As the days get shorter and temperatures begin to drop, it may be time to take your outdoor bike training inside. In order to have a successful training ride in the comfort of your home, you’ll need to either have a stationary bike or bike trainer setup. Compared to a top of the line stationary bike, a bike trainer is a much more affordable option. Not only is a bike trainer more affordable but it also has more of a realistic road feel. Because you can ride on your own bike, your ride mimics actual bike riding which could feel a bit different on a stationary bike.
A bike trainer takes up minimal space, and it’s lightweight and portable so if you don’t have a dedicated indoor workout space, it’s ideal.
If you’ve decided to take your ride indoors with a bike trainer, you’ll want to know how to optimally use your trainer.
Take a look at these 4 simple rules for riding on a bike trainer:
1. Set up Your Bike Trainer for Success
With so many bike trainer options on the market, you’ll want to make sure you choose the best one for you. Take a look at this post for tips on how to choose a bike trainer: How to Choose a Bike Trainer. Adding options like a front wheel stabilizing block will enhance your ride even more.
2. Focus on Your Pedal Strokes
When riding outdoors, it’s hard to completely focus on your pedal strokes. You have to keep your eyes on the road to see where you’re going. When you’re riding indoors on your bike trainer, you can fully focus on creating powerful and fluid pedal strokes keeping the feet parallel to the ground throughout the pedal stroke.
3. Dress Like You’re Riding Outdoors on a Warm Day
Even if you’re riding in a cool climate controlled room, you may notice that you sweat more than riding outside. This is because you don’t have the air moving past you to dry the sweat off of your skin like you do when actually riding outside. To keep cool and dry, try placing a large fan in front of your bike, be sure to have a towel to wipe sweat away, and keep hydrated throughout your ride.
4. Find Ways to Keep Your Rides Fun
Riding indoors can be a bit boring if you’re used to riding outside. To keep your mind interested during your ride, set up your bike in front of a TV where you can catch up on your favorite binge-worthy show or even take the plunge and sign up for a 3rd party indoor biking app that will allow you to ride on your screen, through different areas, and with other rides.
Whether you’re forced to take your cycling training indoors because of weather or simply want to change up your routine, investing in a bike trainer is a great idea to keep your training moving forward without having to gear up for an outdoor ride.
Have more questions about switching up your triathlon training? Contact me today for top training tips!
Train Right, Tri Right!
Coach MJ
