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Indoor Trainer Bike

2K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Longhair-NL 
#1 ·
I'm a beginner that has a Giant Defy 2 (Netherlands Specs).

After a lot of research, I am going to get a Kinetic by Kurt Road Machine for the cold, rainy day and I want to get a bike dedicated for it that would also act as a spare in case it is needed.

Would it be better to get something with low specs (Shimano STI 24 speed) or spend the extra up front on something with higher specs (Shimano 2300, Sora or Tiagra - upto 27 speed) ?
 
#2 ·
I'm a strong believer in having a training bike that is heavier and slightly less grade of comps than the nice bike, however it should almost always be the same drivetrain (ie 10spd). I would suggest you get the better second bike so when you ride it will actually feel somewhat similar in drivetrain to your nice bike. For example I have a KONA jake the snake cross bike with 10spd ultegra 6600 sl, fenders and 28mm tires. It weighs in at 23lbs. My nice ride is CF, SRAM red and weighs in at 16lbs. Train on heavy and when you get on your nice bike it'll feel like you're flying. Ahh my fenders! What can I say about these beasts of burden? The fenders have this wonderful feeling of wanting to get off the bike and throw it away especially during headwind rides ;)
 
#3 ·
I was looking to get another 10 speed but that falls out of my price range. All of last year's models that I am looking at are 9 speed including the "next one up" of my current bike.

While I understand the concept of having a heavier bike for training, I don't understand how it would relate in my case since it will not see the road except for the rare occasion of the main bike being down.

Fenders? I've been wondering why my full suspension mountain bike goes a lot slower :thumbsup:
 
#8 ·
Training indoors on a bike will never be the same. There is one option which is as close as it gets proform, tour de france, but its $1200. I have a spinbike for the snowy winter months but prefer outdoor hence the heavy trainer. I suggested the same drivetrain because shift points are important during training.
 
#4 ·
Find a used bike that is similar in geometry to what you have now. The drivetrain isn't as important as the fit. You'll likely sweat all over the trainer bike anyway. I use an old Cannondale Al frame with nine speed campy from 1999. The frame had chipped paint (probably powdercoat) so I sanded it down and gave it a good coat of gray primer to protect it from my sweat. If I rode it out in town, no one would steal it.
 
#7 ·
Good choice on the KK for a trainer. Great customer service. I just had my KK after three years start making a funny noise. Called them and they sent me a whole new replacement unit:thumbsup: Why not just put your primary bike on the trainer?

BTW google golden cheetah, download it. Buy the garmin usb stick, and the garmin gsc-10 speed cadence sensor and bam...you have a pseudo computrainer...now you can train with power (virtual).

My advice...buy an industrial fan...it's the only way I can make it through a work out indoors.
 
#9 ·
Reason for not putting primary bike on the trainer - narrow stairs and lots of them. That is not including the grease & grime trail that the wife would follow :(

My main goal right now is to lose weight. So even if I don't have time to go out for a even an hour, I could get 5 minutes on the thing especially if it is in seeing distance.

The Pro-Form Tour de France looks interesting but I was not able to find anything about international sales. A regular spinning bike would take too much room compared to a indoor trainer & bike.

Still looking at the used market and for a 10-speed in my budget online with no luck...

Already own a huge fan :D
 
#10 ·
I just simply shopped around on craigslist until I found a used road bike that fit well. I would have settled on an older down tubet shifting roadie, but came across a Jamis Satellite that was three years old & needed some minor work for the same price. THis was a plus since I figured I'd use it for commuting from time to time as wel. It's a steel Renolds frame with Tiagra / Sora mix. The goemetry isn't that of my Six, but very comfortable, more along the lines of a touring fit. It allows me to go for over an hour on the trainer without getting sore in the saddle.
 
#11 ·
Just make sure the spare bike has the same geometry and setup as your outdoor bike. You want the two bikes to fit as closely to each other as possible. But, because this indoor bike will see a lot of salt and sweat, I'd stick with the lowest-end frame and components that will still work. Also, I highly recommend you use the same pedals and saddle as your outdoor bike.
 
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