Is getting out 1 Day a week for 50kms enough to get me thru to March?

Masala

Hi all... don't want to park the bike for the Winter and then have all the start-up problems next Spring when I get back into things to get ready for the Summer sportive etc.

So - am going out every Saturday and putting 50-70 kms. However - not tackling the BIG hills - just steady flats etc.

Is that better than nothing... or am I wasting my time on this type of exercise???

mamax

Any time out on the bike over winter is time well spent
Why not invest in a turbo trainer, I use the turbo when I've got a couple of hours to spare or jump on the treadmill for 30 mins when time is scarce

easygoing39

If you want to ride the summer sportive's I would'nt worry about getting on a bike till about the 2nd week April.

ford2600

Masala wrote: »

Hi all... don't want to park the bike for the Winter and then have all the start-up problems next Spring when I get back into things to get ready for the Summer sportive etc.

So - am going out every Saturday and putting 50-70 kms. However - not tackling the BIG hills - just steady flats etc.

Is that better than nothing... or am I wasting my time on this type of exercise???

Buy good lights and embrace the night. ...

CramCycle

I suppose the question to be asked is, why are you parking the bike for the winter? Ireland generally has quite mild winters and with slightly warmer clothing you should be able to motor on as per usual through the majority of the winter.

talkabout

CramCycle wrote: »

I suppose the question to be asked is, why are you parking the bike for the winter? Ireland generally has quite mild winters and with slightly warmer clothing you should be able to motor on as per usual through the majority of the winter.

You obviously never lived in Donegal In fairness the weather is not the biggest problem, it’s the dark evenings. I personally don’t like cycling in the dark even when lit up like a Christmas tree but I know others who think nothing of it. Alternatively, Invest in a turbo trainer but be warned it’s boring as.

Cork24

I try and get out either a Saturday or Sunday over the Winter which ever day will allow me.

also my winter training i would be doing 3 Spinning classes during the Week and if i cant get out over the weekend i do another spinning class

ontop of that i use the Watts bike Tues, Thurs, Fri Mornings in the Gym for an hour.

happytramp

talkabout wrote: »

Alternatively, Invest in a turbo trainer but be warned it’s boring as.

As someone who cycles but also plays a lot of games online I've noticed a definite gap in the market for online racing. A week night winter league where 40-50 people race against each other on their turbo trainers. It would certainly alleviate the boredom being able to see the other riders on screen, react to attacks etc. If I was more technically minded I'd be on my way to the dragon's den right now

Cork24

Now we are talking some bucks here

for an online Turbo Trainer

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tacx-i-genius-multiplayer-vr-trainer/

Top Features of the Tacx i-Genius Multiplayer VR Trainer

Plugs in wall for power supplyMax Power 1500wEasy set upHigh powered resistance unitMotor brake powers downhillComes with BlackTrack wireless steering unit12 month multiplayer license

€1,299.44

it be cheaper to get your local gym join in on a spinning class

look at what your man is pulling off and beat it.. so if he is doing 173WATTs or 94RPM you will have to beat it all the way

TheIrishGrover

happytramp wrote: »

As someone who cycles but also plays a lot of games online I've noticed a definite gap in the market for online racing. A week night winter league where 40-50 people race against each other on their turbo trainers. It would certainly alleviate the boredom being able to see the other riders on screen, react to attacks etc. If I was more technically minded I'd be on my way to the dragon's den right now

That may have been a kind of off-hand joke but you could be on to something. Especially now that all the new XBOXs (Xboxone) come with the kinect camera. That would detect your left/right/stand/sit positions and a USB/Bluetooth attachment for the bike to detect speed would be cheap as chips to design and make. Couple of quid. Off with you and create that game!

Edit:

Now we are talking some bucks here

for an online Turbo Trainer

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tacx-i-geniu...er-vr-trainer/

Top Features of the Tacx i-Genius Multiplayer VR Trainer

Plugs in wall for power supplyMax Power 1500wEasy set upHigh powered resistance unitMotor brake powers downhillComes with BlackTrack wireless steering unit12 month multiplayer license

€1,299.44

it be cheaper to get your local gym join in on a spinning class

look at what your man is pulling off and beat it.. so if he is doing 173WATTs or 94RPM you will have to beat it all the way

Yeah, that's overkill. Don't need anything like that as long as you have your trainer thing (I'm assuming it's one of those things with rollers). Just a simple device to count the RPM, the 360/one/ps4 camera and Grand Theft Auto...... Ya could even murder a few hookers as a 10K bonus or rob a bank or something.

eoz

Cork24 wrote: »

I try and get out either a Saturday or Sunday over the Winter which ever day will allow me.

also my winter training i would be doing 3 Spinning classes during the Week and if i cant get out over the weekend i do another spinning class

ontop of that i use the Watts bike Tues, Thurs, Fri Mornings in the Gym for an hour.

What are spinning classes like? I've only takien up cycling since August racking up 1200km in that time. I'd like to give spinning classes a go to keep me ticking over during the winter.

ednwireland

CramCycle wrote: »

I suppose the question to be asked is, why are you parking the bike for the winter? Ireland generally has quite mild winters and with slightly warmer clothing you should be able to motor on as per usual through the majority of the winter.

i tend to stop on cold mornings after my first off on ice ! (did last year only bruised and battered but will be more careful this year !) otherwise its club turbo sessions on a wed circuits on a thursday and club spins on a sunday.

and i'm still at the back

hardCopy

Cork24 wrote: »

look at what your man is pulling off and beat it

:eek:

Cork24

eoz wrote: »

What are spinning classes like? I've only takien up cycling since August racking up 1200km in that time. I'd like to give spinning classes a go to keep me ticking over during the winter.

Yeah Spinning Classes are very good once you find a good one, i being to a few different places and they were sh*t didn't even break a sweet,

now the place i go to do is a killer you come out half dead, from Hills to sprints back to hills, one trainer will have you at gear 21 - 23 for the full 45 min from hills sitting to standing with just one or two Sprints at 120 RPM

i_surge

Think "trainer road" can be used for online racing? Haven't used it myself so not sure

Cork24

hardCopy wrote: »

:eek:

we all know what you'll be beating with that frame of mind

smacl

Cork24 wrote: »

Now we are talking some bucks here

for an online Turbo Trainer

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/tacx-i-genius-multiplayer-vr-trainer/

Top Features of the Tacx i-Genius Multiplayer VR Trainer

Plugs in wall for power supplyMax Power 1500wEasy set upHigh powered resistance unitMotor brake powers downhillComes with BlackTrack wireless steering unit12 month multiplayer license

€1,299.44

it be cheaper to get your local gym join in on a spinning class

look at what your man is pulling off and beat it.. so if he is doing 173WATTs or 94RPM you will have to beat it all the way

I've a tacx vr trainer and it came out at slightly less than €400 delivered. I tend to use it most week nights during the winter, and go for a longer spin at the weekend. You can get a new TacX VR trainer from ribble from €390 delivered, though this one doesn't have the steerer and only a basic version of the software.

My normal routine is to pick a course, and compete against computer riders who's speeds are based on my previous three best times on the same course. I find this is always a good challenge and the time goes by quite quickly. In terms of lost time, I always need a shower and to mop the floor after a turbo session, so it's no more efficient than road training, though I love the stats given during and after the session.

I'm not convinced the resistance levels on the tacx flow compare to the real hills around Wicklow, as I'd rarely go for low gears on the turbo, but I'd use them all the time in the hills. Similarly the average speed reported on the turbo is about 15%-20% better than I achieve in real life, though I do push myself much harder on the turbo for shorter periods. It is still a great training tool though, and probably one of the better investments I've made in recent years.

Cork24

if memory serves me right someone on Boards went away and bought a Watts Bike Pro Edition..

smacl

Cork24 wrote: »

if memory serves me right someone on Boards went away and bought a Watts Bike Pro Edition..

That'd be Beasty, AFAIR.

Cork24

most cost abit of money,

luckily for me they have 2 in my gym so i can save my cash for my

dogsears

smacl wrote: »

I've a tacx vr trainer and it came out at slightly less than €400 delivered. I tend to use it most week nights during the winter, and go for a longer spin at the weekend. You can get a new TacX VR trainer from ribble from €390 delivered, though this one doesn't have the steerer and only a basic version of the software.

That only works on a PC right i.e you can't run the software on Apple OS?

smacl

dogsears wrote: »

That only works on a PC right i.e you can't run the software on Apple OS?

So far as I know, yes, though I'm running the older TTS3 software. System requirements here;

http://www.tacxservice.com/en/1-what-system-specs-do-i-need