Cycle Trainer for single speed bike?

[bernieUK]

Good evening all

I have recently had my first real cycle injury. I hit a big pot hole, came off and now have a fractured collarbone - very badly broken into quite a few bits!

Anyway, my doctor has recommended no cycling on the road for three whole months which I can understand. I am strictly a commuter on a singlespeed bike. I certainly want to keep active and so I was thinking of using a cycle trainer at home.

I have looked at various ones at Wiggle. I am surprised at the prices too and I am on a limited budget like most people these days.

I have to admit to knowing nothing about them. Wiggle has a few for about £100.00 - magnetic ones! Would they work on singlespeed bike or they designed just for quick release road bike? Here is one for example:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-volare-mag-alu-trainer/

As always I would appreciate any advice.

 

[HLaB]

Ouch, Sorry to hear of your accident Bernie

Any magnetic trainer would work fine with a single speed. There's usually some thing for setting the amount of resistance you need, that one says it has 5 settings.

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

I have a very similar trainer to that mine is Elite Mag Speed Alu:

Elite Mag Alu

It just looks exactly the same as the one you are looking at, but is £35 more expensive why I do not know. It just has the same 5 resistance level handlebar mounted switch and looks identical. My bike is not a single speed, its a Hybrid with a triple chainring. I mainly use it all the time on the highest gear anyway (large front, small back), and adjust the resistance using the switch. I am probably not as fit as you, but the resistance offered even on 3 gives me a good workout. I normally have it in a lower gear just to warm up, but you could just drop the resistance down to level one. I am really impressed with mine for the cash and I am positive that it would be fine for you. It never slips or anything, and believe me on the highest level it is bloody hard work. I am just building myself up as I had major knee surgery nearly a year ago. At the moment I warm up in an easy gear for around 5 minutes, then put it in the highest gear on level 2 for five minutes, then up to level 3 for five minutes. I do this 3 times averaging around 20 mph then cool down for five mins in a lower gear. I want to up the resistance level more but at the moment it would kill me. Get the Elite Travel Block too, it's £14.99 and is pretty good for raising the front wheel. Buy it, its decent kit for the money.

Edit: It just clamps the quick release skewer, that one comes with a trainer skewer mine didn't I had to buy one. I would guess if your bike does not have quick release it would work fine clamping on nuts. It just does not work well with skewers with a chamfer on them. A decent sized nut would probably be fine.

 

[HLaB]

Just a guess but the cheaper they are the the noisier they are?

 

[Cletus Van Damme]

Maybe, mine is not silent but it is pretty good. I live in a new house that is not built that great and I use it in the kitchen directly below my 19 month old daughters bedroom and it has never woke her up. You could watch tv using it.