Trainer...

[LordNikon]

I'm looking at buying an indoor trainer for winter training...

Just wondering if you guys had any recommendations.

At the moment I'm leaning towards rollers because it requires some skill to use instead of turning my trusty XC steed into an exercise bike. :wink:

So what do you think? Big rollers, small rollers, rim drive, tyre drive, magnetic, wind... what's best?

[jasco]

I recon your best shot to get info on this would be to go see a bike shop that sells road bikes. I can't imagine many of the farkin boys have ever used a trainer.......you just can't huck off them.

I'd prolly lean more towards the magnetic rollers myself though

[ryd_mtb]

Rollers are soo much better, gives you something to think about. Plus it doesn't put any strain on your bike like normal trainers. Also you don't have to assemble before using, ie. just jump on and go.

P.S anyone in melbourne have any they want to sell, I'm after some myself

[ruthlessgirl]

never used rollers, I'm cheap so i have a tire trainer... louder & it likes to shred little bits off the cheap-as slick i stuck on the back... rollers probably woulda been smarter cuz they are more skill-like but ya i couldn't use my arms...

Rim trainers are nicer, but more $$$

[LordNikon]

Been to my LBS for lunch and they're ordering a set of rollers in for me to check out.

Will post the verdict once I've seen them. 8)

[Grover]

rollers if you can afford them. if you've got a road bike for them it will also be much nicer. anything tyre drive destroys mtb tyres very quickly however rim drive cannot provide as much resistance. if you're going to get a trainer fluid ones are quietier and provide more varied resistance so it is more like road riding.

[jasco]

anything tyre drive destroys mtb tyres very quickly
Yeah true but this can be minimised by running your tyres at their highest PSI which will also lessen rolling resistance

[LordNikon]

rollers if you can afford them

I can... pffft. Who needs to eat?

:wink: :wink: :wink:

[Stint]

I used the Tacx Cycleforce One (http://www.tacx.nl/flash_content/tacx.html) for about 8 months when I was working out in the middle of nowhere, so that I could keep some sorta fitness level up. It's a mag roller, and I had my hardtail mounted on it. I was pretty happy with it, as it has variable resistance if you want to simulate interval training. As well as that, it folds up easily to slide underneath the bed, or into the cupboard.

I have read in MTB mags that if the resistance ain't enough for you, throw some knobblies on the rear (I had Specialized Fatboys 1.25in on). However, beware, as the tyre do wear significantly, and may delaminate (as already mentioned).

Also keep in mind that riding on a roller, it's pretty hard to keep your heart rate up on it, as it would be riding real conditions (factoring in wind, rolling resistance, manouvreing (sp?), upper body work).

[Rik]

Rollers are only good for:
warming up at races
leg speed exercises
learning balance
pointless wasting of time

Get a decent rim-driven system, that'd be the best way to go. Unless your rollers have a resistance system (which I don't know about, but then again i'm not familiar with new stuff on the market), you're wasting your time, as I've listed above. Get a rim driven resistance trainer, and you'll have alot more versatility.
And this is coming from a trackie/roadie, who definately knows what he's talking about with this stuff ;)
Probably the best trainer I've ridden on, is our current one... a centrifugal clutch system, gives fairly realistic resistance (ie, the faster you go, the resistance increases logarithmacally, same with wind resistance), but they're worth like $500 :? can't even remember the brand off the top of my head, but I do know the clutch system generates a shitload of heat and you burn yourself when you pack the trainer away after a session. If you do get a tyre driven system, either buy a really tough cheap slick, or an entire rear wheel, to run on the system. Last thing you want to do is kill knobblies on your trainer, which you will do unless they're a hard compound and well rolling (which most tyres aren't).

[junior]

get rollers!!!!! and dont get the tacx rollers cause they warp like a bitch. :?

[LordNikon]

Well I've been chatting with the lbs and looking at the Elite Parabolic Rollers and I've decided.

Rollers it is.

It'll be a couple of weeks before I've mustered the funds for them but once I've had them up and running a week or two, I'll do a review.