Turbo Time!

Author
Discussion

D1bram

Original Poster:

1,500 posts

171 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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So the Mrs and I would like a turbo to keep up some form of cycling indoors while the weather is rubbish.

I've come across the following one on offer at Halfords - includes a mat and front wheel riser and with British Cycling will cost £90. Any good?

Any other advice? Our thinking is pretty much set it up in front of the TV. Gin & Tonic in the water bottles optional biggrin

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/accessories/turbo-...

shouldbworking

4,769 posts

212 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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They had one set up in my local store. My missus had a go on it and absolutely loved it. It was pretty quiet too. At the price, worth a punt id say, dont forget to get an indoor training tyre though as the extra friction will rapidly trash normal ones.

BoRED S2upid

19,701 posts

240 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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I bought an elite for my first turbo and it was garbage it's cheap for a reason.

D1bram

Original Poster:

1,500 posts

171 months

Friday 24th October 2014
quotequote all
Fairly polar opinions there!

What made it garbage? What would you recommend instead?

Dammit

3,790 posts

208 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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The magnetic ones (that model included) vary the resistance with a bar-mounted lever that connects via a cable to the turbo itself, you then move it backwards and forwards to adjust.

The fluid ones operate on wheel speed - as speed increases the resistance increases, so you simply use the gears to adjust wheelspeed relative to crank speed in order to change the resistance.

I've got the latter (a CycleOps Fluid 2) and it's very good - it feels more "natural", for what that's worth when you're sprinting hard in the spare room, than a magnetic unit (although the mag units I've tried have been at the cheaper end of the scale.

That said, if you've seen this one, it's local and affordable, what's not to like?

stu1984

814 posts

180 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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I have that exact one. It is solid and does the job. No need to spend any more. It does the job it set out to do. It is a bit 'no frills' but for £100 its all you need. Put your favourite album on, crank up the volume and start spinning!!! :-)

MadDad

3,835 posts

261 months

Friday 24th October 2014
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No such thing as rubbish weather - only rubbish kit!! wink

BoRED S2upid

19,701 posts

240 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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The roller area is very small and surrounded by plastic the one I had the wheel didn't align right in the centre (very small area) and rubbed on the plastic housing. Very poor and I wasn't the first to return mine and ask for a refund.

Daveyraveygravey

2,026 posts

184 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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MadDad said:
No such thing as rubbish weather - only rubbish kit!! wink
+1! 100 quid on a turbo is 100 quid not spent on something nice...

Bobley

699 posts

149 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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We've got the Elite "Gel" turbo. We've thrashed the sh!t out of it for the last 12 years. My Mrs is particularly addicted to it. She managed to rust our old ali hybrid bike (which was only used on the turbo for the best part of 10 years). I'm not sure if the Gel roller makes that much difference but we only use it in front of the telly, I watch movies, she watches Monty Don or Bake Off etc and my little lad watches Sufferfest on my laptop. He follows BC training plans and does all manner of sprint intervals etc and the old rollers have been fine. Its only in the last year that we've bought a set of matching Elite variable parabolic rollers for further training options. The Elite rollers are quieter than the turbo. If you want noisey get a set of Tacx rollers.

Herman Toothrot

6,702 posts

198 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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My turbo can't remember brand ~£100 magnetic doesn't have variable resistance and doesn't offer enough resistance for the likes of sufferfest, I end up running out of gears and go higher cadence - simply spins too easily. Can anyone recommend turbo or rollers that offer decent resistance, primarily for sufferfest? Budget £200 max.

Dammit

3,790 posts

208 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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drivin_me_nuts

17,949 posts

211 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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I've had a cycleops fuild 2 for a few years now and binned it for an Elite gel one recently. I could take the noise no longer. Being built more for downhill wind assisted, it's somewhat of a bonus using my weight and the gears on the Elite one.

Napper

120 posts

212 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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I've just ordered a cycleops fluid 2 from Chaim Reaction with all the bits of kit. I've been looking and reading reviews for a few weeks and eventually plumped for this. At £227 for the turbo alone I thought it was a good buy.
But, I guess you pay your money and take your chances smile

IroningMan

10,154 posts

246 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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Kurt Kinetic Road Machine - can't fault mine.

neenaw

1,212 posts

189 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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I've been using the Cyclops Fluid 2 for the past couple of years now with absolutely no issues. Glad I spent the extra over the cheaper one I was looking at.

anonymous-user

54 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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IroningMan said:
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine - can't fault mine.
The only fault is that they're not very portable...but it's still one of the best trainers. I have an Elite Chrono as well, night and day. No way I would attempt 3hrs on the Elite or put in a hard effort, it just spins up.

Mind you I am sorely tempted by the Kickr

Dammit

3,790 posts

208 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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If only they were a little cheaper.

Napper

120 posts

212 months

Sunday 26th October 2014
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I agree, the Kickr looks the dogs horlicks but at nearly £1k....... Too much for me to justify it.... I don't compete or take it too seriously. It's just for fun and fitness.

anonymous-user

54 months

Monday 27th October 2014
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It's not cheap but if you get the use out of it why not? Plenty of people I know spend as much/more on various bits of carbon and witchcraft to make them go faster smile

Kinetic is the way to go, check eBay.