Turbo trainer

mcowan77
mcowan77 Posts: 560
edited August 2013 in Road buying advice
Folks

I'm looking for some advice re buying a turbo trainer

With winter nearly here I'm thinking about make a purchase now

Needs to be fairly quiet as ill be running it in the downstairs spare room( young kids will be sleeping upstairs)... Do they make a mess?
Cheers

Ps not too pricey!!!

Comments

  • dnwhite88
    dnwhite88 Posts: 285
    They don't make a mess but the do make a bit of a hum or a whine but some are louder than others. I have the tacx blue motion and don't find it too loud
    "It never gets easier, you just go faster"
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Elite is the make I have paid about £135 for it, 5 levels of tension changed from bar fitting changer, not too noisy, no mess at all mine is in the dining room.
  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    By the way defo get a turbo tyre otherwise your road tyre will die very quickly if you use it regularly through the winter IME, original turbo tyre is still running fine on mine. :)
  • supermurph09
    supermurph09 Posts: 2,471
    Winter nearly here? FFS! Cheer up! :D
    Trainer Road Blog: https://hitthesweetspot.home.blog/

    Cycling blog: https://harderfasterlonger.wordpress.com/

    Blog: https://supermurphtt2015.wordpress.com/

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  • mcowan77
    mcowan77 Posts: 560
    I stay in scotland!!!!
  • mcowan77
    mcowan77 Posts: 560
    Any recommendations?
  • StillGoing
    StillGoing Posts: 5,211
    If you have the budget, consider the Tacx VR trainers. I have the i-Flow VR and after getting through one or two issues with Windows 8, it works perfectly. I can ride anywhere in the world using GPS mapping, which relays images onto the screen whilst applying brake resistance to represent gradient increases. There are also dvds of popular climbs that you can purchase. The catalyst functions are useful for pyramid training either by time, slope or watts and a CP20 test.
    I ride a bike. Doesn't make me green or a tree hugger. I drive a car too.
  • mikenetic
    mikenetic Posts: 486
    Kurt Kinetic Road Machine and Rock and Roll are both very good. I have the RnR, and in conjunction with Trainer Road it's a very efficient way of keeping yourself in good nick over the winter.
  • ericthered
    ericthered Posts: 26
    I got an Elite Crono Fluid ElastoGel (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-flu ... el-trainer) last winter and there's more noise from the bike itself than from the trainer. I was using it in a room next to a sleeping 9 month old baby without any problems. Would recommend getting a training mat as well to keep the floor clean. And +1 for the TrainerRoad recommendation above.
  • adamfo
    adamfo Posts: 763
    I've had a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine for 2 years now with no problems. With a smooth tyre it makes very little noise. The roller is connected via a permanent magnet to a vane running in oil in a sealed unit. There are no seals to leak or noisy friction devices involved.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    1) Tyre choice - I have a collection of knackered road tyres so just use them as it will knacker your best road tyres - I have a spare wheel & cassette to swap in so there's no swapping tyres around.

    2) Dirt - yes you will get dirt - unless your bike is spotless then you'll be dropping bits off the chain, road tyres also shed a little bit of rubber and if you're doing it right then you'll be shedding quite a bit too! So it needs to be somewhere easily cleaned or on something that doesn't matter.
    Of course, if you're not taking your bike on the road at all during the winter then you should be able to minimise the bike dirt by giving it a thorough clean first.
  • mcowan77
    mcowan77 Posts: 560
    Cheers for the advice folks

    I'd love a VR but I don't think I could hide it from the wife!!!

    Ill have a look at the elite crono fluid

    Ta

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