How does Turbo Fitness Transfer to the Road/Trail?

[IanDG]

Never ridden a turbo (since the noisy first generation fan type) and haven't ridden rollers for years (and then I only used them occasionally during bad weather). With the current Covid 19 situation, I bought a turbo plus cadence, speed and HRM sensor.

I haven't been cycling outdoors since the start of 'lockdown' but have trained on the turbo. On the road I only 'ride', usually steady but sometimes winding the pace up towards the end but not anything that really challenges the anaerobic system but I would be doing longer rides of 4 to 5 hours (and ridden 2 x 200km events by now). To make the turbo sessions more interesting I'm following a more structured programme doing a LTHR test and doing specific workouts in zones but only done up to 2 hour sessions.

For those who use turbo regularly over the winter what can I expect when I eventually head out on the road?

[T42]

I'm expecting arm, neck and maybe back issues once I'm on the road again.  No body language on a turbo.

[RichForrest]

Hoppo does most of his long distance training on the turbo so it can't be that bad 
I have one but only use it as an expensive bike stand when setting up or fixing the recumbents!

[zigzag]

fitness gains can range from "better than nothing" to "better than anything", depending on how the trainer is being used. one area they all fall short is long (all-day) rides; two hours is about the maximum i can tolerate.

[LMT]

No idea, different for different people.

One thing I do like though is the psychological benefit. I've done x amounts of watts on the trainer so I can do this out on the road. Ideal when pacing up a hill or when giving it a bit on the flat doing a tempo effort.

[HeltorChasca]

I’m an introvert of sorts so hanging about in gyms or at swimming pools is my idea of hell. I use my turbo for general fitness and not specifically for results on the bike although I’m sure longer rides have become all the more pleasant because I am fitter.


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[Greenbank]

One thing to be careful of is that it's possible to train in a position where you can output X watts happily, but this isn't the position you're in on your bike outside in the real world and, in that position, you can't maintain the same power output as you could on the turbo. You'll won't be far off but it can be disconcerting or annoying.

More common for TTers to experience this where they generally want to go out and target a specific power output for an entire ride, but training in their TT position is an added discomfort.

[toontra]

I'm a lockdown newbie so only a month with the Kickr & Trainerroad, but two things have been happening that I hope may lead to benefits on the road.  Firstly my cadence is significantly higher than usual (due to constant TR prompting) at all power levels.  Secondly I'm spending more and more time on the tri-bars, again at all power levels up to threshold - I make an effort to keep my eyeline as it would need to be on the road.

It'll be interesting to see if these things stick when I eventually start "proper" riding again, especially on long rides. Anyone else found this to be the case?

This is using my audax bike so there shouldn't be any difference in body position, bike fit, etc.

[vorsprung]

When I broke my collar bone and exclusively rode on a turbo for 3 months the week after I was back on the road I did a 200km Audax and got around in a average sort of time

The week after that I attempted the then the most difficult 600km in the UK, the K&SW 600 and failed it (I did it a few times and this was the only fail).  I managed 400km before I was out of time and blame the fail on a lack of sleep that week rather than fitness.  My fitness wasn't back to "normal" for 6 months after that

[Ham]

I find the mental side most useful, especially when climbing. It helps to pace myself and it helps a lot that I know I can carry on, even if I don't feel as if I can. I fix a target in the distance and work towards it, much as you can fix on the end of an interval.

[rob]

I have deliberately put the TT bike back on the turbo to get some work in in race position.  After a few weeks I'm adapting back to the position.   I do forget to sort my eyeline out as I'm usually staring at the Garmin which is between my arms.   It's useful for the different hip angle and to get the arm position correct.

I also did 3 months of turbo only with a broken hand last Winter and had real trouble when I got back on the road.

In general I believe turbo work is a useful addition for the specificity of workouts but it's not a replacement for riding outdoors.   I do know of one successful tester who only trained on the turbo, just getting the bike on the road for race days so it can be done.

[DuncanM]

If you don't make sure you keep your eyes up, then when you get on the road you can find your neck and shoulders ache. This is especially so if you train bare headed and ride/race with something heavy there.
Otherwise, I find the road easier than the turbo - you can move about, get out of the saddle, stretch, coast and do a whole load of other things that the turbo really doesn't allow.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Doing the Raid Pyrenean I had only trained on the road and not nearly enough during winter.  Other riders had done over winter training in gyms and on turbos and were pretty fit. They tended to get up the hills quicker but descending they braked for long stretches when it was only necessary to brake for the bends so I had some idea of the effect of turbos in that sense.

Pre-lockdown I was going out with a club and using gyms over winter.  I was getting in shape for the Raid Dolomites in July and I thought I was pretty fit since I could comfortably keep up with quite fast club cyclists on social rides.  Then I got the turbo and started using Zwift; it's very motivating.  On my trainer I can get out of the saddle but it feels odd that the bike is rock solid. The only road cycling I do at the moment is town riding -I cycle everywhere I can rather than use my own car  - and I have certainly noticed an improvement in my fitness.  The downsides - I have to remember to concentrate on other vehicles - cars and also my turbo (elite muin b+) is a bit dated and doesn't make me use gears.  I'll upgrade in the autumn.

I don't expect to get to the Dolomites this year

[mrcharly-YHT]

Its not turbo but indoor exercise --> real exercise related.

Pre lockdown I was paddling 3-4 times a week. Typical training session would be 10km overall, (2+2 warmup/cooldown) + 6km of intervals pushing hard against other people. One longer steady on weekends, about 15km (about 1.5hrs). Plus 20miles a day commuting on the bike.

Not been doing much paddling at all since lockdown, but have a routine of bodyweight exercises and using a 35kg weight bag.

When I do get out in the boat, my initial speed is really good. I can warm up and sustain 12kph for a couple of km (erm, comparison to cycling, that is probably like doing +40kph). After 30 min I'm struggling to sustain pace.

So I think that the lesson to learn from that is that there is no substitute for hours in the saddle/seat. Short (sub-hour) efforts can build power, but stamina (ability to sustain speed) only comes from hours of exercise.