# elite powermag trainer



## adam23 (10 Nov 2010)

got my trainer today had a quick go to check set up and tonight will give it a proper run, have to say bit odd at first
to get used to but great after a couple of mins as its not quite the same as road riding but should improve fitness over the winter.

quick question has anyone got some training dvds i may borrow or reccomend some to use.


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## Hugo15 (10 Nov 2010)

Have a look at http://www.thesufferfest.com/ They get good feedback and are fairly cheap.


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## Triathlon Week (11 Nov 2010)

adam23 said:


> got my trainer today had a quick go to check set up and tonight will give it a proper run, have to say bit odd at first
> to get used to but great after a couple of mins as its not quite the same as road riding but should improve fitness over the winter.
> 
> quick question has anyone got some training dvds i may borrow or reccomend some to use.



I'm not a huge fan on trainers, it always feels like riding in quicksand. But as you said it's a great way to stay fit during winter. I've tried rollers, but you have to pay attention so you don't end up falling over in front of your TV


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## jimboalee (12 Nov 2010)

In the documentation for your Elite Powermag, does it give curves of Power vs speed for each of the settings?


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## adam23 (12 Nov 2010)

jim: no there were no graphs or anythng in the box, it would be nice to have a speedo of some sort as well but the models
with all the extra gadgets were so much more.


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## jimboalee (12 Nov 2010)

adam23 said:


> jim: no there were no graphs or anythng in the box, it would be nice to have a speedo of some sort as well but the models
> with all the extra gadgets were so much more.



Hmmm..

The speedo will be the one on your bike with the magnet and pick-up on the rear wheel.

Its a long labourious process calibrating each resistance setting against how a bike will feel on a flat road and up gradients.

It can be done, but I won't bore the other readers to tears explaining.


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## zacklaws (14 Nov 2010)

adam23 said:


> there were no graphs or anythng in the box



I bought the Elite Chrono mag and once again there was no graphs in the instruction etc, but they were printed on the outside of the box, and now that I want them myself, I do not have them as I have thrown the box away.


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## amaferanga (14 Nov 2010)

To train with power you need a power meter. Don't waste your time trying to draw power curves. Any curve provided by the manufacturer will be a generic one so your actual turbo could be very different.


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## screenman (15 Nov 2010)

Speedo and HRM should give you a good indication. If you are taking the bike on and off the turbo it is worth calibrating it every so often, spin the wheel up to 10 mph and time how long it takes to stop, this will give you your reference points for following setups.

Normally unless the turbo has a sprung loaded roller like the CS-1000 has the shape of the back wheel can create a choppy feel, a slightly egg shaped wheel will not show up on the road but on a fixed roller turbo it certainly will. Why you may ask, simple it varies the amount of pressure on the roller, which in turn varies the resistance.


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## jimboalee (15 Nov 2010)

screenman said:


> Speedo and HRM should give you a good indication. If you are taking the bike on and off the turbo it is worth calibrating it every so often, spin the wheel up to *10 mph and time how long it takes to stop*, this will give you your reference points for following setups.
> 
> Normally unless the turbo has a sprung loaded roller like the CS-1000 has the shape of the back wheel can create a choppy feel, a slightly egg shaped wheel will not show up on the road but on a fixed roller turbo it certainly will. Why you may ask, simple it varies the amount of pressure on the roller, which in turn varies the resistance.



Do this between 20 and 10 mph and compare it to what your bike actually does on the road.

The Elite Powermag has eight settings?


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## screenman (15 Nov 2010)

I was just saying how to calibrate it so that each time you used the turbo you had the same base to start from. I was taught this by a turbo guru, so I cannot claim it as my idea, not that I have any.


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## jimboalee (15 Nov 2010)

For the purposes of Bicycle turbo trainers, the manufacturer will have engineered the lowest setting to be a simulation of a pro raceboy on a UCI weight limit race bike on level ground with no additional headwind.

When another bike is strapped down, it becomes a 15lb racebike and you become a 70 kg whippet.



Then, you can compare your performance directly with Prologue TT results from major tours.


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## jimboalee (15 Nov 2010)

jimboalee said:


> For the purposes of Bicycle turbo trainers, the manufacturer will have engineered the lowest setting to be a simulation of a pro raceboy on a UCI weight limit race bike on level ground with no additional headwind.
> 
> When another bike is strapped down, it becomes a 15lb racebike and you become a 70 kg whippet.
> 
> ...



Thinking again, the lowest setting could be an ultra streamlined track bike being ridden by the 70 kg whippet in a skin suit.

In which case, the aim is to beat the 4km pursuit record, or even the hour record.


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## amaferanga (15 Nov 2010)

screenman said:


> Speedo and HRM should give you a good indication. If you are taking the bike on and off the turbo it is worth calibrating it every so often, spin the wheel up to 10 mph and time how long it takes to stop, this will give you your reference points for following setups.
> 
> Normally unless the turbo has a sprung loaded roller like the CS-1000 has the shape of the back wheel can create a choppy feel, a slightly egg shaped wheel will not show up on the road but on a fixed roller turbo it certainly will. Why you may ask, simple it varies the amount of pressure on the roller, which in turn varies the resistance.



Many Elite turbos, including this one I think, use the riders weight to provide the pressure needed on the roller, unlike with conventional turbos where you clamp the wheel. So all you can really do to make sure the resistance is as repeatable as possible is keep your tyre pressure the same (and not gain any weight).


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## amaferanga (15 Nov 2010)

jimboalee said:


> For the purposes of Bicycle turbo trainers, the manufacturer will have engineered the lowest setting to be a simulation of a pro raceboy on a UCI weight limit race bike on level ground with no additional headwind.
> 
> When another bike is strapped down, it becomes a 15lb racebike and you become a 70 kg whippet.
> 
> ...



Really?


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## jimboalee (15 Nov 2010)

amaferanga said:


> Really?



If the turbo simulated rolling down a hill, it would be a waste of frigging money.

Do the 'coastdown' test like previously described. 

Training equipment is there to make the job harder, not give you an easy life...


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## amaferanga (15 Nov 2010)

jimboalee said:


> If the turbo simulated rolling down a hill, it would be a waste of frigging money.



I wouldn't dispute that, but that's not what you said and so not what I questioned.




jimboalee said:


> Do the 'coastdown' test like previously described.



If this is aimed at the OP then like I said, if its the type of Elite trainer I think it is there's nothing to gain from doing this. If its aimed at me I don't need to do it either because I have PowerTap....



jimboalee said:


> Training equipment is there to make the job harder, not give you an easy life...



Who said training equipment was there to give you an easy life?


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## jimboalee (15 Nov 2010)

The very least a turbo should do is simulate a track bike on a smooth velodrome. Then each notch simulates a less aerodynamic cyclist or climbing a gradient.

I know as well as everyone else, a turbo is a mind numbing device. With the knowledge the thing is making you and your bike have the Cd equivalent to a pro raceboy, you can attempt to emulate his achievements.

It what kept me sane ??????


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## screenman (15 Nov 2010)

I thought you could adjust the pressure of the roller against the tyre by way of an adjusting bolt, I must be looking at another type of turbo.


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