Heart rate monitor is very important. You can get away with not having a smart trainer with power, as programs such as Zwift will still estimate your power output and still give you a good workout on their training plans - my son now uses my old fluid trainer. Before I got Zwift and a smart trainer, I used a Fluid 2 and watched Spinerval DVDs which would give you a great interval workout. I've also done 2+ hours trainer rides with intervals (based on speed and heart rate) while watching TV and movies.
Heart rate monitor is very important. You can get away with not having a smart trainer with power, as programs such as Zwift will still estimate your power output and still give you a good workout on their training plans - my son now uses my old fluid trainer. Before I got Zwift and a smart trainer, I used a Fluid 2 and watched Spinerval DVDs which would give you a great interval workout. I've also done 2+ hours trainer rides with intervals (based on speed and heart rate) while watching TV and movies.
Knowing how to use your HRM numbers and what they mean is very important, especially when paired with a power meter. My racing days were prior to the PM coming out (ok maybe except for Tour de France level elites, and even then only the few top dogs), so I am still a HRM guy. Jeez back "in the day" at my most eager I was on the trainer 15+ hours/week. I can barely manage an hour at a time these days.
Decided I’d had a busy day and missed out on the nice warm Nov 2 weather. Glad I had the night lights all charged up so headed out at 845pm for a 30km combined gravel, bike path, back streets, and Church Ranches exploration. Yes had all the front and rear lights (Varia) to make it both safe and so much fun. What a total hoot ripping around in the dark like a kid again. With it being later and just after DLS, hardly anyone out anywhere at all. Roads were ghost like. Next time gotta head for Nosehill. But gotta say some of those reflecting eyes from the bushes did creep me out a little.
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Having a trainer is one thing... knowing what to do with it and reap benefits is another thing. If you can afford a heart rate monitor and power then you are set up.
Info sources:
Look up the book Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker. Great spin sessions.
Look up Joe Friel's latest training book. Brilliant stuff.
I'll tackle the training here: I used to teach spin classes for years, and coached a number of racers for a few years, plus also raced road/mtb for over a decade. On trainers... boredom is your enemy. So is doing too many high intensity workouts. Great book with lots of training sessions laid out, even if it's kinda old. Next, you'll need a good tall table for next to your trainer for your remotes, music, phone, ipad, and probably a TV or computer in front of you. Some folks love watching spin classes (paid, or youtube specials), some love watching TV shows or movies. But they end up brainlessly spinning legs with hardly any effort (aka results).
Trainer... the latest greatest ones hook up to the internet (think Zwift, Peleton, etc...), some require subscriptions, and automatically change resistance/power. I have buddies that swear by these and they seem to find motivation doing them. Certainly you can use spin bikes, or the older rear-wheel setup for training. I did that for years. If you go non-electronic then you want the remote resistance lever on your bars.
For trainer setup... besides the table / tv, you'll want towels, at least 1 strong fan for blowing on you, probably a towel or rubber-backed carpet under your bike and trainer, a front wheel block, and as solid a floor as possible as these things make noise and hence p*ss off roomies. Not to mention you sweat and make smells. Your bike will get sweaty and crusty so TLC is required. Your rear tire (if you get that type of trainer) gets beat to hell too.
To improve fitness it's not about banging your head against that trainer 7x week / 3hrs day. Aim for consistency too week in and week out. have at least 2 days intensity per week. Vary your training volumes. But also when the weather is good enough actually take your bike outside because there's actually a huge difference.
Link to Joe Friel's website: https://joefrielsblog.com/how-to-cho...raining-plans/
This link gives a couple of examples for training programs. The first, for those with 8-13hours/week of training time is pretty aggressive for most riders especially new ones developing fitness. Do half of the time and you'll benefit immensely. Also look through all his other articles and blog postings. Lots of great stuff in there for all athletes. He has really focused a lot the last few years on the aging athlete too.
Heart rate monitor is very important. You can get away with not having a smart trainer with power, as programs such as Zwift will still estimate your power output and still give you a good workout on their training plans - my son now uses my old fluid trainer. Before I got Zwift and a smart trainer, I used a Fluid 2 and watched Spinerval DVDs which would give you a great interval workout. I've also done 2+ hours trainer rides with intervals (based on speed and heart rate) while watching TV and movies.
Also try the Wahoo Cadence meter & app.
I put it on my decade old standard stationary bike.
The cadence meter connects with my phone via Bluetooth & then my Apple Watch heart monitor & the cadence connect with the Peloton App for spin workouts.
It’s crazy how well it works.
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This happened a couple weeks ago but I only noticed after my ride yesterday. If you want to see them again you'll have to turn it back on. When you do, you'll find a lot fewer people on there.
Quote:
Strava has somewhat quietly turned off, for all users, the Flyby feature, after a tweet went viral during the last few days, based on privacy concerns. Users can re-enable it, but only if they knew it was disabled in the first place. With some 70 million users being disabled with the flick of a switch, the feature essentially becomes useless overnight. However, as always, there’s a bit more to this story.
I put it on my decade old standard stationary bike.
The cadence meter connects with my phone via Bluetooth & then my Apple Watch heart monitor & the cadence connect with the Peloton App for spin workouts.
It’s crazy how well it works.
I did this set up for my son's bike and it works like a charm.
I might have mentioned this before but if you're looking keep your kids active over the winter months, and have your own Zwift account, you can get a free account for your child if they're under 16. https://support.zwift.com/en_us/zwif...dren-HyleeRkr7
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We let this thread slip to the 3rd page. How's everyone's winter cycling going? I hit 15,000km yesterday. Outside 7891km and trainer 7102km. Smashed my 1 year record by 50%.
Wooden Bike Porn
More detail behind the spoiler
Spoiler!
Last edited by KTrain; 11-20-2020 at 08:25 AM.
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I've been working from home, so shamefully haven't even put my winter tires on. I think I'll do that today though, and maybe try out Nose Hill for a spin this weekend.
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I’ve been Zwifitng on the trainer, races and group rides so far. Also really been enjoying the new fat bike. A couple of the rides were night rides at West Bragg, tons of fun and really adds a new dimension.
The fat bike has definitely worked in helping me embrace winter....it warms up too much and I’m disappointed that the snow is going to melt. And I look forward to seeing some snow in the forecast and temps that stay around zero.
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I somehow lost the power cord for my trainer, have had to order a new one, and the darkness has really killed my motivation even though the weather has not been too bad here. Definitely need to get out on the weekends if I can.
Lousy. Just before Thanksgiving, I collapsed while playing ball hockey into full cardiac arrest. Fortunately, my friends performed CPR and I'm around to tell the tale. I actually rode my bike to/from work the day before and didn't have any symptoms. Anyway, the cardiologist hasn't cleared me for anything other than walking.
Note: for those men here over 40, you might think you are healthy (like I thought I was), but bad genes can still feck you up.
__________________
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We let this thread slip to the 3rd page. How's everyone's winter cycling going? I hit 15,000km yesterday. Outside 7891km and trainer 7102km. Smashed my 1 year record by 50%.
I'll pass 6700km on my commute home today, my goal of 7000km this year easily in sight.
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Lousy. Just before Thanksgiving, I collapsed while playing ball hockey into full cardiac arrest. Fortunately, my friends performed CPR and I'm around to tell the tale. I actually rode my bike to/from work the day before and didn't have any symptoms. Anyway, the cardiologist hasn't cleared me for anything other than walking.
Note: for those men here over 40, you might think you are healthy (like I thought I was), but bad genes can still feck you up.
Wow, sorry to hear that. Glad that you’re around to tell the story. Definitely a fear of mine.
Just good it happened where you had help right away.
Last edited by Ryan Coke; 11-20-2020 at 10:19 AM.
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Have been seriously unmotivated for any form of movement, or exercise, this week. Tough when I've lost my daily commute into the office. Am turning into a Homer Simpson a la Mumu. Just a skinny version. This after a pretty solid summer of road, gravel, and mountain biking. Am hoping once the close XC ski trails open up that I'll get my sh*t together.
Crushed a 72km ride west of Crowfoot taking in Retreat and Glendale and Church Ranches. Some gravel on the shoulders here and there but overall pretty stellar. Despite warm city temps much of my ride was, according to my Garmin 520, around 3-6C but still wore the knicks to keep knees warm. Was absolutely amazed how many other riders were out there... almost as many as a typical reasonable September. First time on road bike since early Oct so the speed was nice compared to the gravel rig. Just 300km shy of 9000km total over last year. Am I gonna make it?
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