Minoura Live Ride 540 Trainer

What are turbo trainers?

Turbo trainers enable you to keep up your training, even when it’s pouring down with rain. These devices hold your bike’s back wheel in place so you can cycle along to your heart’s content – while watching up on some TV or a specific DVD where you follow in the footsteps (or tyre tracks) of the pros.

Who needs a turbo trainer?

Anyone who likes to keep a regular training schedule will benefit from a turbo trainer. They are particularly useful in the winter months when it’s exceptionally cold, snowy or rainy.

What are the choices?

Top of the range turbo trainers allow you to follow routes, either on DVDs or downloaded GPX files. They automatically vary the resistance so you’ll actually be climbing hills as you go along. Less expensive turbo trainers are manually adjusted and have between 4-7 resistance levels.

What should I buy with it?

A turbo trainer mat prevents any damage to your floor and also catches any sweat. A riser block will hold your front wheel firmly in place. There’s a great range of DVDs to choose from, from Tour de France routes to more gentle touring around picturesque scenery. To save on wear and tear to your tyres, it’s best to either get a separate wheel for your turbo, or change to a turbo trainer-specific tyre.

Anything else?

Turbo trainers can be both noisy and bulky, so look out for more quieter models and those which fold away out of sight (but hopefully not out of mind).