Any suggestions? Because of ridiculous hours in the last few weeks, coupled with terrible weather, I have not been out (other than on my commute) at all.

The time has come for a turbo trainer to replace my old one (a Cycleops mag trainer form 2002) which I stupidly sold a few years back during a clear-out.

In any case, I have a very small budget (sub £100, and even lower if possible) but clearly want to get the best possible device.

Any thoughts? Is something like this just going to leave me needing to buy a replacement again in a few months?

What about this one?

I would be using it mostly in my kitchen, but sometimes out in the back garden, so noise will only be an incidental consideration. What I mostly want is something sturdy and functional (that I can change the resistance on, and that allows me to pedal pretty smoothly).

I bought an Elite Voltare just after Xmas – £50 from Halfords. Well built, quite noisy but I have nothing to compare it to. Put bike in, pedal – 5 resistance settings – allows me to ride in when I can’t out – job done. Got a Vittoria Zaffino TT tyre too – nothing can prepare you for the tedium of the turbo though

I agree about the tedium of turbo, rascal, but I was pretty successful on it when forced to use one through the Canadian winter, so I am counting on a good spotify playlist keeping me going.

Look at GCN on YouTube, if you look back through their videos they show how to make your own rollers for about £20!

I got one of the cheap ones from ebay (like your second link) comes with its own riser block. I didn’t bother getting one with variable resistance, I just change gear (also I found the variable resistance just another thing to cause hassle setting up and getting in the way when stored). I find it ok, it’s still working, just as good as a tacx I used to have. The money I saved, I spent on a couple of videos from sufferfest, they make the turbo a lot more bearable.

nothing can prepare you for the tedium of the turbo though

set up in front TV, throw DVD in, sufferfest on Ipad etc etc

I’ve been using this for the past two years and it’s been flawless. No fancy electronic gubbins but does fine for my needs

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/elite-supercrono-power-mag-elastogel-trainer/rp-prod57923

Quiet and reliable

I’ve got one of the Pedalpro ones you’ve linked to, It’s alright and seems to do the job. The variable resistance works ok, the lever came a bit loose but there is a screw underneath a cap to tighten it back up again.

If you’re anywhere near Solihull, I have a CycloOps Magneto from 2006 now going spare since I upgraded. Perfect working order, and free to a collector. Also got the front wheel stand.

@bensales: thank you very much for that kind offer. Alas, I am too far away from you to make it worth either of our while, but it is much appreciated.

I’ve a Minoura hypermag 1200, haven’t got time to use it at the moment. If you’re anywhere near Reading make me an offer (too heavy to post economically).

If you can find one new or a similar one then it’s a god one IME, the flywheel is about 50% bigger than most trainers (1.2kg Vs about 800), the resistance is variable from the handlebar which only really useful on a fixie, but you can fine tune it on a geared bike so that a suffer-fest session is all in the big ring rather than having to jump up and down, and the resistance is higher than most other trainers I’ve had over the years (Beto and Cyclops) even in the middle settings hard actually feels like a hill.

Sorry for the slight hijack but I too am looking for a turbo trainer. my problem is finding one that can accommodate a 142×12 hub and maxle.

Does anyone know of any TT’s that are able to be set up using this rear end?

Thanks

Depends on the shape of the “QR”, is there any kind of stub sicking out on the non lever side? If there is then most will probably fit it.

By the time you’ve bought an expensive spare wheel to put a slick tyre on, you may as well get on ebay and pick up the cheapest, crap-est road bike you can find.

Sorry for the slight hijack but I too am looking for a turbo trainer. my problem is finding one that can accommodate a 142×12 hub and maxle.

The one I posted above will take a 142 x 12 rear hub. You’ll need a Kurt Kinetic Traxle too

https://kurtkinetic.com/products/kinetic-traxle/

Thanks Bob much appreciated.
TINAS, I did consider the road bike option but decided to go with the cheap rear wheel option instead, thanks

OP –

I bought that Brand X one, but I bought it on ebay as an unbranded thing from China. It cost less than £40 if I remember, but it’s exactly the same as the one from CRC.

It works, it provides a thing to put your wheel in that you can cycle in.

The resistance adjustment doesn’t really seem to do much.

But it’s a solid bit of metal and does the job.

If you want to simulate tough climbs and stuff, maybe not for you. If you want to spin your legs in the garage for 30 minutes it works great.

Munqe Chick has an Elite Volare, which we paid about £60 for at Halfords last year and last time I looked was selling for £50. I have a Tacx 2600 Blue Motion, which retails at more like £200. The Tacx looks much classier, has more sophisticated roller engagement and mounting levers and general cosmetic finish than the basic looking Volare. It also has 10 resistance settings rather than 5.

The 5 settings on the Volare seem to cover a similar range as the Tacx, and we set-and-forget and use the gears. The Volare is FAR more stable and is rock solid for out-of-the-saddle efforts, whereas the Tacx flexes under my hulking 66kg of brute power. It is no noisier than the Tacx.

So, the Volare does everything the more expensive unit does, and does some things arguably better. A couple of mates have bought the Volare on the back of ours.

and +1 for Sufferfests and GCN videos.

Due to injury, I’ve recently bought a Pedal Pro for 35 quid and it does the job. Actually. Its much better thank thought it would be. But I have nothing to compare it to. I didn’t get the variable resistance one and glad I didn’t bother as movie g through the gears and sprint I tervals gives a plenty good workout.