Bike Trainer very different from the road

[Wahine]

ya.... i hate my trainer with a passion! i think i've used it 2 or 3 times in the last 2 1/2 years!

Hey Caligurl,

What kind of trainer is it and would you be willing to sell it?

My hubby needs one so we can ride and watch movies together.

It so happens we'll be in LA next week.

Wahine

[Geonz]

Oh, dear... no, it's not anything like riding on the road

It *is* a lot harder - you get much more sweat per hour.

I rely on either a video (at the bike shop inside rides) or DRIVING MUSIC in the background.

[caligurl]

hi wahine... well... no doubt as soon as i sold it... i'd want to use it! it's just one of those thing! hubby's always trying to get me on it to do spinervals or carmichaels... but it has SUCH a dread factor! lol!!!!

(by the ways.... it's a cycleops fluid 2.... but as i said..... right now i'm not selling )

[RoadRaven]

Hey there hg, we have a spin bike set up in the living room.

Although I sometimes need to watch whatever is the telly 'cause that is what others are in the middle of doing, I do two things by preference.

I have DVDs of various tour stages (eg stages of Le Tour - my faves are Lance's TT in 2005 where he passed Ulrich, and the infamous stage from this year where our GEM, Floyd, made his comeback - or stages of various international women's races - my fave is the 2005 Wellington NZ stage when NZ's Sarah Ulmer thrashed everyone else)

Sometimes I will play a race DVD with no sound and put on music real loud... I am a "rock chick" and my fave spin choices include Melissa Etheridge, Indigo Girls, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Osbourne, CCR, ACDC... although sometimes something like Jethro Tull will do the trick.

At the moment I am listening to songs with a view to getting an MP3 and making a "cadence" selection to time trial to. Contrary to my opinion when I first joined up to TE, I now do not think listening to music while cycling on the road is a good plan... however, I have been doing indoor training to music and cycling to the rythym to improve my cadence.

My plan is to create a couple of of 'cadence selections' and then use them to train with, and when I have a TT race, to race with.

I have a couple of Spinerval DVDs on my wish-list due to the way they have been discussed here at TE, but I will need to order them in from overseas.

Have fun finding the best way to train indoors for you

[Wahine]

I'm a big fan of making playlists on my iPod for high cadence workouts.

Rhythm music works really well. If you like world music I would recommend Afrocelt Soundsystem. it's great fro spinning. Salsa and Mambo work well too.

[Jennyfer]

Inspired by this group (& the extra 10 lbs on my behind), I finally broke out my trainer today.

I plugged in a Netflix movie (March of the Penguins), planted my bike/trainer in the living room, and jumped on. I figured if these little penguins can trek miles across the tundra, brave the Antarctic and not eat for 4 months, then I could put in a lousy 1/2 hour on the bike.

It didn't take me long to remember why I hate the trainer so much: its BORING! I miss the road, the wind, the sun, and yes, even the hills. Apparently, I began daydreaming a little too much. Before I knew what hit me, I tipped over and was flailing on the living room floor. My son ran in to the room find out what all the racket was about and asked if he should call 911.

I picked up my bike and what was left of my pride, and hopped back on that horse. Hurry up, Spring!!

[mimitabby]

During these winter months, I try to get on the thing for 1/2 hour at least 1 day a week, sometimes two or three. I hate it too. If I can read something light, i can sit on it and pedal and read at the same time. Mostly I just sit there and watch the odometer on it and when 6 miles add up, I can't stay on a moment longer. Sometimes I get off early (escape!!!) and then go back and finish the rest of the mileage after a few minutes break. Only once was i not able to persevere for the whole 6 or more miles. It really is hard to do, but this weekend in Oregon it proved to be worth it to me, because if it wasn't for the trainer, I would have ridden twice since early november! and there's no way I could have faced those rides. As it was, i was able to do both days of riding and did great climbing both days as well.

I hate it, but it works.

[hgrill02]

[QUOTE=Apparently, I began daydreaming a little too much. Before I knew what hit me, I tipped over and was flailing on the living room floor. My son ran in to the room find out what all the racket was about and asked if he should call 911.

I picked up my bike and what was left of my pride, and hopped back on that horse. Hurry up, Spring!! [/QUOTE]

OMGosh!!! and I always worry about kissing the road! Be careful..

[Shagge]

Inspired by this group (& the extra 10 lbs on my behind), I finally broke out my trainer today.

I plugged in a Netflix movie (March of the Penguins), planted my bike/trainer in the living room, and jumped on.

Were you on rollers? It took me a long time to find my balance on those things. I had to set them up in a door frame for the first couple of months just in case I lost control and let my wheels slipped off the side. I've switched over to a clamped-in model because it lets me do more (read, watch movies, etc.) while working out. Also, I find I need to stand up once in a while to prevent numbness, which I was never able to do on the rollers.

Disgusted after a week of poor eating after the holidays, I climbed on my trainer for 2 episodes of The West Wing last week. It passed the time, but I think music helps me keep up my cadence up. One thing about rollers (vs. other trainers)--they do help your technique.

Does anyone else have thoughts on rollers? I'm wondering if I should mix it up and suffer through a few workouts on them once in a while.