Training & Nutrition - Whats harder, road rides or trainer time?

Due to inconsistent weather, I decided to use my trainer today. I also decided to push myself for extra distance since if I couldn't finish, I wouldn't have to worry about not making it back to my house or car depending. I did 75 miles today on the trainer at 3 hrs 52 minutes. 18+ MPH. I've only done 2 metrics prior to this. THe thing I noticed was I was starting to feel my legs get worn out faster than when I ride outside. That of course is with little to no wind on average. Do any of you find it the same way, opposite, or a draw between the 2? Could it be that the roller was pressed up to hard to the rear wheel and is causing added resistance. By the way, I have my computer attached at the rear wheel so I could figure out distance and speed when using my trainer.

Well, on a trainer you can't really ease up like you can on the road. You have constant and consistant resistance. You also don't have any descents to recover on like you might on a road (regardless of how slight they may be). Additionally, there's a psychological factour (at least for me) in that I just get worn out mentally with a trainer whereas on the road, I can enjoy the scenery and this keeps me from getting burnt out.

What khuon said. You can't coast on a trainer. No tailwinds on a trainer. On the other hand, you can dial in just the amount of resistance (or lack of it) you want.

The dread of having to spend time on the trainer, coupled with all the rain we've been getting this year, has made me a convert. Put on your garbage kit and ride in the rain. Rinse off the bike afterwards, clean and lube your chain more often. I'll catch up with my trainer hours this winter.

Yeah please remember also that "speed" on the trainer is kinda meaningless. You really need to have a power meter if you want to be able to compare effort on the road as opposed to effort on the trainer. Most trainers provide linear resistance - a good trainer will provide progressive resistance to simulate the geometric increase in wind resistance, but no trainer will be perfect for this.

I thkn Trainer time is definitely more mentally taxing for me... I can road ride for hours.. but 45 minutes on the trainer kills me... I just get bored staring at the wall... you can dial resistance in to give a good workout... I like the road better... the trainer justs gets me thru

Jeff

Trainers are like kissing your sister!

Originally posted by sebring
Do any of you find it the same way, opposite, or a draw between the 2?

It depends on how you use the trainer.

There have been times when I've crawled away from my trainer vowing never to look at it again out of pain and agony and then I've had easy fat burning spins.

Working out to a set, timed, trainer work out changing your gears and cadence constantly can be way more than you'd get on the road.

It amazes me when I hear of people sitting on a 52x17@85rpm for two hours and call it an intense work out.

It's all what you make it.

Hey pointyhead, got any pictures of your sister?

Originally posted by pointyhead
Trainers are like kissing your sister!

What the hell does this have to do with anything? STAY ON TOPIC!

This winter when I can get out to ride what would be the best. A recumbent bike at the gym, spin cycle class or using the trainer?

Here in Oregon, our rainy season is about to begin, with more wet days than not. During this time, I'll be riding my tricycle on a set of mini rollers. During my hour workout I'll work on my spinning technique and interval training, taking every other day off. During the "off" days, I'll be working out at the gym for abs and upperbody strengthening. Saturdays when the weather isn't too wet, I'll go out on the road for a 50+ mile ride (need the outdoors when I can get them!)

Is there some way to measure resistance. We have some real hills nearby.. My heart rate monitor on the trainer says I am doing about the sam amount of work? HRM pulse on the trainer, often 150 for 15-20 minutes........ That comparsion is my usual hrm for a typical road situation....... Fast in the flats about 140 beats per minute, average....... Just does not feel like going up a steep hill. My trainer is rim driven. Up a steep 9% grade for 1-2 miles, my HRM pulse might be as high as 175.
When I lower the resistance, it effort seems pretty easy. It just seems too easy, but the worst is, it is boring, yes... If not for music doubt I could do over 20 minutes. The other day, I had music and put up a music stand and read while cylcing,, Bicycling Mag.... That helped.
Think my longest trainer ride so for is 45 minutes. Did not feel wiped out. Anyone address the idea that trainers just does not offer the resistance of a real challenging ride. I give the trainer the max workout possible, I surely can't get my heart rate monitor above 165 and that is at about 80 rpm's...
Anyone ever riden a rim driven trainer and compared it to the wheel driven?

The best way to spend the winter indoors is on a Computrainer and using

http://www.performancecentral.net/

to share and race against performance files of other riders!

Check it out!

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Anyone ever riden a rim driven trainer and compared it to the wheel driven?

I have a rim drive trainer and I like it for the most part (as much as anyone can like a trainer) except that oftentimes I just can't dial in enough resistance without causing wheel slippage. It does promote really good spin technique however. :) Also, you need to be careful about leaving the rollers in contact (or cranking down their pressure to prevent slippage) with the rim as the rubber in the rollers will deform and for the first few minutes, you'll feel like you're going to shake the bike off the trainer. The upside is that you don't wear out your tyres but their are some eccentricities you'll have to put up with. My next trainer will probably not be a rim drive... assuming I even want to buy a new torture device. ;)

khuon.. Yes, I notice that. Trainers and perfecting spin technique. Seems so natural. I give my trainer its maximum resistance, I have never noticed a slippage problem. If I did, guess I would then be convinced I have decent resistance. Like to think my call for more resistance is that I am a really strong rider? Sort of doubt that..
Most trainer riders think their work out is a good work out?

I'd say the trainer is a great workout tool, except that it's about as exciting as watching paint dry. You put out a constant workout for however long you are on the thing, and with the resistance settings you get a good workout.

I'd also pay no attention to the speed you are going or the distance, I have a cheapy Nashbar trainer, I spent some time to retro-fit my cyclometer to the rear wheel only to find out I was riding so damn slow on the thing, I could average maybe 12-13mph (roughly 20km/hr) for any period of time, I was more than a little discouraged by that info (until the season came around and I could start riding on the road again).

Then I found this page -
http://www.geocities.com/almost_fast/trainerpower/

If you know those numbers the trainer is an even better tool.

Andrew

Originally posted by fstrnu
The best way to spend the winter indoors is on a Computrainer and using [blah blah]


Geez. The modestly named fstrnu is like a broken record when it comes to whatever it is he's been promoting.

Looking forward. My pro trainer will be arriving tomorrow.... :D Italia


Originally posted by fstrnu
The best way to spend the winter indoors is on a Computrainer

Since the resistance on my trainer is so variable (you can change it a lot just by changing tire pressure or moving the resistance wheel), you can't really look at speed. I train with a heart rate monitor and do a lot of intervals when I am indoors. That breaks up the monotony of the workout, and also that way I know my effort is comparable to riding outside.