Which Turbo singing and Dancing or more basic

baileyjb
baileyjb Posts: 41
edited October 2013 in Training, fitness and health
Hi.
I am thinkning of getting a Turbo for the Winter. I have never had one before but over the summer have built up my fitness to 100 mile sportives and want to keep up the training over the Winter. I am a bit of a gadgit man and quite like the virtual trainers meaning I can download maps from google and cycle my summer triaining routes. Unfortunately these are very expensive and I wonder if they are a bit of a waste of money. Are the cheaper turbos just a good?

Has anyone had both or can anyone recomend what the mininum spec I need to look out for?

Thanks

Comments

  • diamonddog
    diamonddog Posts: 3,426
    Elite mag or fluid turbo about £140 and Sufferfest DVDs or similar. :)
  • mzm70
    mzm70 Posts: 123
    I have a BKOOL VR trainer if you are interested, here's DCRAINMAKER's review

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/12/bkoo ... eview.html
  • duckson
    duckson Posts: 961
    http://www.planet-x-bikes.co.uk/i/q/TRK ... ll_trainer

    I bought one of these although they have upped the price £30 since last week. Its the mark 1 so is discounted as the mark 2 is out shortly, although there isnt alot of difference.
    Cheers, Stu
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    I've had this Tacx Flow for 3-4 years now and it's served me very well.

    http://www.acycles.co.uk/tacx-flow-home ... tAodKSoAnQ

    It's nothing fancy but does provide a power readout, which whilst perhaps not the same as a PowerTap et al, it does at least seem to be consistent across each ride so I can gauge improvements.

    I have a healthy stock of cycling movies that I use whilst training, and tend to do my own workouts on it based upon my needs rather than buying them from Sufferfest et al.
  • baileyjb
    baileyjb Posts: 41
    mzm70 wrote:
    I have a BKOOL VR trainer if you are interested, here's DCRAINMAKER's review

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/12/bkoo ... eview.html

    Thanks I had not heard of this make but look interesting. Is yours for sale or did I misread your message?
  • wardieboy
    wardieboy Posts: 230
    Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll - Less rigid than a non moving turbo so is gentler on your arse! Also it is the trainer recommended by trainerroad.com, so if you are into hooking it up to the laptop you have that option down the line.

    They are also built like tanks with a lifetime guarantee. The only downside is they do take up a lot of floorspace.
  • brettjmcc
    brettjmcc Posts: 1,361
    phreak wrote:
    I've had this Tacx Flow for 3-4 years now and it's served me very well.

    http://www.acycles.co.uk/tacx-flow-home ... tAodKSoAnQ

    It's nothing fancy but does provide a power readout, which whilst perhaps not the same as a PowerTap et al, it does at least seem to be consistent across each ride so I can gauge improvements.

    I have a healthy stock of cycling movies that I use whilst training, and tend to do my own workouts on it based upon my needs rather than buying them from Sufferfest et al.

    Cheaper at Decathlon, only 260 there.

    I've had a Fortius and now have a Bushido. Like them both especially when you use the RLVs.
    BMC GF01
    Quintana Roo Cd01
    Project High End Hack
    Cannondale Synapse SL (gone)
    I like Carbon
  • mzm70
    mzm70 Posts: 123
    baileyjb wrote:
    mzm70 wrote:
    I have a BKOOL VR trainer if you are interested, here's DCRAINMAKER's review

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/12/bkoo ... eview.html

    Thanks I had not heard of this make but look interesting. Is yours for sale or did I misread your message?

    Yes, it's for sale, search on BKOOL it's in the Classifieds
  • mzm70
    mzm70 Posts: 123
    baileyjb wrote:
    mzm70 wrote:
    I have a BKOOL VR trainer if you are interested, here's DCRAINMAKER's review

    http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/12/bkoo ... eview.html

    Thanks I had not heard of this make but look interesting. Is yours for sale or did I misread your message?

    Jason,

    Replied to your PM but is stuck in my Outbox, I think your Inbox maybe full
  • EBEB
    EBEB Posts: 98
    I'd go magnetic resistance. Oil viscosity varies with temperature. You need consistency to know if you are improving.

    I got a Tacx Flow, but in retrospect I should have gone for something simpler. Most important is that it is powerful enough on max setting. The Tacx flow can't provide enough resistance to simulate the worst hills round here. And sturdy, you don't want to feel like you might fall off.

    It'd also be worth considering getting one for which there is a power/velocity curve known. If there is then software, for example Golden Cheetah, can give you a calculated power from your velocity.

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