Anyone use a bike trainer?

[miesemer]

pedal in circles?

you mean the cadence fast...or literally in circles, unicycle style?

So..how much is a decent trainer?

No, a smooth and consistant pressure on the pedals. Unlike thinking of your legs as pistons pushing the pedals. It's been many years since I've purchased anything cycling related (or ridden seriously) so I can't help you on current prices.

 

[Cacia]

oh yea..I'm working on that by visualizing scraping mud off my soles.

So...can you try rollers in bike shops?

 

[miesemer]

oh yea..I'm working on that by visualizing scraping mud off my soles.

So...can you try rollers in bike shops?

I'd guess it depends on the shop.

There are some rollers that have options to add a mag or fan unit for resistance but I typically used to rollers to develop spin and technique. For intense workouts I defaulted to my mag or fan trainers which allowed me to push up the resistance and ride myself into a stupor.

 

[Steve Egner]

I used to train indoors on a Blackburn, but Santa brought me a LeMond Revmaster spin bike for X-mas, and I like it much better.

The fit is infinitely adjustable, and quickly changes to suit the rider. The "Pilot" accessory monitors cadence, distance, calories, and heart rate. I was pleasantly surprised that the pilot picked up the signal from my regular chest strap.

We purchased a set of spinerval DVD's to try them out... the music is corny, but the interval load on their "Hillacious" DVD is a killer.

With our recent windstorms, snows, and below freezing temps, I haven't had an opportunity to ride outside. My 8 year old daughter keeps asking me when we're going to ride together again... She thinks my wife and I look silly on the spin bike in front of the TV.

We'll open our outdoor season here pretty quickly, with a ride called the Chilly Hilly at the end of February. It's only 33 miles, but somewhere in the range of 3000 feet elevation gain. We're working our way up to the RAMROD in July, 154 miles around Mt. Rainier, with an elevation gain of over 10,000 feet.

The nicest thing about the spin bike is that it's so quiet... anyone riding a trainer knows what I mean.

Steve

 

[do it easy]

Funny I was just looking into getting a trainer today- performance bicycle has a cheap one for $90.

I originally wanted to get one to integrate with a tank tumbler, but then realized it would be good for biking in the winter. I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet- is there any difference between the magnetic and fluid ones?

 

[Cacia]

oh, only 33 miles? I ride 10/ day.

Tony, come on out and we will ride Haleakala....down.

 

[eckybay]

The nicest thing about the spin bike is that it's so quiet... anyone riding a trainer knows what I mean.
Steve

That's why I went with a rim-driven mag model. Granted I haven't tried any where the rear wheel sits on the roller, but with the rim-driven one, I have to turn the tv up maybe one or two clicks higher on the volume and that's it. I'm actually surprise at how quiet it is.

When I ride during the summer, it's about 13 miles at a time on a devoted path a block from the house. It's got some steep (up to 10%) but short grade changes (It's along a river through town and ducks down and back up to grade get under the brides, if that makes sense.)

 

[mkccowboy]

Funny I was just looking into getting a trainer today- performance bicycle has a cheap one for $90.

I originally wanted to get one to integrate with a tank tumbler, but then realized it would be good for biking in the winter. I haven't pulled the trigger on it yet- is there any difference between the magnetic and fluid ones?

IMO, fluids are smoother and more "road like" than the mags. Only issue I've heard with fluids are they are known to develop leaks, which is why I paid extra for the Kurt Kinetic Road machine. It's a fluid but is completely sealed so it should not develop leaks. I've had it a year and had no issues with it... http://www.kurtkinetic.com/ Search and watch eBay and you can find them less than the MSRP quoted on their website.

 

[Xizang]

rollers is really more for improving your road bike handling on fast flat roads in a peloton. You become proficient at riding a straight line. But its really boring in doors because you cannot up the resistance. A trainer is better because you could increase resistance.

 

[badgers]

I got a cheap magnetic adjustable trainer, that has a lever for changing the resistance from the handle bars.
it looks like this but is magnetic and was 89.99 (I am a team performance member)
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20982

Get a cheap slick tire to keep the noise down while watching TV.
I have "aero bars" which lets me lean on my elbows while biking. It takes the load off my seat, for more comfort. I do not use anything under my front tire, thus helping put a little lean on my elbows. I change position to keep from getting stiff and uncomfortable.

The biggest help is comfort. if you are uncomfortable you won't keep up with it. nobody likes a sore seat or sore shoulders.
I have an ergonimic seat, not a big fat gel seat. I tried the gel seat and I like ther ergonimic seat better.
HTH
PS I let a little air out of my front tire(2" wide mountain bike tire) seams to be a little cusion and stays stable without the tire block.