quiet turbo trainer

shiznit76

Does such a beast exist? I've got a magnetic resistance one that rear wheel clamps in to and runs on a metal roller, (link to similar model below) but sounds like a helicopter is in the room when using it, much to Mrs annoyance, is there any "quiet" ones on the market?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-mag ... 2382&pauid

ravey1981

The direct drive trainers, tacx neo, wahoo kickr, elite drivo etc are quieter than a wheel on trainer but are also a lot more expensive.... I use a tacx vortex, which isnt quiet, but the fan I use is even louder - like having a fokker in the room - so im not to fussed.

gsk82

The elite muin direct drive is very quiet. I paid about £380 last year.

foggymike

The Tacx Neo is supposed to be the quietest turbo from everything I've read. I use a vortex smart but like ravey above it's quieter than my floor standing fan so from a noise point of view I see little point in getting something quieter than that. If you are going to get one of those super quiet bladeless Dyson fans too and have a fat wallet then maybe a Neo is the way to go.

super_davo

If you don't want to go mega bucks and get a direct drive, fluid turbos are significantly quieter than mags.
I used to have an Elite Volare mag trainer, traded in for a Chrono hydromag (very similar to yours but hybrid fluid/mag) and the difference in volume is night and day. The high velocity fan I use is much louder than the turbo.
I'm sure a Neo or Kickr would be quieter still, but I'll still need my high velocity fan!

StillGoing

Elite Kura is very quiet. All the noise is from the drive chain. 51db @ 20kph.

https://youtu.be/rcvuU6Z2RU0

MiddleRinger

Tacx NEO.

My wife sleeps in the next room, her head literally a few feet away from the NEO and I don't wake her with my early morning or late night turbo sessions. My fan is louder. The Zwift audio through my laptop is louder. Sure it's stupidly expensive, but if you want the quietest!


Fluid wheel-on turbos are generally quieter than mag resistance models.

Most direct drive turbos are quieter than wheel-on models (although early KICKRs are pretty noisy).

shiznit76

cheers.
Don't want spend a fortune, so the direct drive ones are out really.

How loud are the fluid ones compare to mag ones?

fenix

This surprised me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIO7rMYcc4U

birdie23

shiznit76 wrote:

cheers.
Don't want spend a fortune, so the direct drive ones are out really.

How loud are the fluid ones compare to mag ones?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360217108&kpid=5360217108&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=UK_PLA_Accessories&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mckv%7cstzfZiRgs_dc%7cmcrid%7c67090793462%7cmkw%7c%7cmmt%7c%7cmrd%7c5360217108uk%7cmslid%7c%7c&mkwid=stzfZiRgs_dc&pcrid=67090793462&prd=5360217108uk&pgrid=17507340062&ptaid=aud-131695477502:pla-121263373982&pauid

I have this, pretty quiet. Far quieter than the 18" fan I use. Used to use it (without a fan, with windows open) between 1am and 2am in a shared house without waking anyone.

super_davo

My mag trainer used to sound like a jet taking off doing sprints; and was very loud training on or around FTP.

On my hydro, its much quieter than the fan doing FTP work or anything below; and about the same as the fan doing sprints.

My trainer is in my garage, but I have no problem using it late at night and my daughters room is above the garage.

FWIW the fluid version of your trainer is £100 and you'll probably get £50 for your current trainer on eBay, so not a big outlay to try it for size. I'm sure you'll end up wanting a direct smart trainer in the end (I certainly do) but you put in £50 and it serves you for a winter or two that's not bad going, and you can always sell and upgrade later when funds allow.

the_jackalcp

Not sure how easy it is to get hold of one but there is a turbo called stac zero. It was on Kickstarter, reviews on DC rainmaker and not overly expensive. From what I understand it is virtually silent

shiznit76

birdie23 wrote:

shiznit76 wrote:

cheers.
Don't want spend a fortune, so the direct drive ones are out really.

How loud are the fluid ones compare to mag ones?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360217108&kpid=5360217108&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=UK_PLA_Accessories&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mckv%7cstzfZiRgs_dc%7cmcrid%7c67090793462%7cmkw%7c%7cmmt%7c%7cmrd%7c5360217108uk%7cmslid%7c%7c&mkwid=stzfZiRgs_dc&pcrid=67090793462&prd=5360217108uk&pgrid=17507340062&ptaid=aud-131695477502:pla-121263373982&pauid

I have this, pretty quiet. Far quieter than the 18" fan I use. Used to use it (without a fan, with windows open) between 1am and 2am in a shared house without waking anyone.

Is it really much quieter than the magnetic ones? Looks almost exact same and looks like operates same way, wheel on metal roller at rear

daniel_b

shiznit76 wrote:

birdie23 wrote:

shiznit76 wrote:

cheers.
Don't want spend a fortune, so the direct drive ones are out really.

How loud are the fluid ones compare to mag ones?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/

I have this, pretty quiet. Far quieter than the 18" fan I use. Used to use it (without a fan, with windows open) between 1am and 2am in a shared house without waking anyone.

Is it really much quieter than the magnetic ones? Looks almost exact same and looks like operates same way, wheel on metal roller at rear

It's not a metal roller if it's the same as the one I bought several years ago - some kind of tacky plasticky grippy substance.
IF it's the same as mine, your weight keeps the tyre in contact with the roller, so slippage is not uncommon, and out of the saddle efforts are the definition of a challenge shall we say.

I went from that to a Vortex, as I wanted power, ERG mode and to be able to do sprints, and then onto a Neo (My gf still uses the Vortex)
The Neo is the quietest and brutally accurate, as all the reviews confirm, but as mentioned here, the fans make loads of noise, and they have to really :-)
Became clear when I switched from Vortex to Neo, that the former had been over reading my power by about 10%.

Hendrix2430

I have a turbo main from elite and it's great. The Misuro B+ gets a bad rap, but honestly I like it and haven't had any issues with it. It read very similar to my 4iiii power meter so i'm happy.

birdie23

shiznit76 wrote:

Is it really much quieter than the magnetic ones? Looks almost exact same and looks like operates same way, wheel on metal roller at rear

A lot quieter. The roller is rubber but the noise reduction comes in the way the resistance is generated as the fluid used dampens the sound.

I've only ever had the problems Daniel highlights with wheel slippage if I set up in a rush. As long as the tyre is at around 100psi and you're using a riser block with the bike pushed back onto the turbo then you should have no problems but there's always a risk.

Saying all that, I'd prefer a direct drive trainer. Will probably end up getting an Elite Direto myself when funds allow.

cougie

DC rainmaker has released his winter turbo reviews. Just Google that. It tells you everything you need. And much much more.

daniel_b

Daniel B wrote:

It's not a metal roller if it's the same as the one I bought several years ago - some kind of tacky plasticky grippy substance.

birdie23 wrote:

The roller is rubber

Doh! Yes indeed that must be what it is :oops:

And to clarify, I did get out of the saddle, but I wasn't able to full out sprints, they had to be more measured efforts, and more for the act of getting out of the saddle and practising it, than laying down x number of watts.
I did have a riser block.