Training & Nutrition - computer for trainer

i was looking to get a computer for my trainer. can anyone recomend a computer that has a setup for the rear wheel?

not many come with it, i did see a kit for my cateye astrale 8 though.

Just realize that speed and distance numbers on a trainer don't correlate to speed/distance on the road. The resistance on the trainer will lower the speeds below your usually "on the road" speeds. Although it could still be a good tool as long as the comparisons never cross over (road vs trainer).

I do know that there are a couple of computer's out there that have "long wire" kits to pickup off the rear wheel, but the catalog with those listed went into the round-file.

Andrew

what is a round file, i have to disagree with ajay, although its been a long month so far and i lack sleep, the wheel spinning and 15 mph is 15 miles per hour no matter what. the difference in the ease of it is way off but it seems like maybe he is sorta right but maybe not, the only use i see for a computer on a trainer is cadence and you can use the cadence feature with or without the front wheel moving or installed at all.

Originally posted by djbowen1
what is a round file
The trash.

what is a round file, i have to disagree with ajay, although its been a long month so far and i lack sleep, the wheel spinning and 15 mph is 15 miles per hour no matter what. the difference in the ease of it is way off but it seems like maybe he is sorta right but maybe not, the only use i see for a computer on a trainer is cadence and you can use the cadence feature with or without the front wheel moving or installed at all.

The round file is the trash (as Roadbuzz already posted).

Of course the wheel spinning at 15mph is 15mph, but the resistance piece of it all changes everything. For instance on my trainer I'm lucky if I can average 12-13mph for any period of time, however on the road my average speed is much higher. When I do intervals on the trainer, I'm lucky if I can spin much higher than 25-26mph, on the road those numbers are WAY higher (resistance goes up exponentially on the trainer at a higher rate than on the road). So for 1hr on the road my mileage and speeds are so far off from 1 long-ass-boring-fall-asleep hour on the trainer. But I will say I think 45 minutes on the trainer gives me a MUCH better workout than 1hr on the bike. Hence why I think speed/distance on the trainer is bit of a waste, or maybe a better way to put it is that it's information that isn't the most helpful.

If you really want to "train" get a trainer with it's own computer so you can measure wattage, get a HRM monitor and a cyclometer with cadence and you will have all the really important information you need to improve.

Andrew

I really want to use the computer as a motivational tool. I do agree that riding on the trainer does not take the place of riding on the road but sometimes there is not enough time to go riding. :mad:

Last winter I bought an inexpensive wireless computer from Nashbar and mounted the display unit on my top tube with the pickup on the rear wheel. Had to use the top tube because most wireless units only work up to about 16".
I read cadence from my regular handlebar mounted unit and speed and riding time from the top tube unit. Worked ok for me. :beer:

Since the begining of October, I have been riding a trainer as the weather here in Oregon is getting colder, wetter and darker. For motivation, I've been tracking my rides via a Cateye MSC3Dx (Heartrate monitor, Speed, cadence functions that are recorded and downloadable) with software from FitCentric called UltraCoach. This is really cool stuff as it also allows me to track not only my ride, but also the days I run (2 days weekly). I can also plan workout schedules and view the graphs of my downloaded data. FitCentric also has a peice of software called NetAthlon. This package allows you to ride in a "virtual" space that is controlled by an "electronic" trainer or a trainer that has been "retrofitted". There are several types of trainer "retrofits" available from third parties that will make the trainer computer interactive - from the basic speed only versions to the more advanced computer controlled trainers that mimic the resistance of hill work. For me, I am looking at the basic "speed" only versin, as I already have a means to record my rides with the MS3Dx. The web site for FitCentric: www.fitcentric.com

dougfoot, you mention that "there are several types of trainer "retrofits" available from third parties that will make the trainer computer interactive." I found one called Peak Training System that sends cadence and power to a PC. What are some similar products?

sigma sports has one. They also have a cadence kit. I got both for around 12 bucks.

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=18708&subcategory_ID=4111
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17162&subcategory_ID=4111

Kinetic sells a nice computer that reads off the rear wheel & computes watts as well as the usual information. I just picked up one of their Road Machine trainers & the computer but I haven't had a chance to set the computer up yet so I can't say how well it works.

For instance on my trainer I'm lucky if I can average 12-13mph for any period of time, however on the road my average speed is much higher. When I do intervals on the trainer, I'm lucky if I can spin much higher than 25-26mph,


Wondering what kind of trainer you have Ajay?

the older avocet 45's have a rear wheel option.. I have one like this setup for training indoors.. You can find them pretty cheap on ebay...

Wow!! I forgot that i strarted this post. Thanks for the responses. I guess its that time of the year to break out the trainer. Still haven't got my computer.

i was looking to get a computer for my trainer. can anyone recomend a computer that has a setup for the rear wheel?

The Cateye Astrale 8 has a rear wheel sensor setup and it shows cadence. Mine works great and has been very durable.

Do any of these inexpensive options allow you to download power and cadence to a PC? Power and cadence are the only things that I care about and I definitely want to be able to download them. I could care less about HR. Never have, never will.

I got the ECHO F-2 computer with cadence from my LBS for 44 bucks works great on the trainer shows dist, max and avg cadence, max and avg speed and time. Also total distance, water proof! and one touch button for riding with full finger gloves...

I really want to use the computer as a motivational tool. I do agree that riding on the trainer does not take the place of riding on the road but sometimes there is not enough time to go riding. :mad:Try using HR as that's a better indicator of exercise intensity than speed on a trainer. Watch your HR, play games with keeping it at LT, do intervals to max-HR, etc.



Do any of these inexpensive options allow you to download power and cadence to a PC? Power and cadence are the only things that I care about and I definitely want to be able to download them. I could care less about HR. Never have, never will.Well, when the watts is a virtual calculated fluffy number, what's the use? On every single trainer I've ever seen, I can double the watts output just by spinning faster, but going twice as fast on a trainer from 20->40mph is a whole lot easier than on the road... actually requires 8x increase in power. And having the watts max out at 999 on the display gets boring when you know you're putting out more :)