Suggestions for Bike Trainers, Please?

I suggest you use the Search function. There are dozens and dozens (maybe hundreds) of threads on bike trainers here.

Oh my, jimbo, not again! If you don't have anything nice to say, why do you say anything at all??????

Sierra,
you are right, there are tons of different kinds of trainers out there, and it seems like everyday a manufacturer comes up with something new. I have a simple cycleops fluid trainer. It is fine, it gets the job done in pre-race warmups, but I don't love it for training as it isn't as smooth as I would like. Computrainers are great. Not only are they great training tools, but they are very smooth, almost like riding on the road . . .almost . . . but they are very expensive and certainly more than you need.

My LBS had a new trainer set up as a demo the other day. It is different from most, in that you actually take the rear wheel OFF. I don't remember who makes it as I am not in the market for a trainer right now, but I did test it, and liked it a lot. While a little noisy, it seemed pretty smooth (don't know how much it was).

Remember that no matter what trainer you get, you won't like riding it half as much as you like riding outdoors. Riding a trainer is work - plain and simple. You can try to distract yourself with intervals, music, and movies, but in the end, I get through trainer session by reminding myself that it will be worth it in a few months when I transition back to the road and see all the gains I made indoors translate into on-road performance.

Hi, Cat!

Don't worry about Jimbo. I have him on Ignore status, so if he's snarking about something, I don't know about it and thus can't care, lol.

I figured I probably wouldn't like a trainer anywhere nearly as much as I like biking outdoors, I just don't know what else to do right now, given my knee limitations and the darned weather forecast. That being said, I also didn't want to spend a lot of money on one, since I plan to use it only when absolutely necessary. Soooo....

I found one on Craigslist this morning. It's a Blackburn Track Stand Defender for $75. The ad says it's the original owner, in good condition, and includes the front tire stand (I didn't even know you needed one, lol.) So Dear Hubby is going to take a look at it and probably buy it for me today, and we'll put it in the spare room in front of the television, and away I'll go. Even if I don't like it -- and I probably won't -- I'll follow your good example and just get through it by reminding myself of the benefits, not only in seeing the possible gains when I can bike outdoors again, but also, for me, in being able to continue to lose weight until then.

And I won't have spent a ton of money. I couldn't find this particular one online anywhere, but I saw newer similar ones by Blackburn in REI yesterday for $300 and up. They all have lifetime warranties, for whatever they're worth, so hopefully this one will work and will save me a couple hundred. Gotta love Craigslist!

Will let you know how it works out. Thanks for the input.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Yojimbo_ [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I suggest you use the Search function. There are dozens and dozens (maybe hundreds) of threads on bike trainers here.

So, why didn't you suggest that to this poster?

cyclingforums.comlooking for an indoor trainerOpen ↗

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by 64Paramount [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Quote: Originally Posted by Yojimbo_ [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I suggest you use the Search function. There are dozens and dozens (maybe hundreds) of threads on bike trainers here.

So, why didn't you suggest that to this poster?

cyclingforums.comlooking for an indoor trainerOpen ↗

I didn't suggest any threads because now the OP has finally figured out how to actually get on her bike I thought she can also figure out how to press the search button. I see that you don't have the same confidence in her though since you posted the link to make it easier for her.

Btw, why did you pick that one thread out of the dozens and dozens that already exist? Why not list them all for her if you're feeling so helpful?

I don;t think that's paramount's point. The question was more along the lines of why are you so rude to sierra but when someone else asks about what trainer to buy you tell your experience with the KK.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by CalicoCat [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I don;t think that's paramount's point. The question was more along the lines of why are you so rude to sierra but when someone else asks about what trainer to buy you tell your experience with the KK.

Four reasons I guess.

I got flak from Sierra for wondering "aloud" what everyone else is thinking - that is, how could someone have so much trouble getting on a bike? So when I noticed this post was started by her I couldn't be bothered other than mentioning the search button.

Plus, these trainer questions have been answered over and over again and they're starting to become tiresome. The search function is really quite useful for topics that come up all the time.

And, given the type of bike she rides and the quantity of riding she does I doubted very much she'd be interested in a KK or other reasonably expensive trainer so I figured my experience would not be applicable.

Finally, she's trying to ignore me so I didn't see the point in writing a long post.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by CalicoCat [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I don;t think that's paramount's point. The question was more along the lines of why are you so rude to sierra but when someone else asks about what trainer to buy you tell your experience with the KK.

Exactly right!

Hey, Calico and Paramount.

If Jimbo is attempting to be rude to me (which is difficult, given that I have him on Ignore and am not reading his posts, lol) it is because a couple weeks ago I didn't buckle to my knees and weep with despair when he was supercilious about my difficulties in mounting my new bike. I gave him a taste of his own and, interestingly enough, he didn't like it when others were snide to him. So I put him on Ignore, and have been enjoying my peace here, having enjoyable discussions with nice cyclists like you two. However, many children having tantrums don't like it when the object of their rage walks away and ignores them, so they follow them around, still trying to make sure that the adult knows just how very unhappy they are. While he would deny this vociferously, the proof is in the pudding; if he truly weren't trying to regain my attention, he wouldn't have responded to my post at all.

Thanks for the support, guys. As you can tell, I'm worried sick about all this. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif[/IMG]

Sierra

[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by SierraSlim [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Hey, Calico and Paramount.

If Jimbo is attempting to be rude to me (which is difficult, given that I have him on Ignore and am not reading his posts, lol) it is because a couple weeks ago I didn't buckle to my knees and weep with despair when he was supercilious about my difficulties in mounting my new bike. I gave him a taste of his own and, interestingly enough, he didn't like it when others were snide to him. So I put him on Ignore, and have been enjoying my peace here, having enjoyable discussions with nice cyclists like you two. However, many children having tantrums don't like it when the object of their rage walks away and ignores them, so they follow them around, still trying to make sure that the adult knows just how very unhappy they are. While he would deny this vociferously, the proof is in the pudding; if he truly weren't trying to regain my attention, he wouldn't have responded to my post at all.

Thanks for the support, guys. As you can tell, I'm worried sick about all this. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif[/IMG]

Sierra

This proves my point exactly.

I go with the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. Durable, quiet, simple.