Turbo trainers, how noisy?

[Garlick]

I quite fancy one, but I live in a flat.

If I got one, might my downstairs neighbour want to kill me?

[Parsnip]

Mine isn't too bad - but it is a fairly pricey one (Tacx Flow). It does make a bit of a fuss when giving it the beans, but have never had a complaint from the neighbours - also in a flat, wooden floors blah blah. Sit it on a rubber mat (stops the floor getting manky too) and you should be golden.

The old wind resistance ones are deafening - anything modern with a magnetic or fluid resistance is the way to go.

[robpearson]

I also use a tacx flow on a foam tacx mat with a turbo training tyre, and at lower speeds I think it's quite noisy until you get the speed up a bit. The tyre made a huge difference as does making sure the tyre is up to pressure and the roller isn't pressing into it too hard

[snotrag]

You must get a decent quality one, either fluid or magnet.

Cheap ones work fine, fan ones aswell.

I have a fan type though and it lives in the garage - I kid you not, it sounds like a harrier jump jet taking off and would vibrate right through the floor etc.


Get a good one with a mat and a spare wheel with a trainer tyre on and it will be fine.

[DrMekon]

Our old Tacx mag one was horrendous in our room - the whole floor seemed to resonate. As such, I suspect it depends on the floor. Currently have a Cyclops mag, and it's much quieter, but we nolonger live in a flat.

[Nick_F]

I have a Kurt Kinetic - quiet enough to hear Coach Troy on the laptop's built-in speaker over the sound of my racing heart and wheezing lungs. As above, you need to be looking at a fluid setup and a mat to stand it on; nothing flash, a sleepmat will do.