Getting back into it!



roadster99

New Member
Apr 28, 2007
65
2
6
Pacific Northwest
Haven't been cycling lately. I've been doing outdoor things, just not on two wheels. Well I lied, last summer I spent a lot of time on my Mtn Bike. But I've been dying to get back out on the roadie thing. I plan to use the winter months to train up and get some sort of foundation back again.

My question is this: I have like 8 old Carmichael Train Right DVD's. I plan on getting a Kinetic or CycleOps trainer (who knows, maybe even a good one like Kickr?) and including these in my "road back to fitness" thing I'm focused on currently & knock these out twice a week. Are these still applicable to today's technology & training methods? I've been out of the loop over 11 years. I still have my old 2011 Trek Madone. Even my old, worn out Sidi's. Are ye 'ol trainer & intervals still the way to go?

Obviously there are better programs out there, but in terms of cheapest way back on the bike & get some fitness levels back to ride next spring/summer/fall, give me your thoughts! I would also like some feedback on these new "online" training programs where you "race" against each other, etc. I'm no luddite by any means, but I've never ventured into the whole Peloton thing, nor have I been interested. I see it as, if I want to get on my bike & out w/people, I will go to the local shop & join the club ride, not stay home and mingle online.

Hope you guys don't mind giving some advice to an old rider looking to get back into the swing of things. Thanks in advance!
 
Hi mate, I have been off the bike for 8 months due to surgery so itching to get back on the road. You mentioned the Chris Carmichael sessions, which caught my attention. Before I invested in a Smart trainer I used the Carmichael sessions, literally wearing through the metal spindle the wheel sits on.I knew all the commentaries by heart. I found the references to “Lance” interesting also. Following the programme I had my best two years of racing ever. I’m sure there are more sophisticated programmes on Trainer road, Zwift etc but if you ride to win, or rip the legs off your mates on a club run, go for CC. Do a thorough half hour warm up before each session to get the best from them. Happy trails!
 
Get a smart trainer and a whole new world of indoor cycling options will become available to you. I have a Wahoo Kickr Snap, but there are many options available on the market.

No reason why your DVDs still can't be effective training aids, it's just that there are many more options available these days. DVDs are old technology.

My preference is for The Sufferfest for training, which is now part of the Wahoo system app. Zwift is the most popular, but there are many other options available. They all have a free 'try before you buy' period so you can check them out.

Good luck.
 
The caveat at the beginning of all the Carmichael training sessions is that the aim is not to grind you into the ground (like Sufferfest and Trainer Road). If you don’t want to shell out large amounts of cash on a smart trainer, then considering your age (same as mine) a standard turbo and your DVD player will bring your fitness up fast. Structured training on the cheap!