alpharalpha

Nothing extreme, just to stay in shape while indoors. My Trek Multitrack is the most comfortable so will use it; also has schwalbe marathon plus tire--smooth tread--do you think the trainer will wear that tire down? I don't need any extra features, main thing would be as close to actual riding; not a dragged feel etc. Also will be in my living room, I will put a mat down but nothing that might break and leak (I've read the fluid ones sometimes do?) Thanks!

base2 

There is no non-dragy indoor "dumb" trainer that is like real life. They all drone like a boat motor with constant resistance that scales with speed. You don't ride a dumb trainer for sport or realism or because it is fun or enjoyable. The constant unyielding drone of effort & absence of real life coasting has it's benefits though in endurance & mitochondrial adaptions & sustained cardiovascular capacity.

That being said, I've had good luck with the Qubo Elite Travel Track fluid trainer. The bike clicks on & your body weight provides the right pressure to hold the wheel against the roller. Other similar trainers have a wingnut that presses the roller against the tire & these tend to require periodic adjustment & improper adjustment causes excessive wear.

Fluid trainers tend to be quieter than many other varieties & can usually be found fairly cheap on the usual craigslist/offerup type sites. If not for the game play aspect of Zwift, and structured control & realism of a smart trainer, I'd still be using mine. I've had put untold thousands of miles on mine, averaging 1-2 trainer tires per year right in my livingroom with various movies or YouTube videos like CTX or others to keep my mind busy.

I wouldn't worry about leaking being a thing. I suppose anything can fail, but I wouldn't consider it being a realistic possibility for a very, very long time. My roller is actually worndown about 50% material thickness & still trucking along just fine with not even so much as dust collection around the seal area that would indicate seepage/weepage.

You really, probably do want a dedicated trainer tire. Road rubber tires tend to be made of different rubber that will wear quickly.

Het Volk

This is where, for trainers, you get what you pay for. Most low-end on-wheel trainers will have more drag and less road feel. You almost have to shut your mind off on thinking this is like a road, and almost pretend it is some new-fangled resistance machine. Higher-up you go, the more road feel, including up to direct drive trainers. There are a few options:

(A) Ebay: there are some cheaper "dumb" direct-drive trainers. Elite and Lemond Evloution. Keep in mind, Lemond used a fan for resistance which is very loud. I would look for an Elite older model direct drive as an option for road feel, and will be cheaper or equivalent to mid-grade on-wheel trainer.
(B) Rollers: this is the old-school trainer. And it is the most road like there is, but to use it, you need to focus on balance and staying up-right. In addition, learning to get on and get going takes a little time. There are some rollers that have fork mounts in the front and rollers on the rear. It is around $500 after taxes (Feedback Sports Onmium) could be a good hybrid and the cost of a higher-end dumb "wheel-on trainer"). I might look into that if you just want to spin.
(C) Cheap On-Wheel Trainer: You can do this, but a lot of people will attest that 10 minutes into a poorly designed, drag laden trainer is like 20 hours on a bike. It is just a pain and a slog, and could end-up dissuading you from actually riding. Back in the day, these really were the tools for race warm-ups and winter training, where the motivation to maintain last season's fitness kept your a** in the saddle. It is why, for those just wanting indoor exercise, a cheap spin bike might be a more appropriate option.

fujidon

I haven't heard of fluid trainers leaking, it seems unlikely. In general, fluid trainers are quieter and provide greater linear resistance than magnetic trainers.
Choosing a trainer depends a lot on why you want a trainer. For me, I use it a few times per week in late winter to begin to get in shape for the riding season. I will use it in the middle of winter for a cardio workout, but not as frequently and not as hard.

I have an older Nashbar fluid trainer that cost me about $125. It works OK, but the resistance is not consistent once it warms up. Since I only spend 30 to 45 minutes on it each time, it's pretty much all I need for now. I have looked at the Kinetic Road Machine Smart 2 Bike Trainer which would be my 1st choice if I were to buy one now (and I am interested because I'm less than thrilled with the one I have now), but it's not currently available... so maybe next year.

So, what are your goals for indoor cycling?

spelger

Rollers are good for occasional use. and like Het Volk mentioned they have a very road like feel because you really have to pay attention to what you are doing. i've fallen off on more than one occasion. nice thing is they will hide quite nicely under a couch if doing in the living room.

i had them but got bored with them and moved up a few notches. but again, for occasional use they are nice.

ther was a set for sale on my local craig's list for about $120 with aluminum drums.

fujidon

Being able to store rollers under a couch is a real plus. We're all different, but for me, I have no desire to focus on remaining stable and not falling while trying to get a little cardio workout in. I listen to music while I'm on the trainer and that's pretty much all I want to focus on.

alpharalpha

Cardio. Unfortunately what I like about 700c is the smoother continuous feel, even 26" mtn bikes have a drag feel to me--pedal immd slow down in between--I'd like the resistance without that.

jadocs

Basic rollers with resistance.

alpharalpha

So, rollers are going to be the closest I'm going to get? Will they still wear down the rear tire? I'd like to have the bike accessible when I want to ride it. Maybe a roller with front support like the Feedback Sports Omnium--or similar?

jadocs

With rollers you will really be riding your bike. On stationary trainers you’re just pedaling. No it will not wear your tires down.

is Feedback sports that one will the tiny rollers at the rear and a fork stand? No that’s not what I meant when I said rollers. I’m talking about regular rollers that either has magnetic or fan resistance.

alpharalpha

I agree, regular rollers look like the best for ride feel; wasn't Omnium brand specific, just a type with front fork mount for stability--someone on this thread had suggested the Omnium. I see they are based on SportCrafters design but for portability feature which I don't need. They have 2 models, the Cadence Rollers & Overdrive Pro both can be fitted with a fork stand so that looks like more in line with what I'd want. I won't be doing anything intense, just for cardio. Do you think the cadence model would suffice for my basic needs, or is the pro required? I've never used these so don't know; but if cadence would provide equivalent to 10-20mph riding would be sufficient or would the pro be needed for this range?

jadocs

If you are going to use a fork stand, you might as well just get a regular wheel on or wheel off trainer. I only mentioned rollers because you wanted something "as close as actual riding". A fork stand defeats the purpose.

surak

I have a fork stand with rollers and agree with this. I got the stand after wanting to ride with a powermeter on virtual training platforms (Zwift and such) but before I had become adept enough on rollers to ride without one. It doesn't feel any more like riding outside than anything else I've tried, and it's noisier than my fluid trainer and especially my direct-drive Kickr.