Monoborracho

Today is day 11 after shoulder surgery. I'm going a little buggy wondering when I can get back on my bike. I don't think I'll be riding out there in the real world before August.

So, I'm wondering about getting a trainer and setting it up. I had a Schwinn AirDyne for years, but sold it some years back. I would ride it for 30 -45 minutes during the winter...sometimes...but that was about it.

Does anyone use a trainer or have any recommendations?

Swamper

I had shoulder surgery about 19 months ago. Doc wouldn't let me ride for several months. Don't think I could have if he had given me the green light earlier. I'm a roadie and there was no way I could put any pressure on my shoulder. I still can't stay down on dropped bars very long or it bothers me.
I got a trainer so I could be ready when I was able to get out. But I never used it very much. I just can't bring myself to use it for very long. It's a CycleOps magnetic type. It works well and isn't too noisy, but to me it's just too boring.

Blackberry

yeah, they can be boring--but they will help keep you in shape. Good to have a stack of videos, a sporting event or a tv show you wanna watch.

Hang in there! And good luck.

DnvrFox

If I can do a trainer inside, anyone can!

What helps me is traiing videos/cd's. I use Spinervals, but there are others such as Carmichael's.

Please see my Indoor Training Support Group - it has a lot of great suggestions in the "file" section about keeping up your training.

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

BlazingPedals

See if the doc'll let you ride one of these: Elbows are more or less at your side and there's no strain. Much better than a trainer.

jppe

Mono-I use a OneUp trainer that's a little pricey but bomb proof. Plus it's really simple to set up and no maintenance to it. Service is terrific from the company as well.

That being said I find I'd much rather embrace the colder weather and ride outside as opposed to sitting inside on a trainer......Fortunately we generally have a number of decent riding days even in the winter in Piedmont sections of NC.

Good luck with the recovery. It sounds like cabin fever is setting in.

Road Fan

Swamper's got it right, IMHO. If you CAN ride, get a trainer. I like the Cyclops Fluid 2 and the Kinetic Road Machine. But the biggest question really is the potential for riding a road bike to affect the healing of your shoulder injury. Maybe consult the doc? We don't have a lot of years to overcome complications of injuries. My choice would be to preserve my future cycling at the expense of cabin fever.

Ken

big john

After my shoulder surgery I tried the trainer but couldn't stay with it and gained a bunch of weight. The one thing I did do was hike the hills a little. Not as fun as a bike, but a good workout for the heart and legs, plus it's outside.

NOS88

First, let me say that I HATE trainers. There is little in life more agonizing to me than sitting on a bike and going nowhere. With that said, I say "Yes" buy a trainer. Even if you can only do 20 minutes at a shot, it's better than having all of your fitness fade away. In terms of which trainer, my only recommendation is to get the least expensive one you can find... unless you expect to spend a great deal of time on it over the next few years. I've worn out three trainers (about one each winter) and still have spent less replacing them than my neighbor did on his high tech, expensive one. Good luck with the continued recovery.

Velo Dog

Ordinarily, trainers CAUSE cabin fever...30 minutes on the thing, and I'm ready to run outside naked and screaming. I have one but use it only a few times a year, on the rare instances when the temps stay below 25 or so around here.
In your case, though, it might be a good idea and help you maintain fitness. Mine is the cheapest possible magnetic-resistance model from Performance, cost about $100 four or five years ago, and it's fine for what I use it for. I usually keep the resistance at max and shift through the gears to vary the feel.

Digital Gee

Rather than buying a trainer, perhaps get a gym membership, where you could ride a variety of trainers, and use treadmills, stair climbers, etc., watch TV, and even gaze occasionally (and with great care not to get caught) at good lookin' women working out as well? That last part helps with the boredom factor.

edp773

A trainer will help keep your fitness up even if you only ride it 30 minutes several days a week. I purchased an inexpensive Ascent from Performance to see if I would like using one.

As I suggested earlier, if you get cabin fever, see if you can find someone to set the trainer up outside. That is a nice change of pace and one of the few times when you will appreciate the wind.

desmo13

I bought a cheap Ascent trainer from Performance, just for weeks like this week. wife is out of town, can't go out riding in the morning (little daughter still sleeping) So I get up, get on the trainer, watch ToF on Tivo, play cadence/heart rate/speed games to pass the time.

stapfam

Yo. Bros. we must be related- because although I prefer to get out on the bike- The Gym runs it a distant second place. Best of all though is if you go regularly enough- you do build up a relationship with the others at the gym and you realise that you are not as large as you think you are, and you are fitter than others of your age.

The big advantage to me is that I can exercise parts of my body that I don't normally do on a bike. Only thing is choose your times very carefully- I thought I had gone on pregnant mums night once- until I found out it was the local weight watchers club. 300lbs crammed into lycra and only 5ft tall is not the best site to give you enthusiasm.

a77impala

Fractured my shoulder May 22, doctor said no riding until August 22, I went for an 11 mile ride today, about 6 miles into it I knew I had made a mistake. I could feel every bump radiate up my arm to my shoulder. Whole arm aches now, I will ride the trainer from now until August 22nd.

Lion Steve

Since you only have about a month to wait until you can ride again, try finding a gym that has a free trial membership period for new members. That way you will not have to invest heavily into a new membership that you may not want to use in the future. Just read the fine print.