Does anyone here use a stationary bike (not a trainer).

[simplemind]

What are the downsides vs a trainer ( I don't want to break down my bike to install on a trainer) Also, is there a stationary bike that is "smart" compatible?

[AngryScientist]

the downsides would be not being able to replicate your fit correctly on the stationary bike.

i have a dedicated trainer bike.

it has no brakes, downtube shifters and dummy brake levers. front wheel is wayyy out of true, but my fit is bang on what my other road bikes are...

[Peter P.]

While I don't have one at home, I've used one in spin class.

Downsides: Using a friction flywheel design doesn't feel anywhere near as real as riding a bike. There's not a lot of fine tuning of the resistance when you adjust the knob; it's maybe a quarter turn from nothing to "top gear". There's no adjustment to fit the upper body; it's one size fits all, whether you like it or not.

Your sweat will cause the stationary bike to rust just as readily as your own so you will have to wipe it down after workouts. They're heavy so they're not easy to move, and they take up a lot of space when they're not being used. At least with a trainer you can store the trainer, put the bike away, and reclaim the space.

[saab2000]

FWIW, all I needed to do to my bike to mount it in a Cyclops fluid trainer was to use the provided skewer. It is normal, but works well with their clamping mechanism.

I use a very absorbent headband, gloves and a strong fan to keep sweat at bay. Then I turn on a quality podcast to keep boredom at bay and away I go.

Do what you have to do. There are quality stationary bikes out there but using a trainer with proper sweat and boredom management isn't quite as awful as it might seem, at least if you keep it under an hour or so.

This is my current setup with the fan moved a bit closer. It is tolerable for times of an hour or less. I use my Garmin with a wheel-mounted sensor for various milestone goals during the ride.

The point is, you don't need to do all that much to your bike. This is my normal bike with a different rear skewer that matches the trainer clamps. It came with the trainer and is a cheap Taiwanese internal cam skewer, so it doesn't have the D-ring of the Campagnolo skewers. Otherwise it's totally normal.

https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4728/38925415171_b33e476b50_c.jpg

[C40_guy]

the downsides would be not being able to replicate your fit correctly on the stationary bike.

i have a dedicated trainer bike.

it has no brakes, downtube shifters and dummy brake levers. front wheel is wayyy out of true, but my fit is bang on what my other road bikes are...

Yep...that's how I went too...picked up a cheap frame off CL and built it up with spare parts.

Better than beating up and sweating on a good bike!

[FastforaSlowGuy]

I have a dumb trainer (Kurt Kinetic) and a Peloton. They’re different activities. If you’re cool with that, you’ll be happy. It works for me. Spinning is complementary of cycling but it’s not cycling. It’s cross training.


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[simplemind]

the downsides would be not being able to replicate your fit correctly on the stationary bike.
I failed to mention that my wife would use it on occasion, so fit is an issue.
i have a dedicated trainer bike.

it has no brakes, downtube shifters and dummy brake levers. front wheel is wayyy out of true, but my fit is bang on what my other road bikes are...

I have a dumb trainer (Kurt Kinetic) and a Peloton. They’re different activities. If you’re cool with that, you’ll be happy. It works for me. Spinning is complementary of cycling but it’s not cycling. It’s cross training.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I mistakenly thought the Peloton had auto braking like a trainer, but no. I am guessing that there isn't a stationary bike that is "smart"...no?

[jlwdm]

I have a dedicated bike for my trainer. And of course it has Campagnolo 11 components.

Jeff

[unterhausen]

I got a used $30 frame from the LBS and junk box components for a dedicated trainer bike. I always hated sweating on my good bikes anyway. Of course, i probably didn't transfer my position correctly, I keep making that mistake even though I have a fitstik.

[fignon's barber]

I use a Lemond Revmaster that I keep in the garage. Found a place that takes back old leased gym equipment and bought one for $200. Fully adjustable beast that gets my position close to my bike. I like it much better than using my real bike for power workouts.

[benb]

I have a Tacx Flow that I have had since about 2005... great value as it has a PM in it and feels pretty real. It just can't simulate going downhill like some of their newer/fancier products. (It can't speed up the drum)

Years ago I also got a super cheap wheel and stuck a cassette + trainer tire on it, and I leave the Tacx skewer on there.

I don't attach the Tacx cadence pickup to the bike because I use my normal computer (Garmin) to monitor/record the workout, I just the use the Tacx head unit to dial in the grade and/or wattage setting.

It takes no more than 5 minutes to pull the whole thing out of the closet and set it up or tear it down since there are no sensors to add/remove, no skewers to swap, etc.. it's just pull the bike off the trainer and swap the wheel.

It takes next to no space in the closet too for the summer.

I put my nice bike on the trainer as it's the one I want to keep the furthest from the winter weather.

I ride spin bikes/life cycles at the gym at least once a week too when I go to lift weights, the perfect fit of your own bike feels GREAT as soon as you get back on your trainer. I generally can't even pedal at full force on any of those bikes cause I can almost never get my fit right at the gym, least of all because they usually have cranks 15-20mm shorter than what I like to use and they have steep seat tube angles so it's hard not to have my knee forward of the pedal spindle.

Amazing how hardcore the marketing is hitting right now for expensive home spin bikes + services. I get it as a fitness fad for non-cyclists but no matter what they do with those fancy spin bikes for those of us who actually enjoy riding outsides anything indoors is pretty much going to be terrible.

[C40_guy]

I have a dedicated bike for my trainer. And of course it has Campagnolo 11 components.

Jeff

But of course!

:)

[fkelly]

I just ride a Matrix upright bike at the YMCA a half hour a day, probably 5 days a week once the weather closes down here (Albany NY) in November. I do November, December and part of January, then go out the California and ride for real, then do a few more weeks in March, weather dependent.

The fit on the gym level Matrix is not bad. You set a resistance level then it shows speed, watts, distance and heart rate grabbers that give an approximation of your HR.

I keep it to a half hour. From a decent effort level (say 150 hr) on easy days to up near 170 on the hard days. I don't muck around, I do some stretches and abdominals after and am out of the gym within an hour. I can't imagine trying to build endurance on one of these ... just maintain some muscle fitness and wait until Spring.

[EDS]

I mistakenly thought the Peloton had auto braking like a trainer, but no. I am guessing that there isn't a stationary bike that is "smart"...no?

There are smart bikes stationary bikes on the market or coming to the market:

Tacx Neo Smart Bike (not to be confused with the Tacx Neo Smart Trainer)

Wattbike Atom

Bkool Smart Bike

[d_douglas]

Coincidentally, I watched a stupid youtube video last night about some strength training and measurement for some young DH guy named Richie Rude (real name?) He is young and resembles a football player than a cyclist, as many elite DHers do.

Anyways, they showed him lifting freeweights, erg'ing and riding a stationary bike to measure power output. On the stationary bike, it was pretty comical to watch it rock as he pedalled as he was quite the beast. I don't care about this stuff, but I recall him hitting something like 550watts for a minute and a half - it was pretty insane!

All this to say, buy a stationary trainer and become a downhill demon!

[loxx0050]

If you have lots of disposable income you can get one of these: http://magnum.tacx.com/

No disassembly of bike required.

Or compared to that at a more "modest" price level...but not cheap I've seen those Cycleops Phantom line of spin bikes. They have built in powertap hubs to measure power and the top level units can be used with Rouvy. They are more geared toward cyclist so have better adjustability to get your fit dialed in.

Me, I've got a fluid trainer with a dedicated trainer wheel. My TT bike lives on there most of the year and only comes out of hibernation these days for a short TT series I try to make (10miles so short).