Mag turbo trainer?

Question

I have bought a mag trainer, if I do 45 minutes spinning every other night what would be the equivalent of this in cycling terms outdoors?

Answer 1

I wouldn't call it equal, but it is a good way to keep the spin strong over the winter. I would use a heart rate monitor as a guide. Match the outdoor effort with the indoor effort if that is what you want. Personally, for a beginning or growing cycling, I think the winter should be about building muscle and gaining muscle memory. You are going to need some long rides in there and the only way to get the benefit from them is to do it outdoors.

Answer 2

I would think it is like doing about 10 miles outdoors. If you are keeping the effort the same for the entire 45 min, then its like riding on the flat with the wind at your back.

45 minutes is a good starting point. It would be better to keep increasing your effort and duration. A 2 hour training ride on max resistance and running through your gears is a workout.

Boredom is what I fight the most on a trainer. To combat it I will set it up in front of a TV and ride "pace" (about 100 rpm) during the program. Commercial breaks are for sprinting. I give it all I have for those 2.5 - 3 minutes and then go back to pace again. On the weekends for endurance I watch an entire football game on my bike with a break at halftime. It really helps me with the boredom.

Answer 3

Its about the same as cycling outdoors. Not sure what your objective is, but 45 minutes every other day will have you in shape to get instantly dropped on your first ride outdoors in the spring.
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McG - LOL same here, except I get off every quarter for a set on the weights. NASCAR works as well in the spring, except those long breaks for "the Big One" are killers.