Hours on the trainer?

I hate the indoor training, so I end up cutting back. Sitting there not going anywhere is torture. I may run a little to make up for the lack of bike time though.

I spend a half hour on the rollers each day, and I don't use it as a replacement for outdoor time. I use it as a combination of active recovery and to develop technique. As for the outdoor time, there are very few days that I don't go out on the road or worst case, take the mtb out on the trails.

fabiosav said:

How much time do spend on an indoor trainer per week? Spread out how (eg 1 hr day/ 3 on week end) What kind of rider are you? Do you replace missed out-door ride time 1 to 1, or cut back? 😕

Riding outdoors during the week is simply not possible after the time shift at the end of October here in Maryland (USA) unless you are willing to ride in the dark (not me). Last year I averaged about 6 hours a week on the trainer between Nov 1, through the end of March. I road outside on the weekend when weather allowed. Ended up increasing my average speed over my winter training regime and entered my first year of racing, placing in the top 10 of 5 of my 8 cat 5 races.

3 serious sessions per week, 45mins-1hour + a few half hour spins in the mornign, most work days.

i kind of relish riding the turbo because of the precision you can achieve in your training, especially if you have something thats programmable so that it constantly readjusts the match of cadence&resistance to achieve a steady heart rate or power. (eg Tacx Grand Excel)

i think its best suited for interval work, although very unsuited to longer base or tempo rides. and unfortunately unsuited to sprint training, because the development of resistance/feel just doesnt respond right.

I use my spin bike to replace missed sessions on the road. I also agree that it is best for Intervals as you can be very precise with the HR and cadence etc, rather than having to deal with external factors like traffic, lights, uphills & downhills etc. Long rides on the turbo are torture - even if you have something to watch on the TV.

I once heard someone say that an hour on the indoor trainer is worth two on the road - mostly because of the lack of the stop/start/drafting/coasting as you would on the road.

James Dalton said:

I use my spin bike to replace missed sessions on the road. I also agree that it is best for Intervals as you can be very precise with the HR and cadence etc, rather than having to deal with external factors like traffic, lights, uphills & downhills etc. Long rides on the turbo are torture - even if you have something to watch on the TV.

I once heard someone say that an hour on the indoor trainer is worth two on the road - mostly because of the lack of the stop/start/drafting/coasting as you would on the road.

What works best for me is to mix it up. One day do a spinerval, the next a custom session where there is something different to do every 3 mins. The next a 30 min time trial with some warm ups before and spin sessions afterwards. Throw in a movie every once in a while. It does get pretty old still come late February. I was climbing the walls near the end of the winter. Hope to get out more on the weekends this winter and maybe hit the gym twice a week. I know there is much debate about weight room work, but more interested in keeping up the bone density and keeping away the bordom.

I find just under 2 hours on the trainer is aproximately equal to 4 hours on the road because I tend to coast on the road and there are no stop lights on the trainer. This is a long slow distance ride 70% MHR that I do ussually only once a week if the weather is bad. Other days would ussually be less than an hour.

I am now doing 3-4 serious sessions a week, mainly with spinervals, so at 1.5 hours a session I am averaging 4.5~6 hours a week on the trainer. 🙁

I already feel the difference in a positive way - usually I end up putting on at least 5 kgs in the winter and starting to work them off at the beginning of the season. I have already lost 3 kgs with three weeks of indoor weeknight training (ehm... I have quite a few more to lose... :o ) while watching my diet.

I still ride outside on the weekends. Now let us see if I can last out the winter, but on work days I simply do not have enough daylight to ride!

Powerful Pete said:

I am now doing 3-4 serious sessions a week, mainly with spinervals, so at 1.5 hours a session I am averaging 4.5~6 hours a week on the trainer. 🙁

I already feel the difference in a positive way - usually I end up putting on at least 5 kgs in the winter and starting to work them off at the beginning of the season. I have already lost 3 kgs with three weeks of indoor weeknight training (ehm... I have quite a few more to lose... :o ) while watching my diet.

I still ride outside on the weekends. Now let us see if I can last out the winter, but on work days I simply do not have enough daylight to ride!

Worked for me last winter. Went from 170 lbs to 140 lbs. Now if you can just handle the bordom.