Are spin classes a good option for winter training if I don’t have an indoor trainer? Would it be worth the extra money to buy an indoor trainer when I have spin classes available with my gym membership? I’m not sure how these two methods of indoor training transfer to actual cycling fitness. I know they can’t be as good as actually riding your bike outside but do either come sufficiently close to maintain a decent amount of cycling fitness over the winter?
Not all Spin classes are created equal. Talk to the instructor about your goals and see what kind of workouts they have planned. If you find a good one they may not mind you doing your own thing while the class does something else. That said, if you put in the right kind of work on an indoor trainer the fitness transfers very well to outside. I find it the most time efficient way to improve my cycling fitness regardless of season.
You might even be able to ride the spin bikes when classes aren’t in session…that’s the cheapest route, plus you can do whatever you want for a workout like you would on an indoor trainer and not have to deal with all the negative things that spin classes usually have to offer.
I don’t have a trainer… I ride rollers with resistance, but I also do spin classes every now and then. I find a spin class a nice break from cranking away in the basement.
Spin classes are a subject within themselves, I tend to ride similar to how I might actually ride outside or a workout that makes sense for a triathlete. The 120+rpm sprints, less than 20rpm stuff, jumping up and down out of the saddle… I skip those.
Considering the fact that I can gain 30-40 watts from Dec-Feb riding 95% on the trainer, yes the fitness transfers quite well.
Seriously doubt you could come close to that with any type of spinning bike, unless you were a potato to start with maybe.
Alot of shops have group trainer rides, or you can do one with buddies-
my uncle does 2x/week throughout the winter, normally 4-8 guys and he’s even putting in a designated bathroom/bottle filling sink in our training room! It’s a nice way to break up my solo AM trainer sessions.
-Physiojoe
Considering the fact that I can gain 30-40 watts from Dec-Feb riding 95% on the trainer, yes the fitness transfers quite well.
Seriously doubt you could come close to that with any type of spinning bike, unless you were a potato to start with maybe.
Alot of shops have group trainer rides, or you can do one with buddies-
my uncle does 2x/week throughout the winter, normally 4-8 guys and he’s even putting in a designated bathroom/bottle filling sink in our training room! It’s a nice way to break up my solo AM trainer sessions.
-Physiojoe
Physiojoe, just out of curiosity, what can you do on a trainer that you can’t do on a spin bike that allows for a 30-40 watt gain on the trainer but not the spin bike?
thanks
specificity. when you use a trainer you’re on your bike in your position. spin bikes don’t offer enough adjustability to really dial-in your position. a spin bike is obviously better than nothing and you can improve fitness, but it’s not optimal.
You should definitely get a trainer and put it in the garage or a basement with the lights turned low, actually sensory deprivation is better so lights off. No climate control for summer conditions. No movies or drinking water either, HTFU.
Under no circumstance go to spin class and have fun.
You should definitely get a trainer and put it in the garage or a basement with the lights turned low, actually sensory deprivation is better so lights off. No climate control for summer conditions. No movies or drinking water either, HTFU.
Under no circumstance go to spin class and have fun.Shit man, you haven’t busted out your space heaters yet?
As an instructor I’m a little biased but there are some pros, some of which are good music to distract you, often some spandex clad hotties to sit behind, and when I programmed my rides it was always based on a road ride layout. Often I’ll break down a stage of the Tour (the mountain ones) into a spin class format and my people love it. It definitely depends on the instructor though.
During the winter I also taught a two hour class on weekends for the roadies/tri people who wanted a longer ride - check at your gym to see if there might be one or interest in starting one. Mine usually started in January and went until end of March.
specificity. when you use a trainer you’re on your bike in your position. spin bikes don’t offer enough adjustability to really dial-in your position. a spin bike is obviously better than nothing and you can improve fitness, but it’s not optimal.
i agree that many spin bikes don’t offer the adjustability to get exactly the position of one’s bike. however, i used the cyclops for a few seasons and the adjustability of that is fantastic. in fact it helps with bike set up because you can move the bars and seat in small increments so you can try slightly different positions. that’s hard to do on a bike. it’s also a cinch to move from a road position to a tri position set up.
thanks
Physiojoe, just out of curiosity, what can you do on a trainer that you can’t do on a spin bike that allows for a 30-40 watt gain on the trainer but not the spin bike?
thanks
difference in bikes - the spin bike has that 40 lb flywheel on the front - I’m horrible with physics but I think the momentum from that creates a dissimilar workout to being on the trainer
trainer = good
2x I do the same except at home I have a computrainer and work the rollers It is nice every now and then to hit a spin class then the dreadmill. For a quick brick. I will usually do hour spin class 15 miutes before the class then the r5 minute class then a 40-60 minute treadmill session rotating between 2 minutes @ 1% incline and 2 minutes @ 0 %.
and he’s even putting in a designated bathroom/bottle filling sink in our training room
That sounds disgusting. I’m picturing a dual purpose laundry tub style sink in the corner.
difference in bikes - the spin bike has that 40 lb flywheel on the front - I’m horrible with physics but I think the momentum from that creates a dissimilar workout to being on the trainer
Most spin bikes are fixed gear and may have a different crank length. That is less specific for triathletes and roadies. The type of workout in a spin class is typically non-specific for triathletes and not particularly productive for off-season roadies.
The heavy spin bike flywheel isn’t bad - that actually provides a more realistic road feel.
I would treat spin class as cross training, not tri or road specific training. As such it’s fine for the off season, but I’d keep in a ride or two per week on my road/tri bike and whittle down the spin classes as you move closer to your race season.
Physiojoe, just out of curiosity, what can you do on a trainer that you can’t do on a spin bike that allows for a 30-40 watt gain on the trainer but not the spin bike?
thanks
difference in bikes - the spin bike has that 40 lb flywheel on the front - I’m horrible with physics but I think the momentum from that creates a dissimilar workout to being on the trainer
trainer = good
flywheel = fixed gear bike.
without a freewheel you will notice any imperfections in your pedal stroke (isn’t that why people say it is good at times to ride fixie?)
speaking from someone who lives in a smaller condo and has no room for a trainer (or the noise) I gained a lot of fitness last winter riding mostly a spin bike. With the winter we had last year there weren;t much opportunities to really ride, so I rode inside and gained significant speed. Yes it was my first dedicated winter, but I gained 2+mph from last year’s race splits. And since I race xterra, that kind of speed was usually a 15-20% reduction in time.
You’ll quickly find out if the instructor is worth a damn or not, just stick with the good ones.
there’s the momentum of the thing though. When I am on the spin bike I feel like sometimes I can not try to pedal and it just pulls me along because the wheel is already spinning wicked fast.
and he’s even putting in a designated bathroom/bottle filling sink in our training room
That sounds disgusting. I’m picturing a dual purpose laundry tub style sink in the corner.
Haha- it was going to be a urinal, but now he’s going all-out with a full service restroom- mostly so we don’t have to go upstairs and wake up the fam.
One of the ride’s regulars has a construction company, so he’s doing it up real nice.
-Physiojoe
Considering the fact that I can gain 30-40 watts from Dec-Feb riding 95% on the trainer, yes the fitness transfers quite well.
Seriously doubt you could come close to that with any type of spinning bike, unless you were a potato to start with maybe.
Alot of shops have group trainer rides, or you can do one with buddies-
my uncle does 2x/week throughout the winter, normally 4-8 guys and he’s even putting in a designated bathroom/bottle filling sink in our training room! It’s a nice way to break up my solo AM trainer sessions.
-Physiojoe
Physiojoe, just out of curiosity, what can you do on a trainer that you can’t do on a spin bike that allows for a 30-40 watt gain on the trainer but not the spin bike?
thanks
Everyone pretty much covered it already- it’s the position of your normal bike which is important for being able to produce real-world power, the (usually) difference in crank length, the momentum of the flywheel that carries your legs around in circles.
-It’s also the fact that I can use the same power meter on my trainer, that I do outside. Indoor bikes/exercise equipment is notoriously inaccurate, I wouldn’t use the watt reading on a spin bike for anything.
-It’s also the duration. Spin classes are usually 60 mins or less, and I’m not sure I could go longer than that in a 70 degree gym for hours without feeling like I was going to die. I get good ventilation at my house, and I leave the window open so I have freezing air blowing on me non-stop. This minimizes dehydration and shortens recovery time between workouts.
-It’s also the entertainment. I have 30ish hours of bike racing DVR’d on my big ass plasma. Far more motivating than the odd gym hottie- but if I wanted to watch those, I’d just flip my tv to that station 
Along with longer rides, my 1.5-2 hour trainer sessions last winter were doing steady 2x20’s or some variation. I gradually increased from 280w to 310-315w, for the same perceived exertion. When everything thawed out, I was pushing the same watts outside. It was great.
-Physiojoe
fair point. those cyclops bikes appear to allow you to dial in your fit. however, those bikes are rarely at gyms and typical spin bikes offer limited adjustability…