Turbo trainer

markkwj

Hi Im after some advice. Im looking at getting a turbo. I was thinking about a Elite Qubo Power Fluid Trainer. Anybody got one if so what is it like to use. Also looking at a CycleOps Jet Fluid Pro. The one thing Im not sure about is the resistance from the unit itself. How good is it for doing hill reps on as they don't have adjustable resistance from a lever. Any other turbos i should be looking at budget of £300 ish. All opinions welcome.

diamonddog

I have used this http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-mag-speed-alu-trainer/ throughout the year and it has been a good buy. It's quiet and has several tension/resistance settings, I use it for simulated hill training, spinning and intervals etc. You can then spend the rest on other goodies if you feel like it.

napoleond

Highly recommend the cycleops jet fluid pro after trying various other turbos from other manufacturers.
I find it has a good smooth feel and importantly it's consistent.
That consistent in fact that I sold my power meter and just use the turbo and trainer road program.

markkwj

Thanks I'm still looking. Spoke with someone at cycle surgery yesterday. He said the elite was a better model from what he'd heard.

napoleond

From what he'd heard or in his experience?

stoobydale

What about a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine? Oh would you believe it there is one for sale in bike parts? :oops:

markkwj

I'm sorry but I don't get your post about bike parts

Davdandy

markkwj wrote:

I'm sorry but I don't get your post about bike parts

He means the classifieds under the bike parts section

markkwj

I get it now. Does that mean he's selling one ?

stoobydale

Yes, I just bumped it to the top in Sales, Road Parts. Good trainer recommended by trainerroad.

markkwj

I'm looking at doing sufferfest videos with the turbo. How do you do hill training with no adjustment level for resistance?

napoleond

markkwj wrote:

I'm looking at doing sufferfest videos with the turbo. How do you do hill training with no adjustment level for resistance?

Errr... Change gear

I much prefer this way of increasing resistance...

markkwj

After reading a good review online i've gone for the Elite.

alihisgreat

.. I was just about to recommend the Jet Fluid Pro

markhewitt1978

The turbo I'm looking at - Tacx Blue Matic has a handle bar resistance adjustment thingy. How much difference will that generally make compared to shifting gears?

bobones

Just because you have a cable adjuster, you don't need to use it: just set it at at reasonable setting and use the gears to vary effort. There's plenty of resistance with the Tacx at level 4 or 5 so there's little need to use any other setting in normal sessions.

Variable resistance is useful when trying to train for high torque/low cadence situations like steep hill climbs. At level 10 on the Tacx, you could get up to about 500 watts at a cadence of 60rpm without running out of gears, whereas the KK Road Machine (a top fluid trainer) will top out at around 320w at 60rpm.

If you're considering the Blue Matic you should have a look at the Satori Pro which is on sale in Decathlon for £149. The package includes a matt, front wheel support and a dvd. It's a very decent turbo and will work well with Peripedal and Trainer Road type software.

There's a lot of mythology surrounding the supposed superiority of fluid trainers which is oft repeated around here. Have a look at Graeme Obree's book for a different opinion.

bobones

As I said: high torque, low cadence training. There's no denying that powerful and cheap mag trainers, such as those produced by Tacx, have more scope in this area than fluid trainers. Please remind me, what exactly are there advantages of fluid trainers against powerful mag trainers because I'm struggling to think of any? BTW, regurgitated marketing BS like "road feel" is not an acceptable answer.

bobones

Correction, I remembered one: they're quieter.

dw300

Hang on. Are you saying fluid trainers don't have sufficient resistance? Have you ever ridden one?

davidof

markhewitt1978 wrote:

The turbo I'm looking at - Tacx Blue Matic has a handle bar resistance adjustment thingy. How much difference will that generally make compared to shifting gears?

In general you will stick it on a fixed value, typically 3-7 then use gears to change resistance as you train rather than changing the resistance on the trainer as you ride (yes I know the free Tacx software suggests you do this but gears/tacx lever are two sides of the same coin really).

As someone suggested below you can use the high resistance values to do low cadence strength training which the mono-resitance trainers will struggle with.

I have the Blue Matic (which is just a Satori really) and use it with some software I've developed which you can download and try if you like: http://www.wattzap.com/

This will let output your power values if you have a speed sensor, ride targetted training programmes and also let you ride VR courses (loads of free films) with simulated road speed based on your power/weight/gradient. Pretty much what you do with a 1000 quid VR turbo trainer.

markkwj

I've had a couple of goes on the turbo. I must say im very pleased with it.