My downstairs neighbors complain bitterly every time I use my trainer (Cyclops Fluid).
I have tried all manner of accomodation, double layer of carpet, reasonable time of day, shorter sessions, but to no avail.
Does anyone know of any way to decrease the vibration they are experiencing?
Thanks.
They say their walls are shaking
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 8:24am
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 9:07am
#1
Floating floor system
"The priciple of a floating floor I believe will work. Put down a 3/8"" (minimum) layer of styrofoam (available at home depot). On top of that put playground tiles. (usually available at outdoor garden supplies), or do a search on line for playground tiles. Tiles usually come in either 18""x18"" or 24""x24"".
Other factor to consider before doing the above process. For example, if the floor you are exercising on has movement (due to age) then there is the possibility that nothing will work. The floor must be solid and have no give in it.
Good Luck!"
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 8:33pm
#2
Live and let spin!
The movable floor idea sounds as if it may work.
Also, as said, try at time the neighbors are not home.
Also, though a bit eroded, the concept of your home as a “castle” still exist. You may perform any legal activity at reasonable hours. The “pitter patter of little feet” may drive neighbors crazy, but neighbors are entitled to walk, talk, play music, etc. Dogs sometimes bark. The bathroom exhaust fan may be heard by neighbors – and so what! Now, if using a trainer indoors at, say, 8PM bugs someone, I’d politely say that I’m working out and will be done at 9. Unless there is a temporary emergency that forces your neighbor to have complete silence, you are probably on firm ground (no pun intended) and being polite too.
When you say your neighbor complains “bitterly,” I think there may be underlying problems with your neighbors. I once had a neighbor couple complain about my floor fan vibrating … what to do? Then I found out he was sleeping on the couch –i.e., they were breaking up and I was a potential and innocent third party.
I do not know if you are in a coop with draconian rules and restrictions, but I’d stick to my “guns” and ask the neighbors to understand - or buy a single family house. Reasonability and politeness combined with intent works wonders – it’s NYC apartment living.
Good luck and let us know what transpires,
John
Mon, 02/09/2004 - 5:43am
#3
"JP,
>...try at time the neighbors are not home.
I agree.
>I’d stick to my “guns” and ask the neighbors to understand...
I strongly disagree. When people live in close proximity to each other, it is especially important to get along. The governing principle is ""Your right to freedom extends to the tip of my nose"". If what you are doing is perceptible to someone else, that is your problem, not the perceiver's. A bathroom exhaust fan is completely different from a dog barking or a musician practicing or a biker training. When you lump these all together, you are attempting to make the argument that because some noise is necessary, all noise is acceptable.
>...I’d...buy a single family house.
Also a reasonable solution.
Best regards, Chaim
"
Mon, 02/09/2004 - 9:06am
#4
">>When people live in close proximity to each other, it is especially important to get along. The governing principle is ""Your right to freedom extends to the tip of my nose"". If what you are doing is perceptible to someone else, that is your problem, not the perceiver's. A bathroom exhaust fan is completely different from a dog barking or a musician practicing or a biker training. When you lump these all together, you are attempting to make the argument that because some noise is necessary, all noise is acceptable.<<
Yes, CC, getting along is essential. But that does not require that any and all sounds be curtailed. For me, it means stop some noise but tolerate others. The ""rumble"" of an apartment floor for an hour in the early-mid evening is not so great an intrusion. It's not a 24/7. 18 bike spin class ;-) I think that with proper and polite communication, the problem ""should"" be able to be solved without total sacrifice of each party's freedoms. Give and take, compromise towards a reasonable solution.
Of course, my stance assumes a minimum standard of raesonability and of communication on both sides - and these traits are often times lost in contemporary big-city living."
Wed, 02/11/2004 - 1:31am
#5
isolation !!!
"Hello Florence :
How about attacking the source of the vibration, now I'm not completely familiar w/ the trainer in qestion, but if the fluid and or resistance fan is causing the vibration, then perhaps it can be isolated from it's mounting by some kind of soft rubber or spring ect ect. If this is not possible, then I have here @ work some rather soft industrial ""rubber"" that is about 1"" thick, among other kinds of rubber sheets. and a complete machine shop to fabricate anything I want ( I made an extra short reach stem for a friend who could not find one anywhere). You can cut some sqares, and glue them under the feet of your trainer. I can deliver the goods for you to experiment . @ the same time if I am allowed to see the design of the mechanism I might be able to fabricate ""something"" that might isolate you from your downstairs headache. Here's another quick idea, how about one of those thin inflatable air matress, the kind used by campers??? I have one you can try before you buy. Or take heart, spring is just around the corner. :-)
.,.,.,. Ciao Tony M."
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 8:53am
#6
Experienced same several years back with a mag. trainer--even went as far as purchasing a sheet of industrial grade neoprene (on which carpenters mount circular saws)--that just sent reverb. up through the frame and through my arms/torso. No constructive advice here but am joining your cause for advice of others. Good luck (and don't spend $$ on industrial neoprene!).
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 9:24am
#7
Thanks.
Cyclops makes a rubber mat for floor protection.
It doesn't look thick enough to do much dampening though.
I also thought of suggesting that my neighbors buy me a lifetime membership to LA Sports, but I'll save that for when the board confronts me. Or maybe I could take the dues out of my maintenance?
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 1:15pm
#8
Make them an offer they can't refuse
Ha. Offer to confine your training sessions to times of the day when they're not home (hoping they're not permanently housebound).
No, wait, here's another idea - crank up the tunes for a couple of weeks. After that they'll beg you for the relative peace and quiet of your trainer. LOL.
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 11:46pm
#9
works for me :)
evan marks wrote:
No, wait, here's another idea - crank up the tunes for a couple of weeks. After that they'll beg you for the relative peace and quiet of your trainer. LOL.
Sun, 02/08/2004 - 9:02pm
#10
Had a similar problem once...
...when I practiced tap dancing.
Bought a large plastic mat that is placed under rolling secretary's chairs to enable them to roll, rather than on carpet, where they don't roll well.
And that plastic sheet worked fine.
Mon, 02/09/2004 - 6:40pm
#11
Neighbors
"Yikes! Reminds me of a recent situation I had.
... a friend was staying with me for a couple of weeks, and he smokes! My next door neighbors claimed, outrageously, that the smoke was travelling out of his room, through my living room, out under my front door and under their front door into their livingroom, where it was bothering a household member with asthma.
My first reaction was that these people are insane!
I got angst-ridden pleas to ""please please! do something!"" and my doorbell rung at 8 am one weekend by my distraught neighbor, air freshener spraycan in hand.
I wanted to tell them exactly where to get off, but they are my next door neighbors and I don't need the grief! Plus I have a dog and I ain't sposta, so... I explained to them steps I had taken (instructions to friend to smoke only in his room, and only with the door closed. keep window open, never leave room door open after he'd been smoking in there awhile so smoke could dissipate out said window, towel under my front door, etc.) and offered to contribute to the cost of an under-door barrier for THEIR door.
presto, chango, they came around. turns out the smoke WAS REAL, just not coming from my apartment, but instead from a vent in their own place. But my willingness to work with them made all the difference and now we are better friends than before.
all this to say - lesson learned - it pays to get along and sometimes when you just want to smack 'em upside the head, people are actually being reasonable. I post this not to be holier than thou but mostly out of sheer amazement that a scene that I fully expected to turn out ugly in fact turned out great."
Tue, 02/10/2004 - 7:11am
#12
Good Vibrations.
What about rollers?
Does anybody know if rollers are better, worst or about the same in terms of noise and vibrations?
IF they are quieter, maybe you can get your neighbor to split the cost.
Myth or fact? – Riding rollers will make you a better rider than riding your bike?
Chuck
Tue, 02/10/2004 - 3:28pm
#13
i used to love training on my rollers with my cannondale track bike. no resistance unit, and one very strong fan pointing to me while i spun. my neighbors never complained (they complained when i used a wind trainer).
i sold my track bike years ago (when i broke my ankle). the band on my rollers snapped last winter. (ok, jeff, you can stop laughing now)
i guess i'll just have to wait for more days like today.
:)
don
Chuck wrote:
Myth or fact? – Riding rollers will make you a better rider than riding your bike?
Wed, 02/11/2004 - 8:32am
#14
"I do love you all. I will try rubber matting and see if that helps. I have an aerobed, but I think that's going a bit far (for me). Ditto the rollers. I have enough trouble keeping upright on the road.
I did ask my doorman to ask these neighbors when they would be out during the weekend days. Their response? ""We're not going out."" So much for the spirit of cooperation. So I told my doorman to stop interrupting my workouts, and have them call the board president if they want to make a complaint, and I will take it up with her.
Then we will sort out coop dwellers rights. By that time, spring should be here.
"
Wed, 02/11/2004 - 9:32am
#15
Just one more suggestion
"I think I might want to hear for myself what they are complaining about before going in front of the board. Perhaps you could have a friend come over and ride the trainer while you go down to their apartment for a listen. Since they are ""never going out"" that shouldn't be a problem for them to accommodate your request. At least you would have a frame of reference.
I used to have a downstairs neighbor that complained he could hear my dog walking in the apartment. Kind of absurd don't you think...what was Tyler supposed to do...fly? The neighbors who moved in after him never complained and when I asked, said that they never heard anything overhead. Go figure."
