Static Trainers

I have been given an Elite fluid trainer. I'm not really into winter sports and I am a fair weather fairy these days when it comes to biking. This season I suffered more than ever due to little exercise during the winter, so this winter I (sort of….) plan to utilize this free trainer.

Soooo….my somewhat lame question is:
What is the minimum amount of time one can spend on a static trainer and still get benefit from the exercise?!
I used it for the first time today and probably did just over 10 minutes before the beer fridge started calling. I was starting to drip sweat and certainly felt like I got some exercise. I could probably double that if I stuck my laptop in front of me and watched vids but if I've got to go on the thing for an hour I'll stick it on Craigslist!!

Here are the obligatory Tits:

I just picked up a trainer last month. I set it up in front of the tv, do sprints during commercials, keeps it interesting. I'm really enjoying it, especially during days like today with the -29 windchill and blizzard outside.

You could do a series of intervals, maybe warm up for 5-10 minutes, and have the whole interval over in 20 minutes or less and get a better workout than going elliptical magazine reading gym speed for an hour.

Awesome, a free trainer!!

I am focusing on the rollers right now, I want a trainer but can't buck up for two indoor training pieces.

I do minimum 40 minutes, or 2 family guys :). I need tunes or videos to ride in one spot. Below is the workout I did today.

First 10 spin
next 10 increasing effort.
Next ten with 20 sec hard 40 easyx3 and one min super easy then 1 min all out.
Last 15 tempo tapering to easy last 5 min.

I feel good, and I can knock of the workout in the garage in 50 min total including prep and put away time. Totally important with tight timelines.

I think min 30-45 on the trainer is a good place to start. The cat 1-2 girls and guys I ride with do 1-1:15 min workouts 2-3x a week and they are so fast. You can get fast on the trainer too.

I have been given an Elite fluid trainer. I'm not really into winter sports and I am a fair weather fairy these days when it comes to biking. This season I suffered more than ever due to little exercise during the winter, so this winter I (sort of….) plan to utilize this free trainer.

Soooo….my somewhat lame question is:
What is the minimum amount of time one can spend on a static trainer and still get benefit from the exercise?!
I used it for the first time today and probably did just over 10 minutes before the beer fridge started calling. I was starting to drip sweat and certainly felt like I got some exercise. I could probably double that if I stuck my laptop in front of me and watched vids but if I've got to go on the thing for an hour I'll stick it on Craigslist!!

Here are the obligatory Tits:

The bird on the left is clearly a female.

oh. no. you. didn't.

45-60 minutes minimum, 30 minutes if you go straight into max effort intervals or are doing a recovery spin.

I've done up to 1.5 hours on the trainer and close to that on rollers. 60 minutes is easy if you do a good warm-up and have a structured training plan or specific workouts. Last winter I started using Chris Carmichael's "Time-Crunched Cyclist" and find that gives me excellent motivation with specific workouts to do. Much better than pulling up random Spinervals workouts.

Another option is to buy some Sufferfest videos and do those.

Rollers are great because you have to pay attention or fall off, plus there are lots of skills you can practice to kill time or while resting between intervals.

I generally pull up some race footage on Youtube while doing workouts, or cycling documentaries.

Thanks peeps!

Good point re. intervals. Reminds me of my 'sprinting at lamp posts' days in the early 90's when I was training for XC racing.

I'll aim for 20 mins in the short term. Even with less than that my undercarriage wants to go to sleep :eek2: I already knew that my saddle sucked though.

Is one 'allowed' to get out of the saddle much on a static trainer? I did anyway in order to get some ummmm…. relief but not being able to rock the bike felt strange.

Is there much point buying specific trainer tyres? I've got probably an unlimited amount of used tyres due to the nature of my job, but I'd heard that trainer tyres are also quieter?

I am having the same issue with my sleeping lower 49 during anything over 20 minutes. I have found that standing up and hammering on the pedals doesn't really work, on my trainer anyway. It ends up un-weighting the back end and thereby decreases the resistance. Raising the front tire up higher on some phone books seems to help, or getting up off your saddle and pretending that you're on a dh section, making tree wooshing noises for a couple of minutes also adds "relief".

You should absolutely get out of the saddle, especially for those max effort intervals…and for relief.

I haven't bothered with a trainer tire, I have enough extras and my Kurt Kinetic does not chew tires.

Do Tabata intervals if you are restricting yourself to 20 min. workouts.

I use a kurt kinetic trainer, best out there, my longest trainer ride was 3 hours. Typically do an hour though and then use weights right after.

Remember though that 1 hr on the trainer is like 1h15min hours outside since you don't need to slow down for cars or lights or anything. The trainer is more condensed and more effective for intervals ect.

I have a few Spinnervals videos. They also have Aerovals for more aerobic training. Seems to keep me motivated enough. I also play music overtop because the music in the videos is horrid.

or. I just play you tube clips from Redbull/Epic and hammer away to music. I can go for 60 - 90 minutes with the above. But… it's definitely not the same. If it's not pissing I'd rather put a heart rate monitor on and pedal up rice lake road.

Are you guys using your trainers with road bikes or MTB's? I don't get enough exercise during the winter months and figured a trainer might be a good idea but my road/commuter bike is currently out of comission so I would need to use my AM bike on the trainer - is this a good idea?

I haven't bothered with a trainer tire, I have enough extras and my Kurt Kinetic does not chew tires.

Concur. All the guys I know keep a few old road tires just for winter trainer use.