Which do you use on the trainer in the winter?? Does it matter?? I am pretty comfortable staying in the aero position so I don’t feel I need hours and hours practicing that.
This year I bought a road bike. I got a Felt F5 with Sram rival. I got it for fun, training and the safety factor. I personally feel that a road bike is a more stable (and more visible) platform than a TT bike when it comes to riding on roads with imperfect pavement and traffic. I also feel safer looking behind me and it is more fun to ride in a group (as I do sometimes) on a road bike.
My plan is to use the Felt on the trainer all winter and leave my Slice ready for the long road rides in the spring.
When the snow ends in May I will be back outside. I plan to use the Felt on my hill climb workouts and the short workouts. The slice will come out about once a week for long rides and will remain kitted out with race wheels and all race gear.
I have two 70.3 races planned for next year, a sprint and one half marathon and two marathons.
Tri Bike goes on the trainer. Helps my positioning, comfort, and my trainer sessions are focusing more on time trialing. The roadie gets more outside riding in the winter, so swapping out the rear wheel is also a consideration.
Your call really but keep in mind that you benefit in the spring from the training that you do in the winter. So if you train on your road bike all winter you are essentially starting from scratch on your TT bike in the spring.
Yes you will have fitness but you will have fitness in your road position using your road muscles.
For my money, I do the vast majority of my trainer sessions in aero with climbing specific workouts in the road bike position.
Tri Bike goes on the trainer. Helps my positioning, comfort, and my trainer sessions are focusing more on time trialing. The roadie gets more outside riding in the winter, so swapping out the rear wheel is also a consideration.
+1. TT bike on the trainer. It’s helped me get comfortable staying aero while working hard.
I use the stock Felt rear wheel as a dedicated trainer wheel. It is pretty heavy even when compared to the Shimano R 501. Using it as my dedicated trainer wheel was an easy choice so swapping wheels is and easy thing.
I live in Northern Maine, so a “winter ride” on the occasional nice day that comes out in the winter is not an option.
I can ride my tri bike in the aero position 100% while outdoors. I can barely ride for 15 minutes in aero on the trainer. I do 100% of my trainer riding on my road bike.
A point could be made for developing muscles not used as much in the TT position. Different stimulus, might make you stronger when you resume TT training.
A point could be made for developing muscles not used as much in the TT position. Different stimulus, might make you stronger when you resume TT training.
Absolutely, but I also do longer road rides and I am not only on my TT bike for racing season or high volume training. I also use the road bike on the rollers because I am a clutz and I don’t want to die in the basement. There is a pretty nasty climb here (even for most roadies) that I want to tackle on the road bike this fall.
I don’t have a problem in the aero position on the trainer or on the road. The only time I want to come out of the aero position is when climbing up steep grades. Once my speed drops below 12 mph I come out of aero and get on the bars.
Interestingly I went for a long ride yesterday on my new road bike. 36 miles on and out and back course with tons of climbing. My lower back was pretty lit up at the end of the ride, and my elbows were tired. I feel fine today, but I can surley feel the difference between the two bikes.
Since I will be starting pure indoor training by months end for sure MAYBE I will use them both indoors over the. The road bike for the hard interval/sufferfest workouts and the TT bike for a once a week 2 hour plus ride focusing on sustained heart rate and maintaining power in the aero position???
TT bike on trainer, road bike for easy rides on rollers, cross bike outdoors if its not icy and above 20F.
You need to keep those neck and shoulder muscles conditioned to hold that aero position comfortably. I might add 1 spacer back in however just for early season training due to heavier clothes restricting neck movement and a little more comfort overall.
TT bike on trainer, road bike for easy rides on rollers, cross bike outdoors if its not icy and above 20F.
You need to keep those neck and shoulder muscles conditioned to hold that aero position comfortably. I might add 1 spacer back in however just for early season training due to heavier clothes restricting neck movement and a little more comfort overall.
All good here. We don’t get much snow and ice, so I can ride outdoors if I want. The computrainer is a handy addition and allows me to time trial indoors as well. I love both of my bikes and really either one is fun to ride for me, so I like to mix things up.
I can ride my tri bike in the aero position 100% while outdoors. I can barely ride for 15 minutes in aero on the trainer. I do 100% of my trainer riding on my road bike.
I do exactly as you describe.
I really don’t think it matters for general riding which bike is ridden on the trainer during the off season.
The only time it think it may matter is if all training is done indoors including race prep, then there would be a need to ride aero. Other than that I could see someone riding a mountain bike on the trainer all winter and getting good workouts from that too.
I can ride my tri bike in the aero position 100% while outdoors. I can barely ride for 15 minutes in aero on the trainer. I do 100% of my trainer riding on my road bike.
I do exactly as you describe.
I really don’t think it matters for general riding which bike is ridden on the trainer during the off season.
The only time it think it may matter is if all training is done indoors including race prep, then there would be a need to ride aero. Other than that I could see someone riding a mountain bike on the trainer all winter and getting good workouts from that too.
jaretj
I agree with both of the above. I did all my indoor training last year on my road bike. My first outdoor ride last spring was 3 hours in aero on the TT bike with no neck or shoulder problems. My power is always higher on the road bike whether I’ve trained on it or the TT bike. Even in the middle of the summer when I’ve been all TT for months, if I break out the road bike my power will be higher. For me, sitting up means more power.
If I were doing Los Cabos or Texas I might ride aero indoors some for long periods of time during the winter but aside from a situation like that I don’t think it makes a bit of difference as far as how much fitness you’re going to gain. I’d say ride which ever one will allow you to get on and enjoy working hard.
I can ride my tri bike in the aero position 100% while outdoors. I can barely ride for 15 minutes in aero on the trainer. I do 100% of my trainer riding on my road bike.
I do exactly as you describe.
I really don’t think it matters for general riding which bike is ridden on the trainer during the off season.
The only time it think it may matter is if all training is done indoors including race prep, then there would be a need to ride aero. Other than that I could see someone riding a mountain bike on the trainer all winter and getting good workouts from that too.
jaretj
I still get out at least once on the weekend to ride my tri bike in the aero position to get used to the aero position but other than that riding is riding.