UKC

Due to a change in home circumstances I'm not able to get out on my road bike as often as I used to. Rather than let my fitness levels slip I was wondering whether a turbo trainer might be an alternative.

Are they good, bad, waste of money? Advice please

Cx

In reply to Wonrek:

If you've got the discipline to use them regularly they're great but I find them mind numbingly dull.

In reply to Wonrek:
I've had one for about a month now, I've used it once, I keep forgetting to use it. But apparently they hold their value well if you were to get one and then decided to resell it.

In reply to Mooncat:

They are mind-numbingly dull. I set up my laptop and watch DVDs while I'm pedalling - I can't imagine going for long without some kind of stimulus.

In reply to Wonrek: I use it regularly before work. Get up early so I've gained time effectively. Download some of the Sufferfest DVD's to workout to. Makes it a much less tedious process.

I also bought rollers recently and had a horrible crash in the shed

In reply to woolsack: Sounds painful, I take it you're not recommending rollers then?

I hadn't thought about the mind numbingness of it, I'm used to riding in the dark which is visually mind numbing but a real workout of sounds and smells (normally cow sh*t

My cycling supports my running which will always come first but I don't want to lose the road fitness I've built in addition.

How about the bike, any damage or undue wer from using one?

Cx

In reply to Wonrek:

They can wear tyres quite quickly, a cheap spare set of wheels with turbo specific tyres (most of the big manufacturers make them) might be a worthwile investment.

In reply to Wonrek:

I've noticed that the head set bearings have brinelling in a dead ahead position but that is to be fair on a steel framed Raleigh Competition 12 circa 1982 which is on it's same bearings so I've no doubt that a good deal of the problem may stems from its road mileage and age

In reply to Mooncat:

Wheels and tyres plural? Wouldn't you just need rear ones?

In reply to Steve John B:

Yeah, that might work, didn't put much thought into that did I

In reply to Wonrek:

Love mine.

Hard sessions I use Sufferfest vids, easier sessions I just find something good on i-player and watch it.

In reply to Wonrek: You get out what you put in, and I love it!. It might be easier to think of the turbo as something different from cycling, a bit like campussing isn't really climbing. If you're just going to pootle for an hour, then yes, it might seem boring. However, you can do some serious and extremely well controlled training which isn't easily or safely replicated on the road, especially during winter. There are very, very few serious/good cyclists (certainly in the UK) who don't train on a turbo. I think you can learn quite quickly to enjoy it for what it is.

In reply to Wonrek:

+1 to flipper

They are brilliant for fitness but hard work and require commitment.
You get out what you put in.

So no, they aren't an easy option.
So yes, they are good for your cycling