Thinking about getting a Turbo trainer – is it worth getting one with a remote or do you always use the same setting and adjust via gears?

I have one for sale that has magnetic resistance where the resistance increases when you use a harder gear

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fs-cycleops-magneto-turbo-trainer-1

Yes so you can turn the music up and down.
Had both, was happier with the fixed resistance and using gears as it was easier to fix effort on trainer Road that way.

You don’t need remotes or other such fangled gadgets. Resistance via your gears works fine. The benefit of resistance applied via the turbo, as far as I can tell, is that it allows infinite adjustment so you can set the existence to correspond with a specific power output at a specific RPM. With gears you inevitable have to change cadence to maintain power output.

By far the most useful accessory for a turbo trainer is however a power meter (and a specific programme of training around power). Not that it isn’t possible to get something good out of a turbo session without one but you limit the benefit and given how awful turbo sessions are if you’re going to do them, you might as well get the most from them.

Yes yes yes. You can only up the resistance so far with gears, esp if you are using it with mtb gears.

(Well unless you are a Professional Amateur ! In which case don’t forget to upload your power data and have a 30 min chat with your power data coach whilst wearing support socks in your ice bath )

Variable resistance is good, but you don’t need a remote – ie for each session you keep the same turbo resistance and vary the gears, but it’s useful to be able to vary the turbo resistance for separate sessions.

The virtual power training programs like trainerroad (recommended) wouldn’t work if you change the turbo resistance during a session – they’re calibrated for a partiular setting.

yes. You can only up the resistance so far with gears, esp if you are using it with mtb gears.

So set it high and use your gears still… 😕

No a turbo isn’t remotely necessary or even useful 🙂

Mine wavers between resistance 3 and 4. Gears are sufficient unless you plan some serious mashing. The cable just gets in the way.

I use mine on my tacx, on my mtb I find the gear range isn’t enough to cover “gentle spin” to “balls out”.

Cable is a bit of a faff, but only 30secs or so.

I’ve got a remote on my minoura, just left it in 3 out of H-5-4-3-2-1-L the whole time and use gears, means warmup is in the 34t ring and the actual session is in the 50 which works well.

Don’t confuse variable resistance with max resistance, my minoura is harder in 4 than the cyclops that preceded it was flat out.

Also use some sort of power measurement, trainerrroad and dongles/sensors are cheapest although prices of actual power meters are dropping all the time. It’s deceptive how easy FTP feels for the first few minutes, even 20 minutes at FTP isn’t particularly hard, just wait for the end of the second 20min, or the third.

Yes worth paying a bit extra for.

Like most, 99% of the stuff I do I just use one resistance setting and use gears. Nice to be able to whack it up and do some resistance low cadence work occasionally. Also do back it right off to the lowest setting for very easy z1 spins.

Adjust roller to tyre, add 2 turns then one more for good luck.

Gives me all the resistance I need and never use the remote. Warm up will be typically in 52/21 and intervals with the smaller cogs.

More beneficial to have something to scale your workouts, virtual power or meter. Could use a HRM but your heart rate takes time to adjust to the effort, okay for longer intervals but not so useful on the shorter stuff.

I’ve got a remote resistance type and it does allow you to manage your Heart Rate more accurately.

For balance I have to add that I have never used a Turbo without a remote resistance thingy 😆

I have a remote but don’t touch it as I use speed as a proxy for power, which wouldn’t work if the resistance constantly changed.

The only use for adjustable resistance is to turn it down so when you post your ‘session’ on STRAVA it makes you think your amazing 🙄

The only use for adjustable resistance is to turn it down so when you post your ‘session’ on STRAVA it makes you think your amazing

How does it do that?

You could always get a fluid trainer, which have a couple of benefits. 1 They are quieter 2. The resistance increase non linear.

They dont have a cable, the faster you spin the wheel, the greater the resistance builds.

I’ve got this one, and it feels very natural in use. Its also near on impossible to keep spinning in the hardest gear….unless I guess you have power levels of a pro.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/