A friend and former Euro pro once called it \u201cthe most underrated cycling gear ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
It’s the humble bicycle trainer, used for cycling indoors.<\/p>\n
But the secret is, don\u2019t just ride it in winter, use it year-round for structured, no-nonsense workouts. It\u2019s quick and efficient. I did two good workouts this week, each in less than 45 min.<\/p>\nThe secret is to ride your trainer year-round for structured, no-nonsense workouts. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n The thing I love about indoor cycling is I can do leg strength easily. I use Bill Edwards\u2019 progressive power training method for developing cycling-specific strength. (Save your gym membership fees and invest in a trainer, much more effective.)<\/p>\n The other big plus for is the ability to climb for as long as you want to, and not be limited by the topography in your area. (When I was racing I used to get on the trainer at lunch and grind away up Alpe d\u2019Huez at least twice a week during my lunch hour. I\u2019d have to fly to France to replicate that.)<\/p>\n Add to that you can do that day or night, wet or dry\u2026 and you can do it safely.<\/p>\n And\u2026 I\u2019ve got a huge fan next to my bike that I\u2019d say with iced bottles, air conditioning and the blast from my huge fan, keeps me cooler indoors than I\u2019d be on the road. That means I can increase the work load and get in a better workout (similar to using supplemental oxygen).<\/p>\n BTW, I think a lot of people go wrong here. If you don\u2019t keep cool, your power will lower, and you\u2019re not going to get a quality workout. Invest in a good fan, and put your trainer below (or near) an air conditioning vent if possible, and hydrate!<\/p>\n Enjoy the outdoors, but think that\u2019s the only way to get in a killer workout\u2026 all the good guys I raced with used trainers year round.<\/p>\n There are a number of good trainers, from mag, fluid to electronic or “smart” trainers. (You can explore some the options available in the Cycling Store<\/a>.)<\/p>\n I have a CompuTrainer, and it\u2019s rock solid. The only thing I don\u2019t like about it is the software and the controller, the trainer itself is bulletproof and will give you decades of hard use. But CompuTrainers are the original smart trainers, now decades old, and it shows.<\/p>\n Wahoo\u2019s Kickr<\/a> is one of the best, and maybe the best of all. I haven\u2019t ridden every trainer out there, so I can\u2019t say definitively, but it\u2019s as solid as the CompuTrainer in construction, but with state of the art technology and software. It lets you do normal trainer workouts, Erg style workouts based on power, and ride courses and online with Zwift.<\/p>\n It\u2019s compatible with Windows, iOS, Android and more. It connects to just about every app you could wish, WahooFitness, Strava, Zwift, TrainerRoad, Kinomap and ones I\u2019ve never heard of.<\/p>\n Forget the trick wheels, it’s a trainer that will really lift your game.<\/p>\n Check out the stats on Wahoo\u2019s Kickr<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A friend and former Euro pro once called it \u201cthe most underrated cycling gear ever.\u201d It’s the humble bicycle trainer, used for cycling indoors. But the secret is, don\u2019t just ride it in winter, use it year-round for structured, no-nonsense workouts. It\u2019s quick and efficient. I did two good workouts this week, each in less … Continue reading Cycling’s Secret Weapon<\/span> Indoor Cycling for Comprehensive and Year-Round Training<\/h2>\n
Which is the Best Bicycle Trainer?<\/h2>\n