Ottakee Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I am thinking of getting one of these once I get cleared by the physical therapist (torn meniscus). Are they stable? Are they easy to use? I am looking for a way to get some more indoor exercise. Not sure I would love it but I can't do the stair climber thing for a while that we don't have a treadmill. I do walk outside 4-5 days a week for 2-4 miles at a time. I just need something more to help with my thunder thighs and general leg strength that won't be too hard on my knee. Would this work or are they a pain to use? I saw a highly rated one on Amazon for $80 and then a front wheel stabilizer block for $10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
violamama Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I have a cycleops one that is awesome. I really like it. Those deals sound very reasonable. It's a very good workout. There are some indoor cycling cds and even podcasts that are helpful and fun. When I've used mine, it's in our garage with either my iPod or our tiny 80's tv. Hope you find what helps you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 ALso, has anyone used one with a mountain bike style bike with knobbier tires? I heard that noise can be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I have a cycleops one also and it's really nice. My bike has knobby tires and it does make more noise than dh's bikes does on a trainer but it's not a big deal to me. One thing to check out- our cycleops one takes seconds to mount and you do NOT have to remove anything from the rear wheel. Some have a rod that goes through the rear wheel, I believe. Also, mine lets me change tension by just changing gears on my bike. So if I want to make it more difficult to pedal, I just change gears like I would if I was riding on the trail. But some trainers actually require that you get off the bike and make a change back on the trainer, or they have a separate piece of wiring to attach to your handlebars. I've never used these kinds but they seem more of a pain than just using your bike's gears. There are lots of dvds out there to get you riding- some are like an indoor spin class and others are more scenic as if you were outside riding with a group. I've done some of those, but usually I just spin while watching tv or listening to music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 There are much better forms of in home fitness. I like P90X because it has the cardio aspect as well as strength training and yoga. A stationary bike is a one trick pony. Unless you really like riding, in which case I'll shush. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 There are much better forms of in home fitness. I like P90X because it has the cardio aspect as well as strength training and yoga. A stationary bike is a one trick pony. Unless you really like riding, in which case I'll shush. :) I use it to maintain during the off season. I need to keep my butt in shape- literally, if I don't ride MY bike, when the season starts back up, it takes a couple of weeks to get my butt to stop being sore from my seat. My bike also has my computer on it so I can track my cadence and such things. And I can keep wearing my cycling shoes- clipping in after not using them all winter usually means a few accidents. Plus it was about $250 so it's a pretty cheap way to keep in cycling shape during the winter. So yeah, cyclists like their trainers. But most do other things even during the season...core strength is a huge deal for distance riding so there are other components to training besides just riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 There are much better forms of in home fitness. I like P90X because it has the cardio aspect as well as strength training and yoga. A stationary bike is a one trick pony. Unless you really like riding, in which case I'll shush. :) I will be doing some strength and balance training as well but I have a torn meniscus and tendonitis and high impact activity is totally out of the question for months. Same thing with any exercises that put lateral strain on my knee. I am trying to figure out what I CAN do besides walking (which I do 4-5 days a week, 2 -4 miles at a time). I have been cleared for cross country skiing on level ground........but alas no snow right now. We live 12 miles from the YMCA so I really would like something I can do at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 http://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/535342-weight-loss-with-a-busted-knee/:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 My ds used one after two knee surgeries to rehab. It was one we had from bmx riding, but we brought in a mountain bike and used that in it. It worked great. I don't remember the noise level. I do remember that my 12 year old was not going insane because he was finally allowed to do something active. It really helped in his recovery. (-and my sanity) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 We have the CycleOps Fluid 2. It is a great trainer although a little pricy. It was recommended to us by a triathlon coach. We also have a much cheaper one that we use as a second one, for the girl's bikes. There is a definite difference in the noise, ease of setup, etc. If this is a long term investment, spend the extra money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 First double post. Sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan in SC Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Our was similar to this- http://www.bicyclebuys.com/item/0123034/kurt-kinetic-magnetic-2.0-indoor-trainer&utm_source=froogle&utm_medium=comparison-shopping&utm_campaign=Froogle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 Hopefully I can try one out this week at physical therapy and go from there. It is that fine line between pushing it for healing and pushing it too much. Thankfully I have a great physical therapist to help me through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I borrowed a trainer from my MIL a couple years ago, I didn't really like using it. Hers was basically a stand that lifted the rear tire, I was able to use my mountain bike without issue. I don't remember having problems with noise. I do really enjoy spin classes though. If your Y offers them, you may want to check one out. An hour of spin class flies by, an hour on the bike trainer at home did not for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom22ns Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 I use and like my trainer. I do use it with a mountain bike and noise is an issue. It is loud. However, like someone up thread said, if I don't ride all winter, then my seat takes weeks to stop being bruised and sore in the spring. Having some time each week on my bike seat really helps. Additionally, I have both back and knee problems. When I can't do any other form of exercise, I can almost always still bike. I do treadmill workouts, I do various workouts with videos, and circuits with Nike Training Club on my phone. I like variety and I recognize the need for core strength and for muscle building in general. However, if I only worked out when my body was healthy enough for P90x, I would never be able to stay in shape to DO P90x. The reality is, some of us aren't all that young or that lucky. A bike on a trainer can be a great option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndOfOrdinary Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 We use ours with Ds in the winter when we get horrid weather and snows. He is wiggly and kinesthetic. It is great. I used it back when I was triathlon training. They work best if you can set it up and just leave it. Right now our house is too small for that so our use has been limited. When it is set up, I would ride around twenty miles a week and really liked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Bumping this up. Does anyone have any thoughts on the ones on Amazon for under $100? I know they won't be top quality but we are looking for a basic, easy to use, stable model. I am slow on a bike---maybe 5-7mph so no speed racing here. I just need that motion to help my knee. One that is easy to change the resistance or that you can do that using the bike's gears would be great. We will be putting my husband's trex hybrid (like sorta mountain bike but not that extreme) on it so it sounds like we will need a smooth tire as well. Grandma gave us $100 to spend so we really need to stay in that price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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