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Best option for Pain Cave setup
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I've never been a super-dedicated trainer guy, I get on 1-2 times/week in the winter and now in SoCal weather will be less of an issue - but daylight is more scarce no matter what the weather and I'm sure I can make some gains if I get busy over the 'winter'. I'm planning on making use of what I have before I drop for a smart trainer - but I have a few options on how to set it up so thought I would ask for some crowd sourced wisdom.

I've got a dumb mag trainer, and iPad and stand and assorted BLE and ANT goodies to get all the metrics up into my app of choice. Leaning towards Sufferfest, but will also give TR and Zwift a try. My questions are on bike setup. ( all standard quick-release w/ rim brakes )

Option 1 - New Roadie

Quark Dzero with carbon rims, could just clamp in and ride, but this will be what I ride outside on, so would rather not chew up the tire. Could swap in ALU rim, but I'm concerned about brake pads in case I grab them now and then.


Option 2 - TT bike

could set up with PowerTap and trainer tire for semi-permanent pain station, but power output is a bit lower, and not as good for stand-and-hammer. Does help with aero position training...


Option 3 - Old Roadie

Was planning to sell /donate to clear space in the garage, but it still a good fit, could run with same PT wheel. This would make me a bit of a liar, 'cause I told sweetie the new bike would replace the old one, not add to the count...


Leaning towards the TT setup, but looking for input on anybody who has worked through similar.


" I take my gear out of my car and put my bike together. Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafes. Non-racers. The emptiness of of their lives shocks me. "
(opening lines from Tim Krabbe's The Rider , 1978
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Re: Best option for Pain Cave setup [TriDevilDog] [ In reply to ]
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Because 20 bucks for a tire every couple of months is a big expense?

https://markmcdermott.substack.com
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Re: Best option for Pain Cave setup [TriDevilDog] [ In reply to ]
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Personally, I prefer a TT bike on the trainer over a road bike (roadie just feels weird, too upright). I get up out of the saddle now and again to give the crotch a bit of a break, but make an effort not to move the frame side to side. None of my trainer sessions would require any get up and hammer efforts. More threshold / VO2 work
Last edited by: ChrisM: Nov 7, 17 13:54
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Re: Best option for Pain Cave setup [TriDevilDog] [ In reply to ]
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I've always assumed a TT trainer is the best option for training to ride a TT race. Or, to be more specific, a TT position that is as close as possible to your race position. But is there any reason you can't try and replicate that with the old road bike? You can do all sort of odd things like get a really ugly seat post that gets the saddle forward. The front end doesn't actually need to steer safely so you can use any arrangement you like. You could go to a metal workers and get them to weld two stems together to give you any position. Or weld something directly to the frame. Get the cheaper version of the saddle you use on your TT bike. Just get a good fit on your race bike and then do whatever you need to get those coordinates replicated on a static frame that never needs to turn a corner. Personally I'd rather spend money on a good trainer than a bike for the trainer.
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