My limited observations of a Turbo trainer

[johnnyb47]

Hi.
Yesterday I took the plunge and bought a turbo trainer.
I've never used one before so my impressions of it are still in the early stages.
The main reasons why I wanted one is purely because I'm fed up of cycling in the dark on these cold winter nights after work. The roads I use are very remote and absolutely filthy. My cycle rides seem to have become very sporadic of late and I purely wanting to get some more training in without the awful weather..
I've done around twenty miles now on the turbo trainer with a medium resistance and using a high gear on my road bike.
They've been split into two 30 minute workout outs, with a large fan placed in front of me and some music to cycle along to.
It is hard going using a turbo trainer compared to real outdoor cycling. You really do build up a sweat on them and feel totally whacked after giving it everything you can. I'm putting this down to having to constantly keep the pedals spinning to clock up the miles. You don't get to stop peddling on a turbo trainer like you would out on the roads where there are hills to freewheel down and give you those moments to recoup. I think the turbo trainer is going to work wonders for me over the winter months in building my stamina and overall fitness and highly recommend one to anybody thinking of buying one. As some as the weather gets better, I hope my time on the turbo trainer will hold me in stead for my upcoming summer adventures on my bike again. :-) :-)

 

[Markymark]

Use a fan

 

[Tin Pot]

Even on the easier efforts, the constant output is strikingly different to on road. I’ve tried to put the same continuous and consistent power out on the road, but it’s tough with all the road furniture and even the slightest change in gradient.

Apparently you can learn it over time.

Use a fan

Position the fan well.

I ended up balancing it on the deep freezer about head height. Low blast given its 5° in the garage now, turns my hands to ice yet I’m still dripping sweat.

 

[JtB]

I have a fluid turbo trainer with a defined power curve so I can’t adjust the resistance, and what I’ve found is that the turbo trainer does help to maintain a good level of general fitness throughout the winter months. However when I get back on the bike again in the spring I do find that my hill climbing ability has diminished somewhat, but that soon returns after a few weeks out on the road.

I’ve now successfully completed 3 winters on the turbo trainer and I think the key to success is “motivation”. For me this means tracking my sessions so I can set targets and this is the main reason why I opted for a fluid trainer with a defined power curve. If the resistance was adjustable then I’d not be able to benchmark one session against another.

The other thing I do is structure my sessions with the help of a video and the one I’m currently using is the following 25 minute video:

I’m currently managing an average of 3 sessions per week. It doesn’t sound much, but they’re very intensive sessions that get the heart pounding, the muscles aching and the sweat flowing. Also, I’d sooner set achievable goals that I can commit to since I think this minimises the risk if giving up.

My latest toy is an elliptical cross trainer and I’ve just done my second session today. My limited observations on the elliptical cross trainer is that it’s a real killer because it works muscles I didn’t even know I had.

 

[steveindenmark]

I am glad you have started this Johnny. It may give me some ideas. I have an indoor trainer along with sensors etc. I have only recently bought it and set it up. I tried it for 30 minutes and I think it must be an acquired taste, because I found it boring. I know lots of guys who are using a trainer along with Zwift or road trainer and the over riding opinion they seem to give is that it is better than nothing. But apart from 2 days this winter, because of ice, I have been on the road every day. I dont get bored riding in the wind and rain.

Does changing the rear tyre to a proper training tyre make any difference to the speed? Like other have mentioned, the speed difference between the trainer and road is quite obvious.

 

[screenman]

Time on a turbo should be measured in time not speed.

 

[si_c]

Does changing the rear tyre to a proper training tyre make any difference to the speed? Like other have mentioned, the speed difference between the trainer and road is quite obvious.

No, but they don't produce that fine rubber dust that some road tyres do when on a trainer, so the tire shouldn't wear.

 

[JtB]

Time on a turbo should be measured in time not speed.

If you want to set goals and measure performance then tracking time alone is not that helpful since it doesn’t reflect the amount of effort, you also need to track distance. Clearly distance recorded on a turbo trainer is not the same as distance travelled along a road, however if the turbo trainer has a defined power curve and no resistance control then it does provide a good indicator of effort which can be compared across different workout sessions.

 

[screenman]

If you want to set goals and measure performance then tracking time alone is not that helpful since it doesn’t reflect the amount of effort, you also need to track distance. Clearly distance recorded on a turbo trainer is not the same as distance travelled along a road, however if the turbo trainer has a defined power curve and no resistance control then it does provide a good indicator of effort which can be compared across different workout sessions.

I would suggest numbers covered in that case. So yesterday in 30 minutes I hit 12.7 last week it was only 12.5 for the same time and HR.

If course you would calibrate the turbo/bike before each test.

 

[Tin Pot]

The only things we’re not interested in are speed and distance.

 

[johnnyb47]

My turbo trainer is a no frills basic model but I am using a bike computer on it. I'm doing 10 miles a night, the fastest I can comfortably go at and feel completely knackered at the end..It takes about 32 minutes but this cannot be compared to doing the same as you would on the road as I may have the resistance either to low or to high to replicate real riding conditions. The main thing though,I know I've pushed myself to my limits and feel like it's been a good work out and can use my own personal times and mileage as a bench mark to see improvements. Tonights turbo ride seemed a little less tortuous as I got my portable DVD player out and enjoyed an episode of Only fools and horses. The time just flew by watching it :-) :-)

 

[johnnyb47]

That's makes cycling great though Mort. It's so diverse and adaptable to whatever you want out of it. Whether your a commuter, a Mountain biker , a roadie or a tourer it offers so many different angles and opportunities to enjoy it with a budget to suit all. If you think about it there's not many other sports/ hobbies that can offer such diversity as cycling ,

 

[MarkF]

Glad it's worked out for the OP.

Didn't work out for me, I bought one and I think it was sold within a month, I realised I needed to be outside, seeing things, really cycling, I just couldn't do it on the trainer. I winter cycle in the gym a bit but at home it was a non-starter.

 

[johnnyb47]

Cheers MarkF.
Hopefully this weekend I will venture out into the outdoors and get off the hamster wheel lol. I think outside cycling is hands down better ,as it stimulates the mind and gives you that sense of freedom and well being ,a turbo trainer can never offer. It's just a stop gap at the moment to keep my post code sized belly in trim while the weather is grim :-) :-)

 

[MarkF]

Cheers MarkF.
Hopefully this weekend I will venture out into the outdoors and get off the hamster wheel lol. I think outside cycling is hands down better ,as it stimulates the mind and gives you that sense of freedom and well being ,a turbo trainer can never offer. It's just a stop gap at the moment to keep my post code sized belly in trim while the weather is grim :-) :-)

I thought the same, a winter thing, but I just couldn't get up the enthusiasm. Then again, I was in in a dull cellar, maybe a turbo with a view out of the window might have worked.