Indoor training for a newbie

[TRANSPARENT]

I brought my first road bike approximately a month ago and I’m now addicted! My question is about indoor training over the winter. Although I have a Peloton to ride indoors, I was thinking of getting a trainer for my bicycle. I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on this as it seems to me training indoors on my own bicycle over riding the peloton might give me some advantages? My goal is to establish my baseline and start to improve it.

[Criminal]

(10-23-2022, 10:17 AM)TRANSPARENT Wrote:  I brought my first road bike approximately a month ago and I’m now addicted! My question is about indoor training over the winter. Although I have a Peloton to ride indoors, I was thinking of getting a trainer for my bicycle. I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on this as it seems to me training indoors on my own bicycle over riding the peloton might give me some advantages? My goal is to establish my baseline and start to improve it.

Biggest advantage to using a "frame on" trainer is being able to ride your bike with the exact set-up as you would be riding on the road. Same saddle, pedals, and bar. I have never been on a Peloton, but I have heard comments from others that you definitely are riding in quite the same manner as you would on your road bike. Those comments were from serious cyclists who still race. I am sure you can still keep it shape on the peloton, but I would rather ride "my bike" and not some generic beast meant to satisfy the masses that will feel completely different than when riding a bike on the road.
As for using a specific trainer, that is up to you. I have used various ones and pretty much have stuck with the simple wind turbine trainer; no issues after 30 years. Easily maintained also; only part that needs replacing are a couple of very inexpensive bearings if required. Noise is easily muffled if it is bothersome. Takes all of 30 seconds to mount the bike (remove front wheel and clamp on). It also doubles as a storage stand. I have no idea if they still make old style wind trainers where the rear wheel is free on the roller; newer ones have the rear wheel mounted on the trainer and you keep your front wheel on (needing more floor space).
I think the fluid trainers are quite good and probably better than the wind, friction, and mag trainers. Rollers are their own beast; my wind trainer is compact to use (no front wheel) and store (2 pieces apart, or shorten the trainer frame without separating it into pieces).
Be sure to consider if your bike uses QRs or through-axles and size/style of bike; all trainers are not universal fitting.
Recommend that you bring your bike if shopping for a trainer at stores. Online buy will be a mystery until you get it and mount your bike on it.
I am not a fan of the trainers where you remove the rear wheel and mount the chain on the trainer's gear cluster. Just a personal preference thing; but again I like the ease simplicity.

I am too old to worry about any data/connectivity tripe. Again, just more expense for what I feel is just more data overload, but great for people who need to know their pulse rate 24/7.

[Nicholas]

(10-23-2022, 10:17 AM)TRANSPARENT Wrote:  I brought my first road bike approximately a month ago and I’m now addicted! My question is about indoor training over the winter. Although I have a Peloton to ride indoors, I was thinking of getting a trainer for my bicycle. I was wondering if anyone has an opinion on this as it seems to me training indoors on my own bicycle over riding the peloton might give me some advantages? My goal is to establish my baseline and start to improve it.

Welcome to the BikeRide Forum, @TRANSPARENT !

Here is a reply via a Facebook post by our community member Jumbish Jain:
"Having your bike on an indoor trainer is a very good option. It’s safe, practical, cheap and very efficient way to enjoy riding. It’s not always possible to ride outdoor. Tacx Neo 2T is the best indoor trainer. Just be mindful of the chainstay design of your bike. Some aerodynamic road bikes have a very narrow chainstay and it rubs against the frame of Tacx Trainer."

[SPINMAN]

I've been a Spinning instructor for over 25 years. When Spinning, Maddog athletics, was the only, and original, indoor cycling program. It taught me alot about myself from discipline, self motivation, focus, training design, nutrition, and at the very foundation, heart rate training. The best way to measure your fitness and progress, IMHO, is using a heart rate monitor. Of course, now, it's been copied and bastardised. The main focus is to simulate, as best as possible, riding outside. Do you ride with one hand behind your back? Do you pedal backwards? Do you use wights on a ride? I can't believe what I've seen over the years. One class they actually had students remove their saddle for the entire class! 😬
Sorry, I went off there a bit, but before Spinning, I started indoor training on a magnetic resistance trainer. I thought that was the greatest invention. Then came rollers. Then Spin. Now I see the pelotons and Zwift and wonder if I should go there. I still have 2 Spin bikes, teach occasionally, and live in Florida, so I'm out as much as possible.
Train with your heart- enjoy the journey.

[Painkiller]

I use a fluid trainer, simple and keeps things rolling and me loosened up in the off season, yes they can be boring but things can be done to help with that depending on where you have the bike set up at. I will also mention, that if you are a cyclist that wishes to learn and become their own wrench, a fluid trainer can be used as a bike shop stand capable of many service tasks. So it now has a dual purpose all year round while you squirrel away pennies for tools and maybe a quality work stand in the future!

[IgorCvetkovski]

That's an interesting question!

I think riding indoors on your own bicycle might give you some advantages. For one thing, you can control the intensity and duration of your workouts, which is something that's tough to do in a peloton. Also, it's more convenient to ride whenever you want—you don't have to coordinate with other people or make sure the weather is good enough for riding outdoors.

However, there are also some disadvantages: It can be hard to get accurate feedback about how fast you're going if you don't have a speedometer on your bike, and that can make it hard to know how much effort you're putting into each workout or whether or not you're improving over time.

Overall, though? I think it sounds like a great idea!