Prefer indoor trainer to real biking?

[Pendejo]

For the past few years I've shuffled back and forth between two homes every few weeks. My original and main location is adequate for cycling, and that's where I train on the roads. The other location sucks for biking (Miami) and so I joined a gym just for their stationary bikes. After a year of this, I'm now shocked to find that I almost prefer the indoor trainer. The training is concentrated, controlled, and efficient. No worries about weather, wind, or accidents.

Has anyone else experienced this, or should I see a shrink?

 

[Sillyoldtwit]

For the past few years I've shuffled back and forth between two homes every few weeks. My original and main location is adequate for cycling, and that's where I train on the roads. The other location sucks for biking (Miami) and so I joined a gym just for their stationary bikes. After a year of this, I'm now shocked to find that I almost prefer the indoor trainer. The training is concentrated, controlled, and efficient. No worries about weather, wind, or accidents.

Has anyone else experienced this, or should I see a shrink?

Hi PD, as you probably know (or don't know, ) most of my training since January has been conducted indoors, and I agree with your last sentence. However, I have to admit it's great to get out on the bike in the real world on Sundays - to hear the whirr of the tires, the twitching of the sensitive stallion between my legs, the rush of air as you descend a mountain at 60kph plus, the scenery etc.
Also mastering a climb which used to pose a problem, and finally the thrill of turning on the power at will on the flat.

Yes, perhaps you should see a shrink! TYson

 

[frenchyge]

Has anyone else experienced this, or should I see a shrink?

I can't wait to get back to the lab again this winter.

Last year I really didn't know what to expect in my first season of race training, so I set my goal at 350w FTP.

This year I know a lot more, and can set a much more reasonable goal.... 350w FTP.

 

[Bigbananabike]

Hi PD, as you probably know (or don't know, ) most of my training since January has been conducted indoors, and I agree with your last sentence. However, I have to admit it's great to get out on the bike in the real world on Sundays - to hear the whirr of the tires, the twitching of the sensitive stallion between my legs, the rush of air as you descend a mountain at 60kph plus, the scenery etc.
Also mastering a climb which used to pose a problem, and finally the thrill of turning on the power at will on the flat.

Yes, perhaps you should see a shrink! TYson

==========================================================
The "stallion between my legs" - I prefer to ride a BIKE and keep the "stallion" in my pants!!

 

[wiredued]

Indoor riding is more focused and concentrated if I could get some fresh air at the same time I would prefer it.

 

[RickF]

Indoor riding is more focused and concentrated if I could get some fresh air at the same time I would prefer it.

It is the air quality (or lack thereof) that keeps me inside on some days. During the spring tree pollen season and high ozone days in the summer, I much prefer to be inside. At other times, I prefer to be on the road, but my wife always prefers to be inside. When she is on the road, she complains that it is too hot, too cold, too much traffic, too many potholes . . .

 

[wiredued]

Sounds like fitness is your main goal I feel the same way I remember the LBS owner trying to sell me a lighter bike so I could go faster. I had been concentrating on increasing power to get speed so I couldn't relate to the lightness = speed route I might think otherwise if I went on a group ride at this stage and got my doors blown off. You might want to get some local raw honey to put in your water bottle it makes great bike fuel and reduces allergies.

It is the air quality (or lack thereof) that keeps me inside on some days. During the spring tree pollen season and high ozone days in the summer, I much prefer to be inside. At other times, I prefer to be on the road, but my wife always prefers to be inside. When she is on the road, she complains that it is too hot, too cold, too much traffic, too many potholes . . .

 

[frenchyge]

It is the air quality (or lack thereof) that keeps me inside on some days. During the spring tree pollen season and high ozone days in the summer, I much prefer to be inside. At other times, I prefer to be on the road, but my wife always prefers to be inside. When she is on the road, she complains that it is too hot, too cold, too much traffic, too many potholes . . .

Complaining wives...... what a great reason to ride outside.

 

[kopride]

For the past few years I've shuffled back and forth between two homes every few weeks. My original and main location is adequate for cycling, and that's where I train on the roads. The other location sucks for biking (Miami) and so I joined a gym just for their stationary bikes. After a year of this, I'm now shocked to find that I almost prefer the indoor trainer. The training is concentrated, controlled, and efficient. No worries about weather, wind, or accidents.

Has anyone else experienced this, or should I see a shrink?

Tough to beat the efficiency of indoors. Also, arguably safer if you are really pushing it to the limit, no traffic, etc. I use the hour test. If I have more than an hour to ride, I will ride outside. Anything less, can't beat a 40 -60 minute high intensity indoor ride. Big fan of Tivo, to watch all the ****, I miss. It's just a matter of keeping the HR numbers in the zone. If I am feeling really hard core, throw in a spinnerval tape.

 

[KellyT]

Has anyone else experienced this, or should I see a shrink?

Well for the last three nights we have had to use the Tacx trainers, which are permanently set up in the garage. Howling winds, bending the trees over in our garden - horrible.

And, today it was glorious and we could get out for a decent circuit in lovely weather (not that I expect it'll last). I MUCH prefer to get out and cycle 'for real', the trainer is really convenient, but sorry, it's a longway from the proper experience for me. You must be addicted to the endorphine rush, rather than the whole cycling thing I suspect.

 

[jhuskey]

I'd rather have the **** beat out of me than get on that trainer the first time ever season, but I will do it when the time comes.

 

[Powerful Pete]

I'd rather have the **** beat out of me than get on that trainer the first time ever season, but I will do it when the time comes.

I am with you on this one. Quality time in a Taleban jail is preferable to trainer time.

However, I must face reality, with the change in the time and the absence of daylight hours after work for riding, I simply cannot ride that much (or rather hardly at all) in the winter. Every winter = almost complete loss of fitness and ~+5kgs....

I am getting older and it takes longer and longer (and more pain!) to get back into passable shape...

 

[normZurawski]

Quality time in a Taleban jail is preferable to trainer time

That's really interesting because I've just been incarcerated by the Taliban and they let me bring my trainer.

I got the trainer this year so I've yet to experience a full winter with it. I've been on it for recovery spins (30m) which seem like 120m. Interval session when it rains are better, but as many have mentioned, the first interval is just brutal.

 

[kopride]

I am with you on this one. Quality time in a Taleban jail is preferable to trainer time.

However, I must face reality, with the change in the time and the absence of daylight hours after work for riding, I simply cannot ride that much (or rather hardly at all) in the winter. Every winter = almost complete loss of fitness and ~+5kgs....

I am getting older and it takes longer and longer (and more pain!) to get back into passable shape...

Brief and brutal is the only way to ride a trainer. Putting "base" miles on a trainer is cruel and unusual punishment. People hate trainers because they try and ride them like they ride outdoors. Two hours on a trainer is awfully boring while the same time flies by outdoors. But a spinnervals like hour session on an indoor trainer is invaluable for improving fitness so the outdoor rides are more fun. Unless you live in a traffic free enviroment, it is just tough to ride that way outdoors.

 

[kopride]

That's really interesting because I've just been incarcerated by the Taliban and they let me bring my trainer.

Then the middle east countries have really improved in jail training from the "Midnight Express" era. I used to be the best you could hope for in you average middle east prison was walking around that basement circle with Randy Quaid, or wrestling with some big enforcer. Hopefully prison sex has imporved beyond trying to lick your girlfriend's nipple from behind the glass, a la Midnight Express. Call Oliver Stone and see if he can film you training with the Taliban, it would make a great flick. I have to think that Taliban style clothing is going to be pretty chaffing but if you have a good power meter, what do you really care

 

[frenchyge]

People hate trainers because they try and ride them like they ride outdoors. Two hours on a trainer is awfully boring while the same time flies by outdoors.

Totally agree with the brief and brutal approach, but here are a couple things that I do for longer sessions:

1) all intervals, all the time - even if it's going to be a 2+ hour ride I break it down into gear or intensity changes every couple minutes, stand and crank for 1 minute every time the clock reaches a multiple of 5 then ride steady for 4, change something with each new song, etc.
2) mentally put myself outside - visualize riding with my buddies, putting the hurt on them, climbing, breaking away, etc. Personally, I find TV, movies, or sports kinda distracting if they're not biking related, but I have a good imagination. Try www.cycling.tv if you have a computer handy near your trainer.
3) combine 1 & 2 - I like to simulate a paceline/breakaway ride, where I imagine how many people there are (usually 3-5, including me) and we each pull for 1 minute. I ride above threshold for 1 minute, then just below for the 2-4 minutes while I imagine the other guys working through. I can get in the zone while the miles fly by in this mode. Then, of course, I ditch them at the end with a couple attacks and win the TdF! Yay!!!

 

[normZurawski]

Personally, I find TV, movies, or sports kinda distracting if they're not biking related

If I'm watching sports and not doing a specific workout, I'll work the game into the workout. For instance, when a play is running, I'll sprint as had as I can, then come down during the huddle. Obviously this pertains to football and not, say, basketball. This method fails to ever get me past halftime, however. YMMV.

 

[Pendejo]

If I'm watching sports and not doing a specific workout, I'll work the game into the workout. For instance, when a play is running, I'll sprint as had as I can, then come down during the huddle. Obviously this pertains to football and not, say, basketball. This method fails to ever get me past halftime, however. YMMV.

I don't listen to music or have any other distractions when I'm working hard on the indoor trainer. I want to "be as one with the pain," to study it and monitor it. After all, in a time trial that's exactly the situation you'll be in. Of course, I also refuse Novocain for all dental work, including getting teeth ground down to the nub for a crown. (I have made an exception for a wisdom tooth extraction!)

 

[dhk2]

I don't listen to music or have any other distractions when I'm working hard on the indoor trainer. I want to "be as one with the pain," to study it and monitor it. After all, in a time trial that's exactly the situation you'll be in. Of course, I also refuse Novocain for all dental work, including getting teeth ground down to the nub for a crown. (I have made an exception for a wisdom tooth extraction!)

I like the ability to focus on power output, cadence and HR on the Lifecycle trainer vs riding outdoors. What I don't like is the lack of cooling airflow that you naturally get on the bike. The YMCA is air-conditioned, but they have no cooling fans to point at the trainers. Without the outdoor airflow, the additional cooling load on the heart causes me a steady HR creep and some really heavy sweating.

Do most of you doing serious indoor training use a big cooling fan? When I trained at home, I found a box fan pointed on me made a big difference.

 

[normZurawski]

I don't listen to music or have any other distractions when I'm working hard on the indoor trainer. I want to "be as one with the pain," to study it and monitor it. After all, in a time trial that's exactly the situation you'll be in. Of course, I also refuse Novocain for all dental work, including getting teeth ground down to the nub for a crown. (I have made an exception for a wisdom tooth extraction!)

That's not a bad thing (the bike routine not your dental preferences). I've read in several places that you should always be assessing yourself, how you feel, what you need, etc. A study of (I think) marathon runners found that the top half of the field would often be thinking about tactics or their physical situation, whereas the lower half were often thinking about work problems and the like, in an effort to mentally block out the pain. One presumes the people really having a hard time were thinking of their recent dental visits.