codyhmrck

Ok so I recently started cycling at the beginning of August and my goal for the month was 100 miles. As of the other day I reached a little over 67 miles. Then the next two days I didn't ride on the road but on a stationary bike for about 20 miles. Am I cheating myself for counting the stationary miles. It was a great work out doing interval training and I had a puddle underneath me. I don't know if I should count this towards my goal because it's not a "real" bike. Please me know your guys opinions. Thanks!

10 Wheels

I call it saddle time Not Miles.

This is Miles.

MRT2

Good workout, but IMO doesn't count towards your mileage goal.

blackvans1234

I am also one that would not count that towards mileage.

I wish, because when I start using my trainer I could count those miles too

But I wont.

ill.clyde

I usually count it as time ... not miles.

However, the important thing is you're still riding, regardless of whether you're moving or not.

10 Wheels

Join here and see what real miles are: It is free.

Top rider now has 14,000 miles ytd.

https://www.bikejournal.com/home.asp

Mr. Beanz

You know there is an option that allows you to count trainer miles to your total mileage?

I myself would not count trainer miles but if I wanted to do so, I would probably take the trainer time and figure out my mileage. for example, if I did one hour and my average speed was 14 MPH on standard outside rides, I'd probably give myself 14 miles for that one hour.

10 Wheels

One guy in my club says he is right behind me in miles....But 50% of his are indoor on his trainer.

lsberrios1 

Now I feel like a fraud... since I figured that you could measure miles in the trainer with the cadence sensor ive been adding them to my training regimen (only about 50 miles). I guess I should just ride in rain and cold for the winter :/

What if we had a power meter?

2 wheeler

I don't enjoy trainer/roller miles as much as real road miles. Since I consider indoor training miles to be a form of torture, I would count them along with real miles.

If you're leaving a puddle under your trainer, and you're not using a fan to evaporate sweat, you should do so. I bought a used set of rollers off ebay that were owned by a guy that sweated a LOT. The roller frame was completely rusted under the paint. The rollers looked good in the pics, but required a complete refinishing and drum machining to get them ride-able.

I don't sweat much, but use a fan to keep from overheating.

IAMAMRA

I don't think your cheating yourself, if you want to count them count them! Myself, I only count miles on my bike, but that's just my choice.

Mr. Beanz

Yeah, that sucks, I wouldn't do it if I had ore than a few trainer rides.

I remember my highest year I did 7300 miles. Plenty of it was on GMR riding 5000-7000 miles training for a ride. Some lady said because I rode on the trail with a tank top that I wasn't a real cyclist.

Not that I consider myself a cyclist, I consider my self a rider and only wear jersey snow to carry my recorders.. But I looked at her journal as she had it open for viewing ,as I did mine. Half her rides were indoors by the fireplace reading a book averaging 26 mph. All her outdoor rides were averaging 14 MPH. Mine were all outdoors!

I don't even consider comparing myself to someone with trainer miles. In your case, I'd not consider it the same, phooey!

ill.clyde

FWIW, the Cateye Strada will total your miles from the rear wheel, allowing you to account for miles on a trainer.

I've also done as Beanz suggests but really only use that for general purposes.

That said ... indoor trainer miles aren't something to scoff at, particularly here in the northern climates. Three months on an indoor trainer versus three months sitting on your ass is a big difference

lsberrios1 

In my case it is the other way around. Im slower on the trainer and it feels like more of a workout. I sweat like there is no tomorrow to average 17mph in one hour. My HR is about a 165 average whereas on the road for a similar ride it would be in the 140s. On the road I dont think i do as much and average more. It helps being able to coast on the road whereas if you stop on the trainer it will just stop spinning and you have to start all over.

Mr. Beanz

+1.....Years ago, maybe 97 we had a pretty long rainy season (seriously for us here in So Ca. ).

I had actually bought a trainer for Gina as she was going to use it (never happened ). I did intervals and a workout that added up to 45 minutes. I was never bored for even a minute unless wanting to puke is being bored.

Results were amazing. After a month of indoor intervals, I returned to outside riding and my style was totally different. I could spin a much higher cadence and average on same rides was much higher. From really pushign hard to hold 15 to cruising at a 17 average on the same rides.

I was not a member of bikejournal back then.

ill.clyde

Exactly ... trainer miles are important too. Not really "miles" per se, but they are beneficial, particularly in terms of pedal stroke, cadence, etc. I too, do intervals and oddly enough, I look forward to them at times. Winters up here suck ... the intervals help. This winter I'm putting in some serious trainer time to get ready for next spring

TrojanHorse

I hate trainers but if it works for you then great!

The only real issue with them is that MOST people seem to be able to faster and "further" on a trainer than on a real road. No stop lights, no distractions, no wind... you get the picture.

Having said that, it's your goal. If you want to incorporate trainer miles then do it. I would never say that riding your bike, whether on a trainer or outdoors is "cheating" unless you're trying to outbrag some friends about how far you're riding.

InOmaha

I'd count them. I counted the 7 miles/day I ran on the treadmill. Just like outside, the stress of the workout is a function of how hard you make it. Set your trainer to max resistance, your bike to the highest gear, and pedal without taking a break. It beats looking out the window on a thunderstorming spring day wishing you could ride outside.

I'm in it for the results and the only numbers that count for me are weight, pants size, blood pressure, cholesterol level, etc. If that means putting on 1500-2000 "miles" of riding extra per year indoors, so be it. I ran 1,800 miles one year on a treadmill to help drop 40 lbs. I'm not certain how someone could consider that "cheating" by any stretch of the imagination.

PhotoJoe 

Yah, it sucked not being able to ride that week!

Mr. Beanz

......

10 Wheels

I came into this on my early morning ride. I was real miles .

InOmaha

For every hill I went up outside this morning doing real miles, I got to coast down them later on the way back. Strava should probably subtract downhills since those aren't real miles....just soapbox derby miles.

Maybe if I brought the 6 deer I saw this morning into my basement it would make time on the trainer go faster.

I'll take my 1:20-1:30 outside anytime compared to 1:20 on a trainer. The trainer is harder mentally. Just you, whatever hurts that day, and whatever crap is on TV at 5am.

Mr. Beanz

I know what you mean. We ride GMR and I really don't care to come down. I feel like the ride is over and only come down because I have to ride down. If I had my way, I'd have somebody pick me up at the top.


It can be compared to a flat trail with no wind. Throw in some 30-40 winds and not so. Compared to riding up mountain roads, not even close. The roads play mind games and I have seen riders literally cry in defeat.

There are plenty of riders that will gladly sit on a trainer but won't attempt the GMR 1:20 climb with us.

MRT2

Yup, the whole mental game.

donalson

I am the mod over on the clyd forum of MTBR... our 80k mile challenge is "if you pedal it, post it"

trainers are miserable... but worth it... I don't have one and living in TX I can get out most of the year so no reason to have one