Yes, you will definitely see results. It's the best $10 a month you could ever spend on Triathlon

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

You'll be all set up with the addition of a speed/cadence sensor and a dongle (double check against their list of what you need). It's definitely worth it and the TR guys are also pretty amazing in terms of answering questions you might have (here or on Twitter).

Yes. It is excellent.

Many of the biggest success stories we see come from athletes who add structure into their winter training for the first time. Virtual Power is a great option, you just want to focus on maintaining consistency in your setup from workout to workout. Keeping variables like tire type, tire pressure, skewer tension, etc. constant will provide you with consistent power readings and provide quality workouts each time you train. Here's a good article for getting started with VP: Virtual Power Setup and Tips

As long as your iPad has native Bluetooth 4.0, you don't even need an ANT key. Instead, you can get a BT speed/cadence sensor which will talk directly to your iPad, and you'll be good to go. However, if you want to record HR (I'm assuming your Polar is ANT+), you would need an ANT key for your iPad as well. That decision is up to you, but all of our recommended devices and setups, both Bluetooth and ANT, are included and linked in this article: Minimum Hardware Requirements

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Professional Mountain Biker and Community Manager at TrainerRoad - Cycling's Most Effective Training Tool

Looking at giving the virtual power a go myself, as there will be a period of a couple of months this winter when I am away from home and wont have my kikr (but will have access to a supported tacx magnetic trainer. If using a mac, a 920xt and the latest speed/cadence sensor, which USB ant+ stick would you guys recommend?? Preferably one with an EU accessible website/store!

http://www.bike-discount.de/en/buy/suunto-movestick-mini-65145?currency=3&delivery_country=190&gclid=Cj0KEQjwx_WuBRDJ7tSK2-W0pJkBEiQAEWgR8FbVgqOfj7oabQwwl2p09_tUU6qGWdKog76GnUjB8LYaAg_S8P8HAQ

You will see noticeable results just from doing random workouts with some intervals/variability in them as opposed to just pedaling at a constant effort for a given time as most people are want to do on a trainer.

The real big benefit comes from doing their training plans. If you have never had a coach before and done a structured long term training plan, you should see huge results if you spend the winter doing a series of TrainerRoad training plans. Its about 80% of what you get from having a really good coach and 100% of what you get from having the typical run of the mill coach who just pumps out cookie cutter workouts, all for just $10 a month. Basically you're getting the same quality of workout plan you'd get from a $100-$150/mo coaching package from a good coach for $10/mo just with no personal feedback.

I've seen huge improvements after using it the last 2 winters to do 20 weeks of training plans without a power meter.

The virtual power thing really works, just do not get fixated on whether or not the numbers are "accurate." They may not match what you would get from a power meter but they are very consistent which is all you need for training purposes.

Check out this article and scroll down to the "TrainerRoad Recommends" section. There are 3 great options there, all of which can be found on Amazon for a good price: ANT+ Connectivity

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Professional Mountain Biker and Community Manager at TrainerRoad - Cycling's Most Effective Training Tool

I did my first winter on TR last year and I went from a 70-100 placing at local events to top 20 consistently throughout this season. My FTP went from 195 to 260 in the time I was doing winter workouts and that resulted in some pretty awesome bike splits this year. I think the key thing you will gain, if you hit the targets of the sessions, is the ability to suffer just a little bit longer than you would have on your own accord. I've had times where those final 2 minutes of an interval took everything I had but if I didn't have that timer I would have easily stopped. Being determined to hit the targets gives you a new mental edge while racing IMO.

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"Train so you have no regrets @ the finish line"

I would definitely give it a shot. I'm one of many, many people that can attest to how much TrainerRoad has helped their bike fitness. For $10/month (and even cheaper I believe if you sign on for a year), you get virtual power which for most of us is very effective if you, like me, cannot afford a power meter. You also get a huge library of workouts and training plans all built towards any specific goal you have. I am a personal fan of their sufferfest workouts which I have repeated a couple times this year for a real challenge and a boost to current power. I have also had success with their 40K TT plan and the triathlon plans as well.

With that said, you will need to do some research for a dongle through amazon and get all of the technology set up before you can start. I use a windows laptop and an ANT stick so I am not as familiar with the dongle with an iPad, but I do know that TrainerRoad now has an app that you can download to your device. Once you get all of that figured out (which isn't much), a couple things to keep in mind so you get the most out of TR:

1. Get a good baseline with their 8' or 20' tests
2. Keep your PSI in your rear tire as consistent as possible (I use 100 psi)
3. Keep the tension on your trainer the same for every workout
4. Try to keep other variables such as air temperature the same
5. You may need to replace your rear tire more often because of the wear (I don't do this as often as I should, but the wear can also affect your consistency)
6. Since you are inside, you will need a cooling system which may be a fan or two (or 3) to keep yourself cool
7. Towels are your friend - if you sweat like I do on the trainer, you will need towels and maybe even some plastic to save your headset and other parts of your bike

With this said, I love riding on my trainer. If you hate the trainer, this can change how you feel about it, especially after you see results. Make sure that you select your trainer on TR before you start as they estimate power based on power curves specific to each trainer. Hope you take the leap because if you do, there's no doubt that you will get faster. Have fun with the pain.

yes. Low $$$ commitment if you're unhappy, which you won't be.

As an added bonus Nate and Chad are REALLY helpful and great to bounce questions off of in the huge thread here on the site.

After my race, I'll continue the service.

Oh, and by the way, Mary Austin is a real bitch......(when you do that workout, you'll understand)

TrainerRoad+Sufferfest = A winter of torturous fun. Make sure you try the "Tour of Sufferlandria" in January.

Just came off my first winter with these two in tandem and I almost didn't want to go back outside.

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---Patrick

IMMT2014 IMFLA2015
IMMT703-2012/2014 IMFLA703-2013

A couple tips on the plans. The training plans are varied but come 3 general stages - base; build and specialty with phases in each. And each plan generally has 3 volume options; low, mid and high.

Resist the temptation to just pick the high volume track because you want to be a badass. The value in doing any training plan over time is doing every single workout and then hitting as much of the targets within the workout as possible. You want to pick plan where you will rarely miss a workout and you will rarely fail to make each individual target in a workout. Your power is factored into the targets and you test every 4 weeks or so to see if you need to increase your power number and thus your targets so proper effort is factored in as you move along. the cool thing about a decent power based training plan is the workouts are set up so while you will be suffering greatly at times, they take you just close enough to cracking so you can see hell but they never quite totally break you, or at least not break you bad enough that you can't do the next workout. The plans are structured so that over time you build fatigue, you then take advantage of that for further gains, then back off a bit to recover. Rinse and repeat as the winter/spring goes on. Just like the pros do it.

Doing 95% of a mid volume plan track is 10,000 times better than hitting 60-70% of a high volume plan targets and skipping entire workouts because you are crushed.

If you have the time, you can go high volume but I know plenty of very good cyclists who've made significant improvements doing mid volume level work all winter. Actually, all my friend who got real coaches actually cut back on volume once they had someone telling them what to do. The key is constancy and hitting the targets, not get generating hours on the bike.

You monitor indoor tire pressure the same way you monitor it when going for a ride outdoors - simply pump it to the same PSI each time before you throw the bike on the trainer and start riding.

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Professional Mountain Biker and Community Manager at TrainerRoad - Cycling's Most Effective Training Tool

Absolutely. I really loved the results I saw from it and grew to love riding indoors because of it. I'm in a run focus at the moment and not really riding much. What I miss most is the trainer and TrainerRoad. Hard to believe.

Fixed it for ya BryanD.

TR is an awesome resource.

It's worth my $10. I have seen FTP improvements from it (small) after being pretty stagnant for a year.

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Ironman Certified Coach

Currently accepting limited number of new athletes

yes & yes!

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Team Every Man Jack

http://www.teamemj.com

Related questions:

would you suggest trainer road plan or sufferfest plan? if you had to pick one?

Trainer Road...

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Team Every Man Jack

http://www.teamemj.com

what plan? base? sweet spot? kind of want to get one more blast to my FTP before i settle into a tradition IM plan for IMLP next yr--

If you want a blast to FTP- Olympic!

D

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Team Every Man Jack

http://www.teamemj.com

Best money I have ever spent in triathlon. Took me from a MOP biker to FOP in 1 1/2 years

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Yellowfin Endurance Coaching and Bike Fits
USAT Level 1, USAC Level 3