turbo mats-worth it?

secretsam
secretsam Posts: 5,120
edited June 2014 in Road buying advice
So I use my turbo whilst watching the tv. At the moment it's on a sheet of cardboard, to protect the carpet. Would a turbo mat reduce the noise? Am concerned about my daughter, who sleeps in the room above
It's just a hill. Get over it.

Comments

  • sungod
    sungod Posts: 17,348
    with my turbo most of the noise is from the resistance unit

    a mat might deaden noise transmission into the floor, but i can't see it making a big difference to noise reaching upper floors

    may vary with building construction though
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • redvision
    redvision Posts: 2,958
    I don't have a turbo trainer but do have rollers which do get fairly noisy.
    Never tried a turbo mat but find a £5 yoga mat from aldi does a great job in reducing the noise.
  • secretsam
    secretsam Posts: 5,120
    Yoga mat seems like a top idea, hadn't thought of that - alternatively, was thinking of being a real cheapskate and buying some cheap vinyl off cut from the local carpet shop! But a yoga mat from Argross is only £10 or so...
    It's just a hill. Get over it.
  • Dodger747
    Dodger747 Posts: 305
    Yoga mat and maybe an anti-vibration mat [cheap from Amazon - around a tenner] depending on the construction of where you turbo. Far cheaper than a specific turbo mat and maybe even more effective...
    VO2 Max - 79 ml/kg/min
    W/kg - 4.9
  • smoggysteve
    smoggysteve Posts: 2,909
    I used to have a yoga mat underneath my turbo. But it kind of got ripped to shreds from my cleats when I got on and off. My wife then decided to buy a proper TACX mat instead and its just as good at dampening noise. Plus it wont get destroyed from cleat marks
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,473
    A turbo mat will make very little difference IME, at least to noise / vibrations transmitted through the floor which seems to be the biggest problem. I have tried 2 inches of high density foam with plyboard on top to spread the vibrations and a turbo mat on top of that. Still had issues with noise getting through to neighbours.

    I suppose if noise in the immediate vicinity is the problem a mat will be better than floorboards, but it's not going to be any better than an averagely thick carpet.

    Does protect the floor / carpet from marks and sweat however.
  • Moonbiker
    Moonbiker Posts: 1,706
    Argricutural merchants sell thick rubber matts for horse sheds etc, that look like turbo mats

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