Training on a Trainer?
 

So I got my first trainer in yesterday. I got it all set up put my bike on and started riding. Now Obviously since I am not fighting my bodywieght against gravity My average was 4mph faster than on the road? SO what is your average road vs trainer?

Do spin faster same or just stay steady on the trainer?
How much does the trainer help over the winter? (for those of us in Cold weather climate)
How much Distance do you ride on the trainer?

TIA
Shawn

What type of trainer do you have? I find that on my trainer I lose around 4 mph compared to what I ride on the road. I have a cyclops fluid 2.

Are you putting the magnet on the rear wheel?

I hate the trainer. I've given up on getting better with it, I pretty much just try not to lose everything I gained the year before so I can start over in spring from a decent spot, condition-wise.

Az

I figure they would be going a lot slower if it were on the front! :D

I pay no attention at all to any of that stuff.
Thought about last winter while on the trainer, but what's the point really? For me, the trainer is just a way to burn some calories and try to keep the butt and the legs used to the motion for a couple months (okay, three..Dec. Jan. Feb. and maybe most of March no that i think about it) until the real outdoor season starts.

I take off my computer when I'm on my trainer. I evaluate my training sessions based solely on the information I collect from my heart rate monitor. Also, dripping salty sweat onto my computer is probably bad for the electronics inside.

My trainer is a progressive resistance fluid trainer. On the road, I easily cruise over 20mph with Trinity, yet I only get about 16mph with the same effort on my trainer.

I concur, mine is progressive as well. 20mph on the road feels like 16mph on the trainer

The resistance gets to you after 10-15 minutes.

heart rate is the best measure (actually power is if you have a power meter). speed doesn't carry over and isn't an accurate comparison.

iv got a variable magnetic resistance, can simulate flats and bigger hills then i got locally. so my speed is purely depenant on the resistance level i dail in.

but i train in power bands on the trainer.

Your probably going faster because there is no wind resitance when you are riding on your trainer or your position is too aero. If you set up a fan in front of your bike to create a head wind, you should go slower and be much cooler at the same time. :D

The magenet on the front wheel has the same effect but much more drastic.

T.J.

Same here. I have both rollers and a variable resistance trainer. I use my track bike on the rollers and my road bike on the trainer.

The rollers are great for warm-ups or cool-downs. 20-30mins. To keep from getting bored, I practice no handed riding and out of saddle sprints while trying to keep a straight line.

The trainer I use for intervals: sprint or power or both. My trainer has a power meter, so I can keep an eye on output.

Usually, 20-30mins on rollers, then an hour on the trainer.

Its a good idea to have headphones and good playlist on your ipod or computer.

I just have it in front of the big screen TV in my living room. Me and my wife both ride so we just have to switch the bikes. Thanks to work/Family I will be using the trainer now with some occasional outside rides. Plus its getting dark earlier and no bike lights yet.

We just started riding this Summer and I don't want to lose what Ive gained in strength/endurance over the winter.

I took 3 weeks off due to a work injury and boy did I lose some endurance fast. It came back quicker than when I was completely new to it thanks to muscle memory.

As for the trainer I got this one
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=4120

You really can't compare "speed" on a trainer with speed on the road. When I'm on my trainer, I just try to keep cadence & heartrate up at target levels for as long as I can.

We are very lucky in Burbank Ca. John's Bicycles offers a supervied trainer session behind the shop every Thurs. at 7 P.M. Usually 4 to 8 riders all levels coached br shop staff members all semi pro racers. Participated in our firts 1 hour session last night. Great experience ,very educational. Sandra runs the drills from her own bike. Did light resistance cadence buliding intervals.One legged low rev drills. Did climbing drills out of the saddle , out of the saddle sprints , and seated climbing. What a workout!! Great to have a real pro giving you coaching . I learnred I have big gaps in what I thought was a sweet stroke. I am totally amped about positive use of a stationary trainer to build muscle and fundamental technique.
We are going to get a second trainer and set up our garage for week night winter training. Thursday nights behind John's and ride weekends. Just when you think you are reaching a plateau or maybe getting a little bored you find that there is always so much more to learn and room to improvee I love this sport.

Wow I wonder if anyone's running classes like that in the bay area?