General Discussion Triathlon Talk » bike miles vs trainer miles Rss Feed  
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2008-10-27 10:38 AM

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Pro
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Bartlett, TN
Subject: bike miles vs trainer miles

Are they the same and do you log them the same (as mile miles). I prefer to ride outside but it will be getting cooler and I swer the kids have so much more to do in the fall that I have trouble getting away from 2 hours + at a good riding time, so alot of my rides will be late at night.

So here is the question: Would you log trainer miles on your bike the same as road miles on your bike onthe BT logs?



2008-10-27 10:42 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Sneaky Slow
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
Whatever the cyclocomputer says, that's what goes in the log for me.  On the trainer it's more about the time spent than the mileage, at least for me; I'd never plan to do a "30-miler" on the trainer, for example.
2008-10-27 11:05 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Champion
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Menomonee Falls, WI
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I know some don't log their trainer miles but I do. To me, miles are miles, whether indoor on the CT or outdoors on the road. Work is work.

2008-10-27 11:07 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Pro
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Bartlett, TN
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I admit, I kind of liked riding my bike and wtching the OSU vs Texas game! I typically will say I am going to ride 30 miles when doing a training ride. I know it never seems to take me as long as it would if I was on the road though.
2008-10-27 11:08 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Master
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Loughborough, England
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I log the miles based on effort.  For example, I know that on the road I average about 17mph for a zone 2 ride.  So if I do two hours on the trainer in zone 2 then I will log it as 34 miles.  The distance covered is not really that important (time is) but I just like to look at weekly/monthly/yearly totals out of interest.
2008-10-27 11:09 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Coach
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Boston, MA
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
whatever the power tap says is what I log but I am not obsessed about miles at all. Our bodies know time not distance, hence it matters how long you have place a strain on it to produce an specific trainimg adatation and not how many miles you covered.


2008-10-27 11:13 AM
in reply to: #1767702

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Master
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles

jford2309 - 2008-10-27 11:07 AM I admit, I kind of liked riding my bike and wtching the OSU vs Texas game! I typically will say I am going to ride 30 miles when doing a training ride. I know it never seems to take me as long as it would if I was on the road though.

that's cuz you don't hafta stop for traffic, animals and idiots.

2008-10-27 11:18 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Elite
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I think a trainer ride is tougher than riding outside because I don't get any downhill breaks.  And it's boring as heck.  So I log it all as bike miles & time, even tho the trainer should count for double
2008-10-27 11:31 AM
in reply to: #1767730

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Champion
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles

skarl - 2008-10-27 12:18 PM I think a trainer ride is tougher than riding outside because I don't get any downhill breaks.  And it's boring as heck.  So I log it all as bike miles & time, even tho the trainer should count for double

x2

2008-10-27 11:33 AM
in reply to: #1767625

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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I'm doing spinervals on the trainer so there aren't really "miles" to log, just time. The focus is different. I found out an hour is like a dog-hour, though. No rest, no downhill, no breaks.
2008-10-27 11:36 AM
in reply to: #1767709

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Expert
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
amiine - 2008-10-27 12:09 PM

Our bodies know time not distance


yes and no, i'd say.

the bottom line is WORK, which can be performed quickly or slowly, over long distances or short.

performing that work requires calories and handful of important nutrients. it's all about supplying and marshaling those resources efficiently.


2008-10-27 12:38 PM
in reply to: #1767706

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Sensei
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles

tridantri - 2008-10-27 9:08 AM I log the miles based on effort.  For example, I know that on the road I average about 17mph for a zone 2 ride.  So if I do two hours on the trainer in zone 2 then I will log it as 34 miles.  The distance covered is not really that important (time is) but I just like to look at weekly/monthly/yearly totals out of interest.

I second this...

In general, I just put down 15 mph for my trainer rides almost all the time unless I go really hard, or really easy.  15 mph, just because that's what I tend to average around town.

Granted, like one of the other posts, when I ride around town, I get to take some breaks on the downhills and intersections that I don't get to take on the trainer - but it's not that important to me what my milage total is as long as I get the time in.

2008-10-27 2:35 PM
in reply to: #1767746

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Expert
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
dalessit - 2008-10-27 11:31 AM

skarl - 2008-10-27 12:18 PM I think a trainer ride is tougher than riding outside because I don't get any downhill breaks. And it's boring as heck. So I log it all as bike miles & time, even tho the trainer should count for double

x2



I agree I am always more spent on the trainer than if I were riding outside. It feels like I am riding uphill or against the wind the entire time on the trainer.
2008-10-27 3:04 PM
in reply to: #1767760

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Coach
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles

Xan - 2008-10-27 11:36 AM
amiine - 2008-10-27 12:09 PM Our bodies know time not distance
yes and no, i'd say. the bottom line is WORK, which can be performed quickly or slowly, over long distances or short. performing that work requires calories and handful of important nutrients. it's all about supplying and marshaling those resources efficiently.

Your body has some much fuel to allow you to go from A to B given your fitness level. Assuming you want to go as hard as you can at your functional threshold or at the intensity it will take you to deplete your glycogen sources to the point you have to slow down and stop.

For most reasonable fit people this will take around 60 min, some will be able to cover more or less distance in that time but the time is the same. What if that same effort is doing on hilly terrain vs flat terrain? The effort still will allow you to go around 60 min but the distance covered will be different. What about if you try that on hot weather? You still will be able to go around 60 min but on hot weather you’ll have to slow down covering less distance while you could go much farther under optimal conditions.

You can attempt supplying your body with as many nutrients as you want but going at your functional threshold for around 60 min, your body won’t be able to process and absorb those to the point that you can sustain that effort indefinitely, not even extended more than maybe a few min. For that you’ll just have to slow down… There have been studies done about it.

2008-10-27 3:14 PM
in reply to: #1767625

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Champion
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I like knowing what "bike" time was spent outdoors and on the trainer.

I log my outdoor miles under the "bike" section.

I log my indoor time under "bike trainer" under Other Sports. Then I can easily tell what was done inside versus outside on my training log.

2008-10-27 4:07 PM
in reply to: #1767625

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Lethbridge, Alberta
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
On my older trainer, the mileage from a workout would usually seem just a little light compared to an equivalent effort outside so I logged it directly as bike mileage. If I'm to be surprised on race day, I want it to be a pleasant surprise. Recently I was trying to set up a compu-trainer and without proper calibration the effort on one workout had seemed too easy for the mileage readout so I discounted the mileage to something I thought more reasonable.

My rule-of-thumb is: if a workout seems like it should have provided some training effect then I want to log something for it, while making an effort not to artificially inflate my recorded volumes. The logs are for our own use and interpretation, so you should log in whichever way makes the most sense to you.

Edit: As noted below, I also use the equipment tracker to differentiate trainer time/distance.

Edited by Micawber 2008-10-27 4:33 PM


2008-10-27 4:25 PM
in reply to: #1768428

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Master
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles

KSH - 2008-10-27 4:14 PM I like knowing what "bike" time was spent outdoors and on the trainer. I log my outdoor miles under the "bike" section. I log my indoor time under "bike trainer" under Other Sports. Then I can easily tell what was done inside versus outside on my training log.

For me, I log both under bike miles.. but I have bike equipment of "trainer" I select for trainer miles, I can then see how many trainer miles I have. Each do things differently.. I would say whatever works for your logs 

2008-10-27 5:53 PM
in reply to: #1767625

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Expert
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Fort Wayne, IN
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
I log trainer miles the same as bike miles.  I also convert swimming and biking to "equivalent" running miles.  I assume swimming 500 yards is one mile and multiply my bike miles by 0.4.  I have an excel spreadsheet that I enter all the data into and generate all kinds of graphs when I'm bored.
2008-10-27 6:54 PM
in reply to: #1767625

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Master
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Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
Last winter, my bike computer magnet was on my front wheel, and I logged estimated mileage based on the previous summer. My new computer has the magnet on the rear wheel, so I ride for time and log whatever the computer says. I can definitely ride a bit faster for the same effort on a flat road with no wind. Your legs have done the work. Go ahead and log it.
2008-10-27 8:31 PM
in reply to: #1768627

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Elite
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Ontario
Subject: RE: bike miles vs trainer miles
slake707 - 2008-10-27 5:25 PM

For me, I log both under bike miles.. but I have bike equipment of "trainer" I select for trainer miles, I can then see how many trainer miles I have. Each do things differently.. I would say whatever works for your logs 

That's a great idea - I'm incorporating that one.

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