General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides Rss Feed  
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2018-03-13 10:39 PM

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Subject: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides

I have an option this Saturday to do an indoor bike trainer ride or an outdoor ride.  I have read the commentary and forum discussions on the pro's and con's of indoor vs outdoor training. 

It appears that indoor training is more effective because you don't have hills.  Out doors 25% of your time can be down hill to where you can get the same amount of work done in 60 minutes on the training that takes 75 minutes out doors.  

I also don't have a power meter. I can use virtual Watts indoors for periodized training but out side I have to use HR (and with the whole wind and hills thing it is not constant like it is inside).   

I really do love riding outside.  One of the reasons I choose endurance sports as my fitness plan of choice is that it gives me an excuse to spend time out doors.  

So....my question is what is you balance between indoor training and outdoor training and how do your goals and the structure of your work outs different between the indoor and out door work outs?

By the way I am really excited that the cold winter days are about gone and outdoor cycling is going to be a possibility.



2018-03-14 9:20 AM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides

Indoor training doesn't have wind or stoplights or coasting, but it can be structured to simulate hills or any other workout you desire.  If you want to simulate riding up a hill, shift into a harder gear.  If you want to simulate riding downhill, shift into an easier gear.  

You have access to HR while you're doing virtual watts indoors, why would you think you couldn't correlate HR outdoors to watts?  Wind and hills don't matter for watts, only how fast you ride at a particular watt level.  

Weather is the primary reason to choose indoor over outdoor.  If you're rigorously following a training plan and it calls for staying out of zone 3 but you live in a very hilly area, you might opt to ride the trainer to more easily stay in Z1/2 the entire ride.  

2018-03-14 11:38 AM
in reply to: McFuzz

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I'm in the same boat for this weekend. Given 95% of my riding is done indoors on Zwift, I can't wait to get outside!
2018-03-14 3:34 PM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
Indoors are safer and more time effective (more focused workouts and less gear hassles - just hop on and ride).

I use indoor work during the week in the AM workouts.

When the weather improves in my area, I'll head out for the longer weekend work at sunrise and make sure to have some real world work in as well for the long easy rides.
2018-03-14 3:37 PM
in reply to: #5239778

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I do the one that makes me more motivated to get the work in.

Some days I don’t feel like having to load my bike up and drive 10 minutes to have a safe place to ride outdoors. Other days I can’t bear the thought of spinning on the trainer.

Right now the weather is not kind so I’m doing most of my stuff on the trainer.
2018-03-14 4:10 PM
in reply to: TXTriRook

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides

Originally posted by TXTriRook I'm in the same boat for this weekend. Given 95% of my riding is done indoors on Zwift, I can't wait to get outside!

Ya...I was living in the Texas Hill Country this time 3 years ago doing rides over rolling hills around the highland lakes with the wild flowers in full bloom.  I would race up the hills then go as fast as could down the hills (40+ MPH) and then recover on the flats. Those rides are what made me want to stick with Triathlon rather than going back to running after what might have been a one time triathlon race.

I didn't have structured rides but I did take time to work on cadence while I was riding, I did take time to focus on pedal efficiency while I was cycling, and I did ride and different power levels to where I was increasing my FTP and my endurance. 

Originally posted by McFuzz

Indoor training doesn't have wind or stoplights or coasting, but it can be structured to simulate hills or any other workout you desire.  If you want to simulate riding up a hill, shift into a harder gear.  If you want to simulate riding downhill, shift into an easier gear.  

You have access to HR while you're doing virtual watts indoors, why would you think you couldn't correlate HR outdoors to watts?  Wind and hills don't matter for watts, only how fast you ride at a particular watt level.  

Weather is the primary reason to choose indoor over outdoor.  If you're rigorously following a training plan and it calls for staying out of zone 3 but you live in a very hilly area, you might opt to ride the trainer to more easily stay in Z1/2 the entire ride.  

I don't want to structure my indoor training ride to simulate an outdoor ride.  All the training I have been doing since November has been indoor power based interval training.  The work outs are highly controlled and targeted to work me as hard as possible without my recovery time every exceeding what I have before the next scheduled workout.  The reports I have been reading say that there is a high percentage of athletes that loose their winter fitness if they stop doing workouts indoors all together.  What I want to do is to cycle out doors, because it is something I enjoy, but not to fall into a pit fall all my outdoor rides turning into joy rides to where I loose fitness gained from indoor training.  

My HR data won't allow me to do what I do indoors on the trainer.  Below is a clipping of the trainer ride I did this morning.  As you can see I was taking pretty good size steps above FTP and below FTP but the HR was pretty much a flat line. 

 

So... I think I need to approach outdoor rides with different expectation and different goals.  I am curious as to how other approach indoor vs outdoor rides, what their goals are for each, and what their balance between the two is. 



2018-03-14 5:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I do 99% of my rides outdoors. It would drive my crazy to be riding on the trainer all of the time. I have a good estimate of my Lactate Threshold Heart Rate and I base my training around that. Would love to have a power meter one day but until then, HRZ training is working for me.
2018-03-14 10:10 PM
in reply to: BlueBoy26


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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
Originally posted by BlueBoy26

I have an option this Saturday to do an indoor bike trainer ride or an outdoor ride.  I have read the commentary and forum discussions on the pro's and con's of indoor vs outdoor training. 

It appears that indoor training is more effective because you don't have hills.  Out doors 25% of your time can be down hill to where you can get the same amount of work done in 60 minutes on the training that takes 75 minutes out doors.  

I also don't have a power meter. I can use virtual Watts indoors for periodized training but out side I have to use HR (and with the whole wind and hills thing it is not constant like it is inside).   

I really do love riding outside.  One of the reasons I choose endurance sports as my fitness plan of choice is that it gives me an excuse to spend time out doors.  

So....my question is what is you balance between indoor training and outdoor training and how do your goals and the structure of your work outs different between the indoor and out door work outs?

By the way I am really excited that the cold winter days are about gone and outdoor cycling is going to be a possibility.




Neither is much more effective than the other. It's certainly easier to do a structured workout on a trainer since a computer screen is right in front of you and tells you what to do and when. . . but that can be done outside just as well. I wouldn't worry about the downhills or the time difference. Come up with a plan on what you want to accomplish on that outdoor ride, and then execute the plan.

You race outdoors, I'd always default to outdoors training when possible.
2018-03-15 5:24 AM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides

Originally posted by BlueBoy26

I have an option this Saturday to do an indoor bike trainer ride or an outdoor ride.  I have read the commentary and forum discussions on the pro's and con's of indoor vs outdoor training. 

Speaking specifically about age-group triathletes - because they typically have to train around careers, kids, spouses, and life in general thus don't have time to ride their bike all day long - riding indoors on the trainer will often provide a higher quality workout.  Obviously riding indoors is safer than riding outdoors which is increasingly becoming a concern.

However, and this is a BIG however.  Riding indoors on the trainer does nothing to improve bike handling skills.  On top of that, riding on the trainer for more than 90-120 minutes quickly approaches "cruel and unusual punishment."

The balance I have found is indoors on the trainer doing interval work - i.e. threshold intervals, VO2 MAX intervals, SS intervals, etc. - during the week and long rides outdoors on the weekend.  In areas where weather is a concern during the winter months, the long ride can be abbreviated and done as a tempo ride or sweet spot intervals on the trainer.

The real important things is, once the weather breaks, you need to be outdoors working on handling skills, riding actual hills, being exposed to wind and sun and all the other things you may encounter on race day.

Ride on!

2018-03-15 11:00 AM
in reply to: k9car363

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I also use VP on my trainer rides and I don't have a PM either. When I got outside I simply make the ride count. Sure I'll coast down the hills but I'll also charge up them. I keep the effort up as I'm cresting the hill as well as accelerate before I start coasting.

At the end of the day I look at it this way. If every one of my outdoor rides has specific intervals where I had power targets etc. vs. me just riding outside with the random hard efforts etc. I think my bike split in an Olympic distance race might vary by 30-60 seconds. So I'll take the "hit" on my bike splits during races so I can do fun group rides and simply ride without having to worry about specific training targets etc.

It's must safer riding outdoors where you're not looking at the bike computer/watch etc.

I do have a bike computer and Garmin watch but I don't look at the data until it's uploaded after the ride.

I also agree about the comment about bike handling skills.
2018-03-15 1:06 PM
in reply to: reecealan

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I don't know about others but I definitely cheat a lot more when on my trainer in terms of my position / staying in aero. I'm not fancy enough to sit completely upright while pedaling outdoors so I definitely get position and aero work which is hard to replicate on a trainer.


2018-03-15 1:59 PM
in reply to: k9car363

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides

Originally posted by k9car363

[....The balance I have found is indoors on the trainer doing interval work - i.e. threshold intervals, VO2 MAX intervals, SS intervals, etc. - during the week and long rides outdoors on the weekend.  In areas where weather is a concern during the winter months, the long ride can be abbreviated and done as a tempo ride or sweet spot intervals on the trainer. 

Long rides on the weekend out doors and indoor rides at O'dark thirty in the morning on weeks days seems to be the most common solution/balance for people in my situation.  Training in adverse weather is nice to have under your belt when it is windy and raining on race day (i have had that in two of my A races), but I think I will forego out door rides on those days too since I now have a convenient option indoors on those days (Note: I will still be running outside in the rain and wind on may days since I don't have any indoor options at home for running.  Just at the gym in town. 

Originally posted by k9car363

The real important things is, once the weather breaks, you need to be outdoors working on handling skills, riding actual hills, being exposed to wind and sun and all the other things you may encounter on race day.

Ride on!

 

Yes, handling skills was the one big advantage that was glaring at me with out door rides (that and outdoors are just more fun for me).  I do have a hidden fear that my first time outside I am going to get a flat tire though.  I have never been stranded 10 miles from civilization with a flat tire when I ride the trainer.  :-)  I am just hoping that I am faster out doors now as I was 4 months ago.  I used to have every bump and every crack in the road memories and hope that I haven't lost me feel with the road. 

2018-03-15 3:40 PM
in reply to: BlueBoy26

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Subject: RE: Indoor Trainer vs Outdoor Bike Rides
I ride outdoors whenever the temperature is above 10. This is anecdotal but I don't seem to start improving (going by a tt course that I time myself on semi-regularly) until I start riding outside.
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