Indoor trainer feedback

[GoBump]

I want to get an indoor trainer but know absolutely nothing about them. Since I just started riding last year, I'm not worried about burning any trainer out but I don't want a piece either.

Has anyone had any (good or bad) experiences with the Minoura 850 RDA Mag? Any suggestions?

I appreciate the feedback.

[TheHare]

Any suggestions? I appreciate the feedback.
For your own sanity, put on some more clothes and hit the trail.

[GoBump]

For your own sanity, put on some more clothes and hit the trail.

That is the direction I am leaning. :) Thank you.

[Quo Fan]

If you do get a trainer, make sure that the contact roller is made out of metal, not plastic. I got one that is plastic, and I'm wearing a rather large grove in the middle of it. I've been using it less than a season, and I'm going to have to replace it in the not too distant future.

Get a couple of spinning tapes or DVD's, beats looking at the wall when pedaling, and you can imrove your riding techinque and get a good workout at the same time.

[petemtb]

Had a Minoura RDA Mag a few years ago. It was a good quality trainer but I ended up giving it away eventually as using a trainer was of course boring, but was also kind of noisey (low pitch hum) and the bike/trainer combo takes up alot of space. Set up and break down each time you use it really isn't a practical option. Instead of the trainer I'd suggest spin classes. Definitely have paid off for me.

[mdc]

I have a trainer that I use as an absolute last resort. It's old, loud (wind trainer) and boring as hell. I second the recomendation of going to spin class. I took my first one yesterday and was quickly reminded how hard it is.....

[Redsars]

I bought a trainer to get some exercise before work during winter. I have trouble motivating myself to go out in the morning for a real ride before work when it is dark and cold. I still try to get out on a real ride on the wekends though.

I bought a fluid trainer from Nashbar, as it seemed to offer the best combination of features. Primary features I wanted were a computer and remote resistance adjustment.

It works well enough, but the quality of construction is pretty poor. The hinged roller assembly is not sqauare to the frame, so the roller does not actually meet with the tyre perpendicular, pretty sloppy.

I leave it set up with my road bike, which is actually an old mountain bike with slick tyres.

[grnbkr]

I use a Nashbar trainer it is loud and boring, but at times you need to make so you crush everyone come springtime

[MTBME]

Riding indoors doesn't have to be boring. I have a fluid trainer with a road bike that I leave set up. It's always ready to go. I got 100 miles in January that I wouldn't have gotten outside. If you mix in a couple of different training videos, (I have about a half dozen), you can just focus on the program at hand and not be looking at your watch every 2 minutes. Seeing all those others riders on the screen kind of makes me feel like I'm not alone. A heart rate monitor is a great tool and a necessary distraction. Have a target range for a particular workout and see how long you can keep it in that range. The key is not to just go through the motion. I can get a high intensity workout in just 30 to 45 minutes. And then I'm done. When I get off the bike, I'm already home!

[xcslowpoke]

Ahh the indoor trainer, I have one and it gets used from time to time. HR monitor, videos, having a specific goal for each workout those are all good things.

Work Out 1: One thing I do from time to time is watch a particular TV program, in my case motorcross but it not important. What I do is each time a commercial comes on I do a big gear standing grind (simulating climbing) or sprints for the duration of the commercial break. Kind of interesting because you don't know how long the break is going to last. Then during the regular program I go back into endurance zone. I typically do something like this for 1 hour.

Work Out 2: The opposite of #1 where I use the commercials to ride in endurance mode and while the show is on I ride at just below LT. I do this because hopefully what you are watching has longer show time than commercial time.

Remember Herschel Walker? RB from Georgia, then for the Dallas, then trade that setup all the Dallas Superbowls in the 90's to the Vikings. He never lifted weights (so he says) he use to do situps and pushups everytime a commercial would come on.

Keys - have the remote in your jersey pocket, have plenty of water, use a fan, have towel nearby because you are going to sweat.

I think I've ridden my trainer maybe 2 times this year. The rest of the time I just suffered the cold. I typically only use it when it rains or can't get out because I have to watch the kids.