MTB on trainer?

Yo Sake · Nov 18, 2010

Are there any benefits riding MTB on a trainer instead of road/tri bike on a trainer, if you want to improve power output (= speed) on MTB? Body position on MTB is quite different - would riding more up position (compared to road/tri position) make any difference in improving your strength/power ouput specifically in that position when you hit the trail outside?
 
Recently, after his arse kicked really hard by his friends at Iceman, DH started riding on MY TRAINER <img alt="argue.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/argue.gif" style="width:50px;height:25px;">, of course removing my bike and putting his old MTB. (Boy, I never thought this day would come.) I have absolutely no interest on hopping on a trainer right now, but just looking ahead if I want to get stronger on MTB. Another thing is we will have to buy another trainer. Not interested in computrainer, but certainly interested in more bells&whistles on the second one, maybe with power meter of some sort.
 
BTW, don't you think it would be fantastic, if somebody could come up with a way to practice bike handling skills/techinique on a trainer? Like a trainer on a moving base and trying to throw you off or something?

AdCo · Nov 18, 2010

I think Krut Kenetic sells a trainer that moves, but not the same way as a mtn bike. 

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Yo Sake <a href="/forum/thread/71220/mtb-on-trainer#post_1963426"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Are there any benefits riding MTB on a trainer instead of road/tri bike on a trainer, if you want to improve power output (= speed) on MTB? Body position on MTB is quite different - would riding more up position (compared to road/tri position) make any difference in improving your strength/power ouput specifically in that position when you hit the trail outside?
 
Recently, after his arse kicked really hard by his friends at Iceman, DH started riding on MY TRAINER <img alt="argue.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/argue.gif" style="width:50px;height:25px;">, of course removing my bike and putting his old MTB. (Boy, I never thought this day would come.) I have absolutely no interest on hopping on a trainer right now, but just looking ahead if I want to get stronger on MTB. Another thing is we will have to buy another trainer. Not interested in computrainer, but certainly interested in more bells&whistles on the second one, maybe with power meter of some sort.
 
BTW, don't you think it would be fantastic, if somebody could come up with a way to practice bike handling skills/techinique on a trainer? Like a trainer on a moving base and trying to throw you off or something? 
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niemsco · Nov 18, 2010

I wouldn't bother with a MTB on a trainer. Its the type of workouts you need to do to get stronger translates to road and MTB if you are doing trainer stuff. Julie Dibbens trains on a computrainer on her bike, and goes out and wins Xterra Worlds her first time out. She's the strongest woman rider by the way because he has a computrainer

jroden · Nov 19, 2010

I think there are a couple things going on with a MTB. First, you need to be decent at riding it fast in the woods, which takes some time and practice in a variety of conditions, including winter snow. Second you need to be strong as a rider. I don't think the second one is all hat position specific, but others will argue. Ithink if you can lay down power on a road bike, you can do the same on an MTB. Your limiting factor may well be bike handling and strength (e.g. 30 second power) so ride the bike outside this winter and use your roadbike indoors.
 
here's a good video, it's cross but all the same things apply when turning in the woods, we work all these items when we do our weekly cross practice, over and over it takes practice time-
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2sqFXAv5og" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2sqFXAv5og</a>

Yo Sake · Nov 19, 2010

It all comes down to being a strong rider, which I knew. I have lots to learn/improve in the both handling skills and getting stronger. The second part, I am kind of stagnant (I know why... as jr always says you got to ride consistently, i.e. 50wks out of a year) and it is not fun when you don't see the results when you work hard

, so honestly I am not working at all. However, I am very much enjoying the first part, hitting the different singletracks and learning how to ride. 
I am looking forward to going back to the woods once this half marathon out of the way this weekend. AND looking forward to receiving/riding my own MTB SOON!! Will ride as much as possible until Boston marathon training gets serious and I can't afford to get hurt. And the cycle continues....

niemsco · Nov 19, 2010

So what are you doing now? Why can't you ride your road/tt bike on your trainer and get to work?

Yo Sake · Nov 19, 2010

Because I have no desire, is that a good reason...? Additionally or more importantly, my fall target running race (half marathon) is this Sunday. So I have been building up and hitting 40+mpw with at least two hard quality workout after recovered from the Xterra Natls. My run suffers quite a bit if I try to throw in quality trainer workout between those runs. (No point of just doing aimless aerobic ride, right?). 
I know you got to work in order to get stronger on the saddle. But you know what... I did that a few winters ago, letting a spring marathon go. I didn't see much improvements during outdoor training rides or at the races. I can hear somebody say that it takes long time to be a strong rider, not just a few months in the basement. But I didn't enjoy it. So why bother - no enjoyment and no positive results. That is kind of where I am at right now. I am not getting much faster on foot, either. But I enjoy the process and always feel the sense of small hope of getting faster. That is enough for me to keep going back to the first page of half/full marathon training schedule, about twice a year.

jroden · Nov 23, 2010

best value in a decent ergo based trainer with watts is the tacx flow. see if you can find a used one, they are pretty durable. The wattage isn't accurate, but it's consistent. I had really good luck using mine, you can see improvement and understand how you body responds to training stress, illness, dehydration, etc. You have all the data right in front of you.
 
I will be riding my road bike on the rollers usng a powertap this winter. I know exactly what I will be addressing and how. But for now it's time to ride outside. I have been really enjoying riding the singlespeed MTB on trails, it seems to build muscle from slogging a heavy gear up hills at low rpm, plus it's simple to maintain with all the muck

niemsco · Nov 23, 2010

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Yo Sake <a href="/forum/thread/71220/mtb-on-trainer#post_1963858"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border:0px solid;"></a> Because I have no desire, is that a good reason...? Additionally or more importantly, my fall target running race (half marathon) is this Sunday. So I have been building up and hitting 40+mpw with at least two hard quality workout after recovered from the Xterra Natls. My run suffers quite a bit if I try to throw in quality trainer workout between those runs. (No point of just doing aimless aerobic ride, right?). 
I know you got to work in order to get stronger on the saddle. But you know what... I did that a few winters ago, letting a spring marathon go. I didn't see much improvements during outdoor training rides or at the races. I can hear somebody say that it takes long time to be a strong rider, not just a few months in the basement. But I didn't enjoy it. So why bother - no enjoyment and no positive results. That is kind of where I am at right now. I am not getting much faster on foot, either. But I enjoy the process and always feel the sense of small hope of getting faster. That is enough for me to keep going back to the first page of half/full marathon training schedule, about twice a year. 
 
 
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 with all do respect, thats a bunch a bull. No it doesn't take a long time to show improvement. I would question what you did on that trainer time. What you need is to invest in a plan like Endurance Nation has for the off season. Now that's about as hard as you will ride, and you only ride a few times a week. But you need a powermeter, so just get a kirt kinetic power hookup for $79. I guarantee if you follow a plan like that you will get much faster running and biking, as within their plan they have a very aggressive run plan, and its less than 10 hours a work a week. You seem to be the perfect candidate for that. But it takes a big commitment, but extraordinary results take extraordinary commitment.

jroden · Nov 24, 2010

most decent cyclists don't run a couple marathons a year as they require a long buildup and recovery that takes the focus away from riding. The minority that can pull it off are able to to run well off a short buildup and keep riding through the whole process.
 
If you want to keep cycling in the winter, perhaps there is a place near you where you can MTB with lights. Decent lights are pretty affordable and the LED light sets throw as much light as a car headlight and the batteries last a few hours. .
 
The drill is always the same with cycling, take a bunch of time off and you start back from square one. If you are over 40, you get to start at square minus one.
 
If you prefer to run, then go run and you always have the bike for recovery or when you are injured. It's easier to mtb race off running in my experience, especially if you can handle the bike.

MTB on trainer?

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