Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends

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Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
OptionResults
All outside
All trainer/inside
Trainer weekday, outside weekend
Outside, when its raining im on the trainer
This is a multiple choice poll.

2009-07-22 7:57 PM

Expert
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Subject: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
Does anyone just ride on their trainer during the weekdays (due to work and dark, inner city living etc)

And then ride outside for their longer stuff on the weekends?

Has it made your cycling better/worse than just riding solely outside?

2009-07-22 8:03 PM
in reply to: #2302697

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Master
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PA
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends

For this season...Trainer all winter.  Outside all summer.  I would love the controlled environment of the trainer for a workout or two a week that are the Z4/Z5 stuff, but for now, climbing real hills outside is really good for me.   Plus I really like the trainer and it makes me not want to ride outside (for real) so i just stay away!  

2009-07-22 8:05 PM
in reply to: #2302697

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Expert
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends

I spent almost all my time on a trainer until May since I was fitting it in with school. Now I do my long rides outside and that majority of my other rides on the trainer. Prolly not the best idea, but oh well!

2009-07-22 9:01 PM
in reply to: #2302697

Veteran
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Boston
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
I'll hit up the trainer if I am doing a late night session or early morning. Also I'm recovering from an injury so the doc recommended the trainer over outside riding if possible - but when I'm not injured, I like to get outside as much as possible. But the trainer can definitely be nice when the weather / darkness doesn't permit safe riding.
2009-07-22 10:01 PM
in reply to: #2302697

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Champion
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Columbia, South Carolina
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
For most of this summer, I'm a single father of three <8 (spouse away in training for work), so nearly every ride except long weekend ride is on the trainer.   For me, these are clearly inferior to outdoor rides, but I try to make the most of them.
2009-07-22 11:51 PM
in reply to: #2302890

Expert
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Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
Experior - 2009-07-23 5:01 PM

For most of this summer, I'm a single father of three <8 (spouse away in training for work), so nearly every ride except long weekend ride is on the trainer.   For me, these are clearly inferior to outdoor rides, but I try to make the most of them.


Why are trainer rides inferior?

I thought they are more specific, harder and therefore higher benefit as compared to same hours on the road?



2009-07-23 12:09 AM
in reply to: #2302697

Master
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Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
Live in SoCal, but traffic here makes riding too hazardous in my area, so I'm trainer all weekdays except for weekends despite the fantabulous weather for riding. 

I think the trainer is a good thing for training though - gives good feedback on intensity (power) and you can really hammer on it, especially for speedworth and strength training.

For sure though, slower endurance work and long rides are unacceptable on the trainer. I LOVE riding outdoors for endurance - it's like a scenic vacation even with big hills to beat you up, but I'd never last 5 hours on a trainer, ever. 
2009-07-23 1:39 AM
in reply to: #2302966

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Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
supa-powa - 2009-07-22 11:51 PM
Experior - 2009-07-23 5:01 PM For most of this summer, I'm a single father of three <8 (spouse away in training for work), so nearly every ride except long weekend ride is on the trainer.   For me, these are clearly inferior to outdoor rides, but I try to make the most of them.
Why are trainer rides inferior? I thought they are more specific, harder and therefore higher benefit as compared to same hours on the road?


i personally consider trainer rides inferior because they are nowhere near as fun.  I find it easier to give up on myself and just step off the bike to towel off and go on with my life... whereas if I go out in one direction for an hour and a half you but your bum it'll be another hour and a half before I'm able to call it quits.

I don't even like riding the trainer in the winter, not with a mountain bike with big 'ol snow gripping tires on it.
2009-07-23 3:15 AM
in reply to: #2302697

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Master
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Ann Arbor, Michigan
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
I find doing specific LT interval workouts easier on a trainer -- easier to watch the HR for the interval sessions vs. outside.  Those are usually sched'd during the week anyway, and I do them before work when it's unreasonable for me to be outside anyway.

Long endurance rides, or recovery rides, outside is always preferable.
2009-07-23 7:24 AM
in reply to: #2302697

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North Carolina Foothills
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
Trainer only when forced to ... either by bad weather (heavy rain or snow) or darkness. Other than that, I am outside. There is no comparison for me, riding outside is 1,000 times more enjoyable.
2009-07-23 7:43 AM
in reply to: #2302697

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Central NJ
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
I'll throw a small pebble in the road. When the weather is nice or hot I'll ride the trainer outside on the weekdays, while my son takes his nap on the weekends I'll hit the streets.

2009-07-23 7:46 AM
in reply to: #2302697

Master
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Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
When the season (spring/summer/fall) and weather (rain is ok, just not buckets. Lightening is not) allows, it's all outdoors. Like said before, the benefits to the trainer are the ability to do more controlled workouts/intervals BUT IMHO nothing matches the benefit and value of riding outside. The wind, road conditions, slow pavement, fast pavement, the hills are play a role as does enjoying the scenery.

Plus I don't know of any tri's that are raced on a trainer

Edited by merlin2375 2009-07-23 7:46 AM
2009-07-23 7:54 AM
in reply to: #2302697

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Pro
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Twin Cities
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
When I lived in the city, I did virtually all of my training on the trainer. I think I was probably in the best bike shape I've been at that time. (Of course, I did a lot of intensity stuff too, which probably played some role)

Now...I'd say I probably ride 65-70% on the trainer b/c of schedule/weather/etc. (I actually LIKE riding my trainer, so that plays a role, too).

If you are mindful of how you're riding, and you still get out to work on handling skills... I don't think it's detrimental at all. In fact, I think it can be a benefit--esp. in terms of doing intensity/interval/simulated TT stuff. (FWIW, sometimes I do longer rides on my trainer... if you can stand two hours on a trainer, you are mentally prepared for a LOT of really bad sheit. ;-))


Edited by mmrocker13 2009-07-23 7:57 AM
2009-07-23 12:01 PM
in reply to: #2302697

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Manitoba, Canada
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends

I did almost all my rides for my first HIM, which was a couple of weeks ago, almost exclusively on the trainer – only two rides (both about 1:15) in early July were outside! Not ideal by any means, and certainly not my original plan, but the only way to get the hours in without a huge amount of stress being added to my life.  The longest trainer ride was about 3:30.

As far as making me a better cyclist – definitely not, but I don't think it made me worse either.  I was uncertain about how I would manage the HIM, since I had not read about anyone preparing solely on the trainer before, but it got me to the finish line happy and injury free. The one bonus was that I LOVED being outside during the actual HIM, so enjoyed it in ways that I don’t think I would have otherwise!

 

 

2009-07-23 12:29 PM
in reply to: #2303109

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Philly 'burbs
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
rventuri - 2009-07-23 8:24 AM Trainer only when forced to ... either by bad weather (heavy rain or snow) or darkness. Other than that, I am outside. There is no comparison for me, riding outside is 1,000 times more enjoyable.


x2
2009-07-23 1:13 PM
in reply to: #2302697

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Master
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Chicago
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
I do all of my weekday rides on a CompuTrainer.  I live in Chicago and would need to go out to the suburbs to ride outside without getting killed or to find anything that resembles a hill.  On the weekend's I go out to the suburbs and will do my long rides there. 

The CompuTrainer helps a ton during the week as you can set specific workouts or even ride simulated courses.  I think my cycling has gotten much better and I attribute a lot of it to the CompuTrainer.  

2009-07-23 1:15 PM
in reply to: #2302990

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Master
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Chicago
Subject: RE: Trainer During The Week, Outside In The Weekends
jtaddei - 2009-07-23 1:39 AM
supa-powa - 2009-07-22 11:51 PM
Experior - 2009-07-23 5:01 PM For most of this summer, I'm a single father of three <8 (spouse away in training for work), so nearly every ride except long weekend ride is on the trainer.   For me, these are clearly inferior to outdoor rides, but I try to make the most of them.
Why are trainer rides inferior? I thought they are more specific, harder and therefore higher benefit as compared to same hours on the road?


i personally consider trainer rides inferior because they are nowhere near as fun.  I find it easier to give up on myself and just step off the bike to towel off and go on with my life... whereas if I go out in one direction for an hour and a half you but your bum it'll be another hour and a half before I'm able to call it quits.

I don't even like riding the trainer in the winter, not with a mountain bike with big 'ol snow gripping tires on it.


If you have the money get a CompuTrainer.  I'm willing to bet it would be tougher than most of your outdoor rides.  It will also break up the boredom of a normal trainer. 
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