***Read our new 2013 / 2014 guides ' Virtual Reality Turbo Trainers ' Computer Controlled Turbo Trainers.***
If you are looking for a more advanced turbo trainer so that you can use your bicycle indoors for extra training, then check out our top 3 best turbo trainer recommendations.
If money is no object, which turbo trainer should you get?
The first thing you need to consider is whether you want a straight forward turbo trainer or a virtual reality unit. There are some high end turbo trainers that are stand alone turbo's with the option to upgrade to virtual reality at a later date, so if you can't make up your mind you may want to look at the Tacx Bushido. Virtual reality turbo trainers offer the advantage that you are not just staring at a blank wall while training, or getting distracted by the tv reporting weekend antics of some random soap 'star' (there is never anything on tv when I'm training).
With virtual reality turbo trainers you actually get to race against others and apply some element of realism to your ride, whether that be a climb up the Col du Tourmalet or an imported ride from your Garmin that you and a few mates did last week. One consideration is if you have a spare pc or laptop that you can attach to the trainer, whether that be in your front room or a garage and if you can actually get a decent internet connection there. We consider cycling with or against others to be a lot more rewarding than cycling alone, and for this reason all 3 of our recommended high end turbo trainers are virtual reality units.
The next major consideration in the high end turbo is the maximum angle of slope they can simulate. The Tacx units tend to be based around a motor braking system allowing them to simulate angles up to 20 degrees uphill and 20 degrees downhill, whereas the elite turbos are based around a magnetic brake meaning the top units can simulate roughly the same angles uphill but not the downhill. This may not be a major worry for most, but if realism (when compared to cycling outdoors) is a factor then a cruise down a long descent adds to this, but if training and fitness is a primary factor, then having a (positive) break cruising down a hill isn't really training.
Taking that all into consideration our list below is in no particular order but it should help you decide which bike trainer you are going to opt for.
As previously mentioned Tacx use a motor brake for their virtual reality trainers which allows the Tacx i-Genius Virtual Reality Trainer to simulate incline angles of up to 20 degrees and even decents of a similar gradient. The trainer is good for simulating steep low speed gradients as it can generate is excess of a 1000 watts of power. If you opt for the multiplayer option you get a multiplayer licence and the blacktrack steering support included in the package otherwise it is an optional extra for the standard T2020 unit.
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With an RRP of £1,499.99 the Elite RealPower CT Wireless Reality turbo Trainer is the most expensive unit featured in our top 3 best turbo trainers. For your money you get 5 DVD virtual reality courses included with the trainer and the facility to upload courses captured using your own GPS device. You also get the option to connect the trainer to your computer and race online with other users of the Elite software.
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Summary
There is little to choose between the turbo trainers discussed here, with all offering excellent riding experiences. If you decide on one of these top 3 best turbo trainers you won't be disappointed, so all that is left to do it jump on the saddle and complete a stage of the Tour de France.
Need more help? Visit the homepage and browse/filter all turbo trainers, or check out our popular Best Turbo Trainer 2013 Guide or our new Best Turbo Trainer 2014 Guide.
