Originally Posted by
carpediemracing
I used to think rides more than 30-45 minutes were unbearable on the trainer. At some point I started focusing on what I was feeling - much of the time, especially when I'm going hard, I have my eyes closed. I listen to music and think about contact points, form, etc. Suddenly my tolerance for long rides went up a lot.
Without loud music pushing me I find it difficult to ride hard. Movies/clips let me ride a while but I can't ride hard when I'm distracted like that. To wit - my last ride on the trainer I did 125w, 125bpm, mid 80s rpm. A hard ride for me might be 145w, 145bpm, 90-ish rpm.
This is the right stuff. The difference between top riders and the rest is that top riders pay attention. If you're not paying attention on the bike, take up golf or something. The wonderful thing about trainers and rollers is that you can put your entire attention into the bike and not be distracted by the road, other riders, etc. That's what trainers and rollers are for.
I do all three and have for many years, except that I don't just do spin classes at the gym, I also lift weights, work the climbers and various other equipment. Just choosing one option would be too boring and limited. Winter is the time for mixing it up. Do all the stuff you won't do in the summer because it cuts into your riding.