The phrase is "base miles"
And of course you get basically the same effect on the trainer that you get on the road for any given time and intensity.
The problem with doing the traditional base period training (lots of long steady distance) is that it's mentally difficult for most folks to do that sort of effort on the trainer.
I, for one, am not going to repeatedly do 3 hours on the trainer.
Thus if your riding the trainer, you're probably better off doing intervals, and saving the long base workouts for the road.
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You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.