Exercise bikes for training

[robgraham61]

Hi Guys,

I was wondering how many people on this forum use an exercise bike for keeping their fitness levels up for such times as during the winter period etc.
And if you do use an exercise bike, how much training on it do you do.

What other types of training do you do, other than riding a bike, which is aimed at cycling fitness.

Rob

 

[palinurus]

Mostly I just ride. I use a turbo trainer early in the year- Jan, Feb- to do a couple of 60 min sessions per week (in addition to my regular winter riding).

I've also recently got a cross bike so I have been shaking things up a bit by riding around parks and bridleways. I've recently started doing one or two short run sessions per week too.

 

[Blue]

Another user of a turbo trainer here.

The turbo is handy because you can use your regular bike.

If you want to carry out any adjustments to your on-bike position or cleats etc this can be done more easily on a turbo than on the open road.

I also use the turbo as a stand when doing minor adjustments to the bike.

I think a turbo is a great piece of kit.

 

[cheadle hulme]

I, on the other hand hate my turbo - really boring and makes a funny smell from the tyre after a bit.

The exercise bikes at my gym have tellys built in which helps, as do the ladies on the treadmills in front.
You can pick up exercise bikes on ebay for less than the cheapest turbo, not as good quality obviously.

 

[fossyant]

Better off getting a Turbo if you can't get out....far more like riding a bike.

I don't use my Turbo as I ride every day - I also hate it, but should you ever get injured, they are useful for that !

 

[Jonathan M]

I, on the other hand hate my turbo - really boring and makes a funny smell from the tyre after a bit.

The exercise bikes at my gym have tellys built in which helps, as do the ladies on the treadmills in front.
You can pick up exercise bikes on ebay for less than the cheapest turbo, not as good quality obviously.

I too hate my turbo, but oddly like spinning classes at the gym, and that is what I've used to get fit over the summer and use alonside long weekend rides to keep it going.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Another user of a turbo trainer here.

The turbo is handy because you can use your regular bike.

If you want to carry out any adjustments to your on-bike position or cleats etc this can be done more easily on a turbo than on the open road.

I also use the turbo as a stand when doing minor adjustments to the bike.

I think a turbo is a great piece of kit.

+1

 

[Dave5N]

Get some rollers

 

[Leadlegs]

I’m another turbo user.

For me it comes into it’s own on the dark days of winter, when riding a bike would be insane. When snow and ice visit my road riding stops, it’s very hilly where I live (in fact there are no flat roads) and I’ve slipped off too many times in the past in winter conditions.



I’ll also use it if I feel like stretching my legs and it’s pouring down.

 

[Ravenz]

My Tacx is going on Ebay soon methinks.. ( hoping that people dont think I nicked it!!!).. being without the luxury of a garage or spare room to have it setup permanently . It's an absolute faff I can do without to get it setup and up and running with the crap spare bike that I have, that has the required training rubber on it, so that the trainer works properly in the first instance..
plugged in.. find the elusive extension lead etc etc etc apart from that it's a well built piece of kit that can really help with a training program..

I just prefer to sweat all over someone's else's kit oh yuck......

 

[jimboalee]

+1 on Blue.

The turbo can be used as a test stand to perfect your set-up.
But, I never got the hill climbing technique other than actually climbing hills.
No allowance to rock side-to-side when dancing on the pedals.

 

[Marko62]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=tech/2008/reviews/kurt_kinetic_trainer08

 

[B13]

I get bored to bits in gyms, so yep, I use my (fairly decent-quality!) exercise bike every morning to keep myself fit. I'll also do weights at the same time and watch a DVD.

Also, using it at home means that if my attention span toddles off, I can follow it out the room, do something else for five minutes and then carry on!!