BotByte

So, ah I'm gaining weight because it's freaking windy (30+ winds) outside and I'm missing the calorie burning force of biking.

I also have had a good flow of money in, about $450. I'd like to spend under $200

Should I buy a bike trainer, and so then, which one?

I do live in an apartment, upstairs but no one has lived downstairs for the last 2 years

surgeonstone

Where do you live? Just ride the 30's, it's only more exercise which is what it's all about. Try not to focus on speed, focus on heart rate and cadence. Trainers suck, even the best one. I will take dark, snow covered, freezing, rainy sub tornadic conditions any day over the trainer.

BotByte

Going up hill into the wind is not fun. And where I live, 70% the time there is wind. It's not that I'm lazy and won't go out, but it would be nice to have a bike trainer at the moment and later on like in the winter.

I'm asking people if and what bike trainer they like.

And yes, I've tried one of my friend's trainer and liked it a lot, but it just seemed to easy. He had a cheap magnetic one.

Velo Gator

I like having a trainer. It makes it easier for me to fit in training.

swampdonkey90

Bought a trainer last winter for the same reasons as you. Truth is the trainer was about as close to cycling as reading a book about cycling. I broke a sweat using it but it was just running in place.

Ill ride in the snow next year.

BotByte

well, do you recommend any or your own?

uncrx2003

I have the Kinetic Rock and Roll

BotByte

yeah... $500 is kinda large to me

surgeonstone

The trainer I use and like as much as is possible is the Kirk Kinetic Rock and Roll. It's big and clunky but has the best feel that I have come across. It allows the bike to move creating a much more natural feel and allowing much more time in the saddle than a fixed trainer. I rode rollers for decades, good for other reasons, but I get a good workout on the kirk and it allows me to use the ipod and zone out.

Velo Gator

I've got this, it's just fine.

https://www.amazon.com/Blackburn-Tech.../dp/B002RQLYRI

catonec 

I also have a blackburn. this oneI had to return the first one I got because once it warmed up, it would get really loud and start shaking the house down. the replacement one is nice and smooth. this one is supposed to simulate climbing hills, the faster you go the more resistance it puts out. Its really nice for maintaining a cadence.

znomit

People either endure them or hate them. Buy a cheap second hand one and if you stick with it you can trade up. I managed three rides on mine before selling it.


Oh, and HTFU and get out and ride.

M_FactorX19

a trainer thread this late in the year? wow.

i hate those things! yes i own one and use it if i have to but i hate it every time

"going up hill in the wind is not fun"? when it is really windy around here i hit the mountains and climb. its the open flats that suck in the wind (head wind of course).

im not saying dont buy a trainer, i think every serious cyclist should have one, just stating my opinion.

achu717

+1

Carbon Unit

I have a Kurt Kinetics Road Machine. It is a great trainer as far as trainers go. I used it with Spinerval DVDs until I joined a gym with spin classes. A trainer has more of a real road feel than a spin bike, I can crank up the resistance on a spin bike considerably more. I paid just over $200 delivered for my KK Road Machine. Every now and then Kurt sells demo machines and warranties them like new ones. I bought a demo machine and it looks like it had never been used. In the past six months mine hasn't gotten any use because of the spin classes.

FXjohn

rollers.

Carbon Unit

The general opinion I have heard on the differences between trainers and rollers is that trainers are typically used to build power and rollers are used to improve your pedal stroke. However, this might to be entirely accurate because rollers like E-Motion have adjustable resistance.

Also, rollers I hear are less boring than trainers.

AdelaaR

Instead of buying one you could do like me and get one for free.
I'm sure you know many people that have unused trainers like my dad's trainer that was unused for over a year ... so I asked my dad if I could have it and he had no reason not to give it to me.

It looked like this:



(do not be alarmed by the state of my garage ... I'm still building my house and will be doing the garage floor next week)

I did not like the silly handlebar at all and so I cut it off with the "help" of my 16 months old son:



I attached a wooden handlebar instead:



I cut the best pieces of the old handlebar and rerouted the wires for the heartrate pickups ... then drilled holes through the wooden handlebar to attach the new aerobar style extensions ... then used an old camping matress and some tissue to create comfortable armrests ... I also cut excess material from the computer unit to make it less wide and attached it to the handlebar with all the necessary wiring:



Tadaam: a TT-style home trainer for the rainy days
It's got a Watt meter and user definable programs with an electromagnetic resistance ... perfect for training I reckon.
The only thing I still don't like is the saddle ... I'll probably cut off the existing tube and attach an actual bike seatpost so I can use any saddle I like instead of the granny style stock thing. The pedals will probably have to go aswell and could be replaced by SPD pedals ... still contemplating

K.Katso

Damn, with as good as the weather has been lately, I'm surprised you would sit around in your garage with any free time working on such a project.

rbart4506

Trainers are a useful tool to have, especially if you have to deal with a real winter season....

I myself have a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine...I've had it for 2 years now and it's been great!

I use it all winter and have been forced back on it a few times this spring. I admit that by the time April rolls around I am mentally done with the trainer, but once December comes I am on it like clock work.

RMMJ

no. buy a set of rollers with a resistance unit, and a fork stand for when you don't want to worry about balancing.

AdelaaR

Took me about 2 hours on one evening to make.
The weather here was pretty ****ty 2 days ago.
This was my first ever trainer and one thing I did not like about it was the fact that I heated up too fast.
On a bike at speed the air around you cools your body down and the faster you go the better it cools ... on the trainer however at +300watts I got REALLY hot and sweaty after 30 seconds.
Maybe a fan could do the trick?

AdelaaR

I don't get why people want to put nice expensive bikes on rollers and then wear the expensive lightweight components down while not moving.
Doesn't make sense to me ... a basic trainer can be had for less than $200 which is less expensive than a crankset.

Gluteus

Yes.
Not just because it allows you to keep your "cycling fitness" when there is bad weather.
If you are training, it's more efficient to do intervals using the trainer (you can keep the "prescribed" intensity for the exact time, without having to worry about traffic, stop signs, intersections, hills etc).
Kurt Kinetic and Cyclops Fluid 2 are good.

Machka 

Yes ... get a fluid trainer. I like both of the ones we have, and they aren't very expensive.

If I can motivate myself this week, I'll be on it just about every day ... and onward through the winter. But preferably not on weekends. I'd prefer to cycle outside on weekends if possible.