Winter Training - Gym or Turbo Trainer?

DinaElla

Hi All,

With the evenings quickly closing in what do you recommend for winter training .. invest in a gym membership or buy a bike trainer and train at home?

Selecting a trainer seems a minefield ..

Captain Havoc

Warmer clothes

DinaElla

good point .. I'll head out at weekends but don't get home most evenings until 7pm and can't cycle at that time around here

Its my first year cycling so want to keep the training up over the winter

IM0

Both Turbo and Gym (crosstraininig)

Captain Havoc

DinaElla wrote: »

good point .. I'll head out at weekends but don't get home most evenings until 7pm and can't cycle at that time around here

Its my first year cycling so want to keep the training up over the winter

It's a horses for courses thing, I couldn't stand being on a trainer or the gym but going out in all sorts of crap weather on the mountain bike appeals to me. Alternatively as Dougle said: "if the winter is as good as the summer we'll be laughing"

Beasty

When I'm at the office I'll commute. If I am away I will try and find a hotel with a gym (unless I'm in Manchester, when I try and get on the velodrome). At weekends, or if the weather is too bad, I'll be on the turbo.

I've got to say the gym option is my least favoured, but it certainly keeps the legs, lungs and heart ticking over

DinaElla

I really struggle with the gym so leaning towards the trainer - just heard they take a lot of setup and can be noisy. The gym always managed to de-motivate me.

Would love to find some mountain bike trails around here for the winter (in the midlands) as its all road cycling we have done at the moment.

I really want to pick up the fitness I have gained and not lose it over the winter ... and your right, if the winter is like the summer will be ok .. I picked a great summer to start cycling

shapez

Do both. Have a routine in the gym also. Do plenty of squats.

Caroline_ie

Hi DinaElla,
During the winter, the lengh of the spin isn't mportant, it's about intencity and quality. If you can find yourself a well enough lit circuit around a few estates for example, you can do a few hard lap, that could be a better idea... I find better than the turbo myself.
The max I spent on the turbo was 50 minutes ... waching documentaries, turbo is for icy days only rain and cold are manageable on the road.

IM0

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Hi DinaElla,
During the winter, the lengh of the spin as I understand it isn't mportant, it's about intencity and quality

some..most? would say your completely wrong :eek:

Caroline_ie

me@ucd wrote: »

some..most? would say your completely wrong :eek:

thanks for fixing the post... if you think it was necessary. I think intervals is the best for winter training, whether you want to do that on a turbo or on the road it's your choice. Keeping the long spins for the weekends. Unless you are student and you are able to get out for long ones during weekdays.

If I am wrong what do you think is best?

Ryaner

With better lights, any road is rideable at night. There are some that are brighter than the average car on dips. And as Caronline said, if you can find a lit or even semi light route, you'll be fine.

Saying all that, this year we are planning on going out in the early mornings midweek instead of the evenings, and I've bought myself a turbo last month to help. With the Real Life Videos that Tacx does, I've managed quite a few sessions well over the hour mark, few close to two hours.

stopped_clock

Running?

IM0

Caroline_ie wrote: »

thanks for fixing the post... if you think it was necessary. I think intervals is the best for winter training, whether you want to do that on a turbo or on the road it's your choice. Keeping the long spins for the weekends. Unless you are student and you are able to get out for long ones during weekdays.

If I am wrong what do you think is best?

TBH both are right Long steady stuff on Wends, and a bit of intensity mid week, just the way you said it with 'length of spin isnt important'
sounded like you were shunning base building aerobic stuff, but I guess you meant mid week rides

jwshooter

my winter training will be ,MB on the forests roads at nite myself and the dogs , spuash, weight training , deer stalking on the hills of sally gap , and a bit of sex or the tubro the odd nite im home .

the only difference between the sex and turbo is i have some one to talk to

IM0

jwshooter wrote: »

the only difference between the sex and turbo is i have some one to talk to

your doin it wrong

jwshooter

me@ucd wrote: »

your doin it wrong [/QUOTE

no ! . its fairly straight forward once you get the bike set into the brackets.

thebouldwhacker

stopped_clock wrote: »

Running?

I know its blasphemous in these parts but I'm picking up my running for the winter, enough cycling to keep the bike muscles happy but I'll be doing the old plod for the dark months. I only really got into it last winter but as an activity its really after growing on me I must say, it kept me ticking over nicely last year...

Lumen

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

I know its blasphemous in these parts but I'm picking up my running for the winter, enough cycling to keep the bike muscles happy but I'll be doing the old plod for the dark months. I only really got into it last winter but as an activity its really after growing on me I must say, it kept me ticking over nicely last year...

I'm currently doing swimming, running, weights and minimal cycling (~100km a week) in an attempt to improve my core fitness as directed by the physio. It can be hard to fit it all in but if I get up at 6am I can be at my desk before 9am with it all done.

I don't expect it'll make me faster in the short term, but I'm hoping that this will reduce my tendency to get injured and make me a better cyclist in the longer term.

thebouldwhacker

Hmmm... with that kinda training its a slippery slope to becoming a triathlete, just be careful, thats all I'm saying:D