RE: Turbo Trainers - Yea or Nay

I got that one too. Surprising how much noise becomes an issue over a long spell. Turbo tyre makes it quieter as well to be able to hear the soundtrack on the DVD.

Though if you ever get to try an old fan turbo, crank it up to 30mph. Its hilarious.

ainsleysdad wrote (see)

Ha! I can just see myself dozing off during a lull in Star Wars and waking up horizontal on the floor.  Classic, Dustboy.

Thanks for the feedback everyone; because sound reduction is a huge one for me, I'm looking particularly at the Elite Crono Fluid ElastoGel Trainer - £150 at Wiggle at the moment delivering in November. 

Thanks so much though - appreciate it!

Thats the one i have and i'd recomend it.

I believe wiggle are still doing 10% off orders over £100 if you enter the code       10-OFF when purchasing.

how does a turbo session equate to a longer road session ?  really 1 hour on the turbo = 2hrs on the road ?

I think turbo is waaay easier. Lovely surface, flat, no traffic, no potholes, etc etc. Road takes a lot out of you mentally as well. IMO. 

Turbo rots your mind though

SgtLard wrote (see)

how does a turbo session equate to a longer road session ?  really 1 hour on the turbo = 2hrs on the road ?

 

1hour turbo = 2hours on road is probably a bit of an exageration but the theory I believe is that on the Turbo there is no forward momentum so you need to Pedal constantly rather than taking a breather on the downhills, stopping at junctions, traffic lights etc.

Dustboy wrote (see)

 

Turbo rots your mind though

That explains alot!!

Dustboy wrote (see)

IMO. 

Turbo rots your mind though

all the more reason to do it then

It's one of the reasons I use the HRM on the turbo - too easy to drift off and not be working but if you take 10 minutes to warm up and then spend 45 minutes working in Z2 (for a steady state ride) with 5 minutes cool down you'll do more aerobic exercise than you're likely to on the road due to the lack of downhills, traffic lights etc. Of course add in some intervals or threshold work and it's even more use.

As for the mental aspect - well, riding for 180km is a bit mad and takes some mental strength doesn't it?

There are hills on mine - but I do have a fancy pants one.

1 hour= 1.5 hours is fair. Assuming you are pedalling and have the resistance at a sensible level. It is not that it is harder, just no lights, roundabouts, coasting. Just flats and uphills. You can go harder as you don't need to think about traffic etc.

Efficient and Brutal - Yes

Inspiring - No

I do quite fancy one of those things where you race on the TV against others on your turbo. I know they are pointless and a lot of money but I would be interested to know which ones are good/bad/recommended, all the same! You never know. I do find visual  stimulation on the turbo is the best distraction and I reckon it might be fun? EG is there a wireless thing that links to your Garmin via a laptop or whatever?

Dustboy wrote (see)

I do quite fancy one of those things where you race on the TV against others on your turbo. I know they are pointless and a lot of money but I would be interested to know which ones are good/bad/recommended, all the same! You never know. I do find visual  stimulation on the turbo is the best distraction and I reckon it might be fun? EG is there a wireless thing that links to your Garmin via a laptop or whatever?

I've seen a couple of those as well; but they fit firmly into the 'fancy pants' category of turbos I think.  I can only imagine what KK would think of them.

Now I'm just going through that impatient stage of saving up a bit of cashola for the buy.  I figure that while I'm still boshing out 3/4 hour rides, staying on the road is not too much of a problem, since waking up at 6am means I still get quality time with Mrs AD and A-herself.  Once I start getting above those length rides though, and want to pair them up with brick runs, its much harder to tell the Mrs that I wont be in until 2pm.  So - big tick for turbos + Star Wars for me.