Stewart Nixon (repping CO on our national team) is a recurring columnist on the Triple Threat blog. He's been a triathlete for 25+ years, and has a ton of knowledge on the sport. Here he breaks down some of the different types of indoor trainers, along with pros and cons of each. No matter which you choose, put in the work this off season and you'll emerge in the spring a much stronger cyclist!
With
the conclusion of the Ironman World Championships in Kona, much of the
triathlon world in North America enters into the off season and indoor riding
as temperatures drop and roads become snow covered. The talk of “pain caves”
begins to abound as well. Today, I’m going to describe some of the many indoor
bike trainers available and some of their pros and cons. I will limit this to
trainers which utilize your own bike. These days, indoor trainers are often not
relegated to just the off season, as some triathletes use them for key speed
sessions during the race season. Riders don’t have to worry about stoplights,
road rage, or environmental factors while riding inside, allowing for a more
focused training session.
Stationary
bike trainers fall into one of two categories: rollers and trainers. Trainers
are further categorized by the type of resistance unit on them. Rollers use
both wheels while riding while trainers use only the rear wheel.
Rollers
For
the uninitiated, rollers are probably the earliest form of bike trainer dating
back to around the time of the bicycle as we know it in its current form. Despite
their age, they still pose a great challenge to those who first try riding
them. Their design is simple: a metal frame which holds three drums. Two drums
at the rear which cradle the rear wheel and one drum in front on which the
front wheel sits. The front drum is connected to the forward rear drum via a
large rubber band which allows both wheels to turn during riding. Since the
bike is not locked down, like on wind trainers and the like, the rider must
balance the bike while riding. Therefore, they are excellent at developing
balance and riding a straight line. The first few rides are best done in a
doorway so you can use the door jamb to keep yourself upright. Out of saddle
efforts are virtually unthinkable, as the rider can be quickly launched off the
unit (ask me how I know) but with MUCH practice, can eventually be performed. Another
benefit of rollers is developing a more balanced pedal stroke. This is done by
watching the band that connects the front drum to the rear. Ideally, there should be no bounce in the
band. There is little resistance while riding classic rollers, except through
changing gears. You can add extra resistance by adding a magnetic resistance
unit, driven off the most rear drum, or a head wind unit, driven off the front
drum. There are also rollers with smaller diameter drums which increase the
basic resistance over classic rollers. Rollers are not too expensive but they
are usually not very portable. While some units can fold up, by and large they
are a bit bulky to transport.
Wind Trainer
A wind trainer uses a fan to provide resistance. The rear of the bike is clamped
into the frame of the trainer at the rear dropouts and the rear wheel sits on a
small roller which is attached to a bladed fan which pushes the air to provide
resistance. In theory, the resistance is supposed to give the rider a realistic
road feeling. In reality, while the resistance is progressive, it is not nearly
as close to road riding as one would expect, as overall the resistance is quite
limited. Out of saddle efforts are secure (unless you haven’t clamped the bike
tight enough) but wind trainers tend to be noisy due to the fan. They are pretty inexpensive and are quite
portable.
Magnetic Trainer
Magnetic
trainers use the same frame as a wind trainer but instead of a fan attached to
the roller, they have a magnetic flywheel resistance unit. Often, the
resistance is user adjustable either at the flywheel, necessitating dismounting
to increase/decrease resistance, or by means of a shifter mounted to the
handlebars providing “on the fly” adjusting. Magnetic trainers are much quieter
compared to fan units. The resistance is not progressive, although overall higher
than a fan unit. They are also prone to breaking internally. Since they use the
same frame as wind trainers, they are just as portable, making transporting
them to the track for a ride/run session a snap.
Fluid Trainer
Fluid
trainers use the same frame as wind and magnetic trainers, but combine a
magnetic flywheel with fluid resistance chambers. Fluid trainers have a
progressive resistance (the harder you pedal, the more resistance) which
provide a very close to real world riding experience. They are virtually silent
compared to wind and magnetic units and are just as portable. Out of saddle
efforts are secure, as the bike is clamped down in the unit (yes, I have fallen
out of a trainer). The repeated cycle of heat and fluid expansion and
contraction can result in fluid leaks, although this is rare, and they are a
bit pricier than their brothers but not prohibitively so. Some manufacturers
offer an additional, heavier flywheel that can attach to the main unit to
provide more resistance.
Virtual Reality
Virtual
reality, or VR, trainers are basically a trainer frame with a roller but are
equipped with a computer with virtual world software. The bike is attached in
pretty much the same way as other trainers, but the software controls the
resistance at the roller instead of relying on wind, magnets or fluid. This
enables the rider to really “feel” the road as the computer adjusts the load at
the flywheel to compensate for going uphill or downhill, flats or headwinds and
tailwinds. So for climbing a hill or riding into a headwind one would shift to
an easier gear to compensate for the added resistance, just as they would on
the road, which is the opposite of what you would do when simulating that on
other trainers. Another advantage is
that some models can be linked up to allow multiple users to connect to each
other and ride the same course for head-to-head riding/racing. VR units
generally also display a rider’s metrics: speed, cadence, mileage, power, etc. They
are not very portable, tend to be quite pricey and require a power supply in
order to operate.
LeMond Revolution
These
nifty pieces connect at the rear of the bike, like others, but you don’t use
your rear wheel. Instead, you place the dropouts on the unit which has a
cassette already attached. Resistance is achieved by a large fan attached to
the rear of the unit and driven by a belt attached to the cassette. Since the
fan is much larger than the fans on a traditional wind trainer, the overall
resistance curve is much greater. But since it utilizes a fan, the noise
generated can be a bit loud and the price tag is up there.
Tire
wear is a concern because of heat build up from the roller for each of the
trainers using a traditional rear wheel. The good news is that many tire
manufacturers offer a “trainer only” tire specifically designed to withstand
the heat from riding a trainer. They are only available in clincher form, so
tubular riders (like me) would need to purchase an additional clincher wheel to
use in the trainer.
Keeping
focused while riding inside has long been the bane of our indoor training
existence. Trying to get the most bang out of riding inside can be difficult,
and many sessions can turn into aimless pedaling below a beneficial level if
you don’t have a plan ahead of time. VR type trainers accomplish this through
the software and computer, adjusting the resistance automatically as you ride
along. TVs are commonly used to keep boredom at bay. Watching a favorite movie,
TV show or past race coverage are popular. However, even having those on the
screen one can end up “just cruising along.”
If you want a focused training session, programs such as Triple Threat
team sponsor The Sufferfest (see banner ad on this page), or others such as Spinervals
and TrainerRoad are available that take you through different intervals
depending on the type of workout planned.
Finally,
indoor training can take a toll on your bike. I covered steps you can take to
keep your machine clean and running in tip top shape as you grind out the miles
in my posts on Spring Bike Maintenance.
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