The TitanFlex Demo begins...

"If you don't mind riding your own wheels I can have a TitanFlex ready for you tomorrow!"

After six emails each, back and forth, Tom sent the above line early in the evening of Monday, August 10th, 2009. Tuesday morning, I took the saddle, pedals and wheels off my road bike, and went to meet Tom.

When I got there shortly before 1 PM, Tom had an unpainted TitanFlex Veteran in his stand, waiting for my components. The components already on the frame were a mixed bag: Suguino crank, Shimano 105 rear derailleur, Oval Tektro front brake mounted behind a Cane Creek fork, Cane Creek 200SL rear brake, and aero bars, the identity of which were obscured by bar tape. Tom said he had to gather parts from spares and other bikes to get a full set for my demo. My Bontrager RaceLite wheels, Shimano SPD pedals and Adamo saddle fit right in.

Soon enough, the bike was fully assembled, we made minor adjustments to the fit, and I was out the door.

A note about the fit: Once I knew I wanted to demo a TitanFlex, I immediately had a small problem to overcome: I had never ridden a TT bike, and I had spent very little time in the aero position on my road bike. I needed to learn how to ride the aero position on a TT bike, and I needed to learn fast.

The quick solution was also the best: Go to Moment Cycle Sports and get one of JT's famous two-hour fits. My fit actually took closer to 2.5 hours, and I was pushing 200 watts most of the time. We started with a "newbie" fit, with the seat not much higher than the aero bars. Fortunately, my years of "active stretching" had given me enough useful flexibility where a more aggressive aero position was both possible, and surprisingly comfortable.

JT produced a CAD drawing of my optimized fit, and gave me a copy. I sent the numbers to Tom, who had the bike configured very close to my fit even before I had arrived. The main adjustment required was to slightly lower the seat, since my fit with JT used a 172.5 mm crank length, and the TitanFlex was fitted with 175.0 mm.

As I was walking the bike to my car, another issue came to mind: Would the solid-body TitanFlex Veteran frame fit on the Thule "Spare-Me" bike rack bolted to the spare tire on the rear door of my tiny Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV? Turned out not to be a problem, but it was close. The front strap had to go completely around the TitanFlex frame just behind the fork, and the strap was barely long enough. The open-body TitanFlex Transition frame would have had no problems. Here are some photos:

In the car, leaving the parking lot, I now had to decide where to go for my first ride on the TitanFlex, which would also be my first time on the road with a TT bike. I was near Sorrento Valley, and I knew that Sorrento Valley Road between Carmel Valley Road and Carmel Creek Road had minimal traffic. I went to check it out, and found it deserted. Unfortunately, I also knew my risk of crashing would be highest during my first few minutes on the bike, so I'd prefer to ride where there are people, but where traffic would not be an issue.

Only one place came to mind: Fiesta Island. After parking between the two loops (where the spring TCSD club triathlons are held, as well as other club events), I did a small ride to ensure everything was dialed in. The first thing I noticed was that the steering was very twitchy, and my elbows were much closer together than the were during my fit with JT or on my road bike. First stop, adjust the aero bar separation. Ah, MUCH better!

As my confidence grew, I added a little speed. When I came to my first significant turn, I applied some brakes, but very little happened. Second stop, adjust the brakes.

I forgot to mention a special customization Tom made to the front brake: It had no brake lever! Instead of a lever, the brake cable went from the tip of the bar to near the center, making a triangle with the bar. Tom calls this his "cleanbrake" system. To stop, you could either push the cable with your left arm, simply by dropping it from on top of the aero bar to next to the end of the bar. This motion is both fast and economical, since you don't have to lift your arm off the pad. Just what's needed to bleed off a little speed before a turn.

For harder breaking with the front brake, shift your hand to the bar, and wrap your thumb over the cable and close your hand. This takes a little getting used to, but it isn't difficult. The mechanical advantage of the front brake, combined with the use of high-friction brake pads, means plenty of stopping power is available.

The neat thing is this: To apply the front brakes, you need only push on the cable from any direction, and braking will occur. This is much simpler, faster, and more versatile than having to remove your arm from the areo bar and arm pad, grip the bar end, and reach for a brake lever. But it sure is different!

With the brakes adjusted, the ride resumed. As my cadence increased, I tried to shift, only to find the derailleur was very reluctant to give me the gear I had selected, skipping gears and making clicking noises almost all the time. Another stop, this time to adjust the rear derailleur.

OK, I now saw the moral of the story: When demoing a freshly assembled bike, take the first short ride IMMEDIATELY, and do so IN THE PARKING LOT!

After another stop, I realized I was no good at rear derailleur adjustment. Instead of losing more time with repeated adjustments, I shifted through all the gears to find the ones I could use, and continued my ride using only those gears.

I completed my loop around the north end of Fiesta Island, during which I became more confident in my ability to control the bike from the aero position, and started adding more speed. My second big loop was a full loop, during which I started to add more speed on the straights.

Two observations: First, I really like the aero position! The wind was blowing 15-20 mph during my ride. In the drops on my road bike, I'd be lucky to maintain 14 mph into such a stiff wind, even out of the saddle. My first time on the TitanFlex, and my first time in a serious aero position, and I was easily doing 16 mph.

Second, the TitanFlex boom suspension doesn't let you cheat! You know how, in spin class, if you take it too easy at a high cadence, you start to bounce in the saddle? I found I was bouncing on the TitanFlex boom whenever my power output dropped significantly while my cadence was high. This meant I either had to use the gears more to keep some power applied at all times, or coast. For me, the bouncing tells me I haven't been getting enough saddle time lately, and my continuous power level had dropped somewhat. Like I said, no cheating!

After finishing that loop, I called Tom and made an appointment to bring the bike back for a quick tune-up in the morning. The adventures continue in the next post!

TitanFlex Tri/TT Bike

The TCSD 25th Anniversary party is next month, and one of the largest gifts from a Club Sponsor is Tom Piszkin's HUGE donation of a pair of $2000 gift certificates, applicable toward the purchase of a TitanFlex bicycle. For more about Tom, see: http://www.ttinet.com/tf/about.htm

I only recently added aero bars to my road bike, and I'm still not comfortable with them. So I haven't even been thinking about getting a triathlon / time-trial (T/TT) bicycle. But Tom's generous gift to the club changed all that. There is a chance, however small, that I could win a new T/TT bicycle at the TCSD 25th Anniversary party!

I had to learn more. First stop, the TitanFlex web site: http://www.ttinet.com/tf/index.htm

My road bike is a light-weight carbon princess ('06 Trek Madone SL 5.2 triple, where "SL" stands for Super Lightweight). It was never intended to be put on a bike rack for a long road trip (I have a hybrid bike for that), nor to be shipped cross-country very often. It's my "home" bike.

However, if I ever get really serious about this triathlon stuff, I will want to participate in competitions all over the country (time and funds permitting). And to do that, I will want a bike that is as light as possible, while also being rugged enough to take lots of abuse while traveling. To me, that means a metal frame, since carbon can easily suffer hidden damage from even a minor ding or accident, causing invisible internal damage that can eventually result in catastrophic failure.

My younger brother, a bike fanatic, owns a pair of titanium bikes, a road bike and a mountain bike. They've taken tons of abuse, and don't even show a ding, dent or major scratch. And the frames alone each cost around $3000 new. As a 52 year-old age-grouper, that's just slightly beyond my budget.

Which leaves aluminum. I've been a fan of aluminum bikes since I bought my first "fat downtube" Cannondale road bike in 1986. At that time, no bike that weighed less had a better ride combined with better stiffness than my Cannondale. I loved that bike so much that I never got rid of it: I'm in the process of turning it into my indoor perma-trainer bike.

My hybrid bike is a cheap aluminum Trek, and it has taken huge amounts of abuse without a wimper. It has never needed anything more than chain lube, tires, and an occasional tune-up.

So, unless some other miracle frame material comes along that is as rugged, as light, and as inexpensive as aluminum, that's the material I want the frame of my T/TT bike to be made from.

The TitanFlex frame is aluminum, except for one key part, the boom, which is titanium. Read more about the TitanFlex frame concept and implementation here: http://www.ttinet.com/tf/technology.htm and here: http://www.ttinet.com/tf/reviews.htm

The TitanFlex frame is very light. Why? Because the design uses less material than "regular" bikes. Less material means less weight, no matter what material is used. The TitanFlex frame weighs less than many carbon frames!

There are several TitanFlex frame styles (http://www.ttinet.com/tf/products.htm), and the one I'd want on my gift list (or raffle list) is the "Veteran 700c medium" frame with the "Rocky Road" boom (see http://www.ttinet.com/tf/build.htm for details).

So, I contacted Tom, to see if I could get a demo ride on a TitanFlex. More about our conversation in my next post.

End of re-posts

OK, that was the last of the re-posts from the TCSD list.

Aside from the "First Ever" posts, there were several more long "research" posts than I had remembered.

Bike Pedals Advice

This was posted to the list on Tuesday Aug 4, 2009 9:12 pm

Re: [TCSD] Bike Pedals Advice

I have extremely narrow, flat feet, and the ONLY bike shoes I've been able to find that fit comfortably are MTB shoes (with laces), which means SPD cleats and pedals. For years I used to look longingly at all those other groovy high-tech pedals out there.

However, SPD does have some notable benefits I've come to appreciate:

1. Cost. You can get great SPD pedals for under $50! From several manufacturers. And replacement cleats are dirt cheap.

2. Popularity. SPD is the only pedal I've seen used on stationary bikes in gyms. And I like using my road shoes for training.

3. Flexibility. Want to experiment with mid-sole cleat positioning? SPD is the easiest way to go: Just two screws. Plus, the cleats are tiny (and cheap), so I can easily carry extra cleats with me.

4. Walking. SPD cleats handle dirt extremely well, and can also handle lots of walking before needing to be replaced (inexpensively).

When I lusted after tri bike shoes, I realized I could save a ton of money simply by replacing the laces in my MTB shoes with elastic laces. Now I'm easy-in and easy-out!

And what if you want to use the same shoes on your stationary, hybrid, mountain, road and TT bikes? SPD makes it a no-brainer. Imagine needing SPD for the gym, eggbeaters for your MTB, and SpeedPlay for road and TT. Add up the cost of pedals, cleats and shoes. With multiple bikes, SPD savings add up.

The negatives with SPD? I can think of only two:

1. Weight. While SPD cleats are very light, most SPD pedals are heavier than their titanium cousins (though very light SPD pedals are available, for a price). But then again, the weight difference is less than an inch of water in your bottle, or a gel.

2. Adjustability. SPD does not have separate adjustments for float and release tension. Some other pedals do, most don't. I'm slightly bow-legged, and the SPD float of 5 degrees works well for me.


-BobC


On 08/04/2009 02:32 PM, marion marion wrote:
>
>
> I was hoping to hear the pros and cons of using different bike pedals
> for road biking.
>
> I am contemplating switching from SPD pedals (I know, I know; used them
> for years) to Speedplay Zero, Look or Shimano.
>
> The SPD pedals have worked well in terms of low maintenance, high
> durability, and most of all, running in and out of transitions.
>
> I am leaning toward buying Speedplay Zero, since I don't like a lot of
> float. I've heard mostly positives...
>
> However, I've also heard that they can irritate IT bands, which would be
> an issue; and most of all, that they are very hard to walk in and I am
> not going to leave my shoes on the bike.
>
> I appreciate all your great feedback!
>
> Marion

Motobecane Nemesis Tri-bike reviews?

This was posted to the list on Thursday Jul 16, 2009 11:43 am

Re: [TCSD] Motobecane Nemesis Tri-bike reviews?

Ryan,

When buying a bike online, be sure to allow for the following back-end costs:
1. Who will assemble the bike for you?
2. What if parts are missing?
3. Who will do your bike fitting?
4. Who will service the bike?
5. Is there a warranty? If so, who will service it? Will you have to mail you bike somewhere?
6. What if the bike "just isn't right" for you? What is the return policy?

Have you priced all of the above items, and included them in your budget? After adding all of them together, an inexpensive online bike, no matter how good it is, can easily become an expensive bike that has no local support. Or, worse, a bike you hate and don't enjoy riding.

Have you checked the offerings from local shops? Most, sometimes all, of the above items are provided at no extra cost when buying a new bike locally. TCSD has many bike sponsors, each of which offers discounts to club members.

Though I'm certain all local bike shops have similar deals, I recently checked Moment's web site and found some outstanding values under $1000.

If you also need a wetsuit and other triathlon gear, many local shops offer full tri kits that include just about EVERYTHING you need for a triathlon, and the bundled price may be the best deal on the market, including online!

If money really is the issue, consider getting a used bike that has been lovingly cared for, and has been supported by a local shop. You may be able to get a much better bike for far less money.

What concerns me most about buying a bike online isn't really the money or the support: It's not being able to take a test ride. The bike I currently ride is NOT the one I would have picked had I been shopping online or from a catalog. The test rides changed everything for me. You can't assess things like frame stiffness or ride smoothness from a picture.

In this economy, I feel it is especially important to support local businesses. They will reward you for being their customer!

-BobC



buyerryan wrote:
> I am looking for feedback on the Motobecane brand and the Nemesis
> tri-bike model in specific. I am a newbie and cannot seem to get enough
> reviews online to feel good about the purchase without throwing it out
> there to you guys. It really seems to be a lot of bike for $900
> delivered. The off thing is that the two distributors suggested are
> online bike shops. Please let me know your thoughts. -Ryan

Calve Muscle Cramping

This was posted to the list on Monday Jul 13, 2009 12:38 pm

Re: [TCSD] Calve Muscle Cramping

Chris,

I can only share my own experience, but for me the answer was simple: Stop (mis)using the calf muscles, and take better care of them!

This is yet another one of my long posts: The punch line is in the last five paragraphs. I won't hate your forever if you skip ahead. Really.

It's been almost a year since triathlon encouraged me to return to running after 14 years off, and I'm still very much on the learning curve. Back in the day, I was a consistent 7:30 miler at the 10K distance. When I stopped getting faster, I tried to go longer, and encountered joint pain problems that eventually convinced me to pursue other means of cardio exercise.

I should mention that I have flat feet and am bow-legged. Running has never been easy for me, though I always enjoyed it whenever I could do it free from pain and injury.

Triathlon has encouraged me to return to running, initially at the Sprint (5K) distance. But it's like the legs I have today are bad replacements that just don't work the same. My first months of running soon hit a wall at 10 minutes per mile (over just a 2 mile run). However, having been a decent runner back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and using the full resources of the Internet combined with observing other runners and listening to coaches and other professionals, I've started to piece together a new running style for myself.

As I explored changes to my stride, I've stumbled across some basic "rules" I use to guide my overall efforts, which I've listed along with how I applied them to the specific issue of my own calves (and running in general).

* Rule #1: If it hurts, STOP DOING IT! (Find a better way.)

My calves hurt like crazy when I (re)started running. But you can't stop using your calves while running, can you?

I first heard about the idea of reducing calf muscle use from a question at the end of Joe Friel's talk at a TCSD club meeting earlier this year, where he was asked about the mid-sole positioning of bicycle shoe cleats. When I moved my own clips back as far as they would go (behind the ball of my foot), I immediately experienced much less foot sole (plantar fascia) discomfort (I have VERY flat feet), and my calves completely stopped bothering me during bike climbs/sprints, all with no reduction in peak or average speed. I figured if I don't need to use my toes/forefoot to bike, could I use them less while running?

I changed the emphasis of my running stride to push through the heel and roll off the ball of the foot. I reserve "full-on toe-push" calf use only for sprinting/kicking (and I never sprint/kick). Oddly enough, this change did not make me any slower, which to me means I had been (ab)using my calves for NO speed gain! I still use my calves when running, but I just use them less.

* Rule #2: Build sport muscles using non-sport exercise.

There are many great ways to strengthen the calves while also improving endurance. Jump-rope is a popular favorite, as are other jumping-related exercises (e.g., shooting hoops). Just be sure to do them in long gentle sets that represent the duration of a decent short run (something that applies to most exercises intended to improve muscle performance for endurance sports).

* Rule #3: Short & Fast is better than Long & Slow. (Uh, except for swimming.)

When I had trouble sprinting and climbing seated on my bike, everyone told me to drop a gear and increase my cadence. Turns out this was good advice for all parts of my biking, including on the flats and even downhill (recovery). Could something similar apply to running?

Back in the day, I had a long stride with a hard heel strike. My leg muscles still love that stride, though my joints can't tolerate it. Shortening my stride and increasing my "turnover" (running cadence) made each running step FAR less stressful to my joints. What surprised me most is that it also made me nearly 10% FASTER over just the first week of trying it! I'm now doing 8 minute miles over my two mile training run. It also eliminated the mild shin splints I would occasionally encounter.

My current goal is to have my flat running cadence match my flat cycling cadence, which for me is 90 RPM. This is where my Garmin Forerunner 305 really helps: Just as I have a bike pod to monitor my cycling cadence, I also got a shoe pod to monitor my running cadence.

Another change due to Short/Fast strides for me is that I'm no longer a hard heel striker. Though I wasn't focusing on changing my footfall in any way (I don't understand the online debates on this issue), shortening my stride has made me more of a "mid-sole" striker. I suspect this is the source of the reduced stress on my joints (until recently, my knees hurt after most runs).

Other Short/Fast benefits for me: My maximum sustained heart rate has taken a big step up: My average pulse rate over an "all out" 2 mile run used to be 160-165 BPM. In my first "short stride" run, and in every run since, it is now 170-175 BPM. I expect this number to slowly go back down as my conditioning improves (or not, if my speed also continues to improve). I mentioned the reduced shin splints, which for me came with longer downhill runs: I now run downhill faster than I did before, and I suspect this is where most of my initial speed improvement has come from.

Overall, I suspect my Short/Fast stride could be slightly less efficient that my old stride, but for me it is far more EFFECTIVE, in that I can run faster, harder and longer, uphill, downhill and on the flats, all with less stress and pain, though I certainly am more tired at the end of each run than I used to be.

* Rule #4: Active Recovery.

No, I'm not talking only about what you do immediately after running, though cool-downs, mild stretching and rehydration at that time is certainly a Good Thing. (Stretching BEFORE running, however, can be a Bad Thing: "Never Stretch a Cold Muscle." It has been shown to REDUCE performance!)

For me, Active Recovery is a set of activities done between workouts that help the body recover from and prepare for hard exertion, and also help treat mild pain and heal minor injuries. Yes, this certainly includes proper hydration, calorie replacement, nutrition and focused exercise. However, for me, my most important active recovery tools are my Foam Roller (4" diameter, 4' long), and a Rolling Pin. I use them at home both before and after races and major workouts.

For running, I roll the IT band (side of the thigh), quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstring (back of the thigh), calf muscles (and Achilles tendon), and the sole of each foot (a golf ball also helps here). A thorough job can easily take nearly an hour, which gives me a reason to watch TV. (Yeah, like I needed one.)


Enough about me: Let's return to your specific problem, calf pain for the first 3/4 mile of the run. This leads me to two fundamental questions. The first question is: "Why did your calves start hurting?". The answer here seems obvious to me: You clearly are over-using your calves during this period. However, since the appearance of this pain puzzles you, I'm guessing you have no discomfort during the start of your regular training runs.

Which leads to a deeper question: Could your calves have been killed BEFORE you started the run leg? Could your calves be exhausted when you get off the bike? I strongly suspect that is what's happening here. Try reducing calf use during the bike leg, especially at the end of the ride, where the focus should be on calf recovery. Replenish fluids during the ride. But what if you don't use your calves that much during the bike ride?

We can go further back: Could your calves have been killed by the swim leg? Factors in this area include: Do you ever get calf cramps or pain while swimming? Do you forget to kick to warm up your legs before getting out of the water? Do you sprint on your toes from the water exit to transition? Remedy: Avoid punishing your calves before they are warmed up! If you do kill them, focus on recovery before reuse!

The second fundamental question is more interesting to me: "Why did you calves STOP hurting after the first 3/4 mile?" Why didn't they hurt for the entire run? My guess is that the pain "encouraged" you to use your calves less, which in turn allowed them to recover and permit the pain to fade. Could you have prevented the pain by using your calves less right from the start? Clearly, reducing calf use is a factor. Improving calf conditioning is another. Warming up the calves before hard use, and recovering between hard uses, may the the most important factors.


Again, these are just my own observations based on my own evolving running style, and what works for me may not work for you (YMMV). Much of the above also makes sense to me from the sports physiology and physical therapy perspectives, and listening to professionals in those fields has been, and continues to be, an enormous help (about a bazillion of them are TCSD members).

It's time for me to go run...


HTH,

-BobC

PS: Did I mention that TCSD ROCKS!


Anita Talevski wrote:
> Dear Chris,
> I have a similar problem. Solution: electrolytes, lots of salt, water
> and stretching. It's a balancing act.
> This is only my opinion.
> Best,
> Anita
>
> --- On *Sun, 7/12/09, Chris Knopp /<christopherknopp@...>/* wrote:
> From: Chris Knopp <christopherknopp@...>
> Subject: [TCSD] Calve Muscle Cramping
> To: tcsd@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Sunday, July 12, 2009, 10:26 PM
>
> I wanted to ask the group if anybody has any tips on preventing muscle
> tightening and cramping in calve muscles at the beginning of the run
> portion during a race. My calve muscles really cramp up for about the
> first 3/4 miles. Do I just need to do more brick workouts to
> condition my legs?? Any advice would be appreciated!
>
> Thanks,
> Chris

Best Indoor Bike Trainer

This was posted to the list on Wednesday Jul 8, 2009 11:24 pm

rebecca lewis wrote:
I have a QR Kilo (size 46, if that matters -- it's very small) but anyway... I am looking to purchase a bike trainer shortly and would love to hear some of your reviews about which trainer is "best." Now I know that everyone has their own personal preference, but seeing as I do not have any experience with indoor bike trainers, would love to hear what everyone has to say.

Thanks in advance!!

 -Rebecca

Hey Rebecca,

There are three basic types of bicycle trainers: "Rear Wheel Trainers", "Roller Trainers", and "Stationary Bikes".

Stationary bikes are in every gym, and come in vertical and recumbent styles. These can also be purchased for home use, and are always available used.

Rear Wheel trainers require you to replace your bike's rear skewer with one that the trainer can mount to. Once the bike is rigidly mounted to the trainer, you must correctly adjust the friction between the rear tire and the resistance (wheel load). Too little friction, and the rear wheel could slip, possibly causing injury if you are standing on the pedals at the time. Too much friction, and your rear tire can wear out incredibly fast. After that, you'll need to raise the front wheel to get the bike level. However, once your trainer is correctly configured, subsequent setup is faster.

The wheel load (resistance) on a rear wheel trainer can be provided in at least three ways:
1) Electro-Magnetic ("mag" trainers)
2) Air ("fan" trainers)
3) Liquid ("fluid" trainers)
Each kind has its advantages and disadvantages relative to the others that I won't go into here, though factors include noise, power, cost, durability, etc.

Overall, you can think of a rear wheel trainer as a device that converts your bicycle into a stationary spin bike. Pretty much like the ones in a gym, but with your own saddle, bars, clips, and instruments.

Roller trainers are simply a set of three rollers that are about 18" wide: Two cradle the rear wheel, and the front wheel rests on the third. The only adjustment on a roller trainer is to set the position of the front roller. If you use only one bike, then it is a one-time setting. This setting will need to be adjusted whenever you use a different bike on the trainer. There is no mechanical connection between your bike and a roller trainer, so you must ride your bicycle (balance and steer) to stay on the trainer.

Here's my shot at comparing the pros and cons of the three types of trainers:

Stationary Bike Pros:
---------------------
1. Doesn't wear out your good bike.

Stationary Bike Cons:
---------------------
1. Doesn't fit you like your good bike.

Rear Wheel Trainer Pros:
------------------------
1. Rigid: No balance issues.

Rear Wheel Trainer Cons:
------------------------
1. You have to replace your rear skewer to mount to the trainer, and replace it again to be ready for riding on the road.
2. It takes time and care to properly prepare/mount/unmount/restore the bike from the trainer.
3. I've seen bikes fall out of improperly adjusted rear wheel trainers! This can easily harm both the bike and the rider.
4. You can stress your frame by doing sudden accelerations (hard intervals). This was particularly true of early carbon and aluminum frames, and may not apply as much today. It is best to use a rugged frame on a rear wheel trainer.
5. If you already have a gym membership, use their spin bikes instead.

Roller Trainer Pros:
--------------------
1. Use whatever bike you want, with no changes to the bike hardware.
2. No setup, except when you change bikes.
3. You are actually "riding" your bike: You must balance to stay up, and must steer (very slightly) to stay centered on the rollers.
4. Best indoor simulation of an actual bike ride.
5. If you really want the stationary bike feel, you can remove the front wheel from your bike and attach the fork to a "front fork stand" roller trainer accessory.

Roller Trainer Cons:
--------------------
1. Noisy compared to most mag trainers. About the same noise as fan trainers.
2. Somewhat harder to learn to ride on (see Pro #2 above).
3. You can veer off the side of the rollers! There are roller trainers with elliptical rollers that reduce this problem, but they cost more.
4. If you accelerate too suddenly you can ride off the front of the rollers!
5. Provides only a limited amount of resistance, so it is not ideal for hard intervals or simulating steep hill climbs. But the resistance is more than adequate to simulate a good long ride (spinning).

Cons Common to All Indoor Bike Trainers:
----------------------------------------
1. Trainers wear out your bike components! (Use a spare bike.)
2. Sweat drips everywhere. (Use a "bike thong" and a mat.)
3. Trainers need to be used on a hard surface, not carpet.
4. You can't use the wind in your face to gauge your effort...

I'm certain there are many pros and cons I've failed to list (such as price). There are lots and lots of discussion online about this, as a quick Google search will show.

Before buying any bike trainer, be sure you know what your training needs are, then determine which kind of trainer will best meet those needs. For example, many cyclists want to minimize the time they spend riding with car traffic, or they only have time in the evening and don't want to ride the road at night, so they want to use a trainer primarily to get more "miles" or more "saddle time" (add volume). For this kind of rider, I'd certainly recommend a roller trainer. An advanced rider without easy access to hills may want to do lots of really hard climbs (intervals) indoors. For this particular rider, I'd probably recommend a rear wheel trainer or a stationary bike.

In any event, before buying any trainer, DO take your bike to the local shops and try it with each type of trainer they sell. Learn how to properly adjust and use each trainer before buying one. And be SURE to buy from a TCSD sponsor!

My younger brother has been a hard-core cyclist for about 30 years, starting as a competitive BMX racer, and since then has bicycled all over the world, both on and off road, and has competed in insane events such as the Pikes Peak Ascent. He swears by roller trainers. It's how he keeps riding when it's raining or snowing. When he needs power/interval training, he goes to the gym and uses a stationary bike. He claims he'd never expose any of his wheels or frames to the stresses of a rear wheel trainer.

Despite my brother's advice, I did get a rear wheel trainer (a CycleOps Fluid), but only because I had an old road bike I could dedicate to use with the trainer. Also, I live close to the 56 bike path, so I have easy access to traffic-free riding. However, I do think I'll eventually get a roller trainer, simply because I want to get more realistic saddle time, especially at night after a short winter's day.

Finally, consider not getting a trainer right away, and first attend some spin classes at your local gym. Just as a group ride can be more fun than a solo ride on the road, the same can be true on stationary bikes in the gym. I used to do two interval spin classes each week, though I must admit that since I started triathlons, my gym membership has become underutilized. Yet I keep renewing it in the hope I'll soon do better...


HTH!

-BobC

Update 31 Aug 2011:  The LeMond Revolution trainer removes some of the negatives of conventional rear-wheel trainers, in that it eliminates rear tire wear by incorporating a cassette into the trainer itself.  It still mounts to the rear drop-outs, so the frame stress during use is unaffected.  The rear mount is much more secure, so the risk of the bike falling out of the trainer also seems to have been eliminated.