Sufferfest & Gym bikes

venster

Does anyone use these videos on a gym bike?.

I've had a look on the site and says you can use them with HR, but doesn't elaborate from there. I guess more info is there once you've bought a video.

So I just wondered how well they compare to using it on a turbo trainer?

w00dster

Hi Venster,
I use on both. I work away during the week so am unable to ride (I'm not taking my bike with me as logistically its just not possible). At weekends if the weather is bad its onto the turbo.
To compensate for my lack of riding during the week I use a couple of Sufferfest vid's on a static gym bike. I have Angels, The Wretched and ISLAGIATT and Into a Dark Place.
I get a very good cardio workout on them on both gym bike and turbo. However there are limitations. The turbo is fine and whilst not being the same as a road, still allows you to work in the same body positioning as your normal ride, there are sections where you need to stand, sit, stand etc. On the turbo this is fine, on the static bike, the standing is just not the same. The pedalling motion is also just slightly different on the gym bike - but this is down to huge pedals and rubbish straps.
The sufferfest vids I use as a tool to make sure I am working hard. They generally last for between 45 mins and an hour and if they are tough. I'm a big fan of Into a Dark Place, the 4 minute interval training is a really good session, good mix of hills and constant speed training thrown in.
So, if like me you are limited to what training you can do then I see them as being ideal for a gym bike - but if I had access to a turbo I would use it over the gym bike.
This is just my perspective, I'm sure other people will hate the idea of using a gym bike to train on. (I'm with them but needs must!)

king_jeffers

Gym bikes; if you start building up a high cadence and spin away the bike kicks in resistance to slow you down. Had this on two different makes not sure if its the same on all of them, kind of stops your flow.

LiamW

Correct King Jeffers, very annoying when you just want to spin away.

venster

Thanks w00dster for the detailed reply. I'm needing a structured program for the gym. Can't cope with turbo trainers.

So this looks good. I guess you keep the adjust the resistance to the required HR and cadence.

napoleond

Just do it of your perceived exhertion. I use a gym bike when forced and it's not an issue.

w00dster

As NapoleonD says.
If Sufferfest says 8/10, then work to what you consider as that level of intensity. I do try and keep the cadence at what the video says. I'm a bit @nal though, I found what "gear/resistance" I can work at flat out for an hour. I then use this as my basis for what resistance I need for 7/10 and 90rpm. Its then a case of following the onscreen instructions - eg 8/10 and 95 rpm - I up the resistance one and increase cadence and so forth. I can then use this to monitor my improvement over the winter.

poppit

Join a gym that has some spin bikes on the gym floor rather than just in a spinning studio. They're far more realistic than a standard gym stationary bike.

Omar Little

Yeah spin bikes tend to be a bit better than gym bikes -particularly the saddles. Gym bike saddles are normally far too big and soft if you have to use them more than half an hour or so.

If im using the spin or watt bike at the gym then i sometimes use my ipad to watch a sufferfest video and it works quite well. If using a tablet or phone then i'd recommend getting a waterproof case for it because you dont really want to be dripping sweat on it, plus the case will likely have a strap you can use to attach to the machine in some way to stop it falling off.

johnny25

I use my iPod Touch to watch the Sufferfest videos while in the gym. If you're on a spin bike, suck as the Keiser M3, then a lump of blu tack does the job to attach your phone etc to the metal plate below the readout display.

izza

I recently had a go using my Sportiiiis with a sufferfest video to give some greater degree of calibration to the marks out of 10.