting, thanks!

The idea behind the Powercal was to have a more measurable way to monitor my improvement where speed and distance can vary so much based on conditions. Of course, the Powercal's accuracy can be questionable too so I'm open to the idea of skipping that entirely (and it saves me money ).

I'm not training for any competitive purpose - I'll never be a strong enough rider to be happy if I let my competitive nature get involved - but being fit and healthy means a lot to me and I know that I'm motivated by measurable improvements such as speed, distance, and no doubt power as it's the most reliable of all. Sadly proper power meters are beyond my financial means at the moment!

twotyred

KK Road Machine or Jet Fluid Pro

Ant+ HRM and speed cadence sensor (I use Garmin but other brands are available)

Garmin Edge 500

TrainerRoad for virtual power and work outs or just use speed from the speed/cadence sensor as an approximate proxy for power (that's all TrainerRoad does).

SportTracks and/or Garmin Connect for data archiving and analysis.

If you can stretch to a power meter (don't bother with a Powercal the data will be useless) then a Power2max is I think your most effective most flexible option.

Alex_Simmons/RST

twotyred wrote:

KK Road Machine or Jet Fluid Pro

Ant+ HRM and speed cadence sensor (I use Garmin but other brands are available)

Garmin Edge 500

TrainerRoad for virtual power and work outs or just use speed from the speed/cadence sensor as an approximate proxy for power (that's all TrainerRoad does).

SportTracks and/or Garmin Connect for data archiving and analysis.

If you can stretch to a power meter (don't bother with a Powercal the data will be useless) then a Power2max is I think your most effective most flexible option.

Another alternative:

KK trainer + industrial fan for cooling
ANT+ speed sensor on rear wheel, maybe HR
PerfPro software with ANT+ USB stick

would need to go 2nd hand for the KK + fan to stick within OP's budget though

A (good) ANT+ power meter is not feasible within that budget limit.

Rigged

Having done a bit of reading on the KK Road Machine it seems like that is the best long-term option but at £100 more than the Fluid 2 and £70 more than Jet Fluid Pro it isn't the cheapest option, particularly given the excellent lifetime warranty that comes with the Cycleops trainers.

bobones

Have a look at Golden Cheetah v3 (currently beta). The developers are adding a lot of Trainer Road type features and will shortly allow users to add power curves for their own turbos. Currently power curves are hard coded for only a few turbos (KK Road Machine is one) but there are lots of workouts available for use. Amazing software for analyzing your rides even if you don't have a power meter.

Rigged

Very interesting that, thanks!

There's also the Cycleops Magneto Pro for me to consider. Supposedly quieter than the Jet Fluid Pro and the Fluid 2, and without the risk of fluid leaks it's a good option at £240 (same as the Jet Fluid Pro) but comes with the downside of needing resistance set before mounting the bike and no control over that resistance once you're on it.

I get the feeling that there's no right answer to all this!

bobones

KK Road Machine is the benchmark trainer so get that one if you can afford it. Trainer Road (or Golden Cheetah) with an ANT+ USB stick (Suunto Movestick - £25) and a Speed/Cadence sensor (Motorola ANT+ - £20 from Evans) are all you need to get started. Maybe add an Edge 500 and HR strap if you're feeling flush.

Rigged

Just to bring this thread up to date, I took delivery of my new Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro today and I'm very pleased, although I've only had a 20 minute spin so far. The excellent reports of customer services, the quick folding legs and quick mounting system made me choose it over the Kurt Kinetic in the end.

I'm still on the lookout for a good 2nd hand Garmin Edge 500, or perhaps hoping the new 510 might cause the price to fall a little.

skinnyrider

JFP are great. Nice choice.


Did you get a fan, you'll need one. So just get one now, it'll make PE, perceived effort, lower and efforts more sustainable.

Plus get some good over-ear headphones and make a few playlists for different moods/sessions. Keep them spruced up too, boring old music and you'll lack motivation.

This'll do - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STIRFLOW-18-P ... 460984397e

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The power curve for the JFP is pretty accurate. But I'd just use speed and make sure you consistant with tyre-pressue and roller pressure and you'll be able to compare workouts over time.

Rigged

skinnyrider wrote:

JFP are great. Nice choice.


Did you get a fan, you'll need one. So just get one now, it'll make PE, perceived effort, lower and efforts more sustainable.

Plus get some good over-ear headphones and make a few playlists for different moods/sessions. Keep them spruced up too, boring old music and you'll lack motivation.

This'll do - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STIRFLOW-18-P ... 460984397e

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The power curve for the JFP is pretty accurate. But I'd just use speed and make sure you consistant with tyre-pressue and roller pressure and you'll be able to compare workouts over time.

Thanks for the reply

I've got a couple of desk fans which can sit no more than about 18 inches from me that I hope will do the job, and the trainer is set up in a room with a TV and my hi-fi system so entertainment should be taken care of.

Next two jobs are to create a varied workout routine to stick to and to create a playlist to keep me in the zone when all I want to do is crawl into the shower!