I am a college student wanting to do some base training over the winter on the bike. I have a trek 1200 and I am looking for a trainer. I am a beginning triathlete. I have a sprint distance tri under my belt and am looking ot move up into the half-ironman or olympic distance range. I'm looking for a good trainer. Wondering whether I should go magnetic or fluid? I'd also like to spend less than $300. I have heard that some fluid trainers leak but that magnetic trainers are loud. I have a roomate, so the quieter the better, but I could also move into the common room when I'm training in the AM. Would you suggest fluid or magnetic, and what type/brand? I'm not too well versed on the subject so any advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
I am a college student wanting to do some base training over the winter on the bike. I have a trek 1200 and I am looking for a trainer. I am a beginning triathlete. I have a sprint distance tri under my belt and am looking ot move up into the half-ironman or olympic distance range. I'm looking for a good trainer. Wondering whether I should go magnetic or fluid? I'd also like to spend less than $300. I have heard that some fluid trainers leak but that magnetic trainers are loud. I have a roomate, so the quieter the better, but I could also move into the common room when I'm training in the AM. Would you suggest fluid or magnetic, and what type/brand? I'm not too well versed on the subject so any advice would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Frank Pearson
Go with the CycleOps Fluid2. Comes in right around $300 straight from an LBS (mine was a little under that) but you may be able to do even better online. Its about as quiet as a trainer gets and offers good resistance. I have no problems with it at all and think it well worth it. You'll very soon desire either an HRM or Power sensor, as well as a cadence sensor that can read off the back wheel, but you can get by without them for a time.
I have a Axiom 3 (Performance) and love it. It is on sale now for about $350. It connects to an old lap top, gives HR, Watts, Cadence, everything you would need and more. It has built in courses, or you can design your own. I have set up some great routines to build specific strengths. It records all data faithfully, and really shows where improvements in training make a difference. The PC I use is Windows 95, not sure how it would adapt to newer editions. Use it in the celler most everyday, now that it is so cold. The software was a little bit querky at first, but have learned what to do. There are some great built in courses that approximate some of the stages in the TDF. Some may say the power readings are not accurate, but, it's better than not riding at all because of the weather. I don't think you would be dissappointed ! Put on some good music, or a inspirational race DVD, and enjoy not loosing your season strengths.
