Best turbo trainer for beginner

Joshhewitt82

Hi,

New to this forum so was hoping for some advice on best turbo trainer for a beginner?

Thanks.

photonic69

See if you can get a cheap-ish second hand one first to see if you can endure hours and hours every week, sweating on a bike and going nowhere.

If you enjoy that sort of thing then go and buy a smart trainer and subscribe to whatever App you want for training (Zwift, Trainerroad etc).

I've a basic 'dumb' trainer that I haven't used for about a year. I really should use it more but it only cost about £80. Maybe if I invested more in a smart trainer and used an app then I 'might' use it more, but somehow I doubt it. I then would have wasted quite a chunk of money.

I'm sure others will be along to extol the virtues of whatever ZwiftRRRoadTacxWahooYadaYada setup they have. Not for me I'm afraid.

Joshhewitt82

Thanks for the advice, I see your point. Just looking at how to get the practice in now the weather is certainly starting to turn, I live in Manchester so it’s not great.

Other option is just getting out more, but want to obviously stay as dry as possible, so may need to invest in winter cycling boots.

daniel_b

I started with a £120 Elite fluid trainer, I did some 'sessions' on it, but I didn't really have a clue what I was doing, and it was hard to keep concentration, and not get bored - even if I was watching something else.

Plus the longer you used it (I assume) the hotte th oil got, and the less resistance it generated.

I then moved onto a Tacx Vortex, which cost circa £230 - this was still wheel on, but introduced me to a 'smart' trainer funtion, and a mate gave me one of his trainerroad 1 month trials -tried that and was hooked, though took me a while longer to take out an actual subscription.

I'm now 2.5 years down the line with a Neo, and turbo probably 2-3 times a week.
As I sit here looking at the torrential pouring rain outside, the benefits are loud and clear.

Additionally for me as a parent of a 6 year old, it's improved invaluable to get some high quality training sessions in when my daughter is asleep, and or before work is the more usual one.

I also ease the sometimes boredom by watching cycling races, or simply stuff off iplayer / itvplayer etc etc, you get the idea.
I have the laptop screen, plus a 22" monitor, so have TR on one, and the program on the other one.
Bluetooth speaker to get the volume how I need it, and a couple of powerful fans in the vicinity.

StillGoing

Depending on your time, commitments and goals, go for the best you can afford. Accept that turbo life is boring and your backside will feel it as you don't get the pressure relief for your backside you get on an outdoor ride. But, if you are restricted for time, don't like the idea of going out in crappy weather, risking nutjob drivers and want to train seriously without being hindered by traffic and pedestrians, then a turbo is ideal.

I'm not a fan of Zwift, but there are stacks of other apps you can use; Sufferfest, TrainerRoad, Rouvy, Fulgaz, Tacx etc.

If you want ERG mode you need a smart trainer. Turbo wise the Tacx Neo is king closely followed by the Wahoo Kickr and Elite Drivo for direct drive smart trainers. Direct drive eliminates wheel slip that you get with most wheel on trainers. Mid range smart trainers, Elite Direto, Tacx Flux, Wahoo Kickr Core, but you can pick up shop soiled V1 Tacx Neos for the same money.

Non ERG mode you've got the Elite Turbo Muin.

sam_anon

As others have said I'd buy a basic turbo second-hand first. Sitting on a bike for an hour, even in front of a box-set, is pretty boring!

chris_bass

depending on your location you could make this guy an offer...
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