Trainer Suggestions

[PotomacCyclist]

Kinetic trainers are a popular option. They tend to get good reviews, but they are expensive.

[krazygl00]

@culimerc 60158 wrote:

All- I’ve got a friend who really did his collar bone good, he’s been off the bike for a month or so now and the doctor said its going to be another month to 6 weeks before he can get back on the road.
I’d appreciate any suggestions or personal experiences that I could pass to him.

Thanks

D’oh! There were a couple of great deals on trainers at the REI members-only garage sale this past Saturday.

I second that about Kurt Kinetic trainers. The reason they are so sought-after is because the fluid resistance unit on them is fully enclosed and the coupling to the drive shaft is purely magnetic, so it’s impossible for it to leak under normal circumstances. Other trainers where the drive shaft is physically linked to the fluid impeller require a seal that will eventually leak. I’m not sure if other manufacturers have gone to the Kurt design.

If he only needs it for a month, month-and-a-half I actually might be willing to loan one.

[hozn]

Here’s what to watch while using the trainer: http://thesufferfest.com/

I don’t have any real recommendations. I bought a TravelTrac fluid trainer used for $100 from a coworker a few years back. I used it a handful of times, but decided I would much rather be out in freezing rain than ride in my basement. So I gave that trainer to a friend. But, yeah, sometimes you just can’t ride outside. Last winter I bought some rollers (TravelTrac brand again and $100 again on CL), figuring that this is what I’ll do to supplement my commuting when the new baby shows up.

[Steve]

Rollers are really fun, but I imagine with a hurt collar bone that might not be the best suggestion.

My only suggestion is to look for a used one if he wants one. It seems to me like trainers are the kind of thing that lots of people think they will like/use, end up hating it or not using it, and sell them at a pretty good discount.

[hozn]

@Steve 60186 wrote:

Rollers are really fun, but I imagine with a hurt collar bone that might not be the best suggestion.

My only suggestion is to look for a used one if he wants one. It seems to me like trainers are the kind of thing that lots of people think they will like/use, end up hating it or not using it, and sell them at a pretty good discount.

Yeah, I should have clarified that the rollers wasn’t really a recommendation for the broken collarbone I figured that for myself it’d make me embrace it more if I made it a little more engaging. But yes, definitely check CL; people sell trainers all the time.

[mstone]

he needs a ‘bent

[Steve]

@hozn 60187 wrote:

Yeah, I should have clarified that the rollers wasn’t really a recommendation for the broken collarbone I figured that for myself it’d make me embrace it more if I made it a little more engaging. But yes, definitely check CL; people sell trainers all the time.

Hah. I wasn’t trying to comment on your post. I didn’t actually notice that you had mentioned rollers. I was just saying it becasue I used to have some and thought they were pretty fun. But not as fun as riding outside, so I got rid of them when they got too dusty.

[Dickie]

I used rollers as a youngster when I was racing and LOVED them… although my folks still talk about how nervous they were watching me train on them. I bought a fluid trainer a few years back… don’t remember the make… but hated the feel. Same as Hozn, I’d rather be outside if possible but I can see how they would help with an injury. I use mine now almost exclusively for fine tuning my fit. If he needs it for just a few months, I too would be willing to loan it out.

[Tim Kelley]

@Dickie 60193 wrote:

when I was racing

Tell us more about this.

[Dickie]

@Tim Kelley 60194 wrote:

Tell us more about this.

When I was 16 years old I began racing in Ontario, Canada for a team called Maple Leaf Cycling Club under the mentorship of Aldo Sfalcin. Sadly I only raced for about 3 years before realizing I just didn’t have the stamina… it took years to figure out why! I loved it though, and really miss being elbow to elbow, wish I had been able to endure. I was a good sprinter when I made it to the finish without crashing or getting dropped… which was pretty common!

[MattAune]

If he only needs it to get through the next 6 weeks then I have one here he can borrow. We have two fluid trainers so that my son and I can train together in the winter. It’s not winter, and we aren’t using them.

If you are looking for a longer term purchase, definitely spend the money on a Cylops Fliud Pro2, or a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. The resistance units on the more expensive fluid trainers is totally worth it. Magnetic and Wind resistance units are much louder and IMO make it feel like I am pedaling through mud. The cheap fluid units tend to get really hot and leak.

If your friend really wants the ultimate training tool look at the Wahoo Kickr or a Computrainer, but both of these are in the $1k and up range.

[Vicegrip]

Another nice feature of the Kurt is the torque curve is well known and programs like Trainer road work well with them. Trainer road and a Kurt = indoor wattmeter.

The fluid trainers will kick your butt too. No coasting at all you stop pedaling you start slowing. Like riding on a flat into a headwind.

They make recumbent exercise bikes too. Life fittness makes/made one that worked well.

[Author]

Posts