Dumb question on Turbo trainer

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3bikeman

New Member
I have just bought a really cheap turbo trainer from Aldi. I am just setting this up. I would have liked to buy a smart one but was not sure whether I will enjoy static cycling. Now I am planning to make the best use of it. Few dumb questions as a total beginner .....
Although it has several settings to vary the resistance, I can just use the minimal resistance and then use the ordinary bike gears to vary the exercise capacity?
Is that correct?
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
It is indeed.
 
OP
OP
3

3bikeman

New Member
It is indeed.

Thanks. Now to my next question..
My usual speed on a flat road is about 20 miles a hour when I am on the highest gear pedalling as fast as I can.
Therefore, if I can maintain 20 miles an hour on the same gear combination on the turbo, I can say that resistance is similar to road condition.
Therefore, if I keep the same resistance and change the gears, it is similar to riding on the road.
That way, I can simulate my usual 50km ride on the turbo?
But I understood lack of winds may make it more harder due to sweating.
 
Thanks. Now to my next question..
My usual speed on a flat road is about 20 miles a hour when I am on the highest gear pedalling as fast as I can.
Therefore, if I can maintain 20 miles an hour on the same gear combination on the turbo, I can say that resistance is similar to road condition.
Therefore, if I keep the same resistance and change the gears, it is similar to riding on the road.
That way, I can simulate my usual 50km ride on the turbo?
But I understood lack of winds may make it more harder due to sweating.
Nope they're nothing like each other (the real world and indoors). There's much more resistance variable factors on road, gradient, wind, air density, road surface, temperature etc and they can be random in occurrence. A smart trainer can vary the resistance randomly to simulate some of these factor and make it more realistic but even the it not 100% like for like. On the road you are also likely to go further due to air cooling and free wheeling, whereas your heat will burn up more on a turbo and you can't freewheel so you may get a lot more out of it in a shorter period of time. You just have to accept that they are different and you can get good return out of both. :okay:
 
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