Is a garage the only place for a Turbo Trainer?

ATRacer

Hi all,

I've been reading up on Winter rides and the uses of a turbo trainer. I would personally much rather get out in the cold and rain and give it full whack, but looking at Turbo's - they could offer an advantage should the roads be icy or it just too dark etc.

Now I live in a first floor flat in a two-storey building. From experience, does anyone know if getting one set up in the spare room would cause havoc for the residents below? Is a garage the only place for a turbo?

Or are they things fairly well contained and quiet?

All opinions welcome. If it's only top-of-the-range systems that are quiet enough that will answer my question as I would be looking at keeping costs down.

Thanks!

diamonddog

Depends if you have a concrete or wooden floor (concrete is better - less resonance), if you put the turbo on matting it helps to deaden the sound, having said that my mag turbo is not really that noisy and cost about £140.

elderone

My turbo was well under £100 and it,s quiet enough.I use mine in the kitchen when the mrs is watching tv and that seems perfectly ok.IF your worried about people below then set the turbo up on a soft mat like a camping mat as an insulator.This works well.
You will also need a big fan if turboing indoors.

diamonddog

^ +1 for the fan.

Kimble

one of the most important aspects of using the turbo is the tyres you're using. use a turbo specific tyre to reduce noise and save your own tyres as turbo is harsh on tyres! if you're using any sorta tread on the turbo you're going to get a significant noise.

ForumNewbie

I've got an Elite Crono Fluid Elastogel turbo which I think is quiet compared to some, which I use upstairs in the house in the winter. However as well as a mat I had to put 5 layers of flooring underlay under the mat, as the vibrations were rattling the kitchen windows downstairs - so, yes it could cause problems for your neighbours in the flat downstairs.

Mikey23

Mines in the lounge next to the telly! Plus one for fan... I didn't realise it was possible to sweat so much. Also mat and special tyre. I've done about 200 in 3 weeks and my gatorskin is looking distinctly flat ...

Could you not chat to your neighbours, get them to let you know how noisy it is or perhaps negotiate a time when it's mutually convenient.

kwi

No where else but the garage for mine, it's LOUD. BUt then it's an inexpensive air resistance model to see if I could get on with it, (The boredom and sweatyness sides.) I can and now am looking a fluid resistance one.

southdownswolf

I have an Elite gel type TT, can't remember which one, but it is very quiet for a trainer. I normally have it in the lounge watching the football after the kids go to bed. otherwise in the spare room listening to music. Either way, I always have a decent fan to keep me cooler.

apreading

I have the Tacx Satori, which is meant to be pretty quiet but wouldnt use it indoors. Mind you, the fan would be loud too if trying to watch TV - unless you all have the TV really loud?

OverTheHillAt21

No, I've twice used them in the main room indoors when I didn't have a garage. The second one I had was one where it locked on to the rims not the tyres so made very little noise or mess from spraying rubber bits everywhere.

nochekmate

Set mine up in the classroom for an hour between 6.30am and 7.30am well before the pupils arrive. Turbo is placed in front of a 6ft size interactive board with Sufferfest DVDs playing and music on loud - pretty good set-up to be honest but I still prefer to ride the roads and only use the turbo when the roads are too icy to ride.

supermurph09

I've had mine outside!

http://youtu.be/u0_qUjhkrcs

gubber12345

would anybody use a carbon bike on it?

djfleming22

Yes....all of cycling teams

DavidJB

I put mine in the dining room and the women can stfu if she has a problem with it

nochekmate

gubber12345 wrote:

would anybody use a carbon bike on it?

Whyever not?

Mikey23

I read somewhere that putting a carbon on a turbo could cause abnormal strain on the frame... Seems rubbish to me

zardoz

I use mine in front of the fire so I don't get cold

Monty Dog

I have a unheated timber workshop with double doors where I use my turbo or rollers. I start with the door slightly ajar and after my warm-up I open them right out, even in minus temperatures because I'm generating so much heat.

jordan_217

Conservatory for me, doors wide open. My Missus can't hear it from the adjoining kitchen.

No probs whatsoever with a carbon bike on a turbo, just don't be doing any silly out of the saddle, full on, sprints! (the ones where you're wrestling the handlebars like you're on a bucking bronco). That's probs not an issue on one of those fancy dan, new fangled Kurt Kinetic do dah's though...

k3vinjam3s

Considering buying a turbo but really have space to use it in my living room. I'm concerned of people commenting on rubber from the tyres coming f gradually over time. Is this common or just a rare occurance with certain tyres?

Mikey23

I've done 200 on mine indoors on a light carpet and not seen any of this flying rubber of which people speak. My tyre is a gatorskin and is looking flatter than I remember though...

ricey155

always in the garage and always single speed turbo time.

navrig

Surprised no-one has asked, are rollers quieter?

slowbike

k3vinjam3s wrote:

Considering buying a turbo but really have space to use it in my living room. I'm concerned of people commenting on rubber from the tyres coming f gradually over time. Is this common or just a rare occurance with certain tyres?

I won't use the current road tyre on the turbo - they heat up and knacker too quickly.
I have several old road tyres - the ones that puncture too frequently - and a spare back wheel/cassette - just swap back wheels when you want to use the turbo. You can get the proper turbo tyres that may be quieter/last longer - I think I'll wait till I run out of old tyres!