Indoor Trainers
Few pieces of equipment inspire more trepidation in a cyclist than the dreaded trainer. The trainer generally means that winter is here. There are no more races to look forward to on weekends and no more beautiful sun-drenched afternoons on the bike. Just a bike sitting in the basement, attached to some thing, and you pedal it, and it doesn't go anywhere.
Well, life on a trainer is not that bad. While, yes, doing 4-hour endurance rides on a trainer is not particularly pleasant, that's not necessarily what they're designed for. Ultimately, trainers are ideal for keeping your legs turning during any weather with relatively brief workouts at a moderate intensity. Furthermore, trainers are key to getting a good warm-up at cyclocross or criterium races or time trials where space is often limited.
Riders new to trainers will notice a few differences from riding on the open road. Trainers tend to put more of the rider's weight on the saddle. Since you're not moving, you're not steering or even using your body weight at all to keep the bike going straight. This may lead to a bit of discomfort, and a saddle with a bit more padding may be in order.
Trainer drums also generate quite a bit of heat. This heat can be murder on supple road tires, which may soften, causing undue wear on the tire and coating the drum with a thin layer of rubber. The Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer Tire is designed specifically for use on trainers. It resists heat and is designed to do nothing but roll smooth and true.
Trainers clamp to the rear wheel skewer, raising your wheel an inch or two off the ground. A drum is pressed against the rear wheel to provide resistance while you pedal, just as the road and wind does as you ride outdoors. The front wheel is generally propped up to the same level as the rear using a block of wood, a phone book, or the Cycleops Climbing Block. You can also adjust the front wheel height higher to simulate riding uphill to stress slightly different muscles.
Types of Trainers
At BikeTiresDirect, we carry CycleOps trainers. CycleOps provides an excellent variety of trainers to match the needs of most every rider.
Cycleops Wind Trainer - Wind trainers are generally the least expensive and use a fan (usually an enclosed turbine fan) to provide resistance. These tend to be a bit noisy and provide less resistance than other types, so they are not as suitable for stronger riders.
Cycleops Magneto Trainer - Magnetic trainers use two sets of magnets to create an opposing force which provides the resistance. Many models offer adjustable resistance. Magnetic trainers can provide high resistance and the better models are reasonably quiet, but the progression of resistance with wheel speed is not quite as smooth as with a good fluid trainer.
Cycleops Fluid 2 Trainer - Fluid trainers use a fan inside a compressed hydraulic fluid to create resistance. Since the fan is immersed in fluid, very little noise is generated from the trainer itself. Fluid trainers provide very smooth progression of resistance and can provide high resistance to satisfy strong riders. These devices are generally more expensive than other types, but they deliver the best performance.
Cycleops Aluminum Roller with Resistance - Rollers are comprised of three rotating tubes mounted in a frame so the rear tire sits between two of the tubes and the front tire sits on the third tube. One of the rear tire tubes is connected to the front tire tube with a belt, so when the front tire spins with the rear tire. The cyclist actually rides the bike on the rollers, using weight and handlebar position to balance the bike in the center of the rollers. This requires a fair amount of skill and concentration, so rollers are not recommend for the beginner. On the other hand, they do help develop balance skills and many users find them much more fun than using a conventional trainer.
The increased "road feel" of roller trainers makes them much more comfortable for long training sessions. If you're trying to replicate a full-on road ride inside, rollers are your best bet.
Training Plans and Trainer Workouts
As with any training method, trainer workouts are most beneficial when done on a regular basis, following a training plan. BikeTiresDirect carries a full assortment of training aids to keep your trainer sessions productive and entertaining.
Carmichael Training Systems Train Right DVDs - Chris Carmichael is best known as the coach of Lance Armstrong. CTS is a highly regarded coaching company that trains dozens of top cyclists. These DVD's are designed to deliver entertaining and productive trainer based workouts designed by the world's top coaches.
Heart Rate Monitors - HRM's are excellent gauges of the intensity of your workout. Off-season training is done with special attention to build aerobic capacity without inducing muscle damaging lactic acid. A heart rate monitor will help keep your workouts productive. Polar and Sigma Sport both provide high quality heart rate monitors with a variety of features.
VELOpress The Cyclist's Training Bible Third Edition - Most of us can't afford full-time coaches and have work, family and social lives that interrupt our cycling lives. Friel's book is an excellent resource for designing a year round training plan that suits your lifestyle.
Despite the bad rap, trainers are a valuable tool for maintaining your condition when conditions don't lend themselves to training. Get comfortable, throw on your favorite DVD, listen to some music, whatever you have to do. The payoff will come when you enter the season fit and ready to race while competitors take weeks to find their form.
