Turbo Training for Beginners - a NapD guide

Thebigbee

hopper1 wrote:

I use a Bike Thong to stop dripping all over my headset/frame, etc. It also has pockets, really handy for the DVD/TV remotes, etc...
Just ordered a chuffin' great Fan, too.

Both love and hate the name "Bike Thong"! Is it really necessary to be called this?

An going to start referring to my pump as a "Bike Dildo" and my mudguards as "Bike Nappies"!

Stone Glider

A gentle 'bump' up the forum. I noticed that there are a couple of turbo related queries elsewhere of late, the wisdom of ages is stored in this thread.

Grifteruk

Having completed Sufferfest Angels for the first time last night, I echo what others have said on using these types of workouts as, IMO, an essential tool to bring out the best of your training sessions. Will be picking up a few of the other offerings to mix up routines and try to keep things fresh.

Last winter, I trained during the evenings in the gym on a gym bike with a power meter and found that it only got me so far. It was quite too easy to fall into a routine which initially helped me improve, but ended up with a plateau.

This year I have gone to a Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll and even after a few weeks think its head and shoulders above both the gym bike and also my old Cycleops turbo. It took a bit of getting used to, but the motion and ability to shift the bike around gives a realistic feel and better core workout and lets me chew my bars without worrying bout night time traffic.

Not sure wot the g'friend thinks im doing grunting and groaning away in the other room tho...

skyblueamateur

Not sure wot the g'friend thinks im doing grunting and groaning away in the other room tho...

I think the new Mrs SkyBlueAmateur is having second thoughts about marriage after witnessing me sweating my tits off on the turbo watching a cycling-simulation vid with the laptop perched on an ironing board in the conservatory

napoleond

Update calculator for Heart Rate zoned based on what British Cycling do-

http://www.machinehead-software.co.uk/b ... c_bcf.html

Stone Glider

At last, I have managed to do a session on my newly purchased turbo-trainer. A catalogue of mishaps and misunderstandings have stretched the process into a month! All went well, yes it is boring, a bit/lot.

Just one question: the trainer came with a bespoke q/r skewer, which looks a lot like the q/r skewer I have on the tourer I am using (apart from the dirt & rust obvs). Can I ignore changing the skewer each time I attach the bike to the trainer? or has it special powers invisible to the uninitiated?

napoleond

I just keep the turbo skewer permanently on mine. The ends will be designed to slot in the recesses on the turbo properly, i'd always use the provided skewer on a turbo, just in case...

Stone Glider

Thanks for that. J I C is the way to go.

Grifteruk

Quick query for everyone on the use of a riser block.

Ive got a riser block which doesn't raise the front wheel too high and Im using the Sufferfest Hunted and Angels, which both contained climbing sections.

Just wondering if whether anyone thinks (or knows) whether raising the front wheel higher (with the old yellow pages etc...) gives an added benefit or not?

warrerj

I've been told that a yellow pages or 2 will really help when using a TT for climbing training (got a good as gettign out on a hill of course but still ..)

Also haven't read all the pages of this thread yet but I use http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/ to help with my sessions.

Bobbinogs

Grifteruk wrote:

Quick query for everyone on the use of a riser block.

Ive got a riser block which doesn't raise the front wheel too high and Im using the Sufferfest Hunted and Angels, which both contained climbing sections.

Just wondering if whether anyone thinks (or knows) whether raising the front wheel higher (with the old yellow pages etc...) gives an added benefit or not?

The only problem is that you then have to get off the bike and move the books to the back wheel when doing the descents

napoleond

I put stuff under the front wheel to simulate climbing, you sit on the bike slightly differently and it engages more muscles, just like real climbing.
Given that the wheelbase of the bike is about 1metre, 6cm rise is about 6% hill etc.
Some will say that it's a load of rubbish but it works for me (it was my coach, when I was being coached, that got me doing it).

Grifteruk

Cheers all, now need to think of a way to nick my missus' pile of Cosmo back issues without her noticing

whojanicanackerov

I have a Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro turbo trainer which I`m more than happy with other than the skewer clamping mechanism.I think that I have been over tightening the mechanism on the skewer I notice that when I`ve been tightening it.The frame of the Trainer pushes outwards.Anyone else who has one want to share the secret of doing it right
I have read the manual but it does not state how tight to go?

Just some food for thought here.
I rode on A cycleops Fluid 2 today and found that the resistance is nowhere near as hard as the Fluid pro.
This is not an estimated guess I used my own bike with my Powertap hub.
Just thought Some of you maybe interested in this for what ever reason

whojanicanackerov

Just found guide on Youtube.Yes I`ve been over tightening it.OOPs.

napoleond

Mine pushes out too. Shoes it's nice and tight. Although if you want you can adjust the silver screw on the other side to reduce this.
The fluid pro is tops (I'm in a recovery between intervals on it while I type)

Bobbinogs

Anyone tried the revamped Downward Spiral yet? Just wondering if it was worth shelling out for...

The Manx based turbo training DVDs in the comic look good but no download option and £25 (or something like that) for a DVD sounds like yesteryear format/pricing. Anyone tried them?

plife

I have a Jet Fluid Pro and want a spare skewer so the Mrs can get her bike on there as well. We have different cassettes so can't use the same wheel and could do without the hassle of swapping the skewer over each time! Any idea where I can get a spare skewer - all my searches so far have been useless!

napoleond

http://www.thecyclewarehouse.co.uk/700co13954.html

ddraver

Bobbinogs wrote:

Anyone tried the revamped Downward Spiral yet? Just wondering if it was worth shelling out for...

The Manx based turbo training DVDs in the comic look good but no download option and £25 (or something like that) for a DVD sounds like yesteryear format/pricing. Anyone tried them?

Revamped how...?

Bobbinogs

ddraver wrote:

Bobbinogs wrote:

Anyone tried the revamped Downward Spiral yet? Just wondering if it was worth shelling out for...

The Manx based turbo training DVDs in the comic look good but no download option and £25 (or something like that) for a DVD sounds like yesteryear format/pricing. Anyone tried them?

Revamped how...?

I'm afraid I deleted the spam email I got about it. It said something about freshening up some of the scenes to make the intervals less repetitive and I think they've added a new recovery section with some nice footage from the cycling film chaps. The website makes no mention of this but looking at the blurb the Spiral looks like a tough interval set, so good for threshold improvement?

plife

NapoleonD wrote:

http://www.thecyclewarehouse.co.uk/700co13954.html

Thanks!

andyrr

To celebrate the 2 year anniversary of The Downward Spiral, we just gave it a face lift and republished it. Here's what we did:

Improved the resolution of the footage.
Introduced some new scenes to the intervals of both Paris-Roubaix (fancy chasing back to the pack with George Hincapie?) and Fleche-Wallone (can you stay with Tony Martin on the first climb?).
Put in entirely new Cyclefilm.com footage for the recovery session between sets.
Eliminated the constantly repeating criterium footage between intervals and changed it to new criterium footage (so you're not watching the same bit of the race over and over).
Added effort and cadence indicator in lower right of screen (as in the newer videos).
Improved the sound effects.

jgsi

Bought it last year, Mr David is only allowing me a 20% off to be re vamped slightly less than generous, Mr David.

paulwakefield

I'll give this a little bump, because I've just bought a Tacx TT from eBay for £30, so even though i'll use it once or twice, for it then to stay in the shed for a year or two, it's kind of worth it for the price!

Will let you know how I get on!

t5nel

whojanicanackerov wrote:

I have a Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro turbo trainer which I`m more than happy with other than the skewer clamping mechanism.I think that I have been over tightening the mechanism on the skewer I notice that when I`ve been tightening it.The frame of the Trainer pushes outwards.Anyone else who has one want to share the secret of doing it right
I have read the manual but it does not state how tight to go?

Just some food for thought here.
I rode on A cycleops Fluid 2 today and found that the resistance is nowhere near as hard as the Fluid pro.
This is not an estimated guess I used my own bike with my Powertap hub.
Just thought Some of you maybe interested in this for what ever reason

Hi,
I am using a JetFluid Pro as well - will check the video as I find if I dont tighten it a LOT then the bike sways too much and makes some noise.

I was really interested in what you said about the JetFluid Pro resistance and power/speed relationship. I am trying out trainerroad.com software (which gives you a virtual power figure based on trainer speed) and I do not think that the figures they have tie up with my experience on the trainer). It would be great if I could get some data from your powertap on the trainer at various speeds. If this is something you could help out with please let me know.

Thanks
Tim

paulwakefield

Well set it up and had an hour on it today, is it normal to smell of burning rubber a little, looks like the tyres won't last two minutes.

andy46

You'd be better off getting a proper turbo trainer tyre or you'll find that your normal tyre's will melt/chew up with the build up of heat.

jgsi

Nooooo.. you've probably just got too much pressure between tyre and roller... have used a road tyre for yonks (an old one at that) without any issue, and been lazy and gone out using the same wheel on the road...

whojanicanackerov

t5nel wrote:

whojanicanackerov wrote:

I have a Cycleops Jet Fluid Pro turbo trainer which I`m more than happy with other than the skewer clamping mechanism.I think that I have been over tightening the mechanism on the skewer I notice that when I`ve been tightening it.The frame of the Trainer pushes outwards.Anyone else who has one want to share the secret of doing it right
I have read the manual but it does not state how tight to go?

Just some food for thought here.
I rode on A cycleops Fluid 2 today and found that the resistance is nowhere near as hard as the Fluid pro.
This is not an estimated guess I used my own bike with my Powertap hub.
Just thought Some of you maybe interested in this for what ever reason

Hi,
I am using a JetFluid Pro as well - will check the video as I find if I dont tighten it a LOT then the bike sways too much and makes some noise.

I was really interested in what you said about the JetFluid Pro resistance and power/speed relationship. I am trying out trainerroad.com software (which gives you a virtual power figure based on trainer speed) and I do not think that the figures they have tie up with my experience on the trainer). It would be great if I could get some data from your powertap on the trainer at various speeds. If this is something you could help out with please let me know.

Thanks
Tim

Yeah Tim I can do that if you wish let me know what you would like from me and I will report back on here.
As for the tension I apply to the clamping mech.
I now just take up the slack until it just touches without tension.
I then apply four clicks of pressure and this seems to be right.
I keep it this way each time I setup along with 100psi rear tyre pressure to keep the data the same.