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TDF stationary cycling trainer by Pro-form

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TDF stationary cycling trainer by Pro-form

Old 04-13-14, 06:35 AM
  #1  
zvez
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TDF stationary cycling trainer by Pro-form

Tour De France Centennial | ProForm Exercise Bikes

Saw a commercial. This looks like a really cool system. Anyone here with experience with it? Is it hype? It's expensive, but it looks like it'd be a great way to train when the weather stinks and might be more engaging.

Chris
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Old 04-13-14, 06:59 AM
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Check reviews on Amazon. They are absolutely terrible. I don't know if they've improved, but I wouldn't buy one based on the reviews.
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Old 04-13-14, 11:17 AM
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thanks for the heads lup Diggy!

Originally Posted by diggy488
Check reviews on Amazon. They are absolutely terrible. I don't know if they've improved, but I wouldn't buy one based on the reviews.
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Old 04-13-14, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by zvez
Tour De France Centennial | ProForm Exercise Bikes

Saw a commercial. This looks like a really cool system. Anyone here with experience with it? Is it hype? It's expensive, but it looks like it'd be a great way to train when the weather stinks and might be more engaging.

Chris
Don't riders train by riding in the stinky weather? Unless there is a risk to your health/safety... Probably cheaper to just ride.
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Old 04-13-14, 12:02 PM
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good point, I still managed to average 100+ miles a week all winter in spite of all the rain. YOu guys have saved me $2k today!

Originally Posted by zymphad
Don't riders train by riding in the stinky weather? Unless there is a risk to your health/safety... Probably cheaper to just ride.
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Old 04-13-14, 12:20 PM
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If you're considering dropping that kind of cash, go computrainer
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Old 04-13-14, 01:01 PM
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It's been extensively reviewed before.

- Smooth, almost everyone says it's the best roadlike smooth feel you can get in a trainer
- LOUD. Like REALLY loud. DC Rainmaker tests it at the same as a jet engine, over 80DB, so loud that he doesn't even test it against other trainers since it's such a no contest in terms of sound

Probably would work fine if you're a slow, weak rider since it can spin up so hard, but just get the Kurt Kinetic Fluid if you're into training.

If you're serious about getting better, the combo of Wahoo Kickr (controls the power target) + software like Trainerroad or Perfpro makes your indoor training like a scientific laboratory, as it's so good and reproducible. You can literally up the interval by a measly 3 watts, and actually HIT that target reliably with the Kickr. Amazing for progressive training.
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Old 04-13-14, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by hhnngg1
It's been extensively reviewed before.

- Smooth, almost everyone says it's the best roadlike smooth feel you can get in a trainer
- LOUD. Like REALLY loud. DC Rainmaker tests it at the same as a jet engine, over 80DB, so loud that he doesn't even test it against other trainers since it's such a no contest in terms of sound
I think you're getting the Pro-Form trainer confused with the LeMond Revolution trainer (which is very good, but loud). I couldn't find the review you're talking about.
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Old 04-13-14, 01:57 PM
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O crap your right! Dang!
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Old 04-13-14, 02:26 PM
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Why would anybody drop 2000 dollars to ride indoors?
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Old 04-13-14, 02:26 PM
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Riding indoors sucks. Really, really sucks.
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Old 04-13-14, 03:18 PM
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I train better and more efficiently indoors. My setup is good enough that I'm not missing too much from outdoor riding. I still LOVE good outdoor group rides but I can't beat the quality of my indoor work. Using kickr and trainerroad and stuff like game of thrones.

But yes if you live for the outdoor experience indoor will not work for you.
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Old 04-14-14, 10:33 AM
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I have one, Whisper quiet, you can do most of the stages of the tour de france, adjusts for wind and hills, shows power levals. you can go online with it. Has touch screen. drop handlebars, you can use your own seat and pedals, Can set it up exactly as your road bike. You can controll every aspect of your ride. You can follow numerous workout programs, and download your own. does so much more,

But as was said before, it just sits right now, weather is too good to not be outside. but days when you don't get out there, it is there for you.

I hope people realize that riding a trainer is indeed harder than being out on your bike. No coasting, no waiting at lights, no being with your buds. Just pedaling, and sweating, watching tv, endless pedaling! But you do get a good workout.
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Old 04-14-14, 07:23 PM
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I also have one. They are totally quiet. You can setup any route you want and set it up to match your bike gears and all. It works for me but it does pedal a bit harder than my road bike. I set it up for routes I have coming up and go at it when I don't have the option of going out. Not to mention it saves the wear and tear on your road bike.
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Old 04-15-14, 04:48 AM
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It must be dangerous. The guy in the ad had a helmet on.

Maybe it recreates some of the best wrecks in Tour history.

https://www.letourdefrancebike.com

It was $2,5000....now it's $1499...now call and get a "special price"...

As was mentioned, for that amount of money get a Computrainer. Not only can you use it to ride simulated races, but you can check out your pedaling dynamics. So the self-fitters might look at a pedal stroke that looks like a figure 8 instead of a fat peanut.
the Computrainer is fun....it even releases tension (slipstream) when you get close to another rider.

Last edited by roadwarrior; 04-15-14 at 04:56 AM.
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Old 04-15-14, 07:38 AM
  #16  
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Rumour has it Terpstra got one this offseason and you all saw what he did to me.

Results speak for themselves.

Sincerely,

F. Cancellara
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Old 04-16-14, 11:48 AM
  #17  
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There are two versions of this trainer. This years version looks awesome, with actual STI type shifters, and Google maps integrated. I am seriously considering getting one, I used to ride though the winter, but now I have been carpooling with my wife over the winter months. Just too many times in the snow and slush and finding that I like that part of it less as the novelty of it wears off. At 2 grand the price is steep, but the fact that it's small enough to sit where a typical chair does in our living room, and quiet enough to use at night, I am planning on getting one this fall.

Joe
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Old 04-16-14, 11:51 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
Why would anybody drop 2000 dollars to ride indoors?
Originally Posted by surgeonstone
Riding indoors sucks. Really, really sucks.
Yep, but it beats not riding at all.
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Old 04-16-14, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by contango
Yep, but it beats not riding at all.
Yep but you can buy a set of rollers or a fluid trainer for a couple of hundred bucks, get a nice 1600 dollar road bike and ride it on your trainer instead of wasting it on a indoor crap machine.
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Old 04-17-14, 06:02 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
Yep but you can buy a set of rollers or a fluid trainer for a couple of hundred bucks, get a nice 1600 dollar road bike and ride it on your trainer instead of wasting it on a indoor crap machine.
If you're paying $2000 you can get a pretty decent indoor machine. Whether it's better to get a set of rollers and a road bike with the $2000 is as much a matter of opinion as of fact.
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Old 04-17-14, 06:03 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
Yep but you can buy a set of rollers or a fluid trainer for a couple of hundred bucks, get a nice 1600 dollar road bike and ride it on your trainer instead of wasting it on a indoor crap machine.
I already have a cat, but thanks.
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Old 04-17-14, 05:00 PM
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I am truly and honestly at a loss why anyone would spend more than a few hundred on an indoor trainer. God almighty, go outside, enjoy the weather, the rain, the snow, the heat, it's all so vastly better than cycling indoors.
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Old 04-18-14, 04:50 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
I am truly and honestly at a loss why anyone would spend more than a few hundred on an indoor trainer. God almighty, go outside, enjoy the weather, the rain, the snow, the heat, it's all so vastly better than cycling indoors.
Perhaps because they don't enjoy riding in the rain, the snow, or searing heat?

Generally speaking I'd rather ride outdoors than on a stationary machine but given the choice between braving twisting mountain roads in the ice or jumping on a machine indoors I'll take the machine. Given the choice between going outdoors in torrential rain and gale force winds or the machine I'll take the machine.

Whether the machine is a custom machine or a turbo trainer makes little difference from there. Some might think it's silly to drop $2000 on an indoor machine but then you get down to subjective opinions of what to spend and where.
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Old 04-18-14, 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by contango
Perhaps because they don't enjoy riding in the rain, the snow, or searing heat?

Generally speaking I'd rather ride outdoors than on a stationary machine but given the choice between braving twisting mountain roads in the ice or jumping on a machine indoors I'll take the machine. Given the choice between going outdoors in torrential rain and gale force winds or the machine I'll take the machine.

Whether the machine is a custom machine or a turbo trainer makes little difference from there. Some might think it's silly to drop $2000 on an indoor machine but then you get down to subjective opinions of what to spend and where.
See I agree with everything you said and practice a lot of it, but why not ride the road bike indoors. ? That's my point, the idiocy of spending such a large chunk of change on a machine that can't approximate in any way, the beauty of riding ones own bike, indoors or out. And no set of rollers or fluid trainer should cost more than 300 to 500 dollars, far less than the 2000 dollar TDF nonsense.
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Old 04-18-14, 08:42 AM
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Originally Posted by surgeonstone
See I agree with everything you said and practice a lot of it, but why not ride the road bike indoors. ? That's my point, the idiocy of spending such a large chunk of change on a machine that can't approximate in any way, the beauty of riding ones own bike, indoors or out. And no set of rollers or fluid trainer should cost more than 300 to 500 dollars, far less than the 2000 dollar TDF nonsense.
This^^^

You can get a Boyd Altamont Powertap wheelset and a Kurt fluid trainer for waaaaaaaay less than $1,999. There, now you have power inside and outside, and a kick ass wheelset to boot.

The gym I belong to got one of these last month, and after trying it all I could think was, "Wow, I only paid $279 for my trainer and I even get to use my own bike."
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