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What's the best way to start indoor training?
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I'm 52- did a 70.3 distance race this year (St. George) as well as a century (Palm Springs) and a half marathon (San Francisco), and looking to hopefully (if the November marathon works out) work towards a full distance next year. I have a commuter bike to try and get the miles in during the week, but often the work schedule doesn't permit it. I want to get more miles in during the week as well as take advantage of power meter and increase my speed. Trying to figure out the best way to do it. I don't currently have a power meter.

I've had a cheap spin bike (no electronics) for a few years, and rarely use it. I'd like to get set up to make it more enjoyable... thinking zwift or sufferfest. Willing to buy a new tv/apple tv to add to the set up. Here's the options as I see it:

1) keep cheap spin bike and add power pedals (probably garmin). Add tv and apple tv and zwift

2) purchase a "zwift friendly" spin bike (costly- their list of compatibles runs between $1500 and $2000). But then I don't have to lug my tri bike up and down the stairs and remove rear wheel when I want to use it. Add tv/apple/zwift.

3) purchase a smart trainer (prefer direct drive like the cycleops hammer) - Add tv/apple/zwift. (about half the cost of #2- but then I have the hassle of the bike up stairs from garage).


Any thoughts/ advice from ST indoor users would be greatly appreciated!
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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Option #3... The Zwift/Smart Trainer combo makes the indoor sessions more tolerable. Although it sucks to move you bike up/down from time to time, it shouldn't take long. Just leave the tri bike on the trainer and enjoy being able to hop into a training session with less than five minutes of prep. Then do your regular outdoor riding with the normal amount of gathering and prep that it takes to train outside. There are some really good smart trainer options out now at lower cost. The new Wahoo is supposedly silent.

One thought: Whatever you do, make sure you have an option to have Zwift AND something else to do like watch a movie... I go with Zwift on a laptop running off an Elite Directo and Netflix on TV.

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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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I went with a Kurt kunetic road machine with inride pod and a TR plan. The KK cost me $300ish compared to the smart trainers I was considering.

So far after 12 weeks it was the best decision I could have made.
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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Whatever option lets you get a power meter for your bike is #1. You will want a PM all the time if you start using power indoors.
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [STP] [ In reply to ]
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Looks like option #3 is it.... and a power meter for the bike :)

thanks!
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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FYI - Colorado cyclist has the Wahoo Kickr on sale for $999, while supplies last.
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Acsp34] [ In reply to ]
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I went with a similar set up mentioned above got a kk road machine and bought a pair of garmin vectors. Couldn’t be more pleased with how it has worked out for me. Great trainer at an affordable price and power inside and out.

Turned out I like trainer road more than zwift but that’s just me.
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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Option 3.5: Buy smart trainer and a cheap bike to put on it. It's a trainer, it won't matter if it has an alloy frame, external cables, crappy wheels/tyres, etc
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [MattyK] [ In reply to ]
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I thought about that- maybe putting the road bike on the trainer to avoid dragging the tri bike in and out. Seems like a good plan.
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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As an alternative to Zwift, you might also consider watching movies or TV.

I use manual ERG mode for intervals as they require my complete attention, but used Zwift for longer rides to pass the time more quickly which it did pretty well.

But Zwift isn't as fun when riding slow and I found the artificial undulations and shifting somewhat annoying as boring speeds.

So I decided to try a two hour endurance ride at fixed power and watch a movie following by a bit of YouTube and it was great!

The trainer handled the power for me and all I had to do watch pedal and be entertained.

I took a 30 second micro-break every 10 minutes just to relieve pressure and change positions.

The last 20-30 minutes were challenging just as they would have been outside. It was awesome and I'm hooked.

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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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I personally ha CycleOps magnus + Zwift on laptop with ANT dongle.
Works great.

I typically only ride indoors during the week an outside on weekends, so only popping the bike on and off twice a week at most. Too many issues riding early AM or after work to ride outside during the week. Trust me, I can get some nasty trainer work in that not riding on the road is not a limiter.

Ryan
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http://www.TriathlonTrainingDaddy.com
I got plans - https://www.trainingpeaks.com/...dotcom#trainingplans
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Re: What's the best way to start indoor training? [Doubravsky] [ In reply to ]
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I'm a Trainerroad fan myself. So #3, alternate 1.

I throw my road bike on my trainer, run TR on my phone with a $5 ANT+ dongle, and watch something on TV - that's louder than the fan and ac 😆.

I do use a dumb trainer off the approved list, and AFAIK it works great
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