Elite Trainers - Halfords

[tjdixon911]

Just been into my local halfords and seen these on sale, are they any good for £50? Or the next one up with riser block, training dvd and bottle for £70...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/...

I had a trainer a few years ago but got a little board with it, for this kind of money it may be worth giving another go... Especially when the weathers really bad...

[Fastpedeller]

Good value, but is it worth spending extra £20 on a bottle (you prob already have), a guide (get off 'net) and a front wheel prop (use a piece of the polestyrene packing!)? I got one a few years back c£65 from Machine Mart - very good and prob came from same factory.

[stu1984]

Hi OP. I have one of the entry level Elite turbo trainers and it is very basic but does what I need it to do. Certainly not worth £20 for the minor 'additions'. Just use an Argos catalogue or something to lift the front wheel off the ground!! £50 is a bargain, so I say go for it!!

[scubadude]

Got one last year, nothing special but it works. Ditto comment above about extra bits but something solid for the front wheel is good (I made a prop out of wood offcuts) Loads of freebie videos on Youtube.

It is worth getting a mat of some kind to catch sweat and a trainer tyre if you don't have a spare wheel with old/shagged tyre IMO, they can eat nice tyres in a few minutes :-(

[N8CYL]

Also got one, and it came with the sweat catcher. Perfectly alright and does the job. Not sure what else would be needed.

[upsidedownmark]

Never get on it without a plan of what you're going to do. Stick to interval type stuff. That fixes the boredom. Trying to do a 'long ride' on a vanilla trainer staring at the wall will leave you wanting to poke the skewer in your eye just to make it less monotonous.

[Banana Boy]

Another Elite Volare owner here, although I brought mine 2nd hand off ebay because it was practically brand new and came complete with riser block and Schwalbe trainer tyre which, is probably well worth it judging by the wear narks I've noticed already!

It's not been 100% though as I've had a couple of issues with the cable coming free from the resistance unit which was a bit of a kerfuffle to get back on and involved stripping the flywheel off etc. Also at the adjuster knob end I've had to but a cable tie around the point where the cable outer enters the adjuster body to stop in from dropping out of the flimsy stub.

Other than that it's been superb and very well suited to structured, supplementary training. (I'm fortunate that my boredom is relieved by the fact that I cycle to work pretty much every day)

[AndyWoodall]

I have the £50 Elite bargain special from Halfords, personally I don't see the appeal in these gadgets where I live (surrounded by perfect countryside and lanes) but injury has forced me off the bike these last few months and I needed to get some leg practice in before I'm allowed to ride again.

For the money I think its fantastic. I bought a riser block for about a tenner and that was worth it (hadn't thought of using an old book, doh!), otherwise as a mat I just use a yoga mat. That sweat catcher looks naff anyway.