Which bike trainer do you use?
#26
Rouleur
Kreitler 3.0 Alloy Rollers with a Killer Headwind Unit. I have never used Zwift - I would much rather put on replays of races (mostly Cyclocross) on a big screen TV I have set up low to the floor so I can watch without craning my neck up. I don't have anything against Zwift, but don't need the interaction to motivate me. Just pure riding on rollers, a good race, and sometimes a hard driving heavy metal soundtrack with my earbuds. Riding rollers takes concentration and attention, plus it absolutely forces you to have a very smooth cadence and to ride a very straight, controlled line. Zwift is great for fitness, rollers are beyond great for making you a good, smooth rider. Both my road bikes have power meters / cadence / speed sensors, so I guess I could use online programs but I just don't have the interest. If you love to ride, it's not hard to be motivated to do it, even indoors.
And in Upstate NY, in the winter you just don't have the option to ride road bikes. MTB yes, but having to drive to trails, etc... every day is way too much.
And in Upstate NY, in the winter you just don't have the option to ride road bikes. MTB yes, but having to drive to trails, etc... every day is way too much.
#28
Senior Member
Apologies in advance for the snarkiness, I just see this way too often. Why the need to weigh in on riding outside when the question was about indoor product recommendations? Why is riding outside in the winter such a badge of honor? I live in the area and race cyclocross, so I'm quite familiar with riding in tough conditions, I race in freezing conditions with little more than a skinsuit and maybe leg warmers. But for day to day training having an indoor trainer has made by quality of riding much better, I'm not messing around with clothes, I don't have to worry about cleaning a dirty bike, and I'm in much better shape than people just tooling around outside. Again, I'm just responding to you since it's the latest response, lots of other people chime in on these indoor trainer topics with similar responses, but folks need to get off their high horses with respect to winter riding.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,753
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#30
Newbie
Join Date: Aug 2019
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We had a cold snap and with darkness descending upon the northern hemisphere the days of warm or even cool rides before or after work have been replaced by bitter cold rides in the dark. That is unsustainable so I bought a used CycleOps Fluid 2. It works great. I hate the damn thing.
#31
Advanced Slacker
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Because..... Bike Forums. Where one goes the have their questions questioned.
#32
Senior Member
Apologies in advance for the snarkiness, I just see this way too often. Why the need to weigh in on riding outside when the question was about indoor product recommendations? Why is riding outside in the winter such a badge of honor? I live in the area and race cyclocross, so I'm quite familiar with riding in tough conditions, I race in freezing conditions with little more than a skinsuit and maybe leg warmers. But for day to day training having an indoor trainer has made by quality of riding much better, I'm not messing around with clothes, I don't have to worry about cleaning a dirty bike, and I'm in much better shape than people just tooling around outside. Again, I'm just responding to you since it's the latest response, lots of other people chime in on these indoor trainer topics with similar responses, but folks need to get off their high horses with respect to winter riding.
#33
Senior Member
Ok, point taken. A bike is meant to be ridden, spinning in a circle going 0 mph is not biking. Lots of other options than sitting in your living room watching news (or what ever)on a bike stand. Tooling around outside? Not. Fat bike with studded tires, way awesome. I don't gym, I don't own a trainer . And winter riding? You're in your living room or basement, not outside winter riding. All I'm saying is that winter doesn't mean you are stuck inside. Cheers. Hiking, snowshoe, XC skiing, all good too.
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#34
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#35
Senior Member
#36
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Your response is about as useful as responding to a thread asking about what guitar people like to play by stating that you hate playing guitar and prefer the drums.
Also, riding indoors and outdoors in the winter are not mutually exclusive.
Last edited by Kapusta; 11-05-19 at 02:48 PM.
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#37
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,753
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Ok, point taken. A bike is meant to be ridden, spinning in a circle going 0 mph is not biking. Lots of other options than sitting in your living room watching news (or what ever)on a bike stand. Tooling around outside? Not. Fat bike with studded tires, way awesome. I don't gym, I don't own a trainer . And winter riding? You're in your living room or basement, not outside winter riding. All I'm saying is that winter doesn't mean you are stuck inside. Cheers. Hiking, snowshoe, XC skiing, all good too.
Now. I MIGHT get a snow suit and try a Fat bike this winter. A lot of things in the air before that happens.
#38
Senior Member
Your aversion to indoor training is of no relevance in this thread.
Your response is about as useful as responding to a thread asking about what guitar people like to play by stating that you hate playing guitar and prefer the drums.
Also, riding indoors and outdoors in the winter are not mutually exclusive.
Your response is about as useful as responding to a thread asking about what guitar people like to play by stating that you hate playing guitar and prefer the drums.
Also, riding indoors and outdoors in the winter are not mutually exclusive.
Next up, flats vs clipless.
#39
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#40
Destroyer of Worlds
I have always used Wahoo Kickr Snap. It will be my go-to this winter. I don't have 2 bikes, so just a bunch of swapping thru axle and all that jazz. Pretty simple I guess, compared to a wheel off trainer. Calibration is a bit more annoying though. Meh, pros and cons I guess. Works for me!
#41
Senior Member
I thought the other reasons you mentioned would be more important to me but after actually buying my trainer the above reason was far and away the best benefit. There is no way I'd be in remotely as good a shape as I am now if it weren't for the turbo trainer to attach my bike to.
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Eastern Iowa
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Bikes: 2014 Trek Allant drop bar conversion, modified Schwinn MTN commuter, 2015 Trek 520, Soma ES, Salsa Journeyman, 1980 Trek 414
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No trainer for me...cant stand them. Riding outside in harsh winter conditions is a fun challenge, and can be a great workout.
Trainer=RG350ex
Outdoors=Team J. Craft Prestige
Trainer=RG350ex
Outdoors=Team J. Craft Prestige
#43
Senior Member
No one has mentioned my sixteen year old Blackburn TrakStand. It is still going strong And it is homebrew.
Made in good old USA. Rantoul . IL. 61866-9512. No software to worry about. Just sweat wear. Giggle. Jim.
Made in good old USA. Rantoul . IL. 61866-9512. No software to worry about. Just sweat wear. Giggle. Jim.
#44
Banned.
When it gets too cold outside I'll ride my 'analog' Kreitler rollers.
#45
Senior Member
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I have a Cyclops flid drive dumb trainer. I pretty much hate using it. I find studded tires and cold weather gear a better investment. I’d sell mine but the local Craigslist is full of like new or hardly used trainers.
#47
Senior Member
Hello Goofball,
Your man pain cave is so neat and tidy, just like mine. Jim.
Your man pain cave is so neat and tidy, just like mine. Jim.
#48
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There’s a huge difference between riding outside in harsh conditions just to be “outside” vs. actually doing structured training indoors on a trainer. There is no comparison. All things being equal (two people with same experience/physiology and conditioning) the person doing real structured training indoors will be in much better shape than the person who thinks “outdoor miles are better than indoor miles” in the spring.
#49
There’s a huge difference between riding outside in harsh conditions just to be “outside” vs. actually doing structured training indoors on a trainer. There is no comparison. All things being equal (two people with same experience/physiology and conditioning) the person doing real structured training indoors will be in much better shape than the person who thinks “outdoor miles are better than indoor miles” in the spring.
#50
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
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I liked that it replaced the front wheel and the bike was 100% locked in solid.
But I needed power output for the smart apps for winter riding. So I snagged a used Kurt Kinetic and the iNride sensor. I may yet fabricate a sleeve for the Kurt fluid head to be fit to that Performance stand...