Hi guys. I'm looking to buy a Turbo trainer to get me through the winter months and also to use whilst I am deployed (RN)
I have a budget of around £150 and I was going to pick up a Minoura BD60-R as it has had many favourable reviews.
Unfortunatley it seems to be out of stock everywhere so I was just wondering if anyone has any other recommendations for around the same price.
Comments
try this one - many of us around these parts have one (we have 2)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-crono-fluid-elastogel-trainer/
Thank you FB
I've just been looking at that one actually.
Is the resistance adjustable ?
I've also been looking at the Tacx Satori High Power trainer as it's on offer for £174 with the front riser block.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the Tacx ?
you don't need to adjust the resistance on the Elite - you use the bike gears to do make it harder or easier. so it's closer to normal riding than using a turbo with variable resistance.
I'm sure a Tacx person will be along to help - that model is pretty popular as well
I have an Elite Crono and it has a knob on it - haven't actually used it properly yet, but I think the knob adjusts the resistance. - got it for £78 off Fleabay
some of the Elite turbos have a variable resistance - the Hydro-mag for example. personally I think it's best to keep it simple and use the gears instead
Thank you for the advice.
I have another question.
Is it worth investing in a training tire for use with the turbo trainer or is it ok to use your normal road tires? Does the turbo wear them that much ?
ah - the $64K question! you'll get mixed reactions to that one.
many people turbo with their standard road tyres with no problems; others will tell tales of blowing tubes as they get too hot, or the tyre wearing out quicker. only experience will give you an answer.
one of the problems with turbo tyres is the faff of changing over on the wheel when you want to use them, so many who go down the turbo tyre route (me included) have a spare wheel with one on that's just used for the turbo - it takes less than 10 secs to switch a wheel over; it takes a few minutes to change a tyre. less faff - more turbo time....
Ok, that may be an option.
I currently have a 105 setup.
Could I feasibly use a Tiagra cassetted wheel for the turbo as it is also 10 speed
yes - as long as the cassettes have the same number of rings, you're fine.
Cheers FB.
I'll look into it
Both the Tacx Sirius and the Satori have variable resistance settings.
I have the elite elastogel and not being a technical mechanical person I find it really easy - easy to put the bike in, I feel very stable and secure on it. I have also got a spare wheel with a turbo tyre which even I have managed to swap over easily
Tacx Sirius and a Vittoria Rubino tyre (cheap, tough and no need for another wheel then)
i use the vittoria rubino tyre as well - like he said hard as nails and i have the elite crono hydro gel thingy and never get tyre wear from turboing - i even raced and trained on the same tyres all last year - no punctures but i might have been 3 minutes quicker in the outlaw if i had lighter tyres, i can live with that
planet x are having a sale on turbos i notice.not sure how they price compared to the others