Indoor Trainer Advice

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by metalheart

A number of years ago I bought a first generation Kickr to use while recovering from knee replacements. It was very helpful. I used Zwift and it was fine, but once recovered I almost never used the Kickr, preferring to ride outdoors, which I could do year round in Northern California.

Last Sumer we moved to Wisconsin and about October when riding outside did not work for me anymore I set up the Kickr and used different software, Zwift, Rouvy, and FulGaz during the winter.. I prefer the ones that show actual roads rather than Zwift. Other times I would watch YouTube videos and just do intervals, manually changing the watts in erg mode. But, riding the trainer is a necessity and not a preference for me. I tolerate it knowing it helps to keep me in somewhat riding shape for the Spring (April here).

I'm thinking of getting a frame or a complete used bike for use on the trainer since I don't like using my road bike on the trainer. Any suggestions about a dedicated trainer bike? My bike mechanic skills are non-existent, but I am willing to learn.

I actually prefer my outside bike on the trainer over the winter. Then everything is the same when it’s time to go back outside


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[fkelly]

I use Kickr and Rouvy. I hooked up with a select few of my 70+ year old friends who I've ridden with outdoors for 40+ years. We occasionally meet at the start of a pre-selected Rouvy route and ride it together (or somewhat near each other). We are "friends" on Rouvy and can see each other's statistics.

The "real" routes are great. I feel like I've seen part of the world: New Zealand, South Africa, Britain, France, Italy, Spain and many more. I climbed Mt. Ventoux ... it took me 4 sessions of about 3 miles each at about 5 mph. That would be realistic if I tried to ride it in real life too. Knowing watts/kg tells all.

Here in the Northeast I stop riding Kickr in April and resume in November.

[Ewiser]

Fkelly you can set up group rides on Rouvy and everyone will stay with the leader of the ride. I have Rouvy group ride every week.

https://my.rouvy.com/group-ride/live/58659
This can be an AR or standard video route.

[s4life]

I have the kickr v4, climb, wind and even a moving platform from Saris I believe.. it's fine, works and zwift complements it well enough. I'd recommend it for quick training intervals, or ftp runs. I wouldn't use it for longer rides

[fkelly]

Fkelly you can set up group rides on Rouvy and everyone will stay with the leader of the ride. I have Rouvy group ride every week.

Yes, that capability was just coming into play last March. My small group is spread across time zones and it can be difficult to coordinate. We share our results by email and that's usually good enough. But I'm sure we'll try a few group rides next Winter unless covid let's up enough to permit me to go to San Clemente CA for 6 weeks.

[metalheart]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

I actually prefer my outside bike on the trainer over the winter. Then everything is the same when it’s time to go back outside


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Do you find that there is any change in your drive train parts, especially the chain ? I use a carbon bike on the Kickr and I wonder about the wear and tear since there is sometimes a lot of force that happens during the initial start up. If I don't find a dedicated frame/bike, I for sure need to get a sweat protector and maybe just change the chain when outdoor season starts.

[mcfarton]

I normally change the chain after winter. It doesn’t get dirty but the occasional lube helps. I keep zwift at 50% trainer realism. So I almost never use my inner front chain ring. I have had to replace the outside ring. Probably wore it out with zwift as I don’t shift the front. It’s rare that I use more than 3-4 gears in the back. I use effort to regulate my power. I occasionally wipe the bike down but I don’t sweat a ton inside or outside. I also use at least 2 fans inside in my basement that never gets warm.


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[mcfarton]

I also use a carbon bike on my kickr. I have been for years. If it’s bad for my bike I haven’t noticed yet. Between inside and outside that bike is around 30000 miles. It owes me nothing and I don’t really want to replace it.

I would like to try some rocker plates some day. I just haven’t wanted to commit the money without trying. One day I will.


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[rccardr]

I use a steel framed vintage bike with 9 speed Shimano and the trainer set at 100% realism.

Aside from tire/brake/rim wear, 2500 miles on a trainer is pretty much the same wear as 2500 miles outside. Not quite as much because there’s less grit encountered, but you’ll still have to keep an eye on cassettes, rings and chains.

[tuxbailey]

Originally Posted by mcfarton

I also use a carbon bike on my kickr. I have been for years. If it’s bad for my bike I haven’t noticed yet. Between inside and outside that bike is around 30000 miles. It owes me nothing and I don’t really want to replace it.

I would like to try some rocker plates some day. I just haven’t wanted to commit the money without trying. One day I will.


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I highly recommend Inside Ride's E-Flex,

[unterhausen]

I use an old bike on my 1st gen kickr. Looking for a cheap frame with vertical dropouts, because the one I have has horizontal dropouts and the kickr doesn't like it if you really crank down on the skewer.

It's a significant time saver to do a workout on the trainer, so that's why I like to have a bike always on it. I did really well my first year of using trainerroad and then I over-trained because I was being too enthusiastic about it. Maybe their new adaptive algorithms would have kept that from happening.

[mcfarton]

Originally Posted by tuxbailey

I highly recommend Inside Ride's E-Flex,

I was looking at this one

KOM Cycling Full Motion Rocker Plate RPV2 - Decrease Discomfort, Engage Core, Ride Longer on Zwift. Rocker Plate is Works with Wahoo Kickr Core, TacX Neo 2T, Saris, and Trainers! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093LNQYQG...ing=UTF8&psc=1

Not sure if the full motion is worth the extra money. You can get side to side motion for like half. Not to mention it takes up a lot of space and I don’t have a lot of room.


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[deechee]

Originally Posted by gibbo

My longest ride is 187 miles, I just wanted to see how far I could ride in a single session.

Ummm. Okay. What were you eating during this effort? And how long were you broken before you could ride again?

[BobbyJones]

As the OP I’d like to thank everyone who replied.

You’ve enlightened me to a lot of new stuff I’ve never heard of.

[professerr]

I'll add to the mix here that I've found smart rollers, together with training apps like Sufferfest, to be a really effective, non-boring, even enjoyable alternative (and now complement) to actual road riding. Rollers improve all sorts of skills (rocker boards seem like a poor substitute to me), and the structured training app (with the erg mode controlling resistance) was surprisingly effective at maintaining and even building (some aspects) of my fitness during lockdown. I was pleasantly surprised at how dialed in the app was to my limits after taking the tests, and how effective the various training rides were at pushing me around and about those limits.