Turbo trainers / exercise bikes advice?

[Oddsocks]

I am wondering if anyone can suggest a medium level turbo trainer for home use. Under docs orders I need to go quite strict on a cycling program as part of pre op work for an acl rebuild , and looking around on line is giving mixed reviews across most brands.

It will be used with a 26” wheel fitted with a road based tyre so I’m hoping tyre wear should not be an issue.

The other option is a full on exercise bike, but ideally I’d like one with some form of fitness programs built in, again welcoming suggestions.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I always just had a magnetic resistance turbo trainer, nothing too fancy similar to this...turbo trainer
Although it's a while, I paid no more than that for mine when I was mountain biking.
Tyre wear I never found to be an issue, I used to use a totally smooth tyre on mine (Specialised Fat Boy).The issue was more boredom when doing it. I used to use mine based on heart rates, so used to warm up then spend 20 mins in my target zone, then warm down. although I know you say you would use it for ACL presurgery.
They clamp the bike by the included wheel skewer (assuming your bike has quick release wheel)
Even now when I'm thinking of getting another to restart my fitness and loose some weight, I wouldn't buy an expensive one and that one would be perfect.

 

[Dibby]

How much do you want to spend? Will the bike be going outside?

If you are happy to spend around the £200 mark you can get an entry-level smart trainer like the Tacx Vortex (These are currently around £220 but if you are patient they regularly drop to £180) . You will then need an ANT+ dongle (~£10) to use it with your computer. This will then let you capture training data, and you can use apps like Zwift (£12 month) to make training more interesting and social, otherwise using a turbo indoors is incredibly tedious. Be sure you have a fan set up too, otherwise, you will overheat.

If the bike will only be used indoors, it's worth getting a trainer tyre (£15) as it will save wear on your outdoor tyres, last longer and be a bit less noisy.

 

[AmandaJR]

I just bought a new fluid trainer and very impressed so far compared to the Elite Mag I had previously. Half price on Wiggle plus extra 10% off...I don't put a special tyre on and just usual road tyre seems fine - especially on this turbo...very smooth and no slipping at all.

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-t...MIwuH197zY5gIVWeDtCh3GFwgkEAQYASABEgIfifD_BwE

 

[AmandaJR]

Also you can get apps such as Sufferfest (14 day free trial) but I get on really well with Spinervals DVDs and always have. Amazon have a fair few at a reasonable price.

 

[fundy]

Good luck with the rehab!!!!!

Personally have a DKN exercise bike I use which does the job I need for rehab (and collects dust the rest of the time, maybe theres a lesson in there!) Depending on which you get you can now get them with Bluetooth so that they work direct with an app and you can input whatever program you want within reason

 

[Oddsocks]

Cheers for the responses guys, last night I spent a lot of time weighing up the pro’s and cons and decided to opt for a purpose exercise bike as I still want to enjoy a ride of dry days without the faffing around.

After bouncing around online I come across www.exercise-bike-review.co.uk which appeared to be very non bias and evaluated most brands fairly. After then having a coffee (at 1am) I bounced through eBay, Shpock and Facebook market place I come across a nodictrack gx4.4 pro, vx400 both in great condition but in the end managed to swoop a viavito satori brand new boxed for £80 less than 4 miles from my house, not bad considering they RRP at £250 ish.

As a few have mentioned above, a big worry of a turbo trained was the boredom factor, at least this option has the 12 program multi tracker which should enable me to still set targets, and also factor in a colour burn tracker which I can use when dropping a little timber

I think long term if I stick to it then I may end up upgrading to a higher end unit, but I’m hoping by then it may have stoped raining and I can get out in the fresh air instead of in the garage with the spiders.

 

[Beezerk]

I picked up a Wahoo Kickr Snap recently, got it running with Bkool on a 30 day trial. It's great fun, stops the boredom from setting in.
I may try Zwift for a month once my Bkool trial runs out to see what that is like.
Had to but and Ant+ dongle for my laptop but that was only about £15 from Ebay, it works well on my phone app as well through bluetooth.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

A couple of months ago I bought the elite suito and I have been using Zwift for a couple of months now.

Love it.

 

[Beezerk]

A couple of months ago I bought the elite suito and I have been using Zwift for a couple of months now.

Love it.

Does the Suito have Ant+? I was looking at that model as it's direct drive but the Wahoo came up before I could properly investigate.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Does the Suito have Ant+? I was looking at that model as it's direct drive but the Wahoo came up before I could properly investigate.

Think so.

I just use Bluetooth from iPad direct to it and I have just bought Apple TV so I can stick it on the massive screen in the spare bedroom.

It’s a amazing bit of kit.

 

[patricks148]

I always just had a magnetic resistance turbo trainer, nothing too fancy similar to this...turbo trainer
Although it's a while, I paid no more than that for mine when I was mountain biking.
Tyre wear I never found to be an issue, I used to use a totally smooth tyre on mine (Specialised Fat Boy).The issue was more boredom when doing it. I used to use mine based on heart rates, so used to warm up then spend 20 mins in my target zone, then warm down. although I know you say you would use it for ACL presurgery.
They clamp the bike by the included wheel skewer (assuming your bike has quick release wheel)
Even now when I'm thinking of getting another to restart my fitness and loose some weight, I wouldn't buy an expensive one and that one would be perfect.

quite agree, when i was road racing i hated using it as it was so boring, sweat was an issue too.you would also need to make sute you have some protection from stuf coming off the back wheel fron friction. I used to have a set of rollers too that was a bit better for spinning, though not resistance.

you could have had mine, gave it away a few weeks ago