911Steve

I was just kidding... I just needed to get you to read.

I just got a mag resistance trainer and used it for the first time. I'm not really sure what to expect. I did about 10 miles in half hour but it almost seemed too easy. Then again, I couldn't get my cadence up above my usual rate on the road. I was in a higher than usual gear, just one higher than usual. I tried downshifting and spinning faster, but couldn't seem to keep it up above normal.

I'm not really sure what to expect from this thing. Should it feel more difficult or easier than the street? What should I be feeling?

Thanks for helping a noob out!

garysol1 

I always wear my helmet. The driver on the small bus said I had to.........

CastIron

Yes. Different head when indoors.

Dchiefransom

My mag trainer has 6 resistance settings. Regular flat road riding feels like somewhere between settings 2 and 3. Set yours higher and you'll feel it.

daytonian

Can you adjust the resistance on it?

Joe Dog

Trainers feel quite different than the road - I have noticed that sometimes it feels "almost too easy" as well, but that's usually when I am taking it too easy. If I do a Spinervals or other workout that sets cadence, I get a much tougher workout. My trainer ( a CycleOps) also has a resistance setting - I think the lowest setting is less resistance than riding on a level road - its almost like riding on rollers or foing down a very slight hill. Setting my trainer resistance to about 1/3 of the way up the agony scale seems to get it close to a flat road - cranking it all the way up simulates a long grinding hill pretty effectively. I suspect they are all different, so play around with yours to find what's right on yours.

Give it time and get a video or DVD to train with to start - you'll probably find that is both more interesting and a better workout. Good luck and wear your helmet!!

ed073

funny.....

DXchulo

On the trainer I say ignore speed and distance. You're not on the road, and you aren't going to create conditions that are just like the road (and I'd question whether you'd really want to do that anyway).

The numbers that really matter are these: heart rate and cadence. Your heart rate tells you how hard you're going, which is the most important thing. Here's the tricky thing- your heart rate won't be the same as it is on the road. You're better off going for a max HR inside on the trainer and using that in place of your max you use on the road (max HR is usually lower inside).

Basically you want a feel for how hard you're going. From there you can do intervals, cadence work, and all of those things that make the trainer fun.

lws

I ride rollers, so I have considered wearing a helmet. If I suddenly stop posting, know you will know why.

It's harder to keep a cadence up on a trainer because the wheel doesn't coast through the weak spot in your pedal stroke, so you have to pull all the way around. Rollers are nicer that way.

RoboCheme

Wouldn't that be an advantage to a trainer in that it would "train" you to strenghten the weak spot in your stroke?

AtlAllez

rollers improve your pedel stroke and power outlet. They inprove your balance and i heard somebody say ,"now my bike feels like it's on rails on the downhills."