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Which turbo trainer ?

The nights are drawing in and a new turbo trainer is on the shopping list.



I have only ever used my brothers old Mag trainer and always found it either too easy or too hard once I had adjusted the resistence. It also seemed to put a flat spot i the pedal stroke.



I guess I am looking at one of the many fluid trainers so any advice would be appreciated.



I may get a Cateye Strada with cadence (with rear speed sensor) too unless there is another better option out there. It is purely for the turbo so I dont plan to break the bank on it.

Comments

  • NobzNobz Posts: 22
    ironman.NZ.07 wrote:


    The nights are drawing in and a new turbo trainer is on the shopping list.



    I have only ever used my brothers old Mag trainer and always found it either too easy or too hard once I had adjusted the resistence. It also seemed to put a flat spot i the pedal stroke.



    I guess I am looking at one of the many fluid trainers so any advice would be appreciated.



    I may get a Cateye Strada with cadence (with rear speed sensor) too unless there is another better option out there. It is purely for the turbo so I dont plan to break the bank on it.



    I'll use my first post to reply here since I've gone through this decision this week.



    Just picked up a CycleOps Fluid 2 from wiggle http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/CycleOps_Fluid_2_Trainer/5360019997/ and I'm really happy with it after the first couple of test rides. The resistance seems to be as close to road like as I've found after comparing to the mag trainers which seems to get inefficient at a higher level.



    I'm still to pick up a comp with cadence so I'd be interested if anyone can recommend other than the Cateye as well.
  • ironman - don't own one myself, but am in the market for one at the moment. My local bike shop gave me a fiarly lengthly demo of some last week and were bigging up the Tacx trainers which ticked all my boxes. They all seemed to be mag ones though so if that's not what you're after then I can't be much more help.



    Nobz - I've got a Polar CS200cad which I have no complaints about so far It's certainly not the cheapest on the market but it has lots of bells & whistles (wireless speed & cadence, HRM, computer uplink, bit of red on it) and it was my special day recently, so was a gift from Mrs Squishy.
  • I have the Polar CS200cad on the race & road bike but the wireless speed sensor range isnt good enough for rear wheel mounting for use on the turbo. You can do it but you have to mount the head unit near to the bottle cage mounts on the down tube so making reading the display difficult.



    Hence I am looking at the Cateye for the turbo only. Also by going wired type I can still use the polar heart rate unit without any chance of interference.
  • Went for the Cyclops fluid 2 and would recommend it.

    Got a Conti trainer tyer too, well worth it and works well.
  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    stp2
  • Fluid2 for me, also from Wiggle. Prices vary quite a bit on these so shiop around the net.
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    ironman.NZ.07 wrote:


    I have only ever used my brothers old Mag trainer and always found it either too easy or too hard once I had adjusted the resistence. It also seemed to put a flat spot i the pedal stroke.

  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    ironman.NZ.07 wrote:


    I have only ever used my brothers old Mag trainer and always found it either too easy or too hard once I had adjusted the resistence. It also seemed to put a flat spot i the pedal stroke.

    Ok, and nowthe post I was gonna make a minute ago (DOH).



    Maybe you should go old school (all you modern gadget guys now: silence, ...I'll kill you [;)]).

    Try the type I have, you can get it for 10£ second hand, should be easy to find one. I don't know the exact term in English (could it be 'rollers'). It's made of 3 rolls that are connected to each other by a metal profile. An elastic band goes from the front to the last roll. You ride like on the road ,it involves some balance exercise,but once you get the hang of it, it's easy.

    On part of resistance, you can't adjust it, and you can't freewheel (well not longer than 3 seconds[:D]).

    But that actually is a good thing (i.e. read the fixed wheel threads).
  • Can someone exlpain the difference between 'fluid' and 'cadence', or the relevance of thereof?
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    'Fluid' = a type of brake used on a turbo trainer to offer resistance. Other types are air and magnetic.



    'Cadence' = how fast you turn the crank, usually 80-90 rpm. You'll also hear cadence used in running to describe how quickly you take your steps (about 180 per minute) and even in swimming to describe your stroke rate... again, often 80-90 per minute.



  • treefrogtreefrog Posts: 1,242
    stp2
  • sfullersfuller Posts: 628
    Coming back to turbo trainers. What is better, progressive resistance or adjustable resistance?



    The cycleops fluid has progressive and you all seem to like that.....
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