Turbo Trainers - Are they worth getting

[Freddyflintstone]

Thinking of buying one
Are they worth it, or should I just get cold & wet when cycling in Winter

Opinions greatly received

 

[ColinJ]

There is some weather that it just isn't sensible or possible to cycle in, and there is weather that you can cycle in but which is pretty damn horrible. I think the turbo is a very sensible alternative to that.

I've used turbo-trainers and I'd say get the type that has a magnetic or fluid resistance unit. They are smoother in operation and quieter than the type with small fans which can be incredibly noisy!

I've now got a gym bike with a massive flywheel and I prefer that.

You'll need a fan to cool you down. Once you start to make a decent effort, you'll bucket sweat. I can lose over 1 litre an hour in an unheated room at freezing point! (I start off wearing lots of layers but by the time I'm really getting stuck in I have to strip down to shorts and a jersey only.

Make sure that you wipe the sweat off your bike and the turbo - I rotted my first turbo from underneath in one winter! I wiped the bike and the top of the turbo, but forgot to wipe underneath where sweat had collected.

 

[HLaB]

I've got one bth I try not to use it, its just mind numbingly boring, I suppose you could buy sufferfest dvds or something to liven it up but I'm a tightwad and would rather be out there. That said if you are training for something particular, some days you just can't get out there and its a useful alternative to keep you ticking over. I used mine a wee bit more the start of the year when I was writing my dissertation it was useful not to be an hour + away from civilisation also but that was kind of a necessity given the choice again I'd rather have been out there.

 

[Enigma2008]

In my opinion they're worth it. However, many find them so boring that they spend very little time on them. Personally each time I use mine I have a pre-determined set of training objectives to achieve:
1) Duration - not much more than 1 hour generally
2) Intensity - choice of (usually) Tempo, 'Sweet Spot' or threshold as measured by heart rate or power (wattage) zones
3) Cadence - cardiovascular = high cadence >95rpm - leg strength = low cadence <65rpm
4) Entertainment - MP3 - Cycling videos - radio - TV - Training videos
You've got to have objectives to focus on otherwise it's a boring exercise.

 

[JRob]

I have a turbo trainer. The problem is that you tend to use in bad weather, so the reality is boring cycling looking at garage doors!

I ended up getting an excercise bike and hooking it up to the tv. Much more enjoyable!

 

[ColinJ]

My view is that if you get bored on a turbo trainer then you aren't trying hard enough! True, it would get boring if you tried to do 5 or 6 hours on one but you should be able to cope with 30-75 minutes.

I can't read or watch TV when I'm using my gym bike because I'm too focussed on what I'm doing. I listen to loud, fast music on headphones (so I don't disturb the neighbours) and concentrate on trying to pedal smoothly. I set the friction to low for warm-ups, recovery between efforts, and warm-downs. I use a moderate friction level when just I want to spin away at a constant level of effort. If I am going to make a harder effort, I'll choose a friction setting that I can only just pedal against at my chosen cadence (90-100 rpm) for 15-60 seconds, whatever I've decided on.

I have a computer on the bike but I only use it for the elapsed time readout. It can also display speed, and calories burned but those numbers are completely useless since the device is not calibrated - it has no way of measuring how much braking friction I apply to the flywheel!

 

[jonathanw]

I use a TT foe when the weather is truly miserable. Generally for 45 mins- 1 hr flat out. I listen to my iPod to alleviate the boredom and yes there is a bit of a sweat issue, even when the ambient temp is about 0 Celcius.

 

[HLaB]

I use a TT foe when the weather is truly miserable. Generally for 45 mins- 1 hr flat out. I listen to my iPod to alleviate the boredom and yes there is a bit of a sweat issue, even when the ambient temp is about 0 Celcius.

Ooh I couldn't manage an hour, well I lie I have once I like to go for fix distances, usually 10 miles with the mp3 player on, usually a track or two on the minimum resistance to warm up and a track or two on the maximum resistance and the occasional 50mph + sprint thrown in. After all that I usually end up getting forward about inch or 0.000025m/s. This last while I've done one session went away, watched tv or something for 1/2 an hour and rehydrated then came back and done another session. There's something I like in the back of my mind about having a fixed distance as I know I can pedal harder and get finished earlier if I'm too bored.

 

[Blue]

My turbo is, next to the bike, the best bit of cycling kit I own. Boredom is either a lack of effort or lack of imagination.

I mostly use the turbo for interval sessions, when focus on the training eliminates boredom. If I'm just spinning I listen to CD's and have been learning a new language solely by doing that - to the extent that I was able to spend a month in a non-english speaking village this year and got on very well.

 

[Garz]

Thinking of buying one
Are they worth it, or should I just get cold & wet when cycling in Winter

Opinions greatly received

I recommend one for sure, the last couple of winters during the snow spells they were a godsend.

I don't shy from the cold & wet, if it's reasonable I will always get out on the bike instead of taking the easier indoor option.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Most winters I will use the Turbo a couple of times a week, just started at the beginning of this month doing an interval session and a steady paced session each week before breakfast, after Xmas I will drop the steady paced session for an interval session. I use an heart monitor and listen to music on my MP3 player, I don't do more than an hour, too boring, talking to a couple of my mates at the weekend and they say they do four hour sessions, something I couldn't do. Its beneficial and makes a noticeable difference.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I like mine. Sufferfest videos are good fun too. SWMBO is less keen on it being setup in the spare bedroom all winter though.

 

[fossyant]

Certainly useful to have. Also factor in you may want a 'fan' to keep cool. If I use mine, it's in the garage with the fan on full, even in winter. Music on loud/headphones and you are away. Do intense 30 minute sessions - try not to be on it too long or you'll go brain dead. Expect a puddle of sweat on the floor. Good for training when injured, or in bad weather. I rarely use mine though - prefer to be out on the bike.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Certainly useful to have. Also factor in you may want a 'fan' to keep cool. If I use mine, it's in the garage with the fan on full, even in winter. Music on loud/headphones and you are away. Do intense 30 minute sessions - try not to be on it too long or you'll go brain dead. Expect a puddle of sweat on the floor. Good for training when injured, or in bad weather. I rarely use mine though - prefer to be out on the bike.

Quarter to seven in the morning in an unheated shed I still sweat up, I'll do between 40minutes and an hour, how my mates can do 4 hour sessions I don't know, boredom starts setting in after about 30 minutes. I'd rather be out on the bike than on the turbo but I've found a couple of turbo sessions a week in the winter sets me up nicely for the following summer.

 

[HLaB]

I prefer to do a 10mile TT take a break for half an hour and do another. My sessions usually involve one or two warm up mp3 tracks in the lowest resistance followed by one or two tracks in the highest with a few 50mph+ sprints thrown in and interspersed there after. That seems to work for me in avoiding sheer boredom and stops me sweating too much.