Lemond Revolution Turbo Trainer

"...The Revolution is a heavy beast at over 14kg. Plenty of that weight is in the frame, and there's lots more in the enormous turbofan that's both flywheel and resistance unit. This is a turbo trainer in the strictest sense, using a fan to generate progressively more drag as the speed increases. That's always been a simple way to get effective resistance, but it isn't the quietest option out there. The Lemond isn't noisy at cruising speeds, but put the hammer down and you will be generating quite a racket, so if you're restricted in where you can put the turbo, that might be an issue. I'm relegated to the draughty lean-to out the back, so no problems for me... Anyway, I usually have the earphones in, so it's someone else's problem.

Talking of draughts, that fan pushes a lot of air about. Judicious positioning of the trainer in relation to the walls and furniture can direct that airflow onto you, doing away with the need for a fan. Or you could attach a big bit of ducting to it and point that at your face for a proper headwind.

The ride feel of the Lemond is among the best I've found. The big flywheel means that it's very smooth and the base is rock solid; plenty stable enough for full-on out-of-the-saddle sprinting. Three legs and adjustable feet on all of them mean you can compensate for any unevenness in the floor, too. The design means there's no need for a front wheel riser (at least not with a 700c bike) so the front of the bike is more stable too. It's not the best for stood-up climbing as the resistance isn't high enough and the flywheel holds too much energy, but pretty much everything else feels great.

If you want a machine to put the hours in over the winter, or when it's dismal out, the Lemond is definitely one to look at. It's not cheap, but the ride quality and build quality mean you'll get your money's worth over time.

(Posted on 30/01/2012)