you might want to think about getting the Delorme software to map out your real courses. I just got it this week and it is amazing and very useful. Not just for putting my real courses onto the computrainer, but anytime I want to check out a specific course for distance or hills etc, I use this software. It's another $150 but it is well worth the extra.

Other than that, there are a few easier courses built in. If you have the 3D version, there are a couple of 20 - 25 mile relatively flat courses.

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Mike Plumb, TriPower MultiSports
Professional Running, Cycling and Multisport Coaching, F.I.S.T. Certified
http://www.tripower.org

Thanks for the advice. I've always wondered about that and now I'll have to check it out. So does this allow me to make a course from anywhere in the US? So can I "build" the courses of my local races or feel what it's like to ride up Beartooth Pass in MT from my bedroom or the hill in my own neighborhood?

In theory,...yes. However, the Topo Software is not complete in it's database... There are certain areas that do not include certain roads. In fact, in my area there are majar highways that have been there for 15+ yrs. and are not in the software.

Joe Moya

I had the same frustration in that there isn't any information that ties the different courses to the type of workout that you are trying to accomplish. I think that this is just one of those things that you have to learn by doing. I have had my CPT since October and have probably only used 6 or 7 different courses so far so I am not practicing what I am preaching. But, just last week I used the Central Park course for the first time and did 3 loops. It has rolling hills, nothing major, so you should be able to spin without getting your HR up too far. Something else you can do is cut pieces of a longer course out to make another course. So if you have a long course that the first 30 miles are(were) relatively flat (e.g. IMCDA) take a piece of that and cut and paste some of that to use as your flat course. I do not yet own the Topo add on but have also heard that the database of available roads is limited for some parts of the country. I heard that they used 1990 census information, instead of USGS or similar info. Why not e-mail the guys at Computrainer and ask them for recommendations for courses that will fit your intended workout? Tim and Paul have both been very responsive to my requests. JKW.

Depending on the workout. For technique and spin workouts (especially early season) I use the flat 10miles with spin scan. For a fitness check: Coors Bismark. For hills: though there are a few in there I make my own, its pretty easy. I make it to suit the actual course I am going to race. I also used the IM NZ course in prep for the race and I am totally sick of it. For fast spin I use the motor pace, also the 10mile flat with draft is great to get the legs going fast, also helps with that AnaTh work by overtaking the pacer from time to time. I will ride Richter course in prep for IMC this yr.

Downhills: from time to time I ride a rolling course with emphasis on keeping high watts on the down hills, you can get a fair workout this way as you need to get the cadence up and gears high to keep the watts up.

I have found the CT to be harder than outdoors because I have used every moment that I am on the CT as a workout not just another ride. For recovery I prefer to go outside with the road bike and cruise. Somewhere along the way I have come to associate the CT with sweat and hard work!

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Simple Simon
Where's the Fried Chicken??

Bosco,

Here are a few courses I like in the "less-vertically-challenging" category. The elevation aspect is from memory, so caveat pedalor.

blue_country

Chris_winter_spin (~2% hill max)

Ktownlong56km and Ktownshort30km

winsta32

Also, the Kona sections aren't too vertically challenging, and wind isn't too bad on the computrainer :-) They can be found at

http://www.computrainer.com/...urses/3dcourses.html

There are lots of other courses to choose from there as well as links to other sites with courses. When I'm doing my CP30 workouts I'm kind of anal about keeping +/-5 watts of goal, so I just program in as many laps of flat_course as I need for the distance.



You could always slap on a cassette with more cogs. I keep a 12-27 on my bike all the time because I like to ride in steep territory on the road. It's also nice in that it allows me to choose virtually any computrainer course and not have to grind up the steeper hills of the course at 40 rpm.



Dan