1 month on the trainer and its getting better

elderone

In the bradley wiggins documentary he was shown using his turbo at home alot even on nice sunny days,so it has its uses even for the best.Still riding on the road is what I personally got into cycling for but use the turbo when i have to.

dodgy

PS, common beginner mistake. But bike rides are called rides, not runs

VTech

dodgy wrote:

PS, common beginner mistake. But bike rides are called rides, not runs

Thats the car side of things coming through, ill remember in future

Brakeless

dodgy wrote:

PS, common beginner mistake. But bike rides are called rides, not runs

And it's time spent on a turbo not distance ridden. 2 quality hours on a turbo would be far harder for most riders than the 32 - 35 odd miles you'd cover out on the road in the same time.

keef66

In your position I'd be riding the B'Twin on the road until you have some fitness and confidence / bike handling skill. The Felt's a beautiful bike but it is an aero / time trial machine. I suspect I would take some time to get used to riding one.

For a while I did wonder about getting a turbo, but then decided I wouldn't use it enough to justify the expense. Instead I spent the money on decent clothing and lights, and do all my riding on the road, much of it at night. (I'm lucky to have fairly quiet rural roads on the doorstep)

KentPuncheur

Time spent on the turbo is a pretty pointless measure, as others have indicated.

The trick to turbo training is intensity, not the quantum of time spent on it. I have a turbo trainer which I use in the evenings after work (I have a 1hr + train commute to London so I use it in the winter evenings) as I find the turbo is easier to measure my high intensity interval training sessions perscribed by a coach.

I would never judge a turbo training session by how much time I spent on the bike, the best measure for your purposes (loosing weight and gaining fitness) is calories burnt. Therefore a 40 minute structured interval session with efforts above threshold (seperated by recovery intervals) would do you more good than a constant 40 minute at a sustainable pace.

To begin with, buy a couple of turbo training DVDs (such as spinnervals) or, even better, download some sufferfest dvds. You'll find that these will make a lot of difference to your sessions.

And another snippet of advice...at the weekends go out on the road on your training bike for short rides (sub-10km if need be) just to slowly build up your confidence, then you won't worry about the weaher spoiling your AR4. Using the turbo as you are really isn't helping your balance or 'on-road' confidence at all.

VTech

I did a 10km and a 16km this week on the road and felt much better. I feel that the improvement in fitness has helped and am far more confident now. I'm also losing weight which was the main aim. Thanks for the advice. I have been trying

Paul E

Yes you have been trying, you are correct on that one.

rolf_f

Paul E wrote:

Yes you have been trying, you are correct on that one.

Ahh, but you are trolling now - which is worse than being trying.

slowbike

This is all very admirable - but please please please just get on your bike (any of them) and ride them ...

You'll learn so much more about riding and your bike that way.

VTech

Slowbike wrote:

This is all very admirable - but please please please just get on your bike (any of them) and ride them ...

You'll learn so much more about riding and your bike that way.

I've done 2 rides on the road this week and have the bike packed for my trip when I will do more on the weekend and next week.
People here are moaning about me using the turbo and saying get on the road. I get on the road and people argue saying get off the turbo and onto the road.

I'm really struggling here guys.

navrig

VTech wrote:

People here are moaning about me using the turbo and saying get on the road.

VTech wrote:

saying get off the turbo and onto the road.

Same thing, isn't it?

VTech wrote:

I'm really struggling here guys.

You're struggling?

You should try it from our side!

VTech

I wouldnt want to be their

rolf_f

Navrig wrote:

VTech wrote:

People here are moaning about me using the turbo and saying get on the road.

VTech wrote:

saying get off the turbo and onto the road.

Same thing, isn't it?

The point being that when he does what people tell him he should do, people don't read what he's said and continue to tell him to do the same thing even though he is actually doing it. Fair complaint I think!

slowbike

VTech wrote:

I've done 2 rides on the road this week

Excellent - did you enjoy it? Have you had your first puncture yet?

VTech wrote:

and have the bike packed for my trip when I will do more on the weekend and next week.

Have you talked to the boys at work about it at all? Would they ride with you at all?

VTech wrote:

I'm really struggling here guys.

You'll get faster - just try and improve your fitness faster than your bike kit!

Paul E

Rolf F wrote:

Paul E wrote:

Yes you have been trying, you are correct on that one.

Ahh, but you are trolling now - which is worse than being trying.

I will give you that one, but I couldn't resist

VTech

@ Rolf F, cant believe we agreed on something

@ Slowbike, I didnt really enjoy it, I felt better than the first time round but it still hurt, mostly from the cold air in the chest more than the legs.
Ive not had a puncture yet.
I didnt mention it in the office, I think ill wait for the few weeks, im away this weekend and into next week and then intend on doing a couple of 40km runs with the local cycle club so once ive done a couple of these ill let them know.
I am working on the fitness, and I can assure you that me buying a few bits n bobs has nothing to do with the "showing off" that some have wrongly suggested, I just find it quite addictive.

slowbike

Ah - you need to ignore the "hurt" ... and just focus on the positives.

Punctures - if you haven't tried changing a tube yet I suggest you have a go in the warmth of your own home - fannying around in the cold and dark for 30 minutes whilst swearing at your bike won't help your riding!
I tell you what though - you could get a gas pump ... no, seriously - it'll make pumping up the tyres on the road much easier .. otherwise you can spend quite a bit of time and effort just getting some pressure back in them.

Mention it (in passing) in the office - having real life support makes it so much easier to get on - but you might suffer a bit of rib tickling too ... we get that in the office - talk of Mamils and doping etc etc - but at least our bikes in the office are accepted as the norm and we do get the occasional interest in what we're up to.

pride4ever

Turbo trainers should only be used by non pro's for brutal sprint interval training, anything else is a waste of time and energy, unless of course youve had weeks of foul weather in which case its ok to spin for 30/40 minutes or so.

VTech

pride4ever wrote:

Turbo trainers should only be used by non pro's for brutal sprint interval training, anything else is a waste of time and energy, unless of course youve had weeks of foul weather in which case its ok to spin for 30/40 minutes or so.

I dont understand that (even though almost all of you agree).
Only a few weeks ago I couldnt do a couple of km, now im knocking out 20km+ for fun.
Its got to be doing something ? 20km+ cant be placebo !

supermurph09

Vtech, are you on Strava or Garmin Connect? I'd like to follow your progress, heck I'll even give you kudos of each ride if it helps encourage you.

slowbike

They're talking out their arses ...

Doing exercise is better than not - any exercise! 30-40 minutes on a turbo is a good effort - especially for someone unfit - and TBH, 30-40 minutes on a turbo doing steady pace will be about the same as 30-40 minutes on the road doing steady pace - the only difference with road is that your pace will vary depending on the gradient and that is less controllable than on a turbo.

Doing fast sprints and interval training is going to do little for your weight loss - you need steady miles (kms) at low zone heart rate for better weight loss - along with a sensible diet. You may like to do 20km before breakfast too - no energy drinks, just a bit of water - otherwise your body will use the most available energy source first, which will be what you've just eaten.

But do try and get on the road - I think you'll find it far more enjoyable having got back from a long ride being able to think about where you went and what you saw rather than just sweating on a turbo ...

VTech

Slowbike wrote:

They're talking out their arses ...

Doing exercise is better than not - any exercise! 30-40 minutes on a turbo is a good effort - especially for someone unfit - and TBH, 30-40 minutes on a turbo doing steady pace will be about the same as 30-40 minutes on the road doing steady pace - the only difference with road is that your pace will vary depending on the gradient and that is less controllable than on a turbo.

Doing fast sprints and interval training is going to do little for your weight loss - you need steady miles (kms) at low zone heart rate for better weight loss - along with a sensible diet. You may like to do 20km before breakfast too - no energy drinks, just a bit of water - otherwise your body will use the most available energy source first, which will be what you've just eaten.

But do try and get on the road - I think you'll find it far more enjoyable having got back from a long ride being able to think about where you went and what you saw rather than just sweating on a turbo ...

I was thinking about getting the wife to drive me somewhere and drop me off so I can make my own way home (in the deep end as it were).
Almost all of the turbo rides are over 40m and I do sweat lots, I use the TacX system which allows me to ride real roads on google maps and it simulates the gradients.

jgsi

pride4ever wrote:

Turbo trainers should only be used by non pro's for brutal sprint interval training, anything else is a waste of time and energy, unless of course youve had weeks of foul weather in which case its ok to spin for 30/40 minutes or so.

Getaway
I now have these on the bike (for the turbo / TR of course) ... OP is not the only one with toys

imposter2.0

Slowbike wrote:

Doing fast sprints and interval training is going to do little for your weight loss

except burn more calories - which I believe is good for weight loss

VTech

JGSI wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

Turbo trainers should only be used by non pro's for brutal sprint interval training, anything else is a waste of time and energy, unless of course youve had weeks of foul weather in which case its ok to spin for 30/40 minutes or so.

Getaway
I now have these on the bike (for the turbo / TR of course) ... OP is not the only one with toys

Your gonna get hung drawn and quartered here for having stickers on them bars (I love them btw)

slowbike

Imposter wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Doing fast sprints and interval training is going to do little for your weight loss

except burn more calories - which I believe is good for weight loss

Probably less overall though as he exhausts himself on one sprint and then can't make the next ...

tortoise and the hare ...

jgsi

VTech wrote:

JGSI wrote:

pride4ever wrote:

Turbo trainers should only be used by non pro's for brutal sprint interval training, anything else is a waste of time and energy, unless of course youve had weeks of foul weather in which case its ok to spin for 30/40 minutes or so.

Getaway
I now have these on the bike (for the turbo / TR of course) ... OP is not the only one with toys

Your gonna get hung drawn and quartered here for having stickers on them bars (I love them btw)

Stickers? The black tape is there to hold the cables into the cable recess under the bars - no internal routing with Ritchey - the plastic retaining clips supplied by them were indeed silly and broke anyway - I'll work a neater solution in time.

VTech

I was referring to the RITCHEY carbon wcs written on it.

p1tse

KentPuncheur wrote:

Time spent on the turbo is a pretty pointless measure, as others have indicated.

The trick to turbo training is intensity, not the quantum of time spent on it. I have a turbo trainer which I use in the evenings after work (I have a 1hr + train commute to London so I use it in the winter evenings) as I find the turbo is easier to measure my high intensity interval training sessions perscribed by a coach.

I would never judge a turbo training session by how much time I spent on the bike, the best measure for your purposes (loosing weight and gaining fitness) is calories burnt. Therefore a 40 minute structured interval session with efforts above threshold (seperated by recovery intervals) would do you more good than a constant 40 minute at a sustainable pace.

To begin with, buy a couple of turbo training DVDs (such as spinnervals) or, even better, download some sufferfest dvds. You'll find that these will make a lot of difference to your sessions.

And another snippet of advice...at the weekends go out on the road on your training bike for short rides (sub-10km if need be) just to slowly build up your confidence, then you won't worry about the weaher spoiling your AR4. Using the turbo as you are really isn't helping your balance or 'on-road' confidence at all.

I'm medium built
Wouldn't say skinny or fat, I'm one who can eat loads and not put any weight on
I've never understood or counted calories, but is the statement above correct on calories burnt as a measure of fitness

I'm not very fit, in the legs or lungs so want to improve