So what difference does it make?

[Mugshot]

Life is well and truly getting in the way of me riding at the moment, circumstances mean that I just cannot get the road miles in that I was. So, I'm looking at a smart turbo. What I was wondering was have any of you seen a benefit from using the turbo as an alternative to the road when you do get the bike back on the tarmac. Has virtually plodding up the Alpe d'Huez helped you fly up your local hill or maintain a better average on the flat, or is it more a case that it's helped you not lose the fitness you had and has stopped you from piling on the pounds?

 

[Milkfloat]

IMO is is easier to follow a structured training plan on a turbo than it is on the road. You have a hill at the end of your fingertips, there is no slowing for traffic, corners or ice, and you are totally in control. I am 'time poor' as they say, so for me a turbo lets me achieve more in a short space of time. A smart trainer just makes it more fun, especially if you add in virtual racing.

 

[Mugshot]

IMO is is easier to follow a structured training plan on a turbo than it is on the road. You have a hill at the end of your fingertips, there is no slowing for traffic, corners or ice, and you are totally in control. I am 'time poor' as they say, so for me a turbo lets me achieve more in a short space of time. A smart trainer just makes it more fun, especially if you add in virtual racing.

Thank you for the reply @Milkfloat that makes sense, I'm guessing with the lack of replies that maybe it doesn't make much difference to most people or they're keeping their cards very close to their chests

 

[MasterDabber]

My own experience (to date) for what it's worth...

I got a smart turbo as a Christmas present having previously used a basic Tacx (non-smart). Since then I've ridden nearly exclusively on the turbo
having had a bad chesty cough for a lingering period. I've used a combination of Bkool, VeloReality and BigRingVR rides (mainly BigRingVR which I think are excellent). I haven't tried Zwift yet and although many people seem to love it I'm not personally drawn to it but I guess I should give it a try.

In real life the biggest climb I've done is a Cat 1 climb in Corsica. What I've found very useful with the VR rides is having to sustain the effort for a considerable time with no possibility of relief/freewheeling etc... this Telegraphe, Glandon, Galibier, Alpe d'Huez etc.

How has this played out in real life? Well I'm now back in France and riding in an area that's very hilly with Cat 3 and 4 climbs everywhere you go (in fact there's about 4 of the just to get back to our village). So back to actually riding on the road here I would say that the turbo training is paying off. On the rides I've done so far I've been fairly close to my pb on Strava on many of them without me really "going for it" and the weather being chilly and a bit wet.
I've felt controlled and quite powerful (for me) so all in all I'm pleased. And this has been with virtually (excuse the pun) no riding on the road since before Christmas.

Just my two penneth.

 

[Mugshot]

My own experience (to date) for what it's worth...

Worth a lot as it happens, thank you

 

[MiloSnowe]

I got a Bkool 18months ago. Last year I used it in the winter but not that much.

This year has been different...

I've been using it at least once a week most weeks more. Max distance in one helping is 46 miles but more usual is 20 miles or around an hour per session. If you'd have asked me a few years ago I'd have said that this wasn't achievable by me on a turbo. Smart trainers make a huge difference.
I also find that I am working considerably harder than on the road. Every ride is like a TT as there is no coasting or stopping. With the lack of focus required on traffic/road surface you can really go for it and the sweat at the end on the floor is quite off putting!

I find it very easy to remain in zones by monitoring the screen so I can maintain a constant cadence or heart rate. I've used this to work on maintaining a steady cadence and I've now transferred this skill to the road finding my average speed has increased as well as my power when hill climbing.
I've also used it to keep my HR constant to either fat burn or build stamina when close to my max threshold. The weight has fallen off and I feel considerably fitter and recover faster.

I've used Bkool software that is really useful for chasing your PB's (similar to Strava a segment or a virtual partner in Garmin) as you race ghosts of your previous tries on a route.I've recently 'virtually' ridden Sa Calobra a number of times in preparation for a trip there next month. The hardest route I've completed is Mont Ventoux which represents 1.3/4hrs of constant grind in your lowest gear with no stopping or let up in gradient. The cramp in your legs in the last mile is excruciating.

I've also used BigRingVR which is free at the moment whilst it's in beta and the videos are excellent quality.

My 'Go to' software at the moment is Zwift. Initially I just didn't get it but the more I used it the more I fell into just chasing that next rider along the road or waiting for a rider to catch me up on the hill and then powering away as they made contact. I've not tried the live racing yet. I've heard very good feedback about it. Maybe in the future.

This year so far I've done just shy of 1700 miles with around 600 of them virtual. That's time when the weather was poor, I only had time for a quick spin or the lack of inclination to clean a cruddy bike afterwards. In other words miles that I wouldn't have otherwise completed.

For me the proof is when I feel the need to go on the turbo for a proper workout rather than go out on the road or my hill climbing will suffer. Turbo miles are definitely harder although my non VR friends obviously disagree

 

[JLaw]

So I'm getting older and opportunities to ride are fewer. Yet I still want to be able to do the big climbs where I live.

In the past I'd start climbing in April and run through September. On my benchmark climb I'd start around 1:45 and knock off 30 minutes to 1:15ish by the end of the season.

I took off several years. When I started riding again I went from an abymisal 2:15 to 1:45 over the course of a summer for my benchmark ride. In an effort to not lose fitness over the winter I got a turbo. My goal was to hold my 1:45 as a starting point for the next season. By the time I got back out in the real world the next spring I uncorked a 1:36 on my benchmark ride.

Not only did I not lose fitness, I gained considerably using the turbo over the winter. My progress slowed, mostly due to weight issues. It'll be real interesting to see how well I retained fitness over the most recent winter.

It's definitely been helpful. I can also tell a difference if I have to carry my youngest near the end of a hike. Instead of huffing and puffing, it really isn't a big deal, which I attribute to working on the turbo.

 

[Tin Pot]

Life is well and truly getting in the way of me riding at the moment, circumstances mean that I just cannot get the road miles in that I was. So, I'm looking at a smart turbo. What I was wondering was have any of you seen a benefit from using the turbo as an alternative to the road when you do get the bike back on the tarmac. Has virtually plodding up the Alpe d'Huez helped you fly up your local hill or maintain a better average on the flat, or is it more a case that it's helped you not lose the fitness you had and has stopped you from piling on the pounds?

Structured training on a turbo is *much* harder than outdoor riding.

 

[Bored Man]

Hi, regarding the smart trainer... the fitness is definately transferable however the Bkool hills are not the same as the real world ones. It has limitations. Having had one for over. A year now, I was getting fitter from its use but the biggest benefit came from joining CycleChat leagues and of course, competing in Bkool leagues as well. The competition is a motivator. Unless you're really Greg Van Avermaet in disguise, you're going to be challenged and therefore improve. I would add that muscle memory and cardio have improved.

I hope it helps you make a choice.

Jim

 

[S-Express]

Structured training on a turbo is *much* harder than outdoor riding.

Either type of riding is only as hard as you decide to make it.