Indoor riding much different from outdoor?
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Upland Ca
Posts: 19,895
Bikes: Lemond Chambery/Cannondale R-900/Trek 8000 MTB/Burley Duet tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
Indoor riding much different from outdoor?
I was browsing thru some of the bikejournals that are viewable on another site. I noticed one rider's outdoor speeds were 11,12,13 mph, maybe a couple of near 15's.
I looked further back and noticed that in Jan, Feb, and March, every ride but 3 or 4 were indoors. Averaged about 900 miles for each of the three months.
But rides were :
45 miles @ 30.12 average "miles per hour"!
35 miles @ 27.16 mph
45 miles @ 27.33
30 miles at 26.22
Now I've ridden with some serious cyclists that have smoked my azz, but I don't think even they could carry the speeds this lady claims!
Maybe I'm missing something and it's possible to carry speeds indoors, that double outdoor speeds for long periods of time? Or is this BS?
I could be wrong, somebody enlighten me!
I looked further back and noticed that in Jan, Feb, and March, every ride but 3 or 4 were indoors. Averaged about 900 miles for each of the three months.
But rides were :
45 miles @ 30.12 average "miles per hour"!
35 miles @ 27.16 mph
45 miles @ 27.33
30 miles at 26.22
Now I've ridden with some serious cyclists that have smoked my azz, but I don't think even they could carry the speeds this lady claims!
Maybe I'm missing something and it's possible to carry speeds indoors, that double outdoor speeds for long periods of time? Or is this BS?
I could be wrong, somebody enlighten me!
#2
The Truth
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Miami
Posts: 2,289
Bikes: Felt f4c, Felt RXC, Guerciotti Khaybar,Guerciotti EM-2, Cervelo P-3.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
her computer or trainer could be calibrated wrong.
#3
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Upland Ca
Posts: 19,895
Bikes: Lemond Chambery/Cannondale R-900/Trek 8000 MTB/Burley Duet tandem
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
3 Posts
That's what I was thinking! But I was also wondering if the tension on a trainer is loose/easy, would that allow you to carry these speeds?
#4
Banned.
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: southern california
Posts: 424
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
think about it. when riding indoors, there is NO wind resistance. and very little if any rolling resistance. one does not encounter the effects of slightly rolling terrain, or really any terrain at all for that matter. judging fitness by looking at indoor riding speed is totally worthless.
#5
shut up and ride
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: noho
Posts: 1,947
Bikes: supersix hi-mod,burley duet tandem,woodrup track,cannondale cross,specialized road
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
no resistance from the trainer, it's easy to spin a big gear when there's no wind to push against
#6
The Recycled Cycler
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,399
Bikes: Real Steel. Really. Ti is cool, too !
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
yeah...but indoors there are no downhills and no opportunities for coasting - when on an indoor trainer I spin and pedal for the full hour, adjusting my effort my gearing. Outdoors I may pull hard up a hill and then coast for 45 seconds down the back of it - they are just different.
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 177
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
My best guess would be that it's very hilly where she lives, thus the very low speeds outdoors and her indoor trainer is displaying km/hr instead of mi/hr.
#11
I eat carbide.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Elgin, IL
Posts: 21,627
Bikes: Lots. Van Dessel and Squid Dealer
Mentioned: 25 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1325 Post(s)
Liked 1,306 Times
in
560 Posts
Originally Posted by CastIron
Indoors sucks. That's the difference.
Hell yeah it does.
My "avg Speed" declines indoors. I ride monster resistance and do intervals. Darn. I must suck.
__________________
PSIMET Wheels, PSIMET Racing, PSIMET Neutral Race Support, and 11 Jackson Coffee
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
Podcast - YouTube Channel
Video about PSIMET Wheels
#12
RacingBear
One thing I found is with indoor trainer, aerobic capacity goes down. Wierd I know. After I went from indoor ridding during winter to outdoor, for same or less perceived intensity my HR was 10-20 bpms higher.
#13
Dirt-riding heretic
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Posts: 17,413
Bikes: Lynskey R230/Red, Blue Triad SL/Red, Cannondale Scalpel 3/X9
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 8 Times
in
7 Posts
Could be an issue of resistance too. If the resistance is set really light and isn't progressive as you speed up (like a cheapie mag trainer) you can go pretty fast. Averaging 30mph on a Fluid2 or some other progressive fluid trainer that's properly set up will smoke you. My fiancee uses my Fluid2 a lot, and her indoor speeds are very similar to outdoors in the flats. Me? My speed sensor is in front.
I totally agree with the HR issue on a trainer. I think there's got to be an environmental reason for it, i.e. you're not using any energy or brain power watching the road, steering, braking, etc., not to mention the inherent wind resistance on an outdoor ride. I don't think it's really an issue of aerobic capacity, but that's a total guess.
DrPete
I totally agree with the HR issue on a trainer. I think there's got to be an environmental reason for it, i.e. you're not using any energy or brain power watching the road, steering, braking, etc., not to mention the inherent wind resistance on an outdoor ride. I don't think it's really an issue of aerobic capacity, but that's a total guess.
DrPete