Best Indoor trainer for races/travel/etc.
Moderator: Moderator Team
My old Tacx Cycletrack indoor trainers are getting old and pretty beat up by all the travelling, etc...
Looking for a simple, solid trainer, but with the most "natural" type of resistance unit. To carry to races, school, in truck team vans, etc...
Are 1Up USA still in business ? Still a good bet ? Heard lots of good stuff about them but that was years ago...
Good old Cycleops Fluid ? Anyhting else worth looking at ? ...
Thanks for the head sup
Louis
Looking for a simple, solid trainer, but with the most "natural" type of resistance unit. To carry to races, school, in truck team vans, etc...
Are 1Up USA still in business ? Still a good bet ? Heard lots of good stuff about them but that was years ago...
Good old Cycleops Fluid ? Anyhting else worth looking at ? ...
Thanks for the head sup
Louis
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1UP is still in business and basically made the same. But there are a multitude of trainers now that arguably do better. In particular, look at the ones that have electronic control, such as the Wahoo Kickr or the Tacx Neo. You can do so much with them that you simply couldn't do before with simpler units. The world has changed.
If the price is prohibitive, the nicest unit out there in basic trainers is the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. Don't worry about the Rock-and-Roll model, which lets you tilt from side to side as you ride. I'd recommend getting the KK with the large flywheel for a smoother ride and better power gradient. It's bulletproof, it lasts forever, and it has a superb action. All bike trainers are like free weights -- so many people buy them and sell them six months later, after one aborted winter season of training. So absolutely buy used.
The Sportcrafter roller trainer is compact and lightweight, and with the resistance feature is a good choice. It isn't the TruTrainer in a full-on resistance roller, but for reasonable amounts of training it does well and it is easy to carry to races.
If the price is prohibitive, the nicest unit out there in basic trainers is the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. Don't worry about the Rock-and-Roll model, which lets you tilt from side to side as you ride. I'd recommend getting the KK with the large flywheel for a smoother ride and better power gradient. It's bulletproof, it lasts forever, and it has a superb action. All bike trainers are like free weights -- so many people buy them and sell them six months later, after one aborted winter season of training. So absolutely buy used.
The Sportcrafter roller trainer is compact and lightweight, and with the resistance feature is a good choice. It isn't the TruTrainer in a full-on resistance roller, but for reasonable amounts of training it does well and it is easy to carry to races.
I have a Kickr, and think it is as good as it gets for indoor work, but no way is it portable. I curse up a storm whenever I have to move the thing.
For travel/races I think a set of Kreitlers fit the bill.
For travel/races I think a set of Kreitlers fit the bill.
"Deserve's got nothing to do with it." William Munny
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I wouldn't want to carry my Kickr to races. If you're looking for a trainer just for warm ups, basic rollers (and to some extent trainers) work fine and are cheap via Performance Bike. I have a 1-Up that I've had for years and it's as solid as it was the day I got it, but I never traveled with it. I will likely start bringing it with me to races. For serious indoor training, however, I really like my Kickr with a TrainerRoad subscription. The Kickr happens to be on sale now, but I believe a new one will be announced at Euro/Interbike.
Yeah we already have rollers ( basic ones without resistance) for "Light warmups". But also need a little resistance and stabe platforms on occasion for intense warmups, like for TT's and "special order" races.
I already have a ton of stuff to carry to races, tents, tools, spare or foul weather wheels, accessories, etc. I'm looking for small, solid, portable stuff.
That's why I was looking at the 1 Up USA, CYcleops fluid 2, or the older Elite one ( it's light ! )
Definitely looking for used, yep !
Home and winter training is a totally different game !
Louis
I already have a ton of stuff to carry to races, tents, tools, spare or foul weather wheels, accessories, etc. I'm looking for small, solid, portable stuff.
That's why I was looking at the 1 Up USA, CYcleops fluid 2, or the older Elite one ( it's light ! )
Definitely looking for used, yep !
Home and winter training is a totally different game !
Louis
I've got an "Elite Qubo Digital Smart B+" (yes, it's a mouthful) which was relatively cheap for an electrically controlled ANT FE-C resistance trainer. It uses all of 10W on my 12V power inverter and works just fine plugged into the car at races.
Pros, it's cheap so it's not too big a deal if it gets damaged. It does the job as described. It's strong and I can put 1000W into it. It can be controlled with a garmin 520 to produce a very effective ERG mode warmup. It's lighter and smaller than a lot of the direct drive or more boutique units.
Cons, requires you to use the "special skewer" to get optimal clamp. wears precious race tyres so you may want to bring a 2nd wheel.
I would think that something like this may fit your bill. Similarly a BKool trainer. They're not as glamorous as a Neo or Kickr, but it will do a similar job at about 1/3rd the cost.
Pros, it's cheap so it's not too big a deal if it gets damaged. It does the job as described. It's strong and I can put 1000W into it. It can be controlled with a garmin 520 to produce a very effective ERG mode warmup. It's lighter and smaller than a lot of the direct drive or more boutique units.
Cons, requires you to use the "special skewer" to get optimal clamp. wears precious race tyres so you may want to bring a 2nd wheel.
I would think that something like this may fit your bill. Similarly a BKool trainer. They're not as glamorous as a Neo or Kickr, but it will do a similar job at about 1/3rd the cost.
- MattSoutherden
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- Location: London
Depends what you want to use it for.
For warming up at races, I have always used rollers. But I can definitely see the appeal of a direct-drive trainer in some situations. Crits and hill climbs warrant doing some higher intensity efforts and this can be difficult on rollers (and I'd rather not faff about dropping tyre pressure just before a race - defeats the simplicity of just jumping on the rollers).
For warming up at races, I have always used rollers. But I can definitely see the appeal of a direct-drive trainer in some situations. Crits and hill climbs warrant doing some higher intensity efforts and this can be difficult on rollers (and I'd rather not faff about dropping tyre pressure just before a race - defeats the simplicity of just jumping on the rollers).
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