|   Think there's anything to this? | Patchito
Jan 6, 2003 2:32 PM | | http://www.velonews.com/train/articles/3350.0.html
I've always had the feeling that riding on a stationary trainer was more difficult than road riding at the same hr intensity. I'm not just talking about the monotony of staring at the wall in my garage while I spin away, but my legs tend to get tired more quickly than on a road ride. I always attributed most of it to the lack of any respite - no stoplights or coasting allowed on a trainer - but I could also always notice the lack of inertia on the trainer, especially my old mag unit. Just trying to start a discussion. |
| moot point... | Radar MCM #35
Jan 6, 2003 3:24 PM | | Try putting a hr monitor on. I experience the same PE for a given hr whether I'm on the road or trainer. fluid or mag. large flywheel or small. makes no difference to me. You say stationary trainer...does this mean an exercise bike and not your own bike on a trainer? the extra difficulty could be attributed to a bike fit that is nothing like your normal ride.
Radar MCM #35 |
| HR, KE | Enzoid
Jan 6, 2003 4:27 PM | | This is to be expected. Without the airflow, your heart will work to move blood to the surface of your skin in an effort to cool you down. Therefore your legs are being robbed of oxygen a bit. Dehydration can set in pretty quick too. Even with multiple box fans, I find that I can drop 2-3 pounds of water weight in a 45 minute session. Drinking helps, but only to the extent that the stomach can absorb it quickly enough.
Additionally there is not as much kinetic energy in a 1000 gram wheel moving at 20 mph as there is in 180 lbs of bike and rider at 20 mph. So you have to pedal more to keep the wheel moving along. This is also why if you stop pedalling at 20 mph your back wheel might only turn for a couple of seconds on a trainer, whereas if you were outdoors you would coast along for over a minute. |
| re: Think there's anything to this? | busydog
Jan 7, 2003 3:30 PM | | I have a Diamondback, electronic exercycle that allows me to program a specific level of intensity (that is also adjustable during exercise), climbs, time, etc. that I can almost mimic some favorite trail rides and I find it more tiring than the actual trail ride I am trying to dupicate. Makes me think that the boredom of looking at the wall, TV or whatever is also a factor---compared with the "fun" part, being outdoors, etc. I think the above post on fit is also a factor because there is no way to set it up to "feel/fit" like my mountain bike. |
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