[Closed] Turbo Trainer - worth it or dust gatherer ?

brilliant training tool if used corectly

£1900! Cheap turbo! More like £90 and yes very worth it.

My typo is now edited 😛

they are very usefull if the weather is naff.
Does help to have a good training plan to go with it as well as music to listen to and a fan to keep you cool.
Need to get mine advertised now as i no longer have the road bike.

Get a set of lights for the £100 and ride out on the roads.

I used a turbo trainer last winter and I couldnt do any more than half an hour on it because it was so mind numbingly boring, even whilst listening to music.

I've got one, used it about 5 times and then never again.

I suspect I might start using it again if for some reason I was too broken to be outside on a bike, but I could still pedal (this seems like an unlikely circumstance, though).

I have mine set up under my desk so I'm able to use it whenever i'm on the computer at home. it means i can exercise while i do other things.

kinda looks like [url=

but much more home made.

Worth it i'd say.
Used mine a fair bit in last couple of month whilst recovering from a spinal fracture and subsequent op. makes the transition back into riding proprerly again much easier.
I normally watch a mountain bike dvd whilst training, something with decent music to get you pumped up a bit...

Get a set of lights for the £100 and ride out on the roads.

Yeh, all well and good if you can actually get out on the bike, i couldn't, and if you read his post the op can't either until mid november.

😀

for me and several other peope I know with them, they're major dust magnets. Get some lights or a waterproof would be my suggestion.

lol podge that looks like a stupid idea, one of the worst things about being still and pedaling is that you bucket with sweat 😀

Get some lights or a waterproof would be my suggestion.

As i've said above, all well and good if you can actually get out and ride.

Takes a drastic combination of circumstances before mine gets dragged out, once a year. Half an hour & it's back on the shelf. Would see more use with a dvd player or one o them computer programmes (no power, water or view in my garage!), but have realised my main reason for cycling is to be out & about, fitness coming a close 2nd.

As a training tool combined with a hrm, a training plan and a fan, brilliant. However many people buy them as a substitute to riding outside, they arent! So if you enjoy training get one, if you just like riding get some lights and waterproofs.

Vote for a dust gatherer here.

Sold mine for what I paid for it after using it 3 times. Buy lights

I'm in the "useful tool with a training plan" camp - I bought mine a year and a half ago when I dislocated my shoulder, and I used it all through last winter too. I watch DVDs on my laptop for longer sessions, and lively music for shorter interval sessions. It's in the garage, with a big fan.

Since last Christmas I've watched most of the first three series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer whilst on it - about 50 episodes. I've also done three or four six hour sessions on it, watching movies.

I must have a really high boredom threshold.

Hmmmm.... I have all the kit for night riding and that's what I usually do, the turbo idea was due recuperation from an op, think I will try and borrow one for a bit (just had the offer of a loan from someone who has one gathering dust....) and see how I go with it.

Thanks all

Yes they are good for recuperation. I've used mine to keep fitness going after a badly sprained ankle and to get going again after multiple rib fractures. I've also used it for indoor training in winter but only for 45 min sessions doing fairly intense intervals. Anything longer and severe boredom sets in. I probably won't be using it this winter as I've now got fitness club club membership and the stationary bikes in the gym measure power output which is a lot more useful than the HRM I was using with the turbo.

Very boring but good for training - watch a dvd?

Agree with uponthedowns - 45 mins and I've had enough - get very numb about the 'nads area too :?he

PS Ian - how ye doin? I have a t/t which is kind of gathering dust - I can pop over and you can have a wee go to try it out?

cheers Nick - you been out much ? I hope to be back out with the Club in a month or 2. Last ride was Pedal for Scotland.....

fundamentally they are training tool if you want to get fast. I've used mine specifically for interval sessions for the past 2 years, basically its a device of torture but highly effective. Did lend it to a friend for a while for recuperation after a very bad ankle break when he didn't want to risk a tumble and it worked for that. If I was capable of riding normally then there is no way I would do a long session (>90 minutes) on it regardless of the weather, even if is pissing it down & cold I'd rather ride than sit on the turbo.

Nah - not been out much at all - want to though. I am off all next week if you fancy a wee run up to Whitelee windfarm or something?

would love to, but foot in a big plaster till end of the month.....

Ouch - text me if you want a loan of the t/t - I am not likely to be using it for the forseeable future!

Nick - have mailed you (losing of phone contacts content 😆 )

I hate turbo training. Don't mind using rollers cos you actually need to concentrate to stay upright on them but there's no resistance so they're less useful for training (good for warming up though).

Turbos are OK if you have a proper training plan and (ideally) a place you can use them without disturbing the rest of the household/the neighbours cos they can be quite loud.

Great training tool. Also good for turning over the legs before race day.
I also just ride on mine when it gets proper unrideable out,the roads down here were very dodgy last winter on the road bike. And I could get a quality and safe hour in when others were house bound.

Borrow one from someone else. They won't mind as they never use it anymore.

I like mine, but it's in the lounge so I can listen to a nice stereo when I'm on it. Bought it about a month ago, have used it on average 3 times a week since, admittedly only for 30-90 minute sessions. When I don't feel like going for a ride, it's a good backup to have.

Thanks for all the comments. Looks like the borrowing one is going to happen. As jackal said, if I could ride outside I would....

Cheers

lol podge that looks like a stupid idea, one of the worst things about being still and pedaling is that you bucket with sweat

I use mine for 30 minutes at a time, two or three times a week over winter. It's not as good as being out, but far more convenient when time is tight. They are boring though, so I have it in front of the telly and watch a DVD while cycling.

I once did a 3.5 hour turbo training session, once.

I'm not right.

If your doing it right you won't be able to watch a DVD, you'll be in too much pain :lol:. It's a mindset thing, basically you have to be out of your mind to use one. I've managed an hour and a half once, but there was nuthin on telly. You need a structured programme, and goals to set yourself, otherwise it's very very dull. The only race i ever won was after a month of turbo'ing in the garage before we had SKY TV installed.

See if you can borrow one with a power meter, otherwise it's hard to judge if you've actually got fitter, plus it gives you objectives.

[i]I once did a 3.5 hour turbo training session, once.

I'm not right. [/i]

meh, I regularly do 4 hour sessions. Turbos are ace. Good to mix it up a bit with rollers, but definitely a good investment.

You won't use it if it's just to ride. better go outside.

however, used for structured training, they're fantastic.

We use ours with a dvd called POWER from a series by cycleops (wiggle) to do interval sessions. we have a projector at home, so seat on the bike with this giant screen in front of you and some nutter yelling at you to go harder harder. nuts but soooo effective.

I just can't seat on it and pedal with no plan. if I manage 30mins like that it's max. I used to read but you can't work out effectively if you're doing something else.

get the dvd and do the intervals. it's NUTS!!! but Brilliant.