# Turbo Trainers (pros and con ?)



## johnnyb47 (4 Jan 2018)

Hi. 
The last few weeks I've been thinking of buying a turbo trainer to try and keep cycling when the cold wet winter evenings get the better of me. 
I have a very large living room where I could use it and have already got a large pedestal type fan to keep me cool. I could well imagine that I would get bored pretty quickly of it ,if I was just stuck in the garage using it and thought if I had it in my house , I could at the least watch the TV, to pass the time away or even use zwift.
I've never used or entertained the idea of one these before so I thought I would ask here for some advice. 
Are they noisy in use ,do I have to use a dedicated rear tyre for them. Also do they make a mess as in chain oil being flung off and splattering the carpet or walls. 
Sorry for all the questions but are they easy and quick to attach my road bike to them. 
Also whilst on this subject would rollers be better bet over a turbo trainer. 
Thanks for reading and any answers given.
All the best,
Johnny


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## Dave 123 (4 Jan 2018)

I tried rollers a few years back and didn't get on with them. They were noisy.

I'm contemplating buying a 2nd hand spin bike at present. They don't have a rear tyre to wear down.


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## Heltor Chasca (4 Jan 2018)

Newbie user, but as you hint, I have done over 500km that I wouldn’t have done over the last 6 weeks. In answer to your questions:

Are they noisy in use? Not my Kickr Snap and as you’ll see in the reviews.

Do I have to use a dedicated rear tyre for them? No. My wheel on trainer has reviews saying this is one of the good things about a Snap. I use Schwalbe Durano and I check for wear and rubber dust on the roller. None.

Also do they make a mess as in chain oil being flung off and splattering the carpet or walls? If that’s happening, you are oiling your chain incorrectly. You’ll need a mat to soak up the sweat anyway.

Are they easy and quick to attach my road bike to them? Yes

Also whilst on this subject would rollers be better bet over a turbo trainer? Not the same resistance differentiation on dedicated interval programmes like TrainerRoad. Warm up, sweet spot, threshold, warm down etc. Rollers are great for warm up and some core strength building. Hard to settle into long term workouts. Lose concentration while changing music, podcasts or while drinking or eating, you’ll be off and project yourself through the French windows.

I love mine. Utterly amazed at the tangible change in my fitness, muscle development and fat loss in just 6 weeks. It is also very convenient for busy people.


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## Alan O (4 Jan 2018)

I've got one that I ride in front of the telly (though not as much as I thought I would). It's very easy to put a road bike on it and off quickly, but I do swap my rear wheel first for one with a dedicated tyre - it does seem to wear the tyre quickly, so I just got a couple of very cheap ones for the purpose. I don't get any problems with oil splashing, but I never have enough oil on the chain to splash.


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## screenman (4 Jan 2018)

I go along with what Heltor says, I have been using turbo's for nearly 30 years, I have never used a specific tyre nor noticed any excessive wear of the tyre.


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## johnnyb47 (4 Jan 2018)

Thanks for all this invaluable info. I would much prefer to cycle outdoors but the cold weather and dark evenings does get the better of me sometimes. An hour on the turbo trainer watching something in the tv would be a God send some nights :-)


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## HLaB (4 Jan 2018)

When I was doing my MSc I used a cheap magnetic Turbo to keep me fit and it did that but its a bit boring and could have worn the rear tyre out fortunately I had a turbo bike with a turbo tyre.
I've now got a semi smart direct drive turbo and work on power (initially virtual via Trainer Road and now actual via a PM). It seems to give me a much more interesting workout based on interval and there's no chance of wearing out the rear wheel/tyre.
Rollers for me are somewhere in between interest wise. As you have to concentrate more there more interesting than a basic turbo but you can't (unless you are extremely talented or spend big bucks) get a more interesting structured work out of a more advanced turbo.

My direct drive turbo if you had the volume up would allow you to watch tv but a basic magnetic turbo would be too noisy.


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## Tin Pot (4 Jan 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> Hi.
> The last few weeks I've been thinking of buying a turbo trainer to try and keep cycling when the cold wet winter evenings get the better of me.
> I have a very large living room where I could use it and have already got a large pedestal type fan to keep me cool. I could well imagine that I would get bored pretty quickly of it ,if I was just stuck in the garage using it and thought if I had it in my house , I could at the least watch the TV, to pass the time away or even use zwift.
> I've never used or entertained the idea of one these before so I thought I would ask here for some advice.
> ...



I thought similar, but when I put it in the garage and tried the TrainerRoad FTP test I realised it would be a long time before I got bored.

Trying to maintain a power output, or follow interval profiles takes a lot of concentration, not to mention physical effort.

I tried watching movies on the very long 2-5hr rides but I couldn’t concentrate on them. Music or podcasts is what I use to distract me from the effort rather than eleviate boredom.

I put it outdoors if it’s not raining, and wouldn’t bring it indoors. I work really hard, it would be dangerous with kids around, imo.

Oh, and you need a serious fan, not those funky heater fans on cold - I bought a huge one from screwfix. No matter how cold it is.

I don’t get the attraction of Zwift now that I’m training properly.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (4 Jan 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> Are they noisy in use ,do I have to use a dedicated rear tyre for them. Also do they make a mess as in chain oil being flung off and splattering the carpet or walls.
> Sorry for all the questions but are they easy and quick to attach my road bike to them.
> Also whilst on this subject would rollers be better bet over a turbo trainer.
> Thanks for reading and any answers given.
> ...


No No No No


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## huwsparky (4 Jan 2018)

I have a direct drive type trainer and the fan makes a lot than the trainer. Make the setup as


Tin Pot said:


> I thought similar, but when I put it in the garage and tried the TrainerRoad FTP test I realised it would be a long time before I got bored.
> 
> Trying to maintain a power output, or follow interval profiles takes a lot of concentration, not to mention physical effort.
> 
> ...


Some of the best cyclists in the world train on Zwift. Have you not considered this? Are they not training properly?


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## Tin Pot (4 Jan 2018)

huwsparky said:


> I have a direct drive type trainer and the fan makes a lot than the trainer. Make the setup as
> 
> Some of the best cyclists in the world train on Zwift. Have you not considered this? Are they not training properly?


I’m not going to go there with Zwift, but you’ve misunderstood me - my point was that before I started using a turbo I thought I would need something like virtual cycling to make it interesting. Now that I’m training properly I don’t think that I need virtual cycling or anything else to make it interesting beyond TR.


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## Heltor Chasca (4 Jan 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> I’m not going to go there with Zwift, but you’ve misunderstood me - my point was that before I started using a turbo I thought I would need something like virtual cycling to make it interesting. Now that I’m training properly I don’t think that I need virtual cycling or anything else to make it interesting beyond TR.



I agree. I dint need any further stimulation at this stage. Virtual rides don’t interest me much at this rate. (Interesting points on the ‘Strava Cheats’ thread elsewhere btw) The TrainerRoad programmes are high quality stuff and need a degree of concentration to keep your power and cadence consistent with the intervals. I’m very happy to lock myself into the zone with podcasts and music. I’m amazed at the increase in motivation, the faster and upbeat the music is.


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## Tin Pot (4 Jan 2018)

Heltor Chasca said:


> I agree. I dint need any further stimulation at this stage. Virtual rides don’t interest me much at this rate. (Interesting points on the ‘Strava Cheats’ thread elsewhere btw) The TrainerRoad programmes are high quality stuff and need a degree of concentration to keep your power and cadence consistent with the intervals. I’m very happy to lock myself into the zone with podcasts and music. I’m amazed at the increase in motivation, the faster and upbeat the music is.


Yeah, Cowboys From Hell or repeat is my emotional crutch for FTP testing. I don’t know if the rage helps or hinders but it gets me through it! 

Happy - Pharrel Williams for the warm down as applause and to keep me from collapsing


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## Tin Pot (4 Jan 2018)

Oh and towels!

You need at least one towel for the bike and one hanging nearby for you.

One for the floor or a mat if you’re indoors I suppose.

It’s all in the set up. If all your stuff is in place and ready to go you’ll do fine. If you have to ass about because you forgot to bring water, towels, headphones, gels, charge devices, pump tyres, etc. it becomes a struggle.


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## JhnBssll (4 Jan 2018)

I invested in a Tacx Vortex, a low end smart trainer, about a month ago. I was fortunate in that I already have a PC in the garage so only had to install an Ant+ dongle and a big fan and I was away..! Zwift is great but I haven't yet tried anything else and to be honest at this stage I don't intend to. I listen to music too while I go, the Vortex isn't too noisy but I believe you can get quieter ones if you're prepared to spend a bit more than I did 













turbo



__ JhnBssll
__ 4 Jan 2018






As has been said you will get super sweaty so if you're doing it indoors you'll need a mat. I would certainly recommend going ahead and buying one, I did about 100 miles worth of training at the end of last year that I would otherwise have missed out on and you know what they say about winter miles


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## Jason (5 Jan 2018)

I have used a dumb basic turbo witn zwift for a month now. The program keeps me interested and ride for longer without getting bored, however the resistance doesn't change. At the end of January the plan is to invest in a wahoo kickr snap which currently retails at £499 , unless someone can recommend a cheaper (but as good) smart trainer.


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## mgs315 (5 Jan 2018)

Bought one of those cheapo Lifeline ones for £50 recently and tbh I find turbo too boring (despite the fact I’m happy to do spin class or jump on the exercise bike for half an hour at the gym if I’m going). I guess I’d just rather go get cold and wet for a change of scenery. I’m sure that’ll change once the pro road racing kicks off again as I’ll stick the turbo in the living room and pedal for a few hours watching the racing but then the weather gets better too!


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## greenmark (5 Jan 2018)

Pros – you will get fitter

Cons – you will do less riding outdoors.


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## PaulSB (5 Jan 2018)

I don’t understand the attraction but if I had the chance would give it a go. I don’t have the option to try as my cold, damp, unlit garage is 500 yards from the house and we have nowhere in the house to leave everything set up.

A couple of observations though. My club run cycle specific spin sessions. Since the advent of Zwift attendance has dropped from two full classes of 24 per week to one class of 9/10. I suspect these will not happen at all in 2018/19 winter. In almost every case those who dropped out now have Zwift. I find it disappointing people prefer the virtual world to a good work out with friends and colleagues twice a week. During the annual Facebook chat re miles ridden one member commented “mine are all real road miles” a view I have some sympathy with.

I feel riding through the winter is the more beneficial option. I only managed three rides in December against the usual eight per month - ice, fog and rain making conditions too dangerous, I stopped when my buddy broke his collar bone on ice. I was pleased to find on the NYE ride my fitness was good and possibly my body has benefitted from three weeks with only one ride. Should be back out on Sunday, forecast is +1 and sunny.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (5 Jan 2018)

People need to accept that others have different ways of getting things done and leave them to it. An awful lot of people stop riding entirely in winter (is this not an inclusive forum?)

I don't give anyone riding outside grief for doing so and they don't give me any for being on zwift all the time.

Simple fact is, I can work harder for less time in a safer environment that isn't dark. I emerge in spring leaner and fitter than many of those to battled the elements/lost skin due to road rash.


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## johnnyb47 (5 Jan 2018)

Hi again.
I've been looking around today for one and have come across one in Halfords. It's only a basic one from Bike Hut, and is on sale for £50. I,m tempted by the reduced price and could even fit my spare wireless cycle computer sensor to the back wheel for a rough guide to recording my time/speed average. Has anybody here got one of these to vouch for them. 
Thanks for all the recent feed back on this subject. 
Much appreciated,
Johnny.


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## vickster (5 Jan 2018)

I think the cheap(er) ones can be very noisy - not good if the plan is to watch the TV while using (I have a quieter fluid one and I still have to turn the TV right up)

This might be a decent bet https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tacx-satori-trainer.227696/ if @maroon still selling (retails around £170 new)


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## Tin Pot (5 Jan 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> Hi again.
> I've been looking around today for one and have come across one in Halfords. It's only a basic one from Bike Hut, and is on sale for £50. I,m tempted by the reduced price and could even fit my spare wireless cycle computer sensor to the back wheel for a rough guide to recording my time/speed average. Has anybody here got one of these to vouch for them.
> Thanks for all the recent feed back on this subject.
> Much appreciated,
> Johnny.



If you haven’t got a power meter, you won’t get the best out of online training but some will accept speed and cadence if you have a turbo they support, and a speed and cadence sensor they support.

Otherwise you can just follow YouTube videos and go hard or easy as they dictate.

I borrowed a mates Tacx and bought the cheapest S/C that would work (Wahoo), and tried TR. I quickly decided I needed a power meter.


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## Heltor Chasca (5 Jan 2018)

And if you do go down the speed and cadence route only, Wahoo do a pretty good deal on both sensors.


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## froze (6 Jan 2018)

There are all kinds of trainers on the market from cheap fan type that make the most amount of noise to computer jobs that take most of your money to buy, it just depends on what you can afford. If you just want something simple to train on the get a good fluid trainer the the CycleOps Fluid 2, it's quiet, it can be quite a challenge, it can give you more of workout then you're capable of doing, and it's boring. 

As far as the sweating issue goes, yes you will drip all over your bike and onto the floor...so ask yourself a question, why don't you sweat that profusely when your riding outside? because of the wind that you create by pedaling forward, the breeze keeps you fairly comfortable from being soaked and dripping, so apply this inside a house, but how? simply put a larger diameter fan that sits on a pole high enough to hit you in the face and upper body and aim it straight at you to mimic being outside. But even though you use a fan you still need to use a mat, any thin rubber mat will work, even an old piece of carpet will work, or go to a carpet store and get a small 4 to 5 foot wide x 6 or so foot long remenant piece, most of the time they'll give it to you for free.


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## HLaB (6 Jan 2018)

It might just be an advertising piece as I've not read it but this cycling weekly article claims to give advice on trainers.


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## johnnyb47 (7 Jan 2018)

I took the plunge today and bought the Halfords Bike Hut turbo trainer for £50.
I'm no expert with cycling or turbo trainers and my budget is tight, so I went ahead bought this one. Incidentally it was reduced from £70 so I thought I might as well make use of a bargain. 
As a novice to these things it was really easy to set up and seems very well made. With a towel dropped over the cross bar ,the central heating turn off , kitchen door wide open and a large fan blowing in front of me I gave it my best for 40 minutes. I was dreading the horrendous noise after hearing how loud they can be on YouTube clips ,but to my surprise it was really quite. Obviously there's a noise but nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. In fact it was fan that I used to keep me cool was more noisy. As its a basic no frills turbo trainer I fitted a spare cycle computer ( wireless type) to the rear wheel so I can roughly record my progress. The signal from the sender was not strong enough for it to reach the computer on the handle bars so I've simply mounted the spare computer to the turbo trainer. Its easy enough to read when you look down. 
Wow you seriously get a good sweat on them too when going for gold. With the tv on in the living room it kept the boredom factor at bay. 
Overall I'm really pleased with it and I'm sure I will get my money's worth out of it through the rest of the winter. It's certainly not a substitute for outdoor cycling but whilst the weather is poor I'm sure it be a big help in keeping my 6 chins and 5 bellies in check.
Thanks for all the advice, you good folk have given over the last few days,
Very much appreciated,
Johnny :-) :-)


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## Heltor Chasca (7 Jan 2018)

Good work. I hope you are happy. Decathlon sell a ‘Y’ shaped sloth that you Velcro between your bars and saddle so it catches sweat. They also do cheap floor mats. I have taken to wearing an old pair of mits to stop the sweat running onto the bars. Have a look at YouTube for some scary examples of corroded bars due to sweat.


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## johnnyb47 (7 Jan 2018)

Cheers Heltor.I will take a look. I think the only problems I will encounter with the turbo trainer is that I won't be able to pass any pubs along the way lol. Never mind ,I've got a good supply of Guinness in the kitchen , :-) :-) :-) :-)


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## johnnyb47 (7 Jan 2018)

There's one other good thing too about a turbo trainer that I never thought about up until now. They make a brilliant bike stand and are ideal for finely tunning your derailleur with the bike in situ :-) :-)


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## JhnBssll (7 Jan 2018)

Well done chap. I've found mine strangely addictive. About to go out to the garage for a session now as it happens


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## johnnyb47 (7 Jan 2018)

Cheers matey..
If it wasn't for you guys giving me some brilliant advice I never would of got one to 'be honest :-) :-)


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## maroon (8 Jan 2018)

vickster said:


> I think the cheap(er) ones can be very noisy - not good if the plan is to watch the TV while using (I have a quieter fluid one and I still have to turn the TV right up)
> 
> This might be a decent bet https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tacx-satori-trainer.227696/ if @maroon still selling (retails around £170 new)


Hello
Just seen this yes I still have it , willing to come down in price as desparetly need the space do let me know if any interest


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## vickster (8 Jan 2018)

maroon said:


> Hello
> Just seen this yes I still have it , willing to come down in price as desparetly need the space do let me know if any interest


The OP of this thread has bought one now he says

Sell yours through ebay or gumtree, should be easy as you're in London


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## maroon (8 Jan 2018)

vickster said:


> The OP of this thread has bought one now he says
> 
> Sell yours through ebay or gumtree, should be easy as you're in London


Thanks vickster will do


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## Jason (8 Jan 2018)

Just so i can join the OP online,the good lady has ok'd buying of the wahoo kickr snap "as long as she can use it sometimes"

The next hour or two may be spent watching videos ..... Of the snap obviously!!!!

Anyone aware of it being sold for less tban £499?


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## Diz (16 Jan 2018)

I have also recently set up a basic turbo (tacx bluematic) I have used it on Zwift and using you tube and will also try TR with a recent Chest Infection and a 2 year old in tow it has been great so far to get some miles in without risk of getting ill again. I am looking forward to a club run though and restarting commuting but it's a fantastic second option and gives me no excuse to not do anything. I toyed with the smart trainer option but full set up on this has only cost me £70 and will only be used until I can bolt on extra mileage on the commute.


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## johnnyb47 (16 Jan 2018)

Nice one Diz.Glad to see your enjoying it :-)


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## Diz (16 Jan 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> Nice one Diz.Glad to see your enjoying it :-)


Thanks I bought the Turbo on Thursday and with this bug going around I would've never of gone out so I see it as 75 miles gained and it is much easier to do HIIT sessions so I am looking forward to see what gains I can get out of training indoors when back on the road!


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## Tin Pot (16 Jan 2018)

Jason said:


> Just so i can join the OP online,the good lady has ok'd buying of the wahoo kickr snap "as long as she can use it sometimes"
> 
> The next hour or two may be spent watching videos ..... Of the snap obviously!!!!
> 
> Anyone aware of it being sold for less tban £499?



I’d recommend you get pedal based power meters instead. I use PowerTap P1S.

You will want power readings outdoors, and even if you can afford both...the readings don’t map from one to the other.


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## confusedcyclist (17 Jan 2018)

I just got one too, loving Zwift. Helps me get more training in when the nights are dark and I can't extend the commute because I have a dog waiting at home for his walk. I'm not racing, but want to improve my fitness to do C2C way of roses in 2 days in relative ease.


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## Jason (17 Jan 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> I’d recommend you get pedal based power meters instead. I use PowerTap P1S.
> 
> You will want power readings outdoors, and even if you can afford both...the readings don’t map from one to the other.



Understand where you are coming from in terms of a power meter, but for me it's more about having the immersive experience of Zwift (actually makes me want to get on the bike and do some exercise indoors), than the power figures, FTP, watts per kg etc. At 50+ i'm resigned to being slower, but fitter than my 40's


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## mkmark666 (17 Jan 2018)

_As its a basic no frills turbo trainer I fitted a spare cycle computer ( wireless type) to the rear wheel so I can roughly record my progress. The signal from the sender was not strong enough for it to reach the computer on the handle bars so I've simply mounted the spare computer to the turbo trainer. Its easy enough to read when you look down_.

Hi Johnnyb47,

Regarding the Cycle Computer, I also found the signal too weak to reach the computer if it was mounted on the handlebars. I resolved this by fitting the sensor as high up the seat stay as possible i.e. with the magnet towards the wheel rim (It's an old fork mounted sensor fixed by zip ties so didn't have to fit on the chain stay necessarily). Then fitting the the computer about halfway along the top tube reduced the distance such that the sensor and computer could successfully communicate. More convenient than having it attached to the turbo trainer maybe if you want to press buttons to view average speed, elapsed time etc... or if it's a struggle to read the display 
Just a thought......


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## johnnyb47 (20 Jan 2018)

Hi @mkmark666.
Sorry if I looked ignorant to your message. I've just this minute seen it. 
I shall certainly try your idea out as it seems a lot better than mine,
As for the Turbo training its going really well. I've got into a nice routine now. I found the resistance level I had initially set was a little to hard for me for prolonged rides so have turned it down a setting. It was making the ride somewhat tortuous and off putting even though it was probably better for me. I would rather have an easier workout and enjoy it and be "keen" to have another go the next day than slog my way through one and dread the next one.
Also cycling at the same cadence can become mind numbingly boring and have found it better to Cycle as hard as I can in 20 seconds bursts then relax down for a 40 seconds. It seems to built up a good work out and and a short time to recover before the next burst. Doing this seems to make the time go nowhere whilst on the trainer.
All the best :-) :-)


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## DRM (21 Jan 2018)

I've used mine a lot lately, it's been a godsend with this lousy weather, I've found the GCN training videos really good, did a 35 minute GCN video this morning, then pedalled along for 45 minutes whilst watching stage 5 of the tour down under, just tried to keep the same cadence as the peleton, if the road went uphill I put the bike in a harder gear, downhill into an easier gear, it does helps to keep your fitness something like.


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## I am Spartacus (21 Jan 2018)

I use Zwift
I use a fluid trainer
I use a power meter
I like the arguments you can have post Zwift
I dont fret about FTP
I reckon I train ok for my age
I rarely get dropped/dnf in real races (but can happen due to mechs etc)
This is due to keeping up fitness in the winter without crashing hard on the tarmac.
Links now to video of unfortunate club mate who got away with it 2 weeks back (he's ok with sharing)

Apart from the daily commute, I havent been out since.


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## johnnyb47 (21 Jan 2018)

Ouch!!! I'm glad he's ok..
Did he hit some black ice on the road.


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## I am Spartacus (21 Jan 2018)

He was VERY lucky not to break his collar bone. In fact apart from bruising and soreness post crash, he and bike serviceable.
It was black ice to use that term, but this was late morning , not early morning.... when you think it is safe......
I have my first race of the season in 7 weeks time, I did similar 5 years ago and got away with not breaking my hip by the literal skin of my teeth.
I'll leave the winter warriors to it now after being reminded.


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## johnnyb47 (21 Jan 2018)

Good luck on your upcoming race. The weather should hopefully be better than what it is now. It's been snowing quite heavily here today and yesterday so cycling outside is well off the menu at the moment. 
There's been a few hardy souls coming past my house today heading for the hills on there mountain bikes ,but I'm sticking to the Turbo trainer until outdoor conditions improve:-) :-)


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## si_c (21 Jan 2018)

I am Spartacus said:


> He was VERY lucky not to break his collar bone. In fact apart from bruising and soreness post crash, he and bike serviceable.
> It was black ice to use that term, but this was late morning , not early morning.... when you think it is safe......
> I have my first race of the season in 7 weeks time, I did similar 5 years ago and got away with not breaking my hip by the literal skin of my teeth.
> I'll leave the winter warriors to it now after being reminded.


 
I did the same last week, twice on the same commute home - sharp left hander and a roundabout - the road surface is very slippery at this time of year, especially in the gutter on country roads. I take it as a given that I will come off once or twice each winter as a result of the road surface. Trainer miles do seem appealing under those circumstances, but I really love getting outside on the bike.


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## Drago (21 Jan 2018)

To rewind and answer the IP...


Pros - 

those that don't like foul weather riding still get to play.

Its an easy and quick way to get some exercise, even at 3am if you can't sleep.

If you have the necessary kit you can 'compete' in the pro bike race of your choice against that Bradley Froome feller.

Cons -

It does little for your control skills.

Your roadcraft and situational awareness aren't practiced. 

Some find it boring/unchallenging.




You takes your pick. No right or wrong, it just depends what suits you.


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## bpsmith (21 Jan 2018)

I had an hour available to me today, after overtime. First Zwift in a good while and used the App on my AppleTV. Absolutely amazing bit of kit, without needing a suitable computer.

I prefer to get outside too, but time along with heavy wind and rain was never going to be enjoyable.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying both.


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## confusedcyclist (22 Jan 2018)

I'm a few rides into zwift now, just started using BC's trainingpeaks plan for riding a century (closest thing I could get to training for my 2 day coast to coast ride). Nice to have a sort of virtual coaching aspect to guide your workouts, and remind me about cross training (body weight, core exercises etc). I'm still riding the commute, albeit at a careful pace, and somewhat subdued by studded winter tyres and this naff weather of late. Looking forward to spring...


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## Spoons47 (29 Aug 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> I took the plunge today and bought the Halfords Bike Hut turbo trainer for £50.
> I'm no expert with cycling or turbo trainers and my budget is tight, so I went ahead bought this one. Incidentally it was reduced from £70 so I thought I might as well make use of a bargain.
> As a novice to these things it was really easy to set up and seems very well made. With a towel dropped over the cross bar ,the central heating turn off , kitchen door wide open and a large fan blowing in front of me I gave it my best for 40 minutes. I was dreading the horrendous noise after hearing how loud they can be on YouTube clips ,but to my surprise it was really quite. Obviously there's a noise but nowhere near as bad as I was expecting. In fact it was fan that I used to keep me cool was more noisy. As its a basic no frills turbo trainer I fitted a spare cycle computer ( wireless type) to the rear wheel so I can roughly record my progress. The signal from the sender was not strong enough for it to reach the computer on the handle bars so I've simply mounted the spare computer to the turbo trainer. Its easy enough to read when you look down.
> Wow you seriously get a good sweat on them too when going for gold. With the tv on in the living room it kept the boredom factor at bay.
> ...



Hello there, sorry to bother you. I wondered if you are still getting good use out of the bike hut unit? They are still £50 at the moment and I really want to get one. I’ll only be doing about 50-60 miles a week during the really wet and windy weather. 
Thanks. 
Simon.


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## johnnyb47 (29 Aug 2018)

Hi Simon and hope your well. 
If the truth be known I ended up selling the turbo trainer to a work mate. It was good in that it helped in staying fit during the awful winters weather, but I just found it so boring to use on a regular basis. I needed more stimulation in my cycling such as seeing the changing environment around me and the constant changing of road gradients and conditions to keep me occupied. I know it all sounds a bit sad on my behalf ,but turbo training just didn't do it for me buddy. That's not to say it won't suit you though. If you do get one, they will certainly give you a good work out :-).
All the very best matey


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## Spoons47 (29 Aug 2018)

Thanks for that, I just wanted a recommendation because it’s so cheap. You have done that. 
Cheers

Simon.


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## Cuchilo (29 Aug 2018)

Tin Pot said:


> I thought similar, but when I put it in the garage and tried the TrainerRoad FTP test I realised it would be a long time before I got bored.
> 
> Trying to maintain a power output, or follow interval profiles takes a lot of concentration, not to mention physical effort.
> 
> ...


You do 2 - 5 hours on a turbo ?


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## johnnyb47 (29 Aug 2018)

Spoons47 said:


> Thanks for that, I just wanted a recommendation because it’s so cheap. You have done that.
> Cheers
> 
> Simon.


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## johnnyb47 (29 Aug 2018)

Spoons47 said:


> Thanks for that, I just wanted a recommendation because it’s so cheap. You have done that.
> Cheers
> 
> Simon.


It's definitely worth the money Simon if your going to use it. It was very well made and surprisingly quiet. I couldn't fault it for what it was. The resistance dial worked well but I hardly ever used it. I just set it somewhere on the middle settling and used the gears on the bike to fine tune the resistance.


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## Alan O (29 Aug 2018)

Alan O said:


> I've got one that I ride in front of the telly (though not as much as I thought I would). It's very easy to put a road bike on it and off quickly, but I do swap my rear wheel first for one with a dedicated tyre - it does seem to wear the tyre quickly, so I just got a couple of very cheap ones for the purpose. I don't get any problems with oil splashing, but I never have enough oil on the chain to splash.


Seeing as this thread has been restarted, I might as well offer an update on my use of my turbo trainer... or rather my not having used it for months.

Early in the year I used it from time to time, but only for sessions of about 30 minutes to an hour, really to help with my aerobic fitness - It's too boring to use for any longer than that.

But during the sunny summer I've upped my cycling considerably, and my aerobic fitness has improved a lot - so much so that half to an hour really does nothing for me any more. Swapping rear wheels, pedaling for a session in front of the telly, swapping wheels back, and having a shower - just not worth it for zero benefit.

I'm probably going to stick it on eBay, and I'll make a big effort to put in all the exercise I can over the winter with real cycling - and when the weather is too bad for too long, I'll do weights and core strength training at the gym.


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## Spoons47 (29 Aug 2018)

johnnyb47 said:


> It's definitely worth the money Simon if your going to use it. It was very well made and surprisingly quiet. I couldn't fault it for what it was. The resistance dial worked well but I hardly ever used it. I just set it somewhere on the middle settling and used the gears on the bike to fine tune the resistance.


Thanks again my man. I’m going to buy one tomorrow


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## JhnBssll (29 Aug 2018)

I haven't used my turbo since spring sprang but am currently scouring eBay for a bargain bicycle to permanently mount to it during the colder months  I cancelled my Zwift membership too but that will be reinstated when needed


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## maroon (22 Sep 2018)

Spoons47 said:


> Hello there, sorry to bother you. I wondered if you are still getting good use out of the bike hut unit? They are still £50 at the moment and I really want to get one. I’ll only be doing about 50-60 miles a week during the really wet and windy weather.
> Thanks.
> Simon.


Sorry sold it on eBay a while back...


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