Indoor vs outdoor

zest28

What is the fastest way to gain fitness, turbo or outdoor training?

I recently started turbo training and my first impressions is that I get a much more effective workout. I can really zone into the area I want to work at without anything interfere.

But I am worried if I turbo too much I will loose bike handling skills and perhaps long endurance as I cannot spend 5 hours on a turbo trainer.

oxoman

You answered your own question TBH, the answer is always a mix of both. Especially in winter.

fenix

Definitely both. And outside is better for cake and coffee.

cruff

Yep, both. Indoor for interval work, outdoor where possible for general riding. At least Zwift makes it slightly more bearable when you've got three hours to do but the weather is too censored /dangerous to ride outside

steve_sordy

Ride outside as often as you can stand the weather. When you can't, go on the trainer.

The bike has wind resistance, the trainer doesn't. It also has a highly variable workload which is difficult/impossible to replicate on a trainer. Then there is the whole "outdoors" thing!

Outdoor biking is good for you in so many ways, whereas the indoor trainer is only good for you as an alternative. But of course it depends upon what you are trying to achieve. If it is fitness at all costs then you need to take professional advice.

If I was trying to get super fit for the bike (with no other wimpy considerations, like enjoyment), I would contemplate filling my back pack with bricks and dropping the tyre pressure a lot.

jonathanuk

I would say the fastest could possibly be riding up and down a mountain, repeatedly. The thinning air would force you to develop better lung capacity, the fresh air would be far healthier than any indoor air, the gradient forces stamina and muscle mass, plus you get the mental buzz of being out there and smashing your own times as you ascend for the nth time. On the descents you'd use different muscles than on the way up, and also (hopefully) learn a more complete set of bike skills to handle the terrain. Don't have a handy mountain nearby? Maybe start smaller with a local steep hill then, but make it one away from busy traffic. Best place is probably some local woodland with fire roads, the air in a forest is very good.

I don't use an indoor trainer, never have, but I can imagine it getting rather samey and dull. Safer, maybe cheaper too, more convenient, but I'd much rather be outside where I can sweat in clear air.

daniel_b

IMO, and from personal experience, indoor turbo training with something structured, such as Trainer Road or a virtual ride of sorts, will yield more effective results than outdoor riding, and I mean that on a minute by minute basis.

Especially if you are short of time, and have child care commitments, it's really beneficial.

For me, it helps me get fitter, and I then enjoy my outside rides even more.

steve_sordy

jonathanuk said:

I....................

I don't use an indoor trainer, never have, but I can imagine it getting rather samey and dull. Safer, maybe cheaper too, more convenient, but I'd much rather be outside where I can sweat in clear air.

Indoor trainers do get samey and dull. To stave off the boredom, I look out of the window, listen to the radio and chase various targets on the display. If you are time restricted you can get more exercise in that time slot. And of course if you just can't face the foul weather again, then exercising indoors is better than couch surfing.
But I do 100% agree with your preference for outdoors, there are so many benefits!
I bought my indoor trainer (it's an exercise bike like you see in the gyms) when I hurt my back. I just could not go out on my mtb, but with a gritting of teeth I could climb onto my exercise bike and then pedal away in complete safety! Once I was able to ride outdoors again, my fitness hadn't altogether disappeared.

aberdeen_lune

They both have their place. If you only train on the indoor trainer then you will be in for a shock when you go outside. Indoor you can do very time efficient workouts and build lots of different aspects of your cycling except bike handling and toughness in different weather conditions.

I gave up turboing a few years ago. Then since being forced off the bike a couple of weeks ago I have been turboing most days to try and keep my fitness. Turboing all the time is not sustainable for me mentally but I now realise indoor training is a great tool for working in the higher zones targeting different aspects like VO2, tempo, threshold etc.

So as stated earlier best to use both but for me the majority will be outdoor. The other thing I have learned is don’t go too hard on the turbo as you will soon hate it. Make it hard but not so tough that you can’t face doing that session again.

fenix

steve_sordy said:

If I was trying to get super fit for the bike (with no other wimpy considerations, like enjoyment), I would contemplate filling my back pack with bricks and dropping the tyre pressure a lot.

Oh sure - you DEFINITELY see the Pros doing this...

You'd knacker your back and spend a lot of time crashing or fixing punctures.

steve_sordy

I agree, I wouldn't do it for sure. Which is why I wrote "contemplate" and ended with a smiley.

singleton

Fitness comes in many forms - but if the conditions are too bad to ride outside then you can either go to the gym, go for a run, do some circuits or get on a turbo.

I had a turbo, but due to a change in housing circumstances, I no longer have one. I just find other things to do when it's icy or too windy to ride outside.

brundonbianchi

Structured focused turbo training will help with your proper outdoor riding, whereas just messing around on *insert on line turbo software based thing* won’t help much, and might be counterproductive.