Turbo Training

[Chris S]

I had to move mine - it was in a spare bedroom upstairs, but our house is a 16th Century farm workers cottage, not really made with first floor interval training in mind, so when on the balls-out phase of an interval session:

(a) it sounds like there's a jet engine in the house
(b) the place shakes
(c) stuff falls off shelves.

So I had to move to the Den. I suspect I'll be banished to the garage before too long.

Where's yours?

[mike]

Garage for me too, absolutely no chance of it being allowed in the house, given that I sweat like a hippo in a sauna...

[Greenbank]

Don't have one.

Mainly because we're in a first floor flat and it would just make too much noise for downstairs.

No garage. The shed is a possibility but it'll be a big faff wheeling out the extension cable for power. I'd also have to get rid of the washing machine that's in there that a friend keeps promising to come round and pick up.

[JT]

Ours are in the garage.

It would be too warm training in the house regardless of noise/sweat issues.

[peliroja]

In the hallway (it's big) where I can keep the front door open for a nice draught. I sweat, but not terribly and riding in hardly-any-clothes and a bandana seems to work. I'm not using it at the moment, though, upon yacf advice/instruction/pain of death.

[Sergeant Pluck]

I'm not using it at the moment, though, upon yacf advice/instruction/pain of death

Weeeell now, given that additional information, perhaps we could reconsider the matter. If you were to provide us with pictures, many many pictures, between us we could ensure that your position on the machine is optimal and that any risks to your health are minimised.

[zzpza]

in the lounge... not to watch TV, but because i don't want to have to carry my bike upstairs. my bikes live in the living room anyway. except for the mountain bike; that would be silly.

[eck]

Ours are in the garage.

It would be too warm training in the house regardless of noise/sweat issues.

+1 to that. My rollers are in the garage, with the up-and-over door wide open, regardless of the weather. I get some funny looks from passing neighbours, but I get them anyway. 

[Julian]

This has just given me a brane-wave. 

The plan is to get rid of the telly at some stage, despite my chronic addiction to really shit TV.  But if I set a turbo up in the garage, and put the telly in there, I would have to turbo if I wanted my crap TV fix. 

[border-rider]

I have just about every episode of Star Trek NG ever made.  In most cases, several times.  The perils of having a computer-based TV recorder with effectively infinite disc space and a programme guide with a "record every episode" button

I haven't watched a single one

My plan is to TT in the winter to get through them all.  Just got to sort out extending the network to the garage...

[bikenerd]

My neighbour has some rollers that he's offered to lend me.  Will I die using them?  In a "fall off the bike in the garage" kind of way?

[border-rider]

I suspect they're more fun than a TT.  Less boring, anyway

A little practice needed, but it's how it always used to be done.

[Wowbagger]

This has just given me a brane-wave. 

The plan is to get rid of the telly at some stage, despite my chronic addiction to really shit TV.  But if I set a turbo up in the garage, and put the telly in there, I would have to turbo if I wanted my crap TV fix. 

But since the Seekrit Bunker is not at your address, would you not be obliged to purchase a separate licence?

I've never seen the attraction of a turbo trainer. I'd rather go for a bike ride. We hardly ever get icy roads in the town.

[border-rider]

I've never seen the attraction of a turbo trainer. I'd rather go for a bike ride. We hardly ever get icy roads in the town.

I used to use mine as part of a carrot-and-stick approach: if I was too idle to go out at lunchtime, I had to TT in the evening.  It worked.

I agree.  Real riding is better if you can do it.  Ice is rarely a problem at lunchtime, but pissing rain may be, and not many people have the option to go out for any significant time at a time of their choosing.

[eck]

Will I die using them?  In a "fall off the bike in the garage" kind of way?

Hopefully not, but have something close to grab on to, but not a stainless steel sink  .
And don't forget you're a bit higher off the ground than normal, so getting on and off is easier if you have a wee step of some sort.

Altogether much more "fun" than a turbo. There's no feeling quite like crashing into the freezer at 0 mph. 

[Greenbank]

I've never seen the attraction of a turbo trainer. I'd rather go for a bike ride. We hardly ever get icy roads in the town.

I thought the same until I started to do some interval/hill training. It's much much easier to do on a turbo than out on the road.

When doing intervals you don't have to watch out for pedestrians/cars/cyclists/mud/rocks/potholes/deer/etc when doing 20 seconds at maximum effort.

Same for hill intervals and you can also make the perfect incline hill by adjusting the resistance. My nearest 18% hill is about an hours cycle away, same for the nearest 10% hill that's long enough to be useful.

It's also much easier in the dark.

(I don't have a turbo though but I just go down to the local gym and use one of their stationery bikes to do my intervals. I can then go for a nice relaxing swim too.)

I'd agree that using a turbo to "get the miles in" would be insanely dull. Winter miles / LSD (Long Slow Distance) is made enjoyable by seeing the world and being distracted by anything and everything.

[mike]

the turbo is great for repeatable sessions (so a 2 x 20 minute effort on the turbo tonight can be directly compared to one next week), although you're absolutely right about the boredom. I can get to about 90 minutes on it if I get the right tunes on my laptop, else my brane explodes

[Chris S]

I think there is good to be gained from doing both indoor and outdoor intervals - it keeps your body guessing which is a Good Thing when you are forcing adaptations.

Given that I work at home, and everyone else in the family doesn't - I might be able to swing it that the TT remains in the Den as long as I use it during the day.

[peliroja]

Am I allowed to do a reasonably easy session tonight?  I feel fine, just stressed, and I think it might help.

[Wowbagger]

I think the gently turning of pedals is a very therapeutic experience.

[PaulF]

This has just given me a brane-wave. 

The plan is to get rid of the telly at some stage, despite my chronic addiction to really shit TV.  But if I set a turbo up in the garage, and put the telly in there, I would have to turbo if I wanted my crap TV fix. 

That's fine as long as you generate enough electrickery from the turbo to power the TV

[Greenbank]

17" CRT¹ TV takes about (there's quite a lot of variance) 50W to 80W. That's a very gentle pootle on a bike.

Power consumption is roughly proportionate to screen area so a 34" TV will require about 4 times as much power (200W to 320W).

100W to 160W would therefore be about a 24" screen.

1. According to a quick google LCDs and Plasmas are about the same efficiency as CRT.

Again, there'll be a big variation between brands and models.

[Chris S]

My legs were tighter than a ship's hawsers on a ebbing tide today, after yesterday's audax.

Thirty minutes very light spinning on the turbo and they are feeling much better. There's no way I could have got the same consistency of easy spin outside today - the wind is 40km/h gusting 60km/h!

[dave r]

Mine is kept in the shed but used in the back garden, I don't have a gararge and I cant' use the shed, to crowded and the floor isn't good. If I tried to use it in the house I am likely to end up divorced

[Seineseeker]

In the basement! Great location.