Viewing 31 posts - 1 through 31 (of 31 total)
  • A quiet turbo trainer
  • lunge
    Full Member

    I need to buy a new turbo, mine, though working fine, sounds like a plane is taking off in the garage and it’s in danger of annoying all around me.

    There seems to me lots of deals on Tacx and Elite trainers around but before I click buy I wondered if anyone could recommend a reasonably quiet machine.

    dustytrails
    Full Member

    I have a Tacx Vortex….electronic resistance rather than flywheel/wind resistance – it’s pretty quiet and has VR capabilities too!

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    It doesn’t. Vortex is just a basic mag trainer with the resistance knob controlled electronically.

    If you want a quiet trainer then probably direct drive is the way to go (e.g. Jet black Whisper, Elite muin, Kickr, Neo.) Much of the noise comes from the rear wheel and the turbo interface.

    What have you currently got? Be interesting to know what you consider loud. I’ve got a mag trainer, and I guess it’s pretty loud, but not that significant compared to the two 18″ floor fans I need to keep cool!

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    dustytrails
    Full Member

    It doesn’t what mrblobby?

    lunge
    Full Member

    The current trainer is an ancient CycleOps Mag+, this one, it’s seriously loud.

    dustytrails
    Full Member

    Are you using a proper turbo tyre? For the record, I-Vortex uses an electro brake and is a VR trainer and reasonably quiet.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Are you using a proper turbo tyre?

    No is the short answer but I am on a slick road tyre. I’m also using the trainer on a mat to help limit the vibrations.

    jamiep
    Free Member

    It doesn’t. Vortex is just a basic mag trainer with the resistance knob controlled electronically.

    Sure? It is an electro magnet brake.

    edit: too slow, as above

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Ah I stand corrected, thought it worked like a kickr.

    Curious to know why the cyclops is so loud, Google seems to suggest some have noise problems as a result of some loose parts. Mag trainers really shouldn’t be particularly loud.

    lunge
    Full Member

    Curious to know why the cyclops is so loud, Google seems to suggest some have noise problems as a result of some loose parts

    Indeed, I removed a cover that was apparently a cause of a lot of the noise, this has made almost no difference.

    mrchrispy
    Full Member

    direct drive and a massive wad of cash seem to be the solution.
    kickr or that Tacx stealth bomber one

    jet26
    Free Member

    Tacx turbo muin – reduced at wiggle at mo too

    grahamt1980
    Full Member

    Def elite turbo muin.
    Have got one here and it is very quiet. The majority of the noise comes from the chain as it’s direct drive

    dustytrails
    Full Member

    I seem to recall that some of my roadie mates recon that cycleops fluid is quieter than the mag

    saynotobasemiles
    Free Member

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/tacx-booster-ultra-high-power-t2500-trainer/rp-prod68508?gs=1&gclid=CK38v_HikMoCFQb3wgod1PwJDA&gclsrc=aw.ds

    Use a Turbo tyre as well. I find mag turbos have a much smoother feel, they also won’t suffer in different temps like fluid trainers do in terms of resistance offered. Also on this one you can do some serious over gear work. 60RPM+ @ level 10 will see you pushing a whole lot of watts!

    Also remember bikes are actually quite noisy, it’s just the wind is noisier outside.

    dirtyrider
    Free Member

    Lemond

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    Kickr isn’t quiet. My old Elite Crono Fluid ElastoGel was a lot quieter.
    The problem with the Kickr is you get a lot of noise from having to force air out from between the teeth on the belt drive when it meets the small pulley.
    You can make it fairly quiet in Erg mode by simply moving to a low gear, but then because the flywheel isn’t spinning so fast it doesn’t feel so good.

    The Tack neo is probably the only truly quiet turbo out there.

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Lemond

    🙂

    I’d like to try a Lemond but good god is it loud!

    Neo

    On my shopping list if they can deliver what’s promised in the firmware.

    IanMunro
    Free Member

    I’d buy a neo too apart from that problem 🙂
    Give it a year I reckon.

    Bregante
    Full Member

    Very impressed with my Elite Turbo Muin. It is almost silent. Good review of it on Dc Rainmaker

    kcr
    Free Member

    Does anyone else have first hand experience of the Tacx Neo?

    My 15 year old Tacx Grand Excel disturbs everyone, even in the garage, so I bought a Neo just before Christmas. It was pretty noisy under load, and definitely not the magically quiet turbo promised by Tacx.

    Tacx have acknowledged there were various manufacturing issues with some of the first units which caused noise problems, so I’m currently waiting for a replacement, and hoping I was just unlucky. I’d be cautious if you’re buying at the moment. My Neo looked like the box has been opened and it had been used. The UK importer is currently proposing a warranty fix, which I’m not too impressed with, having received what appears to be a return in the first place.

    The Muin appears to be good, but I think one reported limitation is that the resistance adjustment mechanism means that it can’t vary resistance quite as quickly as other turbos.

    jamiep
    Free Member

    I think that you have the choice of replacement or refund rather than repair if the purchase is recent – Google will give specifics, I don’t know off hand

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    The Neo really does seem rushed to market. Potential to be a great turbo with features that you only get on turbos several times the price. Shall be buying version 2!

    benji
    Free Member

    Got an Elite Muin super quiet, works fantastically, best turbo I’ve ever used. Take it to races as well to warm up on, bring direct drive even if it rains there is no the slip. They were on offer at wiggle the other month.

    Vortexracing
    Full Member

    I have a Lemond and it’s bloody noisy, very, very good, but bloody noisy.

    The Elite Muin would be my choice if I had to make the purchase again, especially as they have ben reduced.

    sillyoldman
    Full Member

    This one is the wee brother of the Turbo Muin.
    http://www.sprocketscycles.com/elite-volano-fluid-trainer#.VorSaDY_k3Q

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    I’ve heard not so good things about Elite trainers which would put me off a little. Meant to have pretty low values of kinetic energy, so always feels a bit like riding uphill regardless of power. Probably only becomes a problem if you do a lot of turbo work.

    This thread over at timetriallingforum is worth a look for a bit more info…
    http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=101037

    have a Lemond and it’s bloody noisy, very, very good, but bloody noisy.

    Is it something you get use to? Noise cancelling headphones? Useable in the house? I’d like to get one but having been stood next to someone warming up on one… well the 747 taking off really is the best description!

    andy4d
    Full Member

    just got my first turbo trainer so cant compare it to anything, that said it seems pretty quiet to me. Its a tacx blue motion (yellow jersy edition with mat,front wheel block etc edition) still on offer at Bike-discount.de for €164, great bit of kit, also running a trainer tyre so not sure if this helps the noise.

    Northwind
    Full Member

    Yeah, I have the same Tacx and it’s the quietest “normal turbo” I’ve heard (I don’t use turbo tyres; I did have a conti one but it was actually pretty loud. I just use shagged out road tyres now). I had a cyclops for a while before that and it was absurdly loud.

    drewd
    Full Member

    Sorry for the hijack, I was going to start a thread about turbos, but will ask on here. I am looking to get my 1st turbo, and don’t want to spend much. Is there much difference between the Elite Magtrainer Halfords are doing for £50 Minoura B60 Remote that Evans are doing for 90?

    Both are mag, have remotes for changing resistance, and 600g flywheels. There are loads of positive reviews for the Minoura, mostly from bike mags so not exactly unbiased. User reviews mention some of the plastics are fragile. Can’t find much about the Elite, I think it has been discontinued, hence is so cheap?

    Has anyone used either, or both? Or can anyone think of better for similar money? I’ve read that fluid is quieter than mag is quieter than air, but how loud are mag trainers at this end of the market?

    I’m not a powerful rider and don’t race, just want something I can use indoors as I don’t like riding on cold, dark and wet lanes.

    shortbread_fanylion
    Free Member

    I’m another former Cyclops mag user and concur with the above! Replaced it with an Elite fluid one which is much quieter – I used both with a turbo tyre.

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