One of the best features of a CT is the ERGO mode. This is where you press a button, and the wattage you are desiring to push (ie: 280 Watts) is set. All you need to do is smoothly spin and get ready to sweat.

Everyone is different, but riding the 3D courses is something I do maybe 15% of the time. I also use the same 20M rolling course and do a monthly time trial. CT allows you to save your race so the next time you use it, you can "race against your previous performance"...talk about motivating...

If entertainment is what you want, watch Sanjaya on American Idol...

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Lar Dog

You get a ton of free courses ranging from bike races to Ironman. I do the gammit of them. You can even create your own courses by getting the course creator software or if you have a GPS. I have mine set up on a stand alone computer that allows me to watch movies or TV ( microsoft media center).

If you are looking to purchase a slightly used CT ( about 30 hours of use), I have one available. Used to be part of a multirider system, but I am no longer coaching due to the birth of my daughter, I would let go for 1000.00. Includes everything needed and shipping in US.

I have had mine for a few years. I have made the round from starting with using the CT 3d courses. To getting netathlon and using it both standalone and
with on line racing with others. But, lately I have just used the ergo mode. I set it for a set amount of watts, (wish I could hold 280) and then just watch a DVD on a TV.
I watch the graph of the ergo on the computer screen. Now, I believe in ergo you could do just on the keypad without even using a computer.

Dave

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Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

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Are all the courses that come with the Computrainer available in 3D mode, or is that an extra feature? Does it just look like a computer animation of the course?

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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR

All courses can be put into the 3D mode. The graphics are not like the "Matrix" or anything special. Dave Campbell and I use it about the same....85% in ERGO mode only (no need to even have a computer screen for that as the CT comes with a little screen)

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Lar Dog

The CT comes with a little screen

Honestly, after reading the marketing material on the website, and speaking on the phone with the company, this is the first time I have understood that the product actually comes with a screen. What is this screen like?

It is pretty small (think about 2 decks of cards side by side)

Displays:

Speed
RPM
Watts
HR

Simply screen and you can use the +/- buttons on it to raise or lower your elevation when in the SpinScan mode, or raise/lower wattage when in the ERGO mode...

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Lar Dog

What graph? When I'm in ergo all I get to look at is the little controller screen that shows my watts. I don't even have the unit connected to the computer. Am I missing something? Be nice to see graph of HR, watts and time at X watts.

Thanks

Yeah, you can hook your Computrainer to your computer and use the coaching software for ergo mode. It graphs watts, speed, and cadence. The really nifty thing about this program is that you can write interval programs for yourself or use the intervals that come with the software.

Is this the Coaching software that Racermate sells for $35? Or is this included within the standard software package?

I don't have a CT nor am I in the market for one - but if I were I'd wait for Mike Plumb's annual group buy and probably end up using it in ergo mode most of the time (unless Paulo told me to do otherwise). To me, the ability to set a certain wattage and have the machine force you to maintain it is the #1 benefit of the CT.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
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Having had a CT I would not buy another one, especially with the options like Power tap, SRM, and Ergo which give you more options in terms of using it outside. What you need is a set workout before you get on the bike. Having done base riding on the CT, I would never do it again!

And I agree with everyone who has said you end using it on ergo mode most of the time. The only time we used it a lot in the pro mode was training for IM NZ when we needed to train right through the winter for a March race and we could train on the course so to speak. The 3d was not much use in my view.

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Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??

I bought mine because my partner was all excited about playing with it and I thought that he'd ride it while I used my normal trainer. I think he's used it twice or maybe three times :( so I ride it all the time.
The CT has the nicest "feel" of any trainer that I've tried. The behaviour when you try to accelerate or when you slack off for a bit mimics reality a lot more closely than my fluid trainer.
I don't really like erg mode. I think that part of the challenge of doing intervals or even long steady rides is maintaining focus and keeping the power numbers where they should be even when I'm tired, bored, grumpy, etc. Or pushing to try and go one better ;) 99% of the time, I ride one of two courses, a flat 200km road or a 100k road at a 3% incline that I use so I don't run out of gears on low cadence type workouts.
While I like the CT, I would definitely go with a powermeter and basic trainer as a way better option if I had to choose.

Miranda

It is now included but if you don't have it, I believe you can download a free copy from the Racermate site.

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FIST Certified Fitter
Salt Lake City, Utah

While the initial cost is rather high, the CompuTrainer is so well designed and built that it has lasted me nearly 10 years without any maintenance that I couldn't handle myself with some grease. The software updates have all come free, and now I see the PC coaching software is free as well.

It paid for itself over and over for the first few years I was training for IMs and didn't have any local training partners. I had an Internet coach who believed in them, and I did most of my cycle training on set courses, watching the silver man and listening to music. It's hard to do a really serious workout and pay attention to TV, not that TV really deserves our attention in the first place.

While I don't use it much to connect to the computer and ride set courses these days, I still use it in ergo mode quite often. I'm now doing some coaching and wish my team budget would allow for CompuTrainers for all our athletes.

I'm just about to climb on now and do my favorite pre-race sharpening workout: power repeats.

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