Indoor Bike Trainer

magster4isu

To say that I am a beginner on bicycles is a major understatement. Before this summer I hadn't sat on a bike in over 25 years and I now have my first bike that actually shifts gears (I was hit by a car on my bike as a kid and it kind of put me off to cycling for many years). I am at a very low level of riding. I have only been able to ride about 3-4 miles at a time on a flat surface.

Now that the weather is starting to turn, I have brought my bike inside and set up a bike trainer. Does anyone have any recommendations for apps or programs that I can use on my trainer? I'm thinking something along the lines of a C25K, but for my bike.

I'm not interested in being any sort of biking superstar, but I would eventually like to be able to take long bike rides with friends (and possibly do a day or 2 of Iowa's RAGBRAI).

Thanks in advance for any recommendations or advise.

deannalfisher

I use trainerroad - its a program that you use on your laptop - programed cycling intervals - you need a ANT+ usb (about $30 on amazon) and then a speed/cadence sensor for your bike - I think it costs $10 a month - they have programs you can do, or you can pick and chose different workouts

lots of my friends use Zwift - but I'm not a huge fan of it - personally, unless I have a smarttrainer, its annoying

more low-tech is using sufferfest DVD's

Machka9

I may eventually set Zwift up, but meanwhile, I've been doing "commercial intervals" for years.

Commercial intervals:

I pick a TV show I like on a channel with commercials.
I ride at a moderate pace during the show.
I ride as hard as I can during the commercial.
And back to a moderate pace during the show ...

30-60 min can go by in no time!

deannalfisher

Machka9 wrote: »

I may eventually set Zwift up, but meanwhile, I've been doing "commercial intervals" for years.

Commercial intervals:

I pick a TV show I like on a channel with commercials.
I ride at a moderate pace during the show.
I ride as hard as I can during the commercial.
And back to a moderate pace during the show ...

30-60 min can go by in no time!

I do this or if there is a show I'm watching - I google drinking game for the show and then adjust for a workout - so if its take a sip - 1min fast; if its chug, big gear/slow cadence etc

__TMac__

Machka9 wrote: »

I may eventually set Zwift up, but meanwhile, I've been doing "commercial intervals" for years.

Commercial intervals:

I pick a TV show I like on a channel with commercials.
I ride at a moderate pace during the show.
I ride as hard as I can during the commercial.
And back to a moderate pace during the show ...

30-60 min can go by in no time!

I do something similar on the trainer and treadmill--playlist intervals. I put my music on shuffle. Fast song=hard effort. Slow song=easy effort. Kind of fun, especially since I have all sorts of random music in my phone. Everything from Metallica, to acoustic folk, to funk.

Or I just watch Netflix.

BrianSharpe

Check out youtube......I've been riding to CTXVideo's workouts for a few years (an Australian bike club that has everything form about 30 to 90 minute rides) and there are a ton of other free ones out there with Global Cycling network and others.

Typically what I do in the winter is alternate between longer, low intensity steady state rides (the ones where you can zone out while watching TV) and interval workouts of varying length and intensity.

It's all time in the saddle and will translate into better bike fitness when you do head back out in the spring.

If you're looking farther into the future you may also want to consider getting a set of rollers rather than a trainer. Closer to a real bike ride including the possibility of falling down but forces you to keep your balance just like riding in the real world (without the traffic).

Have fun!

magster4isu

Thank you for all the recommendations!!