What are people using for indoor bike training through the winter months?
If contemplting something new for this winter, how much do you intend to spend on a new trainer?
Thanks,
Fleck
I am going to be using a Blackburn Magnetic trainer.
Just got it yesterday, prolly start using it this weekend. I got it off ebay for about half of what i was gonna hafta spend at the LBS.
How much was i willing to spend? Whatever it costs.
I would have spent the $350 or so at my LBS but happy to get the deal on ebay for $180
I have never used a trainer before. Just want something quiet & reliable and this one fits the bill after testing it out last night.
The 1upusa is the one I’m using for two winters now. I put about 8000 miles on it (don’t feel sorry for me :o), and no problems so far. Very quit and bomb proof. I actually found it through a slowtwitch thread.
stefan
Just ordered a 1up USA trainer after a TON of research. I plan on using it a couple of hours a week. I’ll let you know my first impresssions as soon as I receive it.
Been using a 1-up for the past two years. I hate turbo’s. However, I hate this one less than any other turbo I’ve tried.
I’ve been using my CycleOps Fluid for a couple years and plan on continuing until it dies. It’s real stable, quiet, offers way more resistance than I’ll ever need, and fits my 650c tri bike, 700c road bike, and even my mountain bike if I wanted to use it.
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine - purchased about a year and a half ago.
Very happy with it so far…
Home Trainer - Computrainer - Primarily I use the coaching software or ERG mode.
Work Trainer - Kurt Kinetic - Road Machine
Would like to get a set of Kreitler rollers. Not sure which ones or if I should accessorize and get the flywheel attatchment as well. Hopefully it’ll be under $400 for everything.
Any suggestions?
CycleOps Fluid. Bought it in 2002 (I think) and it’s still going strong.
Kurt Kinetic. Just under 1 year now, I dig it. Paid just a smidge over $200 for it via eBay, it was brand spankin’ NIB.
I think Mr Tingley has had his for like forever, w/ more mileage on it than most people put on a car, and it’s still going strong. (at least it was last he posted about it, my secret webcam in his house isn’t working lately, so I don’t really know 
1Up gets very good reviews too.
Kurt Kinetic with the heavy flywheel. I tried a bunch of different kinds of trainers; this one felt the most like actually riding the bike. Paid about $300 for it, delivered. Found the deal searching web sites.
Schwinn spinbike - $100 from local Y when they updated their inventory of bikes. Set up with good saddle and pedals but I would much rather be on the road. Living in FL has its advantages, however short days make it handy to use in the winter months on the back porch.
Fleck,
I work for Intel Corporation’s Digital Health Group so it was my job to go to InterBike and meet with the various HW/SW vendors producing training devices (HRMs, Power Meters, Indoor Trainers, etc.). Yes, it’s pretty much the greatest job in the world:-)
What I can tell you is that there are a number of good alternatives from a mechanical perspective. However, when it comes to SW with Virtual Reality or Video, then the leaders quickly narrow.
From my perspective, the hottest trainer at the show was the Tacx i-Magic Fortius with video and VR functionality. As an owner of a Tacx Flow, I can tell you the HW works well. The SW was very impressive (at least 2 generations ahead of CT).
Another outstanding company was FitCentric who OEMs their SW to CycleOps for their VR trainer. Although not video capable, this trainer was quiet and the VR SW was fun and good for tracking your performance.
Many of the other companies are continuing to sell the same old trainers which are durable and effective, but don’t enhance the fun of training indoors.
I’m also still very bearish on Inside Ride’s Free Motion Rollers which are the best riding experience available. Once they integrate SW and VR/Video, they’ll be the undisputed leader from a user experience perspective.
Cheers,
Jonathan C. Puskas
I’ve got a mag trainer ($230 cdn through my cycling coach) and a set of rollers ($60 used). I used them all last winter, mostly doing my warm-ups and cool downs on the rollers, and main work-outs on the mag trainer. Hopefully I won’t have to spend any money on that stuff for a while… perhaps then I will be able to afford a computrainer.
I was in the same boat. Did the research and decided on the kurt kenitic road machine. Then, I was wandering aimlessly thru super-go bike shop here in SD and saw that they had a fluid trainer as well for half the price ($149)…Decided to purchase it. So far it seems ok. Is smooth and they use a teflon pad wrapped around the roller to decrease tire wear. Is very solid. Spring loaded roller that automatically applies pressure to the tire. I am not sure how it will hold up. But super-go does have an outstanding return policy. So, I will see how it goes and if I dont like I can always take it back and go back to plan A…
<< I’m also still very bearish on Inside Ride’s Free Motion Rollers which are the best riding experience available >>
That would be very bullish then, not bearish.
And, the best riding experience available would NOT be on a trainer of any sort, it would be outside, but I digress.
OK, so what do all these cool gee-whiz toys you mention cost?
And, from the not-for-nothing department, but I don’t think that Fleck, the poster child for doing it Old School, is looking for a multi-media training “experience”, just something to slap onto a bike so he (or more likely his GF, has he mentioned her 2nd place finish recently?) can ride the bike-to-nowhere in the basement or garage.
But I could be wrong. Maybe he scored pretty high on the Metrosexual quiz after all.
PS - yes, you have a very cool job.
Minoura mag trainer. $60 on ebay. That, and a bunch of Zeppelin CDs, is all I’ll ever need.
Cateye CS1000. Been using it since 1994!
greg
“That, and a bunch of Zeppelin CDs, is all I’ll ever need”
Now we are talking. That’s the spirit!
Fleck