Bicycle trainer questions

I recently picked up a used Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll bike trainer via my local cycling club. Hotlinked pic below. I rode it for the first time tonight and have some questions. Hopefully there are some roadies/multisport folks here who have trainer experience.

1. I average ~20mph when riding solo for ~2 hours. Having just spent 1:30 on the trainer, I could only muster ~17mph. Why does the trainer seem so much more difficult?

2. I've read a lot about having a rear wheel specific for the trainer. Is that for any reason other than to prevent rear tire wear? Do I really need to hunt around for a used rear wheel to swap in for trainer sessions?

3. Is there somewhere on the web where I can find some good trainer workouts? I need something to help pass the time!

I figure item 1 comes down to the fact that the rolling/wind resistance of powering yourself through the world is completely unrelated to the power needed to spin a fluid resistance device.

Either you're putting out 20mph worth of "real world" power and that's only enough to spin the trainer at 17 mph, and/or you're suffering from the fact that it's harder to motivate yourself to spin the pedals when you don't actually get to go any faster.

I'm less sure about 2, but would imagine that your q/r skewer might not love the treatment, and it might be a little harder on bearings since you're squeezing the whole axle assembly. I've only ever wanted a separate wheel when using my cyclocross or mountain bike, since knobbies are way noisy, necessitating a swap to slicks... But I never spent enough time on the trainer to do any damage.

For 3, I don't have much, but you might check out the sufferfest.

You may also find the workouts from places like the sufferfest more engaging (and more effective) with some kind of power measurement. If you don't have the funds/inclination for a power meter, heart rate monitors have gotten pretty cheap. I think my last $40-50 cyclometer had one...

The trainer is putting out more resistance than riding on the road, with the exception of the toughest headwind you can imagine.

Buy some old tour tapes and ride along with them. Stand when they stand, sprint when they sprint.

All you really need is a trainer specific tire, so that you don't flat spot your nice grippy riding tire, but a lot of people are lazy and don't want to change tires back and forth, ergo, a spare wheel. Trouble with that solution is, it is rare to get a spare wheel cassette to line up EXACTLY with the stock cassette, so your shifting may be off a smidge with the trainer wheel. I say, man up and switch out the tire for trainer use. It will benefit you when the time comes to change one on the road.

Good score on the trainer.

Edit: Random had a good point about the Q/R skewer, but you can change the skewer faster than you can change the whole wheel. Just make sure your skewer is all metal and has a rounded shape that engages the jaws of the trainer well, not the flat sleek looking "nice" skewers that will just rock around in the trainer jaws when you lean in over (which that model of trainer allows you to do). A bike shop can hook you up with a used trainer skewer for cheap, as I imagine the club can too.

I have one almost exactly like that except it does not use the tire - it has roller skate wheels that adjust out to run on the sides of the rim.

Same deal as yours though - I can't maintain any pace on the thing. It whips me.

EDIT:

This is the one I have - it is "Rim Drive" which makes me go heh-heh-heh like Beavis and Butthead.

I got a high-end trainer super cheap at an REI garage sale. FOund out why it was returned - because riding a trainer is bloody awful.

It's uncomfortable, boring, and I sold it quickly.

I occasionally ride my bike on a trainer in the dead of winter. I set it up in front of the tv and watch a movie. Otherwise, I bundle up and head out to brave the cold. I can do upper 40's, but nothing colder than that. Fortunately, we often get some days that warm even in the cold months.

I rode a 5 mile one-way commute through the dead of winter in 2009-10 in Michigan. It was a cold winter. Had to resort to goggles+skimask a few times, and two pairs of gloves also helps. Here's one of the snowier days:

And even riding that day was 10x better and more fun than riding on the trainer. Good workout, too. However, my goal has never been to get faster. Only to have fun, and get a workout.

They used to sell tire chains for mountain bikes (I don't think they do anymore. I'd love to find another set). I spent one winter riding across frozen lakes.

Woody wrote: They used to sell tire chains for mountain bikes (I don't think they do anymore. I'd love to find another set). I spent one winter riding across frozen lakes.

Never seen chains, but a friend swore by Nokian studded tires. I didn't find them necessary. Only had one spill on the pavement due to ice, and you go slower in winter anyways.

You can make your own studded tires with a worn out tire and some sheet metal screws (just long enough to poke through the tread). Just make sure to line the inside of the tire with a layer of duct tape to cushion the inner tue from the screw heads.

i've seen "chains"... but they where really more of a cable system... also seen people to use zip ties around the tire....

as for the tire... as mentioned... it'll ware out that expensive grippy tire out... on a trainer you aren't worried about flats so you can use the cheapest hardest POS you can find... I also know a number of people use a different QR so they don't bend or scratch their high zoot QR...

riding a trainer is boring stuff... most people that I know get the most out of them do a HIIT (high intensity interval training)... so relatively a short "ride"

also you are better off getting a heart rate monitor and a cadence sensor... get your heart rate to your target and keep a good cadence...

anyway I've read good things about that trainer you've got... but only does any good if you use it...

I do know a few riders with not so great knees that warm up in the winter inside on theirs... keeps them from stressing their knees in the cold

Cover the knees if it's below 60 degrees!

lol one of the guys is in his 70's... he rolls in full tights... but with those knees he sure doesn't need any help screwing things up lol...

Thanks for the comments folks. Good to know facts, especially that the trainer puts out more resistance than the road. I feel better about my lackluster MPH now.

On the skewer front, I'm good. The trainer came with a "trainer" skewer, which I used last night. I also have another "trainer" skewer in the garage. As for changing the tire vs. the wheel to ride on the trainer, I agree ECM that switching the tire would probably be more ideal, but, with living in Florida, I'm going to ride outside as much as possible, using the trainer only when it's raining or when I need to ride super early or super late. Knowing that I'll be switching between indoor and outdoor riding very frequently, I'd like to go the extra wheel route.

Knowing that, what is the best chance to match up rear cassettes?

Thanks also for the recommendation on the sufferfest. I'll check out their video options!

Lastly, donalson, I can see why folks would focus on HIT workouts on the trainer. It's a good chance to do interval work and means it can be a shorter workout rather than longer.

I use a Spinervals DVD for winter training. Good for an after work work-out at night when you don't feel like dealing with lights or the trails are too wet. I've done mtn bike rides in sub-zero temps so the cold doesn't bother me.

dyintorace wrote: Knowing that, what is the best chance to match up rear cassettes?

If it's an 8-10 speed Shimano, just get an inexpensive cassette wheel from anywhere. See what kind of cassette you have on your bike now and just match that. You don't have to have an exact match though as far as teeth goes. an 11-26 vs a 12-32 or whatever won't make a difference in your training.

It's not the ratio that is the issue, it is the fact that no two cassettes sit in exactly the same position inboard/outboard of the hub, and not every wheel is dished exactly the same. You may stick the trainer wheel in there and the chain will not stay on all of the cogs due to the difference in relative position. Learn how to trim the derailleur position and it may not be a problem, it's just usually more than most riders want to deal with.

Got it. I'll get the details on my current wheel/cassette and then look around for something similar. I'll also learn a little about trimming the derailleur, just in case I need to.

Unless you are spending a lot of time on the trainer I wouldn't bother with a trainer tire. Yes, it can wear the tire faster than on the street, but it shouldn't be a big deal.

Don't focus on speed on the trainer as unless you have a one of the computer controlled trainers (i.e. Computrainer or Tacx) it's not relevant.

I ride rollers in the basement as it's much more engaging than a resistance trainer. And I've got options--rollers, Computrainer, and mag trainer, but the rollers are the only ones I use.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_rollers

The Spinervals mentioned above are good. I use RealRides videos: http://www.realrides.tv/

i'll go along with the don't bother on the spare tire/wheel if you are planning on going back and forth pretty often... many of those on trainers in the great cold north only get to ride a trainer for several months out of the year... in FL ya just use it for wet days that you want to stay dry... it'll shorten the life of your tire by a bit but it's not worth the hassle every time you want to ride outside vs inside :-/...

PeterAK wrote: Unless you are spending a lot of time on the trainer I wouldn't bother with a trainer tire. Yes, it can wear the tire faster than on the street, but it shouldn't be a big deal. Don't focus on speed on the trainer as unless you have a one of the computer controlled trainers (i.e. Computrainer or Tacx) it's not relevant. I ride rollers in the basement as it's much more engaging than a resistance trainer. And I've got options--rollers, Computrainer, and mag trainer, but the rollers are the only ones I use. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_rollers The Spinervals mentioned above are good. I use RealRides videos: http://www.realrides.tv/

I've seen rollers but never tried them. I'd be the guy who wrecked in his living room!

donalson wrote: i'll go along with the don't bother on the spare tire/wheel if you are planning on going back and forth pretty often... many of those on trainers in the great cold north only get to ride a trainer for several months out of the year... in FL ya just use it for wet days that you want to stay dry... it'll shorten the life of your tire by a bit but it's not worth the hassle every time you want to ride outside vs inside :-/...

Makes sense to me. I'm only going to use the trainer for inclement weather or darkness. Any other time, I'll hopefully be riding outside.