I am not writing this as a recommendation, just observations, almost all
subjective.
In the past, for about 15 years, I used a Cycle Ops wind trainer, the
original one. When I decided to take up residence in the US, I figured the
freight was not worth it, and sold that unit. To its last days with me, I
never had any complaint about its functioning.
Now, in the US, in Maine, where we had record snowfall in December, and
overall for the winter, I just got a new trainer - Elite Chrono Primo Fluid
Trainer. I have not spent comparable time on it, obviously (Jobst - you OK
with that usage?), but I have some observations I thought to share with
those interested.
First, foremost, cardinal in interest is the low noise level. I had simply
never tried anything but a wind trainer over the years, and the Cycle Ops
was powerful as a noise generator. This fluid unit is really very quiet,
including at the higher speeds in a high gear. I did not have to change the
TV audio level, although I admit it became a bit muted by the Elite at
speed.
Second, and this is really hard to distinguish without instruments - I feel
I was loaded a lot more in every gear with the Cycle Ops. I didn't do a lot
of big ring rolling with the old one, and now I can make the move in 15
minutes. This is not a race, it's physical conditioning, and on a 59
year-old frame, carbon based. I think some of the effect is perceptual, in
that the loud fan noise always seemed to be a positive encouragement that I
was really pushing the pedals, where the lower noise level makes me more
reliant on the bike's computer to judge my output.
I only wish I had a cadence function in the computer I am using, as this is
the kind of environment where you can try to make adjustments to this factor
and train your muscles to adapt to a more effective personal range. BTW, I
am a lazy European, and we generally don't do marathon sessions on trainers,
having a more temperate climate than the northernmost state outside Alaska.
An hour is plenty.
If anyone knows how one may adjust (increase) the fluid loads, I'd like to
hear from you.
--
--
Sandy
--
Si les autres parties du monde ont des singes ; l'Europe a des Français.
Cela se compense.
[Arthur Schopenhauer]