Turbo training advice for the amateur

mediumbird · Post by **mediumbird** » 31 Dec 2015, 7:50pm

Dear collective....looking at advice on the best way to use a turbo trainer. OH bought me a turbo trainer for Christmas as not keen on me cycling in the dark despite me being lit up like a Christmas tree! So. My normal commute is about an hour on undulating roads. Is it acceptable to just do an hour on the turbo, bearing in mind that I can't freewheel like I can when outside?? I am just a recreational/commuter cyclist so not looking to break any records....also, a few years on the other side of 50 and female...The turbo trainer in question is an Elite crono fluid elastogel and I was just planning to use my normal road/touring bike on it(a Giant bike modified for touring so 28 tyres). Wanting to use it to stay fit/maybe improve winter fitness.
Any advice gratefully received.

Erudin · Post by **Erudin** » 31 Dec 2015, 8:19pm

An hour is a long time on a turbo, I find half an hour at a time is normally long enough. On the turbo I ride at a higher cadence and heart rate than out on the road.

I've had a turbo trainer since 2010 but only really got into using it regularly this year (clocked up 74 hours this year) and and found it helped boost my overall fitness, and lose 4 stone in weight (combined with a healthier diet). I find a short intense turbo sessions best as they generate feel good endorphins and are easy to squeeze into the day.

I also find tracking average speed, heart rate and cadence on the bike computer useful to help measure effort/progress and give something to focus on.

Unless it's freezing a pedestal fan is a must, and listening to the radio/music helps. I keep a log of my turbo sessions in a spreadsheet.

mediumbird · Post by **mediumbird** » 2 Jan 2016, 8:41am

Thanks Erudin. Hopefully this reply posts as 3 previous attempts failed because of an SQL error.......OK I will go for 30 minute sessions so s not to put myself off from the get go. planning to set it up in front of a computer so I can watch stuff to ease the boredom. not sure I will ever achieve those stats you have however.....☺. Wish me luck!

TonyR · Post by **TonyR** » 2 Jan 2016, 9:39am

You could always hook the turbo up to a generator to power the computer and give yourself an incentive to keep pedalling. :wink:

http://mitei.mit.edu/news/pedal-powered-laptop

I find turbos mind numbing lay boring and last 5 mins max. Give me a bike on the road though and I can go all day.

rfryer · Post by **rfryer** » 2 Jan 2016, 10:22am

A lot of people (myself included) find it very hard to maintain any motivation to use a turbo trainer. However, my wife does almost all of her riding on a turbo (she doesn't like traffic, and rain, and cold, etc) and would strongly recommend the combination of sufferfest videos and trainerroad.com to keep it interesting.

mediumbird · Post by **mediumbird** » 2 Jan 2016, 1:13pm

Just been on sufferest website...OMG....Think I need to see how I get on before trying one of those sessions....

Both websites look good though. Trainer getting set up today once I have cleaned my bike!! Don't think it would be allowed indoors in its current state.......

Post by **Mick F** » 2 Jan 2016, 1:22pm

I have a set of rollers and can only do 15mins at a time.
I tend to do three or four sessions.

Mind you, I only get the rollers out when I'm so tired of NOT getting out into the real world. I've not ridden much for the last month (in fact, last ride was 18Dec), but that's been due to having other stuff to do, plus Chrimbo etc. As from Monday, normal service will be resumed and if the weather is still atrocious, the rollers will make a daily appearance again.

rfryer · Post by **rfryer** » 2 Jan 2016, 3:20pm

mediumbird wrote:Just been on sufferest website...OMG....Think I need to see how I get on before trying one of those sessions.... Both websites look good though. Trainer getting set up today once I have cleaned my bike!! Don't think it would be allowed indoors in its current state.......

Good luck!

If it makes it any less intimidating, although the Sufferfest videos position themselves as seriously hardcore, they also have a great sense of humour! And if you play them through Trainerroad, then you get a fixed effort level to work to, rather than relying on your perceived exertion. And as you get fitter, Trainerroad will increase the intensity for you.

The above approach is very effective if actually trying to train, as it maintains motivation while getting you to perform a structured workout. However, if you just want to burn off some calories, just watching TV while pedaling at a steady effort level can work well. Another technique that might be good for motivation is to check out the systems that let you race other cyclists on-line, but I've never tried those myself, and I'm sure I'd suspect that my opponents had cheated by miscalibrating their power output. Unless I was beating them, of course :lol:

Post by **Vorpal** » 2 Jan 2016, 3:34pm

I jsut watch movies, or TV when I use the turbo, something interesting to keep my attention.

I would advise you, if no one else has done so, to get a tyre especially made for use on the turbo. Turbo training eats normal tyres.

Good luck!

p.s. if you can't stand it, just go out and ride your bike. Even in the dark, the benefit is greater than the risk.

yakdiver · Post by **yakdiver** » 2 Jan 2016, 3:38pm

I'm an old fart and do an hour at a time with some good music I find it quite pleasurable and I have only a garage door to look at (I do open it if the weather is OK) start off slow and build up to max and slow down for the end and do use a heart rate monitor and keep it around 75/80% of max heart rate 220 - your age

mediumbird · Post by **mediumbird** » 2 Jan 2016, 5:27pm

Vorpal. I hadn't thought about a turbo tyre. I was just planning on parking up the bike as is so that I can use it outside at the weekends if the weather is good. I have marathon plus tyres on(used the bike for LEJOG and they were a godsend) and I nearly died trying to get them on, the thought of doing that on a regular basis...........I am thinking that the extra weight and surface in contact with the flywheel may make the workout more challenging.....?? Or am I being completely stupid(probably....

)?

Post by **Vorpal** » 2 Jan 2016, 7:17pm

mediumbird wrote:Vorpal. I hadn't thought about a turbo tyre. I was just planning on parking up the bike as is so that I can use it outside at the weekends if the weather is good. I have marathon plus tyres on(used the bike for LEJOG and they were a godsend) and I nearly died trying to get them on, the thought of doing that on a regular basis...........I am thinking that the extra weight and surface in contact with the flywheel may make the workout more challenging.....?? Or am I being completely stupid(probably.... )?

I guess you can try it with your normal tyre. But you are likely to find that you wear them quickly. I do think you will find the turbo tyres easier to do. And many shops will do them for you for a minimal fee if you have bought the tyre there. I keep a spare wheel with a turbo tyre on it and the turbo skewer. Then, I just swap wheels. It's quick & easy.

mediumbird · Post by **mediumbird** » 4 Jan 2016, 7:51pm

First session done! I can see why only 30 minutes advised.....

Still need to sort out watching/listening to something to distract me. Got a spare wheel and turbo tyre coming, so there really is no excuse now... is there.....?
Someone was trying to persuade me to join the local cycling club, but I think all that testosterone and fitness levels are still a bit too scary. Maybe if I was 30 years younger....plus, I don't know how to ride in a group, think I might bring the group crashing down.... :shock:

Post by **Mick F** » 4 Jan 2016, 9:08pm

I did two 15min sessions on the rollers this morning whilst looking out of the window at the rain. :cry:

15mins at a time is more than enough.

15mins of basically "climbing a hill" at full tilt is enough, then I need a sit down to cool off. Those two sessions added together were like a 20mile ride round here.

I'll, do another two 15min sessions tomorrow, but Wednesday should see clear weather, so I'll be out in the real world.

Post by **Vorpal** » 4 Jan 2016, 9:59pm

mediumbird wrote:First session done! I can see why only 30 minutes advised..... Still need to sort out watching/listening to something to distract me. Got a spare wheel and turbo tyre coming, so there really is no excuse now... is there.....?
Someone was trying to persuade me to join the local cycling club, but I think all that testosterone and fitness levels are still a bit too scary. Maybe if I was 30 years younger....plus, I don't know how to ride in a group, think I might bring the group crashing down....

Some local clubs are quite friendly. The club I belonged to when I lived in the UK was large and had members with quite varied interests. Sunday club runs were usualy 2 or even 3 groups. I sometimes took a toddler with me. I did try several clubs before I found one that suited me. And I called around, or found websites and sent email messages to get a feel for the club beforehand, so I could avoid ones I didn't think would suit me. I still ended upt wiht a couple of duds, but I just didn't go back.

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