Why use a bike trainer?

Since I’m suggesting you guys buy a trainer this winter, I thought it was fortuitous that B&S wrote this article in their news letter!  BTW, in case you can’t tell I posted 2 articles this morning (David Phillips article on antioxidants and Winter running).  Enjoy!

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• Isolate Weaknesses:  A bike trainer can help you work on weak areas in your pedal stroke by isolating points along the “clock.”  Drill work can help you focus on the upstroke (the weakest area – identified from 6-12:00) as you move through your entire pedal stroke.  Or you can target one leg drills on your trainer.  Both of these drills translate into big gains during race season.

• Aerobic Fitness:  You can maintain and even increase your aerobic fitness through riding on a trainer this winter.  Following workout plans or cycling videos can help you bring your aerobic capacity to new levels.  Endurance Films and Spinervals are some of our favorite videos!

• Indoor Benefits:  You can ride on your trainer any time of day, with ideal conditions, free of rain/ice on the roads.  Plus, you can track progress by completing some of the same workouts at different points along your winter training program.

 

Types of Trainers:  (Rear wheel stationery trainers)

Wind:  This is the most basic and least expensive type of trainer on the market.  Wind trainers are based on resistance from a small fan, but can be a bit loud.  It’s designed for people looking to complete general indoor workouts with low/moderate interval work.   Highly skilled cyclists may find the wind trainer resistance too easy when reaching higher intensities and cadence.

Magnetic:  Magnetic trainers offer adjustable resistance, as they act proportionately to the amount of resistance applied to the pedals.  By using magnets, versus a fan, this type of trainer is quieter than a wind trainer.  Magnetic Trainers offer a more realistic simulation of climbing, sprinting, and spinning.

Fluid:  Becoming very popular for many reasons, fluid trainers use a fluid-filled closed reservoir fan for resistance, while providing a smooth and quiet ride.  Fluid trainers supply additional resistance as the speed of the wheel increases and closely resemble the feeling of actual road riding.

Rollers & Computrainers:   Computrainer is also a rear wheel stationery trainer at the high end of the market.  A Computrainer provides many sophisticated technical aspects of your workouts, analyzes data, provides Power Output and allows you to complete terrain of Ironman Bike Courses while you watch on a monitor!  Rollers are an alternate to rear wheel stationery trainers and provide great workouts for balance and spinning.  There is a learning curve associated with using rollers and should be used carefully.

Bottom Line:  Use the information above to help make your first purchase a wise one or upgrade your current trainer to something more technical.   We like a variety of models by CycleOps, Blackburn and Kurt Kinetic.  There is a trainer for every type of triathlete and cyclists.

Remember, Don at Franks Bicycle Barn will give us a discount to buy the trainers he has.  Let me know if you want one.