Indoor Training: VR turbo trainer or high end exercise bike

[ferrisbueller]

Per title, weather and working hours have all but eliminated mid week rides from my schedule.

Looking at options and being self aware, a straight forward turbo trainer probably isn't going to inspire me to get on the bike for an hour a day.

Trainers with VR functions seem to start around the £400 mark, something like this: http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Tacx-i-Flow-Virtual-Realit...

Exercise bikes with similar functions look to be £700-£1200 (without going mad)

Anyone have experiences to share or recommendations to make please?

And I don't need anyone quoting bloody rules at me, thanks.

[Disco You]

A regular turbo and a training programme should be all the motivation you need.

Failing that, sufferfest DVDs.

[anonymous-user]

I can sympathise as I too hate bad weather and travel a fair bit with work. I guess the simple question is what are you hoping to acheive at the end of it as the answer will help to determine the most appropriate training method.

As an example, for £500 you will probably get better results from mid range turbo trainer and a dedicated personal training plan from a coach or a physio after a baseline VO2 test rather than simply throwing money at a VR machine/exercise bike laden with features.

+1 for sufferfest.

[dogbucket]

I have just bought an Elite Qubo Fluid trainer (£200), Sunnto ANT+ USB dongle (£30) and a subscription to Trainerroad ($10pm).

My Garmin speed and cadence sensor (GSC10 £38) then feeds data to a laptop running the Trainerroad software and gives you a virtual power reading calculated according to the resistance curve of the trainer. You can then follow any number of workouts or hook into Sufferfest videos.

My thinking was this was more engaging than a turbo on its own or even a turbo just giving you numbers. And fairly cheap as well.

So far I am very pleased with it and find it quite enjoyable (must not be trying hard enough).

[ferrisbueller]

pablo said:

I can sympathise as I too hate bad weather and travel a fair bit with work. I guess the simple question is what are you hoping to acheive at the end of it as the answer will help to determine the most appropriate training method.

As an example, for £500 you will probably get better results from mid range turbo trainer and a dedicated personal training plan from a coach or a physio after a baseline VO2 test rather than simply throwing money at a VR machine/exercise bike laden with features.

+1 for sufferfest.

Been riding five times a week averaging around 120 miles a week or so, just for fun and fitness. Would like to sustain that through the winter months also. Nothing serious, but I've had exercise bike before and got bored very quickly and know I'll need something to concentrate on.

[neenaw]

dogbucket said:

I have just bought an Elite Qubo Fluid trainer (£200), Sunnto ANT+ USB dongle (£30) and a subscription to Trainerroad ($10pm).

My Garmin speed and cadence sensor (GSC10 £38) then feeds data to a laptop running the Trainerroad software and gives you a virtual power reading calculated according to the resistance curve of the trainer. You can then follow any number of workouts or hook into Sufferfest videos.

My thinking was this was more engaging than a turbo on its own or even a turbo just giving you numbers. And fairly cheap as well.

So far I am very pleased with it and find it quite enjoyable (must not be trying hard enough).

I'd recommend this as well.

Buy a turbo that's on the TrainerRoad recommended list, a USB ANT+ dongle and an Garmin speed sensor. for not more than £250 you've got a decent training package with some good training plans that you can use. For £6 or so a month you also get pretty good support of you have any problems at all.

I've only used TR once or twice with Sufferfest videos but it made me realise that I wasn't putting enough effort in when just using the Sufferfest video on it's own.

[murray]

It's quite a bit of money but I love using my Wattbike especially now that you can use it with Trainerroad. Used a turbo over the last year and never really got on with it, every session seemed to be much more difficult than it should be. Really struggled to get anywhere near the power figures I could do on the road with the turbo. Tried a Wattbike and haven't looked back. Feels very natural to ride and no messing around, you just jump on and do your session. No tyres to pump up, slipping gears etc. Expensive but worth it.

[Disco You]

ferrisbueller said:

Been riding five times a week averaging around 120 miles a week or so, just for fun and fitness. Would like to sustain that through the winter months also. Nothing serious, but I've had exercise bike before and got bored very quickly and know I'll need something to concentrate on.

I recommend high intensity interval training in that case. Sessions aren't long enough to get bored, they are sub half an hour and during that time concentrating on getting your power/HR high enough and not vomiting should keep you entertained.

[ferrisbueller]

neenaw said:

dogbucket said:

I have just bought an Elite Qubo Fluid trainer (£200), Sunnto ANT+ USB dongle (£30) and a subscription to Trainerroad ($10pm).

My Garmin speed and cadence sensor (GSC10 £38) then feeds data to a laptop running the Trainerroad software and gives you a virtual power reading calculated according to the resistance curve of the trainer. You can then follow any number of workouts or hook into Sufferfest videos.

My thinking was this was more engaging than a turbo on its own or even a turbo just giving you numbers. And fairly cheap as well.

So far I am very pleased with it and find it quite enjoyable (must not be trying hard enough).

I'd recommend this as well.

Buy a turbo that's on the TrainerRoad recommended list, a USB ANT+ dongle and an Garmin speed sensor. for not more than £250 you've got a decent training package with some good training plans that you can use. For £6 or so a month you also get pretty good support of you have any problems at all.

I've only used TR once or twice with Sufferfest videos but it made me realise that I wasn't putting enough effort in when just using the Sufferfest video on it's own.

This sounds interesting.

Got the Garmin/Bontrager duotrap ANT+ on my bike already. ANT+ Garmin USBs appear pretty plentiful on eBay for 20 quid or so. I assume the ANT then transfers data direct to the laptop, live?

I quite like the idea of having the laptop sat there in front with data/scenery etc. Will go and have a look at TR, thanks.

[The Stiglet]

Disco You said:

I recommend high intensity interval training in that case. Sessions aren't long enough to get bored, they are sub half an hour and during that time concentrating on getting your power/HR high enough and not vomiting should keep you entertained.

You can also do these on resistance rollers, which require more concentration than the turbo and works out more muscles. Before someone contradicts, yes you can get your HR high enough because there is enough resistance especially with a double. You can combine with Sufferfest (or other variations) should you need something else to distract you although working at FTP should be enough!

[ferrisbueller]

Disco You said:

ferrisbueller said:

Been riding five times a week averaging around 120 miles a week or so, just for fun and fitness. Would like to sustain that through the winter months also. Nothing serious, but I've had exercise bike before and got bored very quickly and know I'll need something to concentrate on.

I recommend high intensity interval training in that case. Sessions aren't long enough to get bored, they are sub half an hour and during that time concentrating on getting your power/HR high enough and not vomiting should keep you entertained.

I want to ride my bike, not make myself ill.

[Disco You]

ferrisbueller said:

Disco You said:

ferrisbueller said:

Been riding five times a week averaging around 120 miles a week or so, just for fun and fitness. Would like to sustain that through the winter months also. Nothing serious, but I've had exercise bike before and got bored very quickly and know I'll need something to concentrate on.

I recommend high intensity interval training in that case. Sessions aren't long enough to get bored, they are sub half an hour and during that time concentrating on getting your power/HR high enough and not vomiting should keep you entertained.

I want to ride my bike, not make myself ill.

No pain: no gain.

I was also exaggerating.... Slightly.