Trainer as an indoor option...

[a4racer]

I've not had a trainer for more than a decade. Perhaps longer. The one I had was a pretty cheap (sub $150) unit, back when I had to decide between mag, fluid, something else as the choices in technology. I found that, once you get to speed, it wasn't very hard to keep to that speed / cadence. For that reason, I never really got into it as a legitimate option.

Now, I'm looking at one because, while I much prefer to ride outside, I frankly have time some evenings where I can't ride outside (too dark, too wet, I live on top of a massive hill), but it would be super easy to hop on a trainer and get 45-60m in. What is new in trainer technology? I know that there are lots of technology infused options now, and I like the idea of the trainers where you connect your bike to a built-in cassette on the trainer, as opposed to rubbing a training tire down on a cylinder...

I've also heard that rollers are an option, but I fear my lack of coordination would preclude those from being an injury-free option!

Things I'd love to see: compact footprint, cassette-based if possible, variable resistance, build quality. Oh yeah, I only have one bike now (wha???) so don't know what it matters, but my only ride is a disc brake bike (Trek Boone) which I'd be riding on the trainer.

Things I don't care much about: simulation--racing virtual versions of myself / others on a screen, heart rate monitoring (I know, I know--I just want to ride)

So, what trainers do you people recommend / use / like / don't like? I'm keen to hear your input!

Thanks!
:banana:

[unterhausen]

other than the fact that I over-trained this year, I think a trainer and a little discipline using it is a great thing. It's a lot easier for me to get on the trainer for an hour rather than go outside, especially in the dark. I have a lot of trouble starting a ride in the dark or in the rain. Don't mind riding in the dark or in the rain, but starting is a no-go.

My problem with over-training was related to maintaining a tough schedule on the trainer while doing a lot of tough rides outside. I'm using trainerroad, and not really tracking my training stress any other way. So it's hard to keep track. I'm pretty sure that if I had kept better track, I would have known it was going to happen.

I have a kickr, and I really like it

[azrider]

Before going out and spending $$$$ on some high zoot equipment, I'd buy something off local CL and see how much time/effort you're actually willing to put into it.

then sell what you bought for same price and invest in some 'spensive stuff

my .02

[FlashUNC]

Just got a Feedback Omnium. Mag resistance that's progressive, folds up super compact and fits whatever front mount you've got, even thru axle. I'm a big fan so far.

[mavic1010]

This is my first year really using a structured indoor program through TrainerRoad and having some fun with Zwift. Strangely, So Cal had a ton of rain in the winter, so it worked out perfectly.

I really enjoy my Kickr and its a great supplement for times when I just don't have the time to get a 90-120 min ride outside. Since I have TR, I have a few sessions that I load up and get at it. So my routine is in the summer/fall months I use my Kickr as a more of a recovery ride (very easy 30-45 mins 15-30 TSS). I use it in the late fall/winter/early spring as a way to increase my base build.

I've greatly improved my power and have enjoyed riding outside and inside.

[DfCas]

If you only have 1 bike I suggest you get a wheel on trainer. The direct mount type -sometimes- require that you adjust your rear derailleur or limit screws which means every frickin time you put your bike on the trainer or take it off.

If you can find a beater bike to leave on the trainer then I think direct mount is the way to go. Smoother and more realistic feeling than a wheel on trainer.

I have a Tacx Neo smart that I control with an iPad. I do famous euro races and climbs while watching the video on the iPad. I actually really enjoy riding inside now.

[vqdriver]

+1 on craigslist.
lots of people buy these and find it too boring to continue. i got my 1up from someone just like that.

[a4racer]

Lots to think about...the Feedback Omnium may tick the boxes for portability and relative inexpensiveness. I will also look locally first--thats a great idea! Keep the suggestions coming--i find them all very helpful!

[Anarchist]

I have a set of Cyclops (Sportscrafters) rollers with the High Inertia Drum and the resistance drum. You can seriously get any workout you want with these - the resistance goes up too insane and the high inertia drum lets you coast if you want to, to this add the fork mount for those days that I just want to watch something on Netflix - 1 device, all options covered.

[thwart]

I have a set of Cyclops (Sportscrafters) rollers with the High Inertia Drum and the resistance drum. You can seriously get any workout you want with these - the resistance goes up too insane and the high inertia drum lets you coast if you want to, to this add the fork mount for those days that I just want to watch something on Netflix - 1 device, all options covered.
This. Although I like the e-motion rollers.

And unlike a trainer it will make you a better cyclist. Not just a faster one.

[Andy sti]

I just did my VO2 workout on my Inside Ride rollers this afternoon. Air quality took a turn and kept me inside today. Stand up, sprint, high watts, and little safety rollers for when I space out - great training! Granted I can't set in Erg mode and just pedal but I can do any power based training I need to just by using my meter.

[oldpotatoe]

I've not had a trainer for more than a decade. Perhaps longer. The one I had was a pretty cheap (sub $150) unit, back when I had to decide between mag, fluid, something else as the choices in technology. I found that, once you get to speed, it wasn't very hard to keep to that speed / cadence. For that reason, I never really got into it as a legitimate option.

Now, I'm looking at one because, while I much prefer to ride outside, I frankly have time some evenings where I can't ride outside (too dark, too wet, I live on top of a massive hill), but it would be super easy to hop on a trainer and get 45-60m in. What is new in trainer technology? I know that there are lots of technology infused options now, and I like the idea of the trainers where you connect your bike to a built-in cassette on the trainer, as opposed to rubbing a training tire down on a cylinder...

I've also heard that rollers are an option, but I fear my lack of coordination would preclude those from being an injury-free option!

Things I'd love to see: compact footprint, cassette-based if possible, variable resistance, build quality. Oh yeah, I only have one bike now (wha???) so don't know what it matters, but my only ride is a disc brake bike (Trek Boone) which I'd be riding on the trainer.

Things I don't care much about: simulation--racing virtual versions of myself / others on a screen, heart rate monitoring (I know, I know--I just want to ride)

So, what trainers do you people recommend / use / like / don't like? I'm keen to hear your input!

Thanks!
:banana:

Balderdash, if you can ride a bike, you can ride rollers..Get rollers..riding on a trainer is painful anyway..rollers help your pedal stroke and pass the time ohh so much faster..trainers make ya brain dead..:)

[FlashUNC]

If a compact footprint is your top priority, rollers aren't the best option.

[AngryScientist]

If a compact footprint is your top priority, rollers aren't the best option.

yea, and if knobbish tires are part of the one and only bike, rollers might be a little "bumpy"

[a4racer]

...rollers may slide nicely under my sofa (yes, I have a weird sofa), so I won't rule them out for compactness violations (some trainers are just massive and can't be similarly "hidden".

I should have also said that I'm not trying to (at this time) use these for much more than spinning the wheels and getting my legs moving (and hopefully some portions of my fat melting) away (whilst I eat Kettle Chips, just kidding). I'll look at some of those roller options. As for tires--good point, knobbies would be less than comfortable / quiet on rollers, but I've got two wheelsets--knobbies on Enves, and slicks on Bontrager alloys. Those would be perfectly fine on rollers if I went in that direction...

[jwd]

I've been using a "dumb" kinetic road machine trainer with garmin cadence/speed and zwift. The zwift thing makes it a bit less boring. It's great for getting a ride in later if time or weather is an issue.

[45K10]

Balderdash, if you can ride a bike, you can ride rollers..Get rollers..riding on a trainer is painful anyway..rollers help your pedal stroke and pass the time ohh so much faster..trainers make ya brain dead..:)

+1 on rollers, get a good set with the conical drums like Tacx. The learning curve is less steep on those.

[R3awak3n]

you want a kickr or something similar to that. Smart trainers are awesome, specially with something like zwift. Well I say awesome, they still suck but not as much, it is actually nice for like 30 minutes, then its hell.

But yeah, look into a smart trainer

[Pastashop]

In my experience, Kurt Kinetic or a used Cyclops with a fluid or a progressive mag unit would be good. Those tend to have ~2" drums, which work a bit better than the tiny 1" drums on a typical cheapo mag trainer. They also tend to have a heavier flywheel, which is nice. Under $350 new, less if you get used. But anything with a smaller than a 6" diameter roller or drum will eat tires, so you'll probably want a dedicated rear wheel for this, unless you don't plan to ride outside during the same time of year as your heavy trainer use, which will tend to flatten and glaze the tire.

[rzthomas]

Never been a fan of rollers -- I've bought and sold three sets over the years. I prefer the trainer cause you can get on, knock out a workout without concentrating on not falling off.

[kramnnim]

Kickr

[MagicHour]

For small apt compact setup I use a Kurt kinetic road machine 2.0 + Stages PM on my one and only bike (I keep at home).
Any trainer would work here, cycleops, etc, but the Kinetic is solid and has a pretty good road feel.

Works great with Zwift, trainer road etc. can easily set up and stow in closet when not in use-can't keep trainer permanently setup.

Not having a smart trainer, I do lose out on the simulation aspect of Zwift, but don't have to worry about spin down calibrations etc. every time I setup(Stages calibrates in like 10 seconds) and frankly even without terrain simulation I still have a blast on Zwift doing group rides, races and workouts, and have no problems getting quality training in. In fact these days, it's generally more convenient for me, and safer than riding out on the road; even at my mediochre speeds, it's very difficult to go out and find open road where one can safely execute say, an uninterrupted 2x20, eg, interval session in NYC.

Bonus: same power measurement indoors and out.

[thwart]

Never been a fan of rollers -- I've bought and sold three sets over the years. I prefer the trainer cause you can get on, knock out a workout without concentrating on not falling off.
Funny... depends on your perspective, I guess...

Trainer time is boring as h*ll for me. My Kurt Kinetic (bought it cheap used, certainly wise in retrospect) gets almost no use.

[Anarchist]

Funny... depends on your perspective, I guess...

Trainer time is boring as h*ll for me. My Kurt Kinetic (bought it cheap used, certainly wise in retrospect) gets almost no use.

My trainers got so little use I sold them.

Rollers - Had a set of Tacx folding rollers for 20 some years, they finally picked it in, bought the Sportcrafters/Cyclops and they are probably 10 years old now ...

[dem]

I'm ~20 rides into InsideRide rollers and can still barely ride them (and crashed once when I zoned out.) And these are the 'easy' rollers!

The feel is certainly infinitely better than being bolted to a trainer, but I can only ride them for 30 minutes or so due to being so locked into position. I don't dare move! :)

Rainy days I use the KICKR for real workouts and the rollers on rest/easy days in a pitiful attempt to get better at them. My dream is to be able to do workouts like I can do on the KICKR, but so far it is slow going.

My wife has also spun thousands of miles on the 1UP USA Trainer, and it is solid for a dumb trainer and folds flat (similar to their beloved bike racks.)

[45K10]

I'm ~20 rides into InsideRide rollers and can still barely ride them (and crashed once when I zoned out.) And these are the 'easy' rollers!

The feel is certainly infinitely better than being bolted to a trainer, but I can only ride them for 30 minutes or so due to being so locked into position. I don't dare move! :)

Rainy days I use the KICKR for real workouts and the rollers on rest/easy days in a pitiful attempt to get better at them. My dream is to be able to do workouts like I can do on the KICKR, but so far it is slow going.

My wife has also spun thousands of miles on the 1UP USA Trainer, and it is solid for a dumb trainer and folds flat (similar to their beloved bike racks.)

Keep at, it will get easier. I started out that way and one day it just clicked.

Here is some inspiration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BcHekNAfOo

[tctyres]

Things I don't care much about: simulation--racing virtual versions of myself / others on a screen, heart rate monitoring (I know, I know--I just want to ride)

:banana:

IMO, you need to follow a workout or set of workouts. Otherwise, it's dead boring. I broke my clavicle in June, and for 2 months, the trainer was all I could do.

I've never done zwift, but a lot of people love it.

I wound up getting some powertap pedals, and in combination with my hr monitor, speed, and cadence, my fitness improved tremendously. I only had a simple mag trainer, and you can do a lot with it.

I worked through this: https://whatsonzwift.com/workouts/hunters-challenge
I used two countdown watches to time the long and short intervals, and I had the TdF on the screen and the music on.

[thwart]

Keep at, it will get easier. I started out that way and one day it just clicked.

Here is some inspiration
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BcHekNAfOo

This. I started out with traditional fixed rollers. I'm a relatively clumsy guy, and I remember the huge sense of accomplishment when I was able to comfortably ride those rollers and move them away from the doorway that I started in.

The Inside Ride (I call 'em e-motions) really freed up my ability to get out of the saddle, to sprint, and (eventually) ride no-handed.

I found that the positioning of the front roller makes a big difference here, so be sure you have them set up correctly for the bike you're using on 'em.

[RobJ]

I had both the Kinetic Rock and Road and a Kickr. The RnR was a nice alternative to the fully locked in trainer mode, providing some sort of motion. Plus it is cheaper than the Kickr. The Kickr was awesome for full on ERG mode, following my training plans and Sufferfest videos. But probably overkill if you are just looking to spin and be productive.

I now went to the InsideRide Rollers for a more realistic feel and to work on bike balance/handling. Plus I splurged and bought the add on resistance unit so now can train with TrainerRoad etc. They also have a fork mount for those days where you don't feel like concentrating. I have seen the IR rollers popping up used for around $400-$500.