Turbo or Stationary?

Kai Lad · Post by **Kai Lad** » Tue Jun 23, 2009 5:41 pm

Hi guys,

Sometimes i get back too late to cycle outdoors.So for a while now i've wondered if i should get indoor apparatus.

I've heard of Turbo trainers and stationary bikes.Which are better for serious training? and where could I buy one?

Cheers

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Wed Jun 24, 2009 8:09 am

I think you'll find most folk here use Turbo-trainer type things. Rollers are more traditional - I've never tried them.

The new Wattbike looks ideal but is £1500 so only for the very dedicated I think....

like my bike · Post by **like my bike** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:51 am

Kai Lad

Turbo trainers are an efficient way of training fitness when time is short something like, this time of year you'll also need a fan

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cycle ... 360019997/

Fan

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HONEYWELL-18-HIGH ... 7C294%3A50

Rollers are usually used by the pros for warm ups, or high cadence spinning to improve leg speed or the form on the bike, they generally dont have the ability to increase resistance.

Good Luck

Alistair12 · Post by **Alistair12** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:22 pm

Kai,
Rollers are Good as they improve balance aswell rather then turbo trainers or Stationary.

nickb · Post by **nickb** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:08 pm

For those who have never ridden rollers, you'd be sursrised how hard you can work on them! You can have a tough workout easily hitting 175 bpm. The bigger the drum, the higher the resistance generally. Turbo's give you numb nuts and are demotivating through extreme boredom.

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 11:03 am

"Turbo's give you numb nuts and are demotivating through extreme boredom."

Depends. I'd suggest that both turbos and rollers are pretty tedious in comparison with getting out on the road if all you want is a ride on your bike. The trick with using the turbo is having a purpose in being there. For training doing short intervals (ie when you're not spending much over an hour on it) and working hard they can't be beat. Set a target (heart rate / cadence / power) and focus on keeping to it.

But if you want a pleasant ride... ...that's not what they're for.

Mr_Striped_Hat · Post by **Mr_Striped_Hat** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:14 pm

Rollers are fun for indoor training, plus as already stated you still have to balance your bike so you get a more realistic riding feel, and they don't seem to wear out tyres like turbos do.
I once spent four hours training on my set of rollers one dark winters day.
For multimedia fun whilst on the trainer try searching for "the sufferfest" on itunes or use the power of google. There are 5 free videos which you can download and watch whilst spinning away. They have a training theme to them, sprinting, hard effort intervals etc. with a little music and you get to watch the pros riding too.
One other piece of advice for when training indoors, get or make a bike "thong" cover. Basically a towel which extends from your bars to seatpost to catch all the sweat flying off your head before it can penetrate your bikes internals.

Mr_Striped_Hat · Post by **Mr_Striped_Hat** » Fri Jun 26, 2009 7:17 pm

Link for the google shy amongst you -
http://www.thesufferfest.com/?page_id=293

justsweat · Post by **justsweat** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 11:56 am

I can agree with rollers being more realistic than turbos. I rode 200 miles on mine for Red Nose Day, when you lose your concentration it hurts, just like on the road!!

Training for RAAM they are invaluable.

Brian

Kai Lad · Post by **Kai Lad** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:01 pm

Cheers people. I will probably get these:

Minoura Action Roller Advance .

Has anyone ever used these?

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:50 am

As regular readers of postings on here will know, I'm a dedicated user of the turbo for doing intervals, partly because you're less likely to go head-first into oncoming traffic when nailing that last thirty seconds and partly because you don't end up with your insides feeling like they've had Vim poured into them after hard sessions in freezing winter weather. likemybike's posting reminded me though that there are fans, and there are FANS. One of the worst aspects of turbo sessions is overheating and elevated heart rate as a result.

So, I've just replaced my fan with a FAN. 20" (ooooer missus!) of heavyweight industrial cooling. By crikey does it shift the air. It threatens to rip posters off the wall, and lighter items of furniture rearrange themselves. Sitting in front of it on setting 3 it's like descending off Mont Ventoux, except marginally scarier. This is air movement on a macro scale.

So, to reinforce likemybike's advice, get some serious cooling. It really does make the indoor business much more tolerable.