Sallom89

hello everyone, I'm road cycling for fitness but each day I'm pushing my self to the limit, increasing speed and distance. I usually cycle 5 days a week with mostly an avg. speed of 24-26.5 (KPH), but today was very Humid. So, I jumped on the trainer and couldn't make a good distance and didn't feel confortable on it.. how do you guys use trainers? easy gears with high cadence? but it can be slow (I'm using Elite Elastogel). I'm not sure if cycling 5 days a week is good for me or not, because I'm feeling a burning sensation in my thighs which caused me to stop after 10km only yesterday

leooooo

1. Getting comfortable on trainer is mostly mental IMO. It's just too boring.

2. If you avg 25mph solo, you should be cycling not for fitness but for money.

cappuccino911

I was thinking the same at first but he ended his post stating he could only do 10 KM yesterday so I think his average speed was in KM.

Now bring on the forum dbags to ***** about avg speed meaning nothing.

leooooo

Ya, that's why I prefaced my statement with "if." Sorta confused.

But back on topic, I would still stand by my statement that boredom is the main culprit for feeling sluggish on a trainer.

Sallom89

Sorry, I meant Kph!

Yes it is boring, but how long do you guys last on it?
I mean if I can last and hour outside, I can't last 15 mins doing the same speed on the trainer..how do you guys train?

simonaway427

Spinerval DVD's

DScott

Actually, the speed on the trainer isn't the same as outside. On the trainer, it's zero.

You're over-doing it, and you need a better measure of effort.

Sallom89

Can you guide me then?

mike868y

If you don't have an hrm or a pm, the only real way is to go by perceived exertion. With that being said, while speed and distance are not comparable to speed and distance on the road, you can use them to compare your workouts on the trainer (assuming tire pressure and resistance are the same). So, if you have an hour to ride the trainer, try to do it at 20mph. If you can do that, up it to 21, etc., etc.

Sallom89

20 MPH?:O
I got a heart rate monitor and cadence sensor, while I was riding my heart rate was at 150s and max at 160. On road it is usually 165 avg. with max of 180's. A whole house doing 20mph seems impossible for my level, I meant I was doing 24-26.5 kph and that was a typo not to add the unit

DScott

See Friel's blog here, especially the 11/22/09 entry on "stress based training" for some ideas: https://www.trainingbible.com/joesblo...1_archive.html

agarose2000

The trainer with no additional devices/dvds is mental death. I'm a die-hard user, and I can't do it for more than a week if I'm just on a trainer with nothing else.

3 things that are key, and have made it all the difference:

1) Speed sensor (bike computer) on the back wheel so you can tell how hard you're going in mph. While it doesn't exactly equal road mph, you'll see objectively how hard you're actually working, so when you make progress, you can see it. I love it when I'm on a 5th sprint set, and can actually hold that 30 second burst at 33mph on the trainer versus 31 a few weeks ago. You'd never be able to tell that without the computer to help, but the positive feedback from training is very helpful.

2) Spinervals or other bike training DVD. I know they cost money and most of us are cheapskates, but ever since I started using these, I've always gotten awesome trainer workouts with no mental boredom. I'm simply suffering too much to get bored!

3) Get a decent setup/space. I use a part of my garage, so definitely not fancy, but I can get on a go pretty easily without too much fuss.

I consider myself amongst the mentally die-hard in terms of training, in that I can run on treadmills for hours (and have), ride the bike trainer when everyone else is jumping off from boredom, but there's simply no way you'll keep up a multi-day per week regimen on the trainer without these 3 in place, in my opinion.

leooooo

Very much agreed, that is probably the best an indoor trainer can get with all 3 in place. Lose one of the three and boredom immediately sets in.

Just want to add, throw in a wind source! AC, fan, or at worst windows/doors opened.

Sallom89

Thank you so much guys! this is highly appreciated !

ciocc_cat

I usually limit my trainer workouts to 35 minutes - that way I don't mentally condition myself to hate the trainer. I ride 3 to 4 times a week and vary interval workouts with tempo rides for variety. Think "quality verses quantity". I have my trainer set up in an air-conditioned room with a good sound system so that I play music to ride by. Works for me.

Seattle Forrest

I set mine up in the bedroom - out of the way - and was wondering why I couldn't really work that hard. I can do cadence drills when I'm actually riding, outside on the street, until I feel like I'm going to black out doing 200 rpms with my heart at 100 %. I wasn't able to get anywhere near that level of exertion on the trainer. So I moved it to the back patio, with a nice view, and I can push myself a lot harder there. It was the overwhelming boredom ... and I don't think being indoors, under a roof, surrounded by walls helped, either.

To make things easier, I put some music on, and watch the boats go by:

SBRDude

get a big fan to blow air on you, especially if it's humid. watch tv, cycling videos, etc. do intervals or at least some kind of sets to break up the monotony. i think it all kind of sucks, but some people seem to have figured out a way to endure it without going postal.

carleton

- Maybe workout according to time, not distance.

- Workout according to perceived resistance, not speed. Basically pick the gear and resistance setting combo that feels right.

- Get a good trainer that has a nice flywheel with a good ramp-up and coast-down. My favorites that I've tried are the Tacx Satori (magnetic) and the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine (fluid). Both are *very* quiet and feel very natural. The Road Machine has an optional bigger flywheel for an even longer coast-down.

1200cycles

Not sure how long it's going to last me but I use a LeMond Revmaster with cycling videos and try to complete the stages as the riders do - I have yet to complete a stage and I know I'm not even working as hard as the riders. I increase resistance, do out-of-saddle climbs for 30 seconds, decrease, recover and repeat for a whole climb as much as I can take. This has helped me do 1 hour 30 minute sessions on the trainer with 2 days recovery in between and sometimes light 30 min recovery rides when I'm anxious to get back on and ride more.

So I vote, videos. Maybe buy Tour DVDs that way you get different stages so it's not monotonous. It's working for me.

This is what I've been doing and have almost got to 2 hour sessions indoors. 1 hour 45 minutes being my longest with about 1400 cal burned, I'm also riding for fitness so that's what I keep an eye on. If I get more into it, I could start to use a more structured routine but for now, keeping it simple helps me ride more and not care so much about specific numbers. I just get the time in.

I've shied away from bike trainers though, I'm not sure how comfortable I would be getting out of the saddle while the bike is attached by it's rear triangle while using loads of resistance simulating a climb.

agarose2000

You won't break your bike / bike trainer by sprinting on it. I've done loads of sprints on my Cycleops2 in the biggest gear at 90+rpm (I've hit 35mph on the rear wheel sensor on it) no problem.

simonaway427

Just did 24.0 Spinerval "Hillacious" and almost died in my basement. These DVD's are amazing.

Sallom89

Is it possible to buy a download copy of those DVDs on their site or something?

AlexTaylor

Try these videos to download-

www.thesufferfest.com

eddiepliers 

If I'm not watching training DVD's I'm usually watching a movie and hanging out on my trainer. I get a decent timed movie, about an hour and a half, and just ride.

Sallom89

Thanks.