I came to the conclusion last week that I don’t live in a bike friendly area, and the roads that I can ride outside on do not serve my purpose, or aren’t long enough. I decided it’s time to start using the trainer more often and making that the focus of my training. What do you guys do during the winter to make indoor rides more entertaining? I started with tv but that is quickly becoming very boring.
I usually watch cycling races. Also check out thesufferfest.com. Those videos are excellent trainer workouts, though more geared towards roadies.
Keep them short. Keep them hard. Blast the iPod.
Music, ride data, specific goals for the workout.
I find that the harder interval sessions go by much faster, simply because I have something to pay attention to. Longer, steady rides are tough. And aggressive fans/cooling makes a huge difference. At first I found the trainer sessions hard to bear, but came to quite enjoy them, and now do most of my riding on the back porch.
I actually live in an EXTREMELY bike-friendly outdoor place with great weather & incredible roads, but due to life & family scheduling constraints, end up on the trainer for 90% of my rides in winter and almost 50% in-season.
Here are the keys for me to keep on doing it:
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Good trainer setup. As close to geton and go as you can, in as good a location as you can get. I use my garage, with ample space around it, and the TT bike is always on the trainer. If you have to change a tire to ride, you’ll never do it shortly.
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Good video setup , with good training DVDs and good movies to watch (Netflix). I mix up with both Netflix & training DVDs. Spinervals & Sufferfest are outstanding. I use a laptop and earbuds with a 12’ft extension cord.
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Bike computer for speed/distance recording. To compare sessions and to estimate power output. Remarkably helpful - I wouldn’t ride without it.
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Some sort of plan. Mine was super-simple, but I had a goal of trying to maintain certain speed standards for certain workouts.
If you’re just getting on your trainer with no other input, forget it - I don’t know anyone who can keep that up for more than 2-3 sessions. Using my setup, I can go all year (although I def still prefer being outside on nice days.)
Lord of the Rings. Director’s cut. I’ve also got a laptop set up so I can read ST etc. while on long steady trainer rides…
I want to get a dvd like that but maybe if I can find one 2:30 long I’d be set. Any good websites for cycling movies/races that are free?
watch ironman races on youtube
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There is a great one, but since it’s legality is questionable I doubt Dan and Jordan want it being passed around on the forum. 30 seconds on google ought to find it or you can PM me.
Edit: see Devlin’s post below.
Also check out behindthebarriers.com. This is a pretty cool documentary with 14 episodes from last season and 1 new one from this season following pro cyclocross and road rider Jeremy Powers.
What others have said about structuring workouts is very true. I can’t do a 2 hour steady-state session on the trainer, and I like the trainer. You have to split it up. A favorite of mine is 10 min w/u, 4x20 @ 80-85% FTP w/ 5 min recovery, 5 min c/d. Works out to about a 2 hour workout and it’s much easier to get through mentally.
- computrainer, power beam pro, or power meter.
- Pre set intervals on paper before the ride
- the sufferfest, tour de france dvd’s.
- Mental: tell yourself this is the most efficient way to train and focus on one specific aspect during the ride. I tell myself that the people i am going to beat are the ones who cant focus through the interval.
Two words: Netflix and TiVo
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I enjoy all the number and instant feedback you get riding inside - so its no issue for me.
Ironman races on Youtube - done that. But also I put together playlist of music videos to watch on Youtube. I like to listed to high energy music while pedaling away for hours. Longest stretch I did was 60 miles. Raining outside and had to maintain training to get the mileage in…it was a very very long afternoon in the basement…
Mr Steve
2009 IMFL Finisher
Two words: Netflix and TiVo
x2
Give it time. You’ll learn get used to it. I did. Ohh and hulu.
Ideally, use them for shorter, harder stuff - particularly cadence intervals, where the trainer is better than the road. But anything of any duration, to keep from going insane, I usually try to wrap it around a good televised sporting event, or even movies.
loud music and gin.
I came to the conclusion last week that I don’t live in a bike friendly area, and the roads that I can ride outside on do not serve my purpose, or aren’t long enough. I decided it’s time to start using the trainer more often and making that the focus of my training. What do you guys do during the winter to make indoor rides more entertaining? I started with tv but that is quickly becoming very boring.
I watch house flipping shows and a lot of CNN as well as listen to music.
I came to the conclusion last week that I don’t live in a bike friendly area, and the roads that I can ride outside on do not serve my purpose, or aren’t long enough. I decided it’s time to start using the trainer more often and making that the focus of my training. What do you guys do during the winter to make indoor rides more entertaining? I started with tv but that is quickly becoming very boring.
replays of race vids for cycling.
cyclingtorrents.nl, lots of eurosport feeds. No copyrighted content, and pretty much every race is there quickly after it’s over.
John
Get a PowerTap or something that gives you good feedback. It makes a world of difference.
Get addicted to “24”, sports, or something that can provide lots of hours of viewing time.
Make sure you have a good fan.
My training cave is covered with pictures of great triathletes and cyclists. It always motivates me when I look up and see a picture of Cancellera dropping an A Bomb on the cobblestones and I suck it up and push.
I know a guy that does 5 hour rides on his trainer no TV or movies! The dude just stares at his PowerTap and that is entrainment enough for him. His 30 min CP is also 382ish in aero.
Ipod. Any riding at 0.85IF or below and podcasts will do. For anything more intense you’ll have to blast out some tunes.