How long on turbo trainer?

flyer
flyer Posts: 608
edited March 2010 in Road beginners
I get bored stiff and would rather go out in the rain!

I do about 3 sessions of 45 mins each week (if I have to)!

Tried watching tv, ipod, a film listen to dance music, they all help but god its boring!!!

How long do you spend on the trainer?

Is 1 hour the average?

Flyer

Comments

  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 21,831
    spend circa an hour - I downloaded the sufferfest & it worked a treat!
  • It's overkill for many, and it's definitely a case of throwing cash at the problem, but I find the Tacx VR trainers fantastic. I have my TT set up in the loft, with an old PC running the software. You can easily swtich between movies on your PC and the Virtual Reality or google map riding.

    http://www.tacx.com/producten/vr-traine ... ainers.dot
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 21,831
    its only a few quid & for me it keeps me entertained. For the days when I am below par - I do it in an easy gear
  • Brindy
    Brindy Posts: 45
    I think the problem with most people on turbos/rollers is they dont really have a real plan so get bored. The sessions I tend to do often have 30mins warm-up then 40-110mins of work (including recovery) then 10misn cool down.

    This maybe alot for most people but I think it shows that you need to have a plan, if you then you will last longer and get fitter.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    I have a Tacx i-magic which i love but if you don't fancy that the thing to do is have very specific sessions to do (you can find them easy enough on the net). You need a minute by minute routine since even 5 mins can be an age on the turbo. It'll be, something like, 1min @90rpm, 1min@95rpm, 1min@100rpm etc depending on what you want to achieve.
    Basically the time goes a lot quicker the smaller the blocks even if it's an endurance session and each minute you just change gear or whatever.
  • Ands
    Ands Posts: 1,437
    Brindy wrote:
    I think the problem with most people on turbos/rollers is they dont really have a real plan so get bored. The sessions I tend to do often have 30mins warm-up then 40-110mins of work (including recovery) then 10misn cool down.

    .
    Yep, I agree - I can't get on the turbo just to do endurance miles - too boring. But I'm ok doing intervals as the time seems to pass a lot quicker when you break it up into small chunks of intervals & RBI, etc. Music gives me more energy & motivation than DVDs (although am intrigued by these Sufferfest things so maybe I should give one a go.)

    I normally do an hour - managed 1hr 20 mins last time I got on tho. :)
  • willbevan
    willbevan Posts: 1,241
    I struggle on a turbo, unless I'm doing set goals like have been suggested above.

    I am lucky as well that I have a tacx imagic as well so I can also just ride sometimes but then I have to do something challenging, e.g. do a climb from the tour to france, as I know climbing for an hour say isnt going to be easy.

    Usually have a series such as scrubs or a film on a seperate screen as well, joys of having dual screens on a PC.

    Need to get a steering frame for it mind you lol
    Road - BTwin Sport 2 16s
    MTB - Trek Fuel 80
    TT - Echelon

    http://www.rossonwye.cyclists.co.uk/
  • I seem to spend longer than most. Im just trying to up the time to try and get abit more endurance out of my legs.

    I just have it set up in my room facing tv, computer and do whatever tickles my fancy on the day, yesterday i spent a good 95 mins watchin England lose to ireland. but i invented the 6nations training game! when theres a break do a sprint, if brian moore says something about falling over like a footballer do a 5min hill climb sort of thing. Kept things interesting.

    But gernally ive gone from doing anywhere from an hour to two and a half depending on how i feel. on longer ones i do stop and do some stretches every now and then.
    “If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on.”

    @mattbeedham
  • daj
    daj Posts: 139
    An hour for me sticking to a week by week plan , I dont think I could bare any longer even with lots of variation within the hour .... Also when on a trainer sitting in the one position I get uncomfortable :?
  • sampras38
    sampras38 Posts: 1,917
    Brindy wrote:
    I think the problem with most people on turbos/rollers is they dont really have a real plan so get bored. The sessions I tend to do often have 30mins warm-up then 40-110mins of work (including recovery) then 10misn cool down.

    This maybe alot for most people but I think it shows that you need to have a plan, if you then you will last longer and get fitter.

    It takes you 30 minutes to warm up?
  • i keep my turbo trainer indoors... im warm when i start.... :lol:
    “If you worried about falling off the bike, you’d never get on.”

    @mattbeedham
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    An hour or so for me when I'm doing a steady session, and less when its intervals.
    I have heard of triathletes spending 5 or 6 hours on a turbo but i cant see they are doing more than gently turning the pedals and watching tv....
  • Velonutter
    Velonutter Posts: 2,437
    I spend at least 10 minutes warming up, then at least an hour of intense training and 10 minutes winding down at the end.. so about an hour 20 mins to really a max of an hour and a half.

    Done nearly a 1000 miles since December on the damn thing. :shock:
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    I normally spend an hour for internvals and im trying to get to 2 hours for steady zone 2 or 3 work as its the only way to increase my weeks hours, if I limit my weekly workouts to an hour on the turbo (which would be lovely) and a long run at the weekend my weekly hours will only hit 6 or 7 hours a week, but if I get in some 2 hour sessions on the turbo its more like 9 or 10 hours a week.....

    Yep its boring but the interval sessions pass quick and a good film helps out for the longer sessions.
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond