Anyone NOT using a turbo

ROK ON

Hi folks.

A lot of people have goals for either the race season and/or specific cycle challenges.
Are there any of you in this category that are not using a turbo/rollers. If so why. Also what are you doing to stay fit/sane.

I will not use one in that for me cycling is my off time away from the pressures of small kids. If I can't get on the bike I go for a walk/swim or hike.
Anyway my two goals this year are in Aug and Sep so I have loads of time to get fit.
Not asking for a debate on merits oc turbo just interested in how many are not using them.

penexpers

I'm not using one but I haven't cycled in about a week now. I do walk a fair bit usually so I think I am still keeping fit.

My goal at the moment is in April (Kare Tour de Foothills, 100km), not too stressed about it yet. I would like to make my brevet debut at some stage this year, just haven't decided when.

In the meantime, I'm getting married, so that's distracting enough.

zzzzzzzz

I've been doing 1 - 1.5 hour sessions on the turbo every day for the last week. I hate it, I really hate it, but it's getting somewhat easier.

I'm going to return to my actual training plan next week on the turbo - that I am NOT looking forward to. The thought of doing a 4 hour session on the turbo turns my stomach. I'm just not has hard as tunney!

With goals in August/September you're laughing - swimming/walking is fine to tide you over I'm sure.

blorg

I own a turbo but am not using it. Does that count?

I started racing and did a hell of a lot of challenges last year having not owned a turbo... I don't think they are entirely "necessary" but no doubt are a help if you want to be able to follow a training plan whatever the weather. There are also specific workouts that are a lot easier to do on the turbo vs on the road.

vektarman

I don't have a turbo and haven't cycled for about a week but I manage to get a few walks and swims in to keep sane, I've seen a few cyclists about but I'm a bit nervous about the icy roads, my first event is the Tour de foothills in April.

Toblerone1978

I was thinking the same thing and done a bit of browsing on the matter myself last night. And the result was circuit training!

From what I learned, circuit training is done in (normally) 3 sets of 6-10 exercises with only short breaks between them - try to work on those exercises that helps the lower body, core and posture. Perhaps somebody with a more experience can expand on this and if it's any good.

The general consensus is that anything that improves your core muscles will improve your cycling.

joker77

I'm not using a turbo because a. I don't own one and b. I.d have nowhere to put it! (I don't think it's realistic to use these in the house is it? We're in a small rented 2 bed, with no garage/shed space)

I did a bit of cycling earlier in the week before it got bad. I'm assuming that my long spin at the weekend will have to be cancelled, so I guess I'll just be in the gym - provided it doesn't worsen as I need to drive there!

petethedrummer

I have a moral objection to turbos and heart rate monitors (and also garmins and cycle computers but that's a seperate issue). I would buy rollers to learn how to ride them but I'd probably never use them again if I did. It just seems so mundane to me to get on rollers but then I've never tried them and maybe you can zone out and enjoy it in some way.

I wouldn't go beating yourself up if you're doing nothing at the moment, if you feel you have to always be on the bike it will stop being fun and that will hurt performance way more than a few days missed here or there.

Maybe there should be a GoldTimeTrials so you can do a good long TT session in the Bernard Shaw and have a few pints as well.

Right I've drifted off the point a bit. Oh yeah over Christmas we went for a walk up the Cooley Mountains cos we didn't bring the bikes home. Enduro was telling me ages ago that walkin up hills uses similar muscles to cycling. So maybe you could do that.

IM0

Hiking or night mtb'ing - both are great at the mo with all the snow about, hours of fun once adequately prepared/experienced YMMV. Or the gym [shudder]

petethedrummer

me@ucd wrote: »

night mtb'ing -

you jammy baxtard if I wasn't up to m y eyeballs in work I'd love to be out on the MTB.

Nietzschean

can't stand the turbo, though if the weather doesn't break come start of feb will have no choice...

Esroh

petethedrummer wrote: »

Enduro was telling me ages ago that walkin up hills uses similar muscles to cycling. So maybe you could do that.

I would agree with this.Walking up a hill also gets the heart rate up and opens the lungs without the jarring that running might cause.And in this weather you don't have to walk to far for the snow leg lift to give you a better work out.
I have 2 big dogs that have to be well exercised on my days off so its Mtb and Walking for me

Lumen

Running in the snow is fun. Also swimming and gym work make a bit of a change from being on the bike.

I think the turbo has basically made every other experience seem relatively more enjoyable.

DirkVoodoo

Turbos are great, awesome even. If you can't handle an hour on the turbo then you don't have the mental toughness to succeed at cycling. Everyone is getting soft with the snow, whatever happened to HTFU season???

Where is Tunney???

Ryaner

joker77 wrote: »

I'm not using a turbo because a. I don't own one and b. I.d have nowhere to put it! (I don't think it's realistic to use these in the house is it? We're in a small rented 2 bed, with no garage/shed space)

I'm in a one bed apartment and use it fine. It sits in the corner when not in use. Things are getting a little cramped with the new bike so we are looking at moving to a 2 bed. Gives me a dedicated room for the bikes

lescol

I have a turbo, I think it's in the shed. I did use it once before Christmas but the young fella has been off school since, all I can visualise is amputated fingers, so it will remain gathering cobwebs for a while.

Jawgap

I've just invested in one and I'm waiting for CRC to deliver it. I was hoping it would be here for the weekend.

In another post somewhere someone said they're comparable to a hammer - they're just a tool for getting a job done.

I've been going to the gym and I tried going for a run on the beach but it was waaaaay too cold - gave up after 10 mns!

I've been quite impressed with how the MTB'ers have been handling the snow so I may spring for one of those next winter (or even before!)

Lumen

joker77 wrote: »

I'm not using a turbo because a. I don't own one and b. I.d have nowhere to put it! (I don't think it's realistic to use these in the house is it? We're in a small rented 2 bed, with no garage/shed space)

I use my turbo in the kitchen after the kids have gone to bed. We have a small four bed semi but it's pretty full (3 kids and the "office" is full of junk). I open the back door to let the cold air in. The noise doesn't carry too badly, and I use noise cancelling headphones so I'm happy. The tiled floor doesn't mind a few drips of sweat.

But in the context of this thread, down with this sort of thing!

bbosco

I bought an el cheapo turbo a few years ago on ebay. I used it fairly regularly in the run up to a W200. I would get up early in the mornings before work and do a 30 minute, really intensive, high resistance workout. I found that was the only way I could do it. I could never motivate myself to do any longer than that. After the W200 I stopped using it and it eventually found its way to the shed, where it rusted. It was briefly used as a workstand until I bought a proper one of those and finally was laid to rest in Ballyogan tip a couple of years ago.
If money were no object, I'd buy a good quality spin bike. You can get good ones that allow you to fully adjust the saddle and bar positions to mirror your roadbike. I've used spin bikes in gyms and find them to be a decent workout, infinitely better than standard gym cycling machines.
If the spin bike was there, ready to use at any time, I think I'd use it, but again, for shorter workouts only. Certainly no more than an hour. One of the turn offs of the turbo was getting it set up, adjusting the roller, wheel slipping, readjusting the roller, wheel slipping again, readjusting the roller etc. etc.

ryan_sherlock

I have used the rollers three times (40 minutes recovery sessions) since the weather got dodgy - hate the things, and turbos too - reminds me of having a broken collerbone.

What has been great is the CX bike - not a dodgy moment yet. Also, as mentioned earlier, MTB in the snow is a lot of fun too. There has fortunately been less snow than last Febuary so riding in the mountains is still possible.

The training plan has to go out the window a bit and adapt to what we can do but as other posters mentioned - it's JANUARY!

dario28

I would love one at the mo not having got out on the bike in a few weeks but cant justify spending all that cash on one so am doing spin and circuits in the gym...cant wait for the roads to get back to normal

Muller_1

Took my turbo out for the first time in years due to the bad weather, I hate it, but have done some spinning classes since I used it last and that has help to structure the training better i.e. warmup, long intervals, sprints, hill climbing to brake up the boredom. 3 sessions already this week but can't do more than 45 minutes at once staring at my shed door.
Need to get back on the road soon to train for the Gorey!

joker77

Ryaner wrote: »

I'm in a one bed apartment and use it fine. It sits in the corner when not in use. Things are getting a little cramped with the new bike so we are looking at moving to a 2 bed. Gives me a dedicated room for the bikes

Lumen wrote: »

I use my turbo in the kitchen after the kids have gone to bed. We have a small four bed semi but it's pretty full (3 kids and the "office" is full of junk). I open the back door to let the cold air in. The noise doesn't carry too badly, and I use noise cancelling headphones so I'm happy. The tiled floor doesn't mind a few drips of sweat.

But in the context of this thread, down with this sort of thing!

I stand corrected!

poochiem

Now i don't know what to do. It is noisy, it isn't noisy. I'm in those new apartments that you can hear the people next door thinking so I'm sure any kind of whirring would have the people downstairs demented. Think I'll just try and fix the lump of a 'mountain bike' shaped object I've got propping up my nice bike. If it snows this weekend it should make cycling conditions safer than onn the occasional ice, yeah?

going to spend me voucher and the christmas money on a cheapo halford's bike stand and some decent tools instead of a turbo.

biomed32

dont posess a turbo, just go swimming instead

blorg

biomed32 wrote: »

dont posess a turbo, just go swimming instead

Cross training is a very good idea, I did a fair bit of that in previous winters.

lescol

Finally couldn't take anymore inactivity, found the turbo, a half hour was enough, it inspired me to get on the cross trainer for another half hour. Still, I'd much prefer the thaw and to get out on the bike.

SomeFool

Lots of running and some quality time on the concept 2 rower as well
Don't own a turbo as the apt is quite tiny!

mattock

I have a set of Tacx rollers , bought here a while ago cant go any longer than 30 mins, its the mountain bike for me and the pilates.
I will sell on the rollers if anyone interested.

penexpers

My LBS are trying to get some spiked tires in next week, so might be back up and running then.

teamireland

ROK ON wrote: »

Hi folks.

A lot of people have goals for either the race season and/or specific cycle challenges.
Are there any of you in this category that are not using a turbo/rollers. If so why. Also what are you doing to stay fit/sane.

I will not use one in that for me cycling is my off time away from the pressures of small kids. If I can't get on the bike I go for a walk/swim or hike.
Anyway my two goals this year are in Aug and Sep so I have loads of time to get fit.
Not asking for a debate on m
erits oc turbo just interested in how many are not using them.

I ve been out running this morning in my local, it is safe enough once your running on Fresh snow, went out road running last Sunday and the paths were quite icey.

I feel like a caged animal if im not getting outdoors for some sort of workout

RobFowl

I am loath to share this but have been cyclocrossing around the cycle route in Ardgillan park, balbriggan for the past week. only one route allowed and have to give way to walkers etc but good route and fabulous scenery, the 1 km climb touches 15% in spots as well.

Norhtsiders only BTW, passport control is at the gate

sy

Good for you RobFowl. Looks like the vets better watch out this season:)