[BethR]

Wow - I spun, span, spunnith for 1:20, and by the end I was equally about the throw Coach Troy through my window and give him a big hug.<br>
The base building DVD kicked my butt last night. I can't believe how hard the trainer is.<br><br>
JR - I tried your test (hardest gear, 90 rpms) and lasted less than a minute. You are right, when I'm honest about my cadence, it's an unbelievable workout.<br><br>
Every few minutes, I counted my cadence to make sure I was on track - tried to stay at 100 rpm in the lighter gears, and at least 80 during the hard gear intervals (but after a while it was more like 70, and then I had to take extra rests and skip a few).<br><br>
I was sweating like a boy inside of 10 minutes, and we keep the guestroom <60 degrees. I could almost feel the fat melting away from my hips - if I keep this up, my legs will be hard as rocks and I'll be fitting into that cute tri outfit I used to wear! Whoo hoo<img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
So, count me in as another convert who finally understands the amazing benefits of the trainer. It's WAY, WAY harder than the road. I can't wait to get back on tonight!! <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[26.2]

Yah, I totally agree. In fact I'll probably to continue to use it all summer for workouts. I just find it really hard to get a good workout on the road...

 

[jkaiser20]

Coach Troy is a wimp. j/k<br><br>
Yeah, if you ride the trainer hard, it is hard. I really put forth the effort last night and it blasted me as well. That is the key as you pointed out.<br><br>
26.2, you are nuts. I could be convinced doing very very specific workouts on the trainer are better than on the roads. But hills are where I make my money, and there is nothing you can do on the trainer to properly replicate hills. I put "properly" in there to give myself the wiggle room to win any argument about it....<br><br>
Jim

 

[SpartyGirl]

I spend a LOT of time on my trainer and quite frankly my legs look GOOD...oh wait, that wasn't my point...<br><br>
Love my trainer, wish I could put it next to a window instead of the basement laundry room, but I can tell that this year my bike splits will be tons better. Now I just need to learn how to fix a flat.

 

[Kate60]

It is hard, but the more you use it the easier it gets. Also make sure tires are properly inflated and that you don't have the fly wheel resistance too tight. When I first got mine I had it so tight I was leaving rubber dust everywhere and wondering why I could not do this.

 

[neil donnelly]

Well done Beth<br><br>
I hate being on the trainer but I love what it does for me<br><br>
Even in the summer I do 1 session a week on it<br><br>
Keep it up<br><br>
Neil

 

[juliemboyle]

Beth: I am a convert too!<br><br>
ps....I LOVE Coach Troy <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> and he's kind of cute

 

[niemsco]

The computrainer replicates hills closely. I say that having rid some of the actual courses on the road and CT. I will definitely keep riding that through the summer, but do the long rides outside. Living just north of Chicago I have this fear of some jerk running me off the road.

 

[rottensquirrel]

After hemming and hawing for two months, this thread finally motivated me to buy a trainer. Just bought it online should have it next week. I will report back re. results!

 

[BethR]

Wow, I feel like Oprah, so influential. You won't be sorry! I hemmed and hawed for a few years, it's a big expense, but so worth it.

 

[26.2]

<br>
Ah, hills! I agree with you on that.

 

[Flip]

The Aero Base Builder V is one of the best early-season workouts I've done on a trainer. Ever. It's 2 hours of aerobic base. It definitely used to kick my ass! You should try "Hillacious" and "Uphill Grind." Oh, and "Have Mercy" is one of my favourites <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> Way to go on the trainer, Beth! Just keep working on that cadence -- you'll get there!<br>
Meg

 

[jroden]

One thing I have learned through my record keeping is the importance of using a fan and drinking water. If you do not, your HR will stay the same, but your power will drop, which is counterproductive. Open the window too, you want to have the "work" raise your HR, not the dehydration, it's a difference that makes a difference.<br><br>
Plus, don't let sweat get all over your bike, it will wreck it.

 

[jroden]

PS, on your Kurt Kinetic, you can figure out power fairly well with this formula, I suspect that thing was well over 500 watts when you did your test:<br><br>
Kinetic Cyclone:<br>
P = (6.481090) * S + (0.020106) * S3<br><br>
Kinetic Road Machine:<br>
P = (5.244820) * S + (0.0196<img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif"> * S3<br><br>
For example, to calculate how much power is produced at a speed of 16.1mph while riding the Kinetic Road Machine, plug 16.1 in for “S.”<br><br>
P = (5.244820) * (16.1) + (0.0196<img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif"> * (16.1)3<br><br>
P = (5.244820) * (16.1) + (0.0196<img alt="cool.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/cool.gif"> * (16.1) * (16.1) * (16.1)<br><br>
P = 84.4416 + 82.13017<br><br>
Power = 166.571 watts

 

[4boysmom]

I have my trainer set up in the garage. It's unheated so usually around 30-40*. Even in shorts and tri top, I usually work up a really good sweat. That said, I HATE the trainer. I just invested in some really warm gear and son and I are out on the roads. It was about 30* yesterday, and we were fine.

 

[Thor]

So you all know how much I praise the Trainer. To that I will say this... there is no question in my mind that I gained last winter about 2 mph on my average bike ride just by my time on the Trainer. And this year, although I will not gain another 2 mph, I hope to come out stronger.<br><br>
That said, I use the Trainer as purely base build. I do not do any up-tempo workouts on it. I will hold off on those until I can ride on the roads. Maybe I'm doing myself a disservice, or maybe I'm not doing it correctly, but I am following a similar plan as I did last year, which I got help building by paying attention to Jr, reading up on Power-based training, and figuring out how it can work for me. So I do a lot of lower cadence work now (and have through the winter) and will hold off on turning that into raw speed until I can hit the road for real. And I'm in no rush to hit the road because I enjoy my time on the Trainer even though it is very difficult. But I'm seeing results in the raw numbers, so I continue. You could do something similiar.<br><br>
This means that I will go through a several week, maybe even as long as a month, transition in getting used to the higher cadence of riding on the roads and up-tempo workouts, but that's okay, because by the time I start peaking, it'll be July, and I'll be able to peak faster because of the better base and stronger legs.<br><br>
Speaking of stronger legs, YES... the Trainer, when done with quality, will no doubt shape your legs. I never ever had muscles on my legs that popped with bulge. Now they are starting to do just that. Mind you, they will never get super immense, and I don't want them to, because I'm not built that way. But they are popping with cut and serious definition.<br><br>
The Trainer ROCKS!<br><br>
And if anybody reading here rides the Trainer and dooesn't feel the same way, then I'd argue that you are not doing quality. This isn't to tear down but rather to help you get stronger and faster if that is your goal. You don't need to sit on the Trainer for more than an hour to reap immense benefit. Even 40 minutes will do wonders. But make all but your warm up quality, and even make your warm up a ramp to quality.

 

[Thor]

Should also have said... I am no expert, just a warrior intent on getting kickass fast, so please adapt what I say with caution, but also, if you see something I'm preaching that sounds off, by all means speak up... because I want to learn more about it and what you have to say.

 

[Dougie Fresh]

Ok, now I *REALLY* want a trainer. Where is my tax rebate? Is it here yet? <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

 

[hobey]

Love those workouts!<br><br>
While I agree that there is no replacement for riding hills, I still think the trainer has a place even when the weather is nice to do the quality interval work in season.

 

[Thor]

Yes. The Trainer, when used properly, will give you the strength to reap the utmost out of those hill workouts on real hills on a real road.<br><br>
But to me that real benefit -- and this cannot be overstated enough but, strangely, is rarely stated at all -- is the strength and added speed you will gain on the flats and especially the rollers as you now have the strength to power over yet steeper and longer rollers that others still consider hills and have to slow down for. That is where you will add the most amount of time.