I’ve been around the triathlon space for a hot minute (aka, forEVER) and as much as things have changed (my first trainer was a CycleOps (Saris) magnetic trainer back in…..1996, I think?) one thing remains the same…..trainer riding seems to be a polarizing topic. You either love it? Or you hate it.
I’m a lover. Here’s why.
I got my start in triathlon as a business school student at the Wharton School at the University if Pennsylvania. Anyone who knows Philly circa 1995 will know why I opted for indoor riding! Don’t get me wrong, the Main Line Philadelphia is gorgeous and there’s some super riding. And I did a fair number of rides out in Amish country mostly because the town of Intercourse made me giggle. It was adjacent to the town of Blue Ball, I kid you not.
But I digress. For weekday training in Philly, the trainer was where it was at. Then I moved to New York City. And then to Boston. The convenience and relative safety of the indoor bike trainer was hard to beat. And simply stated? I didn’t know any better.
After I turned pro, and then years later moved to Boulder, CO, I still find myself with a strong affection for the trainer. We have great riding here in Boulder; mountains to climb and flatter places to time trial to your heart's content.
But still, I find myself coming back to the trainer for certain sessions…even in the Summer.
The trainer allows for a controlled environment. In other words, you eliminate certain variables like traffic, terrain, other riders, etc. It is great in terms of time efficiency. I can be down in my basement, in bibs and a bra top without a moment of fuss.
The trainer is also fantastic for focusing on your posture. I set up a mirror in front of my trainer and can practice aero drills; shoulder shrugs, head turtles, etc all with the benefit of being more aero “out in the wild”, but with the immediate feedback of the reflection in front of you. It’s hard to see yourself ride when you are outside!
Mostly, I love trainer riding because it offers specific preparation for almost any occasion. For example, when I’m training for a flat, hot race (Ironman Cozumel, for example), it comes later in the season when we’ve lost our heat here in Colorado. No problem. Hop on the trainer with a hoodie and a heater, drop down into the aero bars, and voila! Just like Cozumel.
Live in a flat place like Florida and want to train for a hilly cycling adventure in France? No problem! Set your trainer in ERG with fixed resistance and drop your cadence to 60 rpms, and crank away on some big gear work to fire up some strength-specific work!
Want to work some VO2Max intervals? But looking for the perfect stretch of road? Try your trainer!
Even for a long ride, the trainer is a great option. I’ve long struggled with proper fueling in training and racing. When I have the opportunity to do a long trainer ride, I can mix all my bottles ahead of time, line them up, and execute my nutrition protocol to perfection….so searching for the nearest convenience store or water tap.
This past Summer, I raced RAAM (The Race Across America). We were a 4-person team, but very quickly became a 3-pearson team...that’s a story for another time, however. But, in my preparations for RAAM, I knew our team strategy and how we had planned to rotate through riders. I took a 24-hour window and took shifts on the trainer, just as I would when we got to race day(s). That very specific preparation got me super ready for the challenges I’d face in the journey from Oceanside to Atlantic City!
Still haven’t sold you on why trainer riding is the best? Stick around! I’ll be contributing a bit to the blog here at Saris in the months to come! I’ll take it as my personal challenge to bring you over to the wonderful world of trainer riding!