Simple Explanation Please.
womack
Posts: 566
Ok so I know nothing about turbo trainers etc so keeping it simple will help me. I do occasionally use my old exercise bike and that's about it.
So I have a spare bike doing nothing and have thought about getting a trainer but am clueless.
It won't be something I do a lot of so would like the cheapest option.
What do I need to use the bike complete, i.e. by keeping the rear wheel on, is that what people call rollers?
So I have a spare bike doing nothing and have thought about getting a trainer but am clueless.
It won't be something I do a lot of so would like the cheapest option.
What do I need to use the bike complete, i.e. by keeping the rear wheel on, is that what people call rollers?
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No, that’s a wheel-on trainer, as opposed to direct drive where you remove the back wheel and attach the bike to a cassette which is pre-assembled onto the trainer.
If you want cheap just buy a 2nd hand “dumb” wheel-on trainer for less than £50 and get on with it.
A few rides later, when you’ve realised you hate it, spend a couple of hundred quid on a 2nd hand wheel-on smart trainer and get on with it.
A few months later…1 -
Thanks Gethin, the fact that I would rather be out than in is why I just want to go the cheap route.1
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as above then - old style trainer, clamp bike on, turn hi-fi or tv on, off you go. unclamp bike, hit the road.
30 second job either way..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Just a word of warning - depending on how long you spend on a dumb trainer like that, you will chew through tyres.
You might want to invest in something wire rimed, cheap and otherwise utterly hateful from Halfords, just to stick on the rear wheel for indoor use.0 -
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no need for any of that "trainer specific" stuff - just whatever is the cheapest thing you can find or use part worns from the bin at the lbs.First.Aspect said:Just a word of warning - depending on how long you spend on a dumb trainer like that, you will chew through tyres.
You might want to invest in something wire rimed, cheap and otherwise utterly hateful from Halfords, just to stick on the rear wheel for indoor use.
.The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Turbo-specific tyres are a good thing imho. They don’t slip so much and don’t start to melt and square off so badly. In my experience they run quieter too.
If you’ve a tyre that you’re happy to trash then you could just use that but I’m using a Halfords turbo tyre at present and I’m happy that it’s on the wheel in place of the worn old road tyre that was slipping and causing noise and vibration issues.
Does mean having a turbo-specific wheel to avoid swapping tyres regularly.0 -
Thanks all, this is bike number 3 which has been in Portugal for last six years and only gets ridden when out there so once I bring it back it will be solely for indoor training so no requirement to swop wheels to go out on the road.
Had heard about a turbo specific tyre so may get one in due course. Haven't seen the bike for two years so can't recall how worn or even what tyres are on it at the moment, some form of Conti I think. If I have to change the rear tyre I will at least have a spare for my other two bikes (run 25 on all so no issues)
My other question: Is there a simple way to measure your indoor ride on a dumb trainer and upload to Strava. I was reading that perhaps one of those simple Cateye with a magnet might do it but not sure if it is "uploadable" to Strava.
My current exercise bike gives me time and distance which I then manually upload.
Thanks for all the responses thus far and thanks in advance for knowledge of the computer upload element of my post.0 -
You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.1
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Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
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bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
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You'll be surprised at what some people will upload to Strava to boost their egos.womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
What's the right resistance to use then? It just doesn't mean anything...womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
Even if you try to keep the resistance the same each time, the effective resistance/wheelspeed on a wheel-on "dumb" trainer will change based on tyre pressure, temperature etc etc. on the day.0 -
by utterly, totally miniscule amounts you won't notice ever unless your tyre goes totally flat.bobmcstuff said:
What's the right resistance to use then? It just doesn't mean anything...womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
Even if you try to keep the resistance the same each time, the effective resistance/wheelspeed on a wheel-on "dumb" trainer will change based on tyre pressure, temperature etc etc. on the day.
its a bicycle on a turbo..The camera down the willy isn't anything like as bad as it sounds.
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Not really my point though really, my point is only that distance measured off your rear wheel when your bike is stationary doesn't mean anything.MattFalle said:
by utterly, totally miniscule amounts you won't notice ever unless your tyre goes totally flat.bobmcstuff said:
What's the right resistance to use then? It just doesn't mean anything...womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
Even if you try to keep the resistance the same each time, the effective resistance/wheelspeed on a wheel-on "dumb" trainer will change based on tyre pressure, temperature etc etc. on the day.
its a bicycle on a turbo.0 -
Surely you make it as hard as you want to get some benefit from doing it.
You could say the same about lifting small weights, yes you could do a load but would it make a difference?
As stated I have an old fashioned exercise bike and yes I could pedal all day at zero resistance but what is the point, it isn't going to help me out on the road whereas a balls out hour at a hard resistance does some good.
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You may find that the turbo trainer manufacturer provides guidance on roller tension or spin down time - my own Kurt Kinetic has guidance from 20mph, can’t remember what it indicates but I now set it so with 100psi in the tyre I eliminate any slip when I do some initial sharpish accelerations. With roller tension set too high you’ll probably get higher tyre temperatures and greater wear.bobmcstuff said:
What's the right resistance to use then? It just doesn't mean anything...womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
Even if you try to keep the resistance the same each time, the effective resistance/wheelspeed on a wheel-on "dumb" trainer will change based on tyre pressure, temperature etc etc. on the day.
It’s may just be “ a bicycle on a turbo “ but there are methods of ensuring that it works closer to optimum that don’t require a degree in engineering.0 -
My method when I used a KK - Pump tyre up to 100psi then do the run down test.andyrr said:
You may find that the turbo trainer manufacturer provides guidance on roller tension or spin down time - my own Kurt Kinetic has guidance from 20mph, can’t remember what it indicates but I now set it so with 100psi in the tyre I eliminate any slip when I do some initial sharpish accelerations. With roller tension set too high you’ll probably get higher tyre temperatures and greater wear.bobmcstuff said:
What's the right resistance to use then? It just doesn't mean anything...womack said:bobmcstuff said:
Although the distance measured at the wheel on a wheel on trainer is more or less totally meaningless - just whack the resistance to nothing, use really high gearing and record massive mileage...whyamihere said:You can use a Bluetooth/ANT+ speed sensor paired to a bike computer or phone. Specifics would depend on what you have, but if you've got a Garmin/Wahoo etc, pretty much anything would work. You can then tag it as indoor cycling on Strava.
But you only be cheating yourself if you did that.
Surely that isn't the aim?
Even if you try to keep the resistance the same each time, the effective resistance/wheelspeed on a wheel-on "dumb" trainer will change based on tyre pressure, temperature etc etc. on the day.
It’s may just be “ a bicycle on a turbo “ but there are methods of ensuring that it works closer to optimum that don’t require a degree in engineering.
The test is from 30kph and tells you to either tighten the resistance, or loosen it.
It is accurate enough if you are just measuring your own progress.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
As said above, be careful with tube / tyre pressures, if using a wheel on dumb trainer. My dog has still not recovered fully from the shock of a tube going bang a while back.0
