First Time on a Trainer
 

It's pouring rain today (not that I am complaining) and after near 2 weeks of no riding and over eating, I decided I needed to do something. So, first time on a trainer tonight. A friend loaned me his CycleOps Fluid2 last week... I am convinced that trainers are listed as a torture device by the Geneva Convention.

Anybody have suggestions on how to utilize the trainer to maximize benefit?

I highly agree. I have one, but I can never be a comfortable on it as I am on the road riding.

Watch a program like the Springer show and sprint every time a redneck guest is on stage?

So, sprint until I die?

I usually watch a movie or listen to my ipod and make sure you have a fan blownin' on ya.

Do a cooldown during the commercials? :D

I usually turn on the TV, but I am on rollers and not a fixed trainer, so it takes a lot more effort to stay up right. I try to do 20 mph minimum for an hour. Now that I have been off of my bike for over a week, I am thinking of two a days on the rollers as long as I don't have to travel to my daughters basketball games.

I just used my trainer for the first time. I got it for Christmas. HOLY COW.......I only did 30 minutes tonight and felt like i had ridden 20 miles. Im gonna just ride it 30 minutes a night for a week. Then go up to 40 minutes. Every week I want to add 10 more minutes atleast. My brother-in-law told me to use a fan and I didnt remember his advice until about 1/2 way through. Man I was sweating like a pig. (guess thats better for me) I do have a spinerval DVD but its Zoot 6.0. Im gonna look for a begginers spinerval to start off with. The trainer is definately torture compared to actual riding.

For short rides 1/2-1 hour I use spinervals. For long steady distance rides from 1 1/2 hours plus, I will watch movie or something motivational like Iron Man broadcasts. Yesterday I rode 2 1/2 hours on the trainer by watching a movie that I'd never seen before and a fun boating video that I have. Plus I crank the surround sound also. My goal is to do a 5 hour trainer ride.

So far I have logged all of 35 miles on my trainer and honestly I don't think they are so bad. Now that coach Troy from Spinnervals:rolleyes:. I personally enjoy the sweat I build up so no fans for me. I heard that sweat can really take a toll on the paint so I wash the top tube down after each ride, don't know if thats true or not but I like shiny paint.

I guess I haven't spent enough time on it to get bored with it, ask me again in a few weeks for a better response, but so far I've listened to my iPod, watched a movie, and did half a spinnervals DVD.

Slightly off topic but still trainer related: I just got one (it showed up on Saturday) and noticed that there is a skewer with it. Instructions say to swap out the skewer on my bike but not why, can someone enlighten me? Just wondering how important this is to do. Thanks

Depending on your factory skewer, it's probably a light weight aluminum one. When attached to the trainer, the weight is supported by the ends of the skewer. Therefore the trainer comes with a heavy duty stainless steel skewer. The SS skewer will hold up the the weight and pressure on the ends better than the aluminum one.

Beauty - that was my guess. Guess I'll hunt around and see what I can find on the skewer on the bike (mid 70s Raleigh Supercourse) and figure out if I need to make the switch or not.

Run a triangular sweat catcher over the tube from the HB to the saddlepost. It saves the sweat from hitting the frame. ;)

I used to ride my trainer a lot, before I got my stationary 'bent. My routine was as follows (adjust time accordingly for your fitness level):

Start 5 min in lowest gear for warm up
Move up through your gear range at 2-3 min each until you are at the top gear.
Back it off to the middle of your range and do 5-10 x 1 min sprint, 1 min recovery cycles.
Bring it back up to top gear and work your way down in 2 min increments.

Hmmm...I found a mag turbo trainer at the GW store for $10, but didn't get the skewer with it. I have my Bianchi clamped in there now and it seems secure enough, although the side that clamps onto the quick release is griping the aluminum lever. So you think I should go to the bike shop and get an old style skewer?

Yes, you really need a steel skewer for the trainer. It'll trash and chew up your aluminum one.

where do i find a trainer? point me to a webpage?

thanks!

http://www.trisports.com/trainers.html

Here's one.....

You're better off getting a Fluid Trainer. I use a Kurt Kinetic, personally, but the Cycleops is good as well.

i recently bought a blackburn trainer but im having some problems with it. First of all The bike seems to be tipping to the right.. im guessing that that is from the quick-release/ skewer that keeps "riding" up. What can I do to keep quick-release down?

Check the tension on the skewer and make sure it is tight. If it is too loose if will shift on you.

Rotate the skewer lever to even with the frame, so it's perpendicular to the horizontal stay. That way, the slots are parallel to the ground and bottom stay. I'm presuming the slots are currently on the top and bottom on that side? A picture of how you have it on the trainer would help immensely.

I use the "Clydesdale" video from Spinervals, featuring the charm of Coach Troy.

Also, I have another video, something about slackers never win or something like that, also featuring Coach Troy.

I find that the videos help to structure the trainer "ride" into smaller, more manageable portions, so my psyche says to my body, "Here is what you will do for the next 5 minutes," rather than "You have to ride this %$%#@ thing for the next 45 minutes."

Also, here is a "Bicycle Trainer Support Group" which I started a couple of years ago. It has about 220 members, plus a lot of files/resources.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group...yguid=11846886

Wow. You guys are animals!

I am on a trainer for the first time this winter (used to be limited to "riding" in hotels in the winter). How do you know how far you are going (a mileage conversion)?

I am on a road bike now, but most of this summer I was on a MTB. I knew I could do my 20 mile MTB circuit in just under 90 minutes. When I use the "hotel fleet," I go considerably further on their "miles." I have been guessing that I have been going about 16 mph, on average, most of the time (slower than the stationary bikes tell me I am going).

Is there a computer/monitor y'all use to track your mileage?

I have a bike computer "Cyclometer" that does my mileage on my road bike. It works on my rollers or outside as it works on wheel rotations. I have multiple mileage parts on the cyclometer, so I can track my daily ride and the weekly without having to write it all down. I just reset it when the week ends to put my mileage on Tom's spreadsheet.