trainer question

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This mag trainer is capable of generating up to 400 watts of power at only 17 mph.
what does the above mean? :confused:

Originally posted by youm0nt
what does the above mean? :confused:

It means that the roller gives so much resistance that YOU need to generate 400 watts to move your back wheel at the equivalent of 17mph. In practical terms, it means that you can recreate the feeling of trying to sprint up a steep hill. 400 watts, though is probably not much less than Lance used to sprint away from Jan Ulrich on the Arididen climb. Unless you're a pro, good luck generating that much power.

Originally posted by Matt Chanoff
It means that the roller gives so much resistance that YOU need to generate 400 watts to move your back wheel at the equivalent of 17mph. In practical terms, it means that you can recreate the feeling of trying to sprint up a steep hill. 400 watts, though is probably not much less than Lance used to sprint away from Jan Ulrich on the Arididen climb. Unless you're a pro, good luck generating that much power.
wow heh i dont want to kill myself lol.would getting a trainer be good for training during the winter?that trainer can generate less watts right?

Originally posted by youm0nt
wow heh i dont want to kill myself lol.would getting a trainer be good for training during the winter?that trainer can generate less watts right?

I have a Kinetic trainer, which I like a lot - it's the one Bicycling Magazine recommended. It was expensive, though. The main issues are:

1. Stability. is it heavy enough and designed well enough that you feel stable on it standing up on the bike.

2. Smoothness. Does it work well mechanically with no changes in resistance as you pedal.

3. Noise. Wind resistance trainers tend to be noisy, which can be bad if you want to watch TV.

4. Leaks. Liquid resistance trainers can leak goey stuff on your rug.

5. Resistance. How well does it mimic the actual resistance you get riding your bike? Does 15 MPH feel like 15 MPH? How about 7? 25? You vary the resistance by changing gears, but something that is set for very high resistance can force you to use low gears all the time.