training in offseason
 

I'm planning on buying a race license for '08. It will be my first season. I'd like to start now, but all I see are a bunch of cross races for the next few months. Anyway, with winter approaching and the cold and wet it brings, I'm going to need to train indoors.

Should I get a fluid 2 or a set of rollers? I know I need to work on my form and rollers seem like more fun, but doing intervals on the trainer would probably benefit me more. Should I get the trainer or the rollers? I know this question has been asked to death.

Cross bike and warm clothes.

...with studded tires.

Move to FL.

Trainer (fluid 2 or whatever you're looking at buying). You'll need it to take to races for warming up, and it'll be easier to transport than rollers.

Riding indoors all the time is mentally taxing so you should also get winter/foul weather gear so you can get some longer rides in a few x/week (weekends for office stiffs like me).

+1 I've ridden through winter in Denver and SLC, including a couple small groups at 5 degrees (F). Just dress appropriately and stop thinking about how cold it is.

If you have daylight issues, you can ride at a local park with lights. If you can't do that, ride at lunch.

If you can't do that either, then I'd favor rollers over a trainer. You can get various resistance systems for them, so intervals are not a problem. Intervals are about the only workout I can do on rollers without going insane from boredom.

No rollers required

or ability to climb...

^
works for me.

I have a serious mental defect when I'm on rollers. Live sex in the same room would be boring. Even if one of them was really clumsy.

Get outside and do some cross races, they're a blast. If anything, think of them as a 45 minute training ride guaranteed to make you puke. It'll also help with the handling skills.

Maybe you could have sex on the rollers ?

When I lived at the north pole we did Star Trek Intervals on the rollers. Ride tempo during the program so you can pay attention, then crank it up as hard as you can hold during the commercials.

The commercial breaks get longer and more frequent towards the end of the show.

:roflmao:

I have to try this.

Commercial intervals work pretty well. Last season it was Star Trek for me. This season it's MASH.

if you really want to kill yourself, do the commercial interval sessions watching NFL. there's never enough time to recover.

Then I'd have to watch NFL. That might make me kill myself.

I suppose you could turn the sound down and put on music, and just use the commercials for cues.

Moving to southern California was a better solution, and for the few days it rains we also have the country's only indoor velodrome.

Buy good lights, hi viz safety vest, warm clothes, bombproof tires and 3m reflective tape for the bike. Maintain your same weekday training schedule if you can. Just because its dark out, does'nt mean you still cant ride.

I've done that but with old Tour De France broadcasts i've taped off ESPN and OLN. I've got about 10 years worth of tapes going back to 1994. A very good workout. I prefered watching the broadcasts of the mountain stages when doing it. Not as boring.

Riding a trainer sucks = Its too cold to ride outside.



IMHO riding a trainer isnt that bad neither is the cold (unless its below 20c). Pick your pleasure I guess...

im planning on a trainer just because i feel like it will be easier for when its snowy and icy out. in kentucky they dont get enough snow each year to really be that good at clearing the streets like they are up north. so the streets are clear enough for driving, but the residue of snow and ice is enough to really make me think twice about riding in it.

the trainer will also come in handy warming up for races and whatnot next season.

If you've done a decent amount of group riding (i.e. you feel comfy when riding with other people - 5 or 10 or more) then I'd get the fluid trainer. Do muscular type work (intervals, sprints, big gear, whatever). You'll gain speed and power which you can use to your benefit in the first few races you do. You may not be as smooth but you'll quickly get your smoothness back if you're already good with riding in a group.

If you haven't done a bunch of group riding, I'd get the rollers. Spin, focus on maintaining cadence or heart rate, and suffer smoothly through the first few races you do. As you ramp up the speed/power you'll find that your smooth pedal stroke pays dividends down the stretch - if you race consistently (virtually every weekend) you'll find May or June you're fine in the field. March and April will suck horribly.

Depending on where you live, there will probably be early season "warm up" races (i.e. "spring series") where you can race in very low key events. These are great for getting experience - half the field isn't even thinking about sprinting at the end - they just want an excuse to get miles in a group setting.

btw don't think every race is "serious". You don't have to win or place or whatever every time you go to a race. You can race simply to train. If the official says he won't pull lapped riders, then go to the front, pull a bit, then try and recover. If you get dropped then time trial until the field is visible, recover, and then sit at the back and practice saving energy. If I thought every race I entered was really important, I'd have quit racing a long time ago.

promoter of a spring series and someone that has fun racing,
cdr