Last year for my HIMs I did maybe 1 indoor bike workout per week and 2-3 outdoor rides. This year, I’m in a new city with fewer good cycling paths (non-existent for road bikes going fast-ish) so I feel I might better off with more indoor bike workouts. Wondering what others here are doing. What percentage of your bike workouts are indoors?
I have moved on from triathlon to pure cycling (for now at least). My indoor rides are 4-5 a week while my outdoor rides are 1-2 a week.
I have moved on from triathlon to pure cycling (for now at least). My indoor rides are 4-5 a week while my outdoor rides are 1-2 a week.
4-5 is a lot. How long are those workouts? I’ve used trainerroad and I do like that. And some of the internal GCN youtube workouts I like. It’s a little harder, for me, to get the most out of a workout riding outdoors. There are too many variables. I think something like trainerroad forces me to stay “in the workout”.
I’m really trying to amp up my cycling this year so minimum ride is 1 hour, maximum indoor ride is 2 hours unless I have to sub out my regular outdoor long ride on the weekend. Then I may go 3 hours. Most indoor rides are 60-90 minutes though. I use a power meter and TrainerRoad and sometimes do Sufferfest videos on TrainerRoad. I’m sick though - I enjoy indoor riding. I find that most people do not.
I basically have done 99% of my bike training on an indoor bike trainer for a few years. If it works for Andy Potts, and some other top Pro’s, it can work for anyone.
I should mention the reason for the large number of indoor vs outdoor rides. Kids’ sports have taken over my family’s after-work schedule most days of the week. Luckily they don’t schedule baseball practice at 4:30am…yet.
In the winter I generally ride indoors 6 times / week. Up to around 12 hours. I usually do a minimum of 1.5 hours. I’ve done up to 4 hours. I have not yet had the ambition to go 5 hours 
I also do almost all my riding before the wife and kids are ready to get the important activities for the day going. I generally swim at noon hour. Run when I can.
95+% indoor. I only get to bike when kids are asleep. Doesn’t sound like your problem though.
Why not go a little out of town and ride there?
All of my cycling training is indoors. College engineering student, train 14-17 hours/week total. Typically ride 3-4 times per week for a total of 6-8 hours. Minimum ride is an hour (rarely, mostly when cutting back in the few days before a race), longest is 3 hours. Typically ride Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday/Sunday. One short interval day (Tuesday), one or two longer interval days (usually Thursday/Saturday), and the Sunday ride is usually easy/steady endurance (2 hours).
Riding indoors is extremely effective. Went from an FTP in the low 200s to a 300w FTP (@72kg) within about 9 months of real, focused riding, but not a cycling focus overall (mostly a swim focus).
Almost all of it.
Also in a big city so all weekday rides are indoors. I try to get out for the long ride on the weekends, but if the weather doesnt cooperate then I dont sweat it and just do those indoors too. I’ll ride outside max 4-5 times a month during the season, the rest being indoors.
I ride 2, and sometimes three sessions indoors on a CT per week, anywhere from :45-:60. Really focused sessions. Ride outdoors one day a week. I love riding outdoors, but I’m another freak that kinda like the indoor part. At least as long as I have more Walking Dead to watch
90% of my rides are indoors. I prefer riding outside, but weather, daylight, and family schedules force me to do most of my rides on my wahoo Kickr and Zwift. In all seriousness, I fought technology for years, but now using the trainer and treadmill has made my training so much easier to schedule and my family much happier. Another bonus is being able to completely concentrate on the workout at hand and not worry about vehicles, animals, weather, etc. I’m a much better athlete because of it.
Almost all indoors. So far this year, I’ve ridden outdoors 4 times - 3 times at a January tri-camp and once this weekend at a Gran Fondo. Starting next month, I will do a little more outside - maybe once a week. I enjoy the no-hassle, no-nonsense indoor training.
About 95%+ on trainerroad.
O_o
Stab.
Hate indoor cycling. I do it 2x week in the winter because I have to. Don’t do any in the summer except for FTP tests.
I should mention the reason for the large number of indoor vs outdoor rides. Kids’ sports have taken over my family’s after-work schedule most days of the week. Luckily they don’t schedule baseball practice at 4:30am…yet.
Yeah. That makes total sense. Often if I’m planning on riding my indoor trainer in the am I’ll set everything up the night before. It’s just very convenient
95+% indoor. I only get to bike when kids are asleep. Doesn’t sound like your problem though.
Why not go a little out of town and ride there?
I do have a place, in Charleston, SC, that’s in a rural area that I can get some good mileage in so it’s not terrible. My previous home, Tampa, FL, has a few different long multi-use paths. One in particular, the Suncoast Trail, is 42 miles long and they keep extending it. It’s wide and there are not that many street crossings for such a long path. I’ve got a nice bridge here to do hill repeats too though. I think once I start my HIM training I might shoot for 2 days indoors and 2 days outdoors
I do a min of 5-8 hours a week depending on my schedule. I honestly hate it but love the convenience and safety aspect of it. I live in NYC, too many idiot drivers in and or around the surrounding area.
I have a Wahoo Kickr and use either Trainer Road or Cycleops Virtual Trainer to simulate rides on planned races this year.
I’m training for my first full in August and 95% of my rides have been indoor. I echo some of the same comments as above. Juggling the family schedule and trying to get an effective workout is so much easier when it’s done on the trainer. Don’t have to worry about weather, traffic, lights, etc, I can just focus on the workout plan. I’ve gone up to three hours at a stretch, usually around 1-2 hrs, 4-5x during the week. Don’t get me wrong, I love riding outdoors (and try to get out for a long ride on the weekend) but for simplicity and focused training, the trainer is pretty good. I have a power meter on my bike and just use a simple (not a fancy) trainer. Netflix and spin.