This may have already been asked……….but………. I am looking for a decent Turbo Trainer for a mountain bike. Help Please, Work commitments mean that i cant get out for a decent ride over the winter and im getting fat!!!!

Easiest would be to put a slick MTB trainer tyre on and use a STD turbo trainer – that’s what I used to do.

There is nothing in any of the blurb that suggest that they are adjustable to cater for the bigger or wider tyre, i was going to use a slick anyway to reduce the noise, but thanks for your comments

Most turbo trainers will accomodate a road bike or mtb wheel size.
I’ve just bought a Tacx and had to fit the included brackets to bring the rollers close enough for a mtb wheel.
Just don’t use a big nobbly tyre.
It is insanely boring though so dvd’s or downloads to watch really are a must unless you have a will of iron.

Sufferfest videos are the best thing to use by all accounts.

Any decent turbo should accomodate a 26″ wheel – definitely get a slick. Conti do a Home Trainer tyre which isn’t particularly expensive, worth getting if that’s all you’ll be using it for.

I was looking at the Tacx, just out of interest which model did you opt for?

I’ve got a minoura one and it will take eiher a road bike or a mtb no probs.
But as its says above get a slick tyre

and have a look at Turbo Training .co.uk for some pretty good workouts

As above – most work on 26″ tyres. DON’T run one with a nobbly tyre though, the noise is horrendous, and the tyre will be destroyed very quickly. The tyres designed for turbo training are made from a hard rubber, which are much quieter, have less heat build up and last longer – just don’t use them outside… slippery-ama!!

The clamps which hold the rear qr in place are adjustable, so any width variations are accounted for by the adjustment mechanism.

Get DVDs, mp3 player helps… you don’t move around much, so expect sore legs and arse quite quickly the first few times………!!

Minoura do a rim drive one if you have a braking/vertical surface on your wheel rim;

Nice one, thanks for all your comments and assistance

I’ve had one of those Minoura RDA trainers for years, it gets regular use with both MTB and road bike and has been fine. Big advantage is that you don’t need to swap tyres for it. If you do get one remember to disengage the rollers from your rim once you’ve finished, if you don’t then the rollers can deform from the heat.

I’ve no experience of any other turbo trainer but I’d buy another if I wear mine out.

I use my hardtail with a Tacx Satori and a thin Taxc turbo tyre. Fits without needing any of the adapters, just wound the mag unit all the way up.

Bendover – mate that’s what I suggested – they all are adjustable and IME will do 26″ and 700c wheels!

just a minor detail, i have a tacx satori? it will not work with my Trek Top Fuel, the rear end is to wide for the adjustment range.

For anyone doing turbo work over the winter I highly reccomend trainerroad.com

Just finished there beta bit well worth the £7 a month.

Loads of workouts, plans displays real time performance and provides ‘virtual’ power if you have an ant+ speed/cadence sensor.

Even integrated the sufferfest workouts mentioned above.

Certainly made my turbo work more enjoyable and forces you to work hard and maintain effort

There’s the Lemond one, where you remove your rear wheel and attach your bike to its cassette hub.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/lemond-fitness-lemond-revolution-trainer-without-cassette/ (Other online retailers are available) 🙂

Or get some rollers and put some slicks on for a proper fun time!