Bike Trainers
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My opinion only, but partly it's to do with your own bike, partly to do with being able to train at home, and partly being able to train without distraction.
I'm much more likely to get a workout in if I don't have to go anywhere, I have my training area set up so I can just just jump on and go. Plus, having your trainer and bime means you can set up for whatever training plan you intend to follow and stick to it. And if you aren't planning on following some ki d of plan, then my recommendation is to just not bother. Without a plan you likely won't stick to it. Most folks who figure they'll "just spin" end up realizing how soul-crushingly boring it is unless they have the ability to use Zwift or maybe the Tacx videos. Both of which you mostly need to be home for.1 -
My opinion only, but partly it's to do with your own bike, partly to do with being able to train at home, and partly being able to train without distraction.
I'm much more likely to get a workout in if I don't have to go anywhere, I have my training area set up so I can just just jump on and go. Plus, having your trainer and bime means you can set up for whatever training plan you intend to follow and stick to it. And if you aren't planning on following some ki d of plan, then my recommendation is to just not bother. Without a plan you likely won't stick to it. Most folks who figure they'll "just spin" end up realizing how soul-crushingly boring it is unless they have the ability to use Zwift or maybe the Tacx videos. Both of which you mostly need to be home for.
What he said ^^^
Unless you're riding "to a plan" and doing hard enough intervals that you're vision is too blurred to care about other distractions, get something that'll work with either the Sufferfest, TrainerRoad, Zwift or maybe Tacx Videos.
the first three all have free trials - a month on trainerroad, 14 days on Zwift and 7 days on sufferfest - give them all a try and that's nearly your first 2 months of winter sorted... then you can choose which one suits you best...
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Thanks for the input guys. I don't have a problem hitting the gym bike for 45-60 minutes on one of the built-in programs, I just zone out and go for it, or listen to music, but that does fall a fair way short of a proper structured development programme. Still really tempted by the turbo - there's a couple of potential bargains on ebay just calling out to me at the moment...0
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You wouldn't zone out using Sufferfest - you'd be too busy concentrating on not having a heart attack or drowning in the puddle of sweat that'll be forming under you!0
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My instinctive response is that if you can "zone out" then you aren't working as hard as you could/should be for improvements. The typical amateur/recreational cyclist has a problem with never riding quite hard enough to improve, and never quite easy enough to recover. Again, my opinion only, but if you are going to spend time on the trainer or exercise bike, make it count for as much as possible. Zoning out and spinning is better than nothing, and you'll maintain some fitness, but wouldn't you rather work a bit harder and actually come into the spring stronger, rather than just maintaining?1
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'Zone out'' was a bad choice of phrase on my part - when I used to use the gym bike I would really thrash it, tuned into the bike display and out of the world around me. I'd have my heart rate at or above my theoretical maximum for multiple bursts.
However I agree with what youre saying - it's a prett blunt tool compared with a structured programme and knowing whether your power output etc is improving2 -
I have an inexpensive dumb trainer that works for now, but I would like to upgrade to a smart trainer. So far the most affordable option for me (in Canada) is a KURT KINETIC ROAD MACHINE SMART FLUID TRAINER T-2700 at around $540 CAD. Most other options get over $800 very quickly. Even $500ish will take some saving on my part.0
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rileysowner wrote: »I have an inexpensive dumb trainer that works for now, but I would like to upgrade to a smart trainer. So far the most affordable option for me (in Canada) is a KURT KINETIC ROAD MACHINE SMART FLUID TRAINER T-2700 at around $540 CAD. Most other options get over $800 very quickly. Even $500ish will take some saving on my part.
I hate to say it, as I've traditionally been a huge believe of Kurt trainers (and I currently own a "dumb" Road Machine as well as a set of their Z Rollers), but I'd stay away from the Road Machine Smart. Kurt made the incredibly stupid decision of not supporting either ANT+ or any of the existing Bluetooth communication standards for their trainers, which means all the app makers have to write special code just for them. That means companies will be slower to adopt support and many may just ignore them completely. Kurt has done a poor job of justifying this decision so far, even having gone so far as to promise a press release explaining their thinking and then backing away from actually doing so. One hopes they will actually step up, do the right thing, and support the standards at some point but as far as I know they have not yet done so. Until they do, I personally wouldn't recommend buying a smart trainer from them.
More info here from The Man himself in the sports tech world, DC Rainmaker, if you're interested in reading more about it. The comments to that post are especially entertaining, though I feel bad for the Kurt employee who's chiming in and trying to control the raging forest fire.1 -
rileysowner wrote: »I have an inexpensive dumb trainer that works for now, but I would like to upgrade to a smart trainer. So far the most affordable option for me (in Canada) is a KURT KINETIC ROAD MACHINE SMART FLUID TRAINER T-2700 at around $540 CAD. Most other options get over $800 very quickly. Even $500ish will take some saving on my part.
I hate to say it, as I've traditionally been a huge believe of Kurt trainers (and I currently own a "dumb" Road Machine as well as a set of their Z Rollers), but I'd stay away from the Road Machine Smart. Kurt made the incredibly stupid decision of not supporting either ANT+ or any of the existing Bluetooth communication standards for their trainers, which means all the app makers have to write special code just for them. That means companies will be slower to adopt support and many may just ignore them completely. Kurt has done a poor job of justifying this decision so far, even having gone so far as to promise a press release explaining their thinking and then backing away from actually doing so. One hopes they will actually step up, do the right thing, and support the standards at some point but as far as I know they have not yet done so. Until they do, I personally wouldn't recommend buying a smart trainer from them.
More info here from The Man himself in the sports tech world, DC Rainmaker, if you're interested in reading more about it. The comments to that post are especially entertaining, though I feel bad for the Kurt employee who's chiming in and trying to control the raging forest fire.
Thanks for the heads up. It is not something I would be purchasing soon, so hopefully prices will become more reasonable on other one. Most of the one mentioned here are close to $1000 CAD, and if I am spending that much money I would rather get a power meter.0 -
rileysowner wrote: »Thanks for the heads up. It is not something I would be purchasing soon, so hopefully prices will become more reasonable on other one. Most of the one mentioned here are close to $1000 CAD, and if I am spending that much money I would rather get a power meter.
There are a number of other smart trainers you can pick up in the same general price range as the Kurt. The Tacx Vortex and Cyclops Magnus come to mind immediately.
Having said that, if the choice is between a power meter or a smart trainer I'd go with the power meter every time. There are a number of power meters that are close to that same range. The single-side 4iiii and Stages (though I don't like single-side power meters personally. Too much scope for erroneous measurement for me to be happy about) or for a little more money Power2Max or Quarq Riken AL.
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ON first glance i thought you meant trainers as in what you wear on your feet!
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If you are super cheap like me, can search for free plans, and don't care about virtual rides, etc....you can get one super cheap on Amazon. It comes with riser and skewer. Oh, it's $55 + S&H.
I got my dumb trainer for $75 if I recall correctly. It was a couple of years back, and I shopped around for quite a while and got it on sale. It has served me well. I want to upgrade to a smart one for things like Zwift. The price is likely going to make it prohibitive at the moment since the ones I have seen recommended the best prices I can find in Canadian dollars is $800-1200 and at that level I can get a power meter for my bike which I would rather have. I am sure shopping around I can probably find something affordable.1 -
rileysowner wrote: »If you are super cheap like me, can search for free plans, and don't care about virtual rides, etc....you can get one super cheap on Amazon. It comes with riser and skewer. Oh, it's $55 + S&H.
I got my dumb trainer for $75 if I recall correctly. It was a couple of years back, and I shopped around for quite a while and got it on sale. It has served me well. I want to upgrade to a smart one for things like Zwift. The price is likely going to make it prohibitive at the moment since the ones I have seen recommended the best prices I can find in Canadian dollars is $800-1200 and at that level I can get a power meter for my bike which I would rather have. I am sure shopping around I can probably find something affordable.
Do you want a smart one because of tracking power? Otherwise, if you use the Garmin speed and cadence sensors (or any Ant+ or BTE speed/cadence sensors), those will work with Zwift and the other virtual riding sites / programs. Some of the sites will do an estimated power based on your cadence, etc. Like I said, I am super cheap, and have no budget for any of the fun toys, this always finding work-arounds.0 -
I just reckoned that a grand on an indoor trainer setup was cheaper over 2-3 years than the wear and tear on bikes riding outdoors, so said screw it and bought myself one... that was just over 5 years ago, and it's still paying dividends...
Plus, I'm worth it, there's nobody else here to lay claim to my money, and i'm buggered if there'll be anything left over when I die, because there's no bugger to leave it to! So, If I want something, sod it, I'm having it.
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rileysowner wrote: »If you are super cheap like me, can search for free plans, and don't care about virtual rides, etc....you can get one super cheap on Amazon. It comes with riser and skewer. Oh, it's $55 + S&H.
I got my dumb trainer for $75 if I recall correctly. It was a couple of years back, and I shopped around for quite a while and got it on sale. It has served me well. I want to upgrade to a smart one for things like Zwift. The price is likely going to make it prohibitive at the moment since the ones I have seen recommended the best prices I can find in Canadian dollars is $800-1200 and at that level I can get a power meter for my bike which I would rather have. I am sure shopping around I can probably find something affordable.
Do you want a smart one because of tracking power? Otherwise, if you use the Garmin speed and cadence sensors (or any Ant+ or BTE speed/cadence sensors), those will work with Zwift and the other virtual riding sites / programs. Some of the sites will do an estimated power based on your cadence, etc. Like I said, I am super cheap, and have no budget for any of the fun toys, this always finding work-arounds.
Yes I would like power tracking. I already toasted one speed and cadence sensor, so I really don't feel like putting another on the bike. When I ride outdoors I use a Moov Now for cadence and GPS in the app for speed and distance. It is indoor that I would like more. Albeit a speed cadence sensor is less expensive than a smart trainer.
The other thing I would probably want, and will likely have to save longer to get, is to have Zwift or similar apps adjust the resistance automatically. The whole idea of getting a smart trainer is something I just started shopping for, so it is likely not going to happen for a while so I have time to save for it.0 -
there's no pockets in shrouds guys, just buy something decent.
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If that is what you are looking for, you sadly just missed tons of cycling sales. I think the type of trainer you want typically goes in the $1k range. CycleOps has Hammer Direct Drive Train for example.0
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If that is what you are looking for, you sadly just missed tons of cycling sales. I think the type of trainer you want typically goes in the $1k range. CycleOps has Hammer Direct Drive Train for example.
It is becoming quite clear that $1000 plus is what I will be looking at currently. Again, hopefully the prices will come down a bit in time, or I can discover a good sale.0 -
This is exactly what I was researching last night! Great discussion!
I got an email from nashbar that offered their low end liquid trainer for $135. I'm guessing it wouldn't satisfy me.
The Cycleops Fluid 2 is $300. That is probably the right price for me. Still pretty basic.
I might wish for power monitoring, but it would seem best to add that to the bike, not the trainer. Then you can use it while actually riding as well. (I might just find the info depressing.)1
