IDT vs Home Spinning Bike

[Justriding]

I need to do some in training at home and wanted to know opinions of wether buying a home spinning bike or an Indoor Trainer would be better from a training perspective? I understand nothing beats being out on the bike especially that I ride MTB, but apart from wear and tear on my actual bike, would an IDT or home spinning bike be better from a training perspective to get some hours in the legs??

[Rudi Pollard]

I would say the IDT, as you would be training on the setup you will ride when you go out as well...

[TNT1]

I understand nothing beats being out on the bike

 

Rollers and some cross training like running and free weights.

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Proper spinning bike will start at R7K with a heavy enough flywheel, an IDT can be sourced for under R1,5K. I'm also considering getting an IDT as I'm struggling to find time, but I remind myself when I posted the same question here on the Hub that everybody said its great at first but it all ends up gathering dust.

 

Consider getting yourself some decent lights from Extreme Lights or Pyro Lights - works to make you more visible in the day, and allows you to train in your neighbourhood at night.

[Polo]

Rather join a spinning class or buy a decent bike light and ride at night. I have literally used my IDT twice since I bought it. It is mind numbingly boring and big mess with little rubber fragments and sweat everywhere!

[Showtime]

 

Rollers and some cross training like running and free weights.

 

What he said. I spent allot of money on a IDT with real life video courses and still it's so boring I would much rather ride rollers or jog. I do sometimes use the IDT as a stand to set my gears though.

[Dr Snuggles]

out riding IRL > rollers/IDT > spinning

direction of increasing uselessness --->

Edited January 13, 2013 by Dr Snuggles

[SwissVan]

I've got both types (A-frame IDT and a spinning bike) and have used both extensively.

 

You can get a good training effect from both types but imo using your real bike will provide better results, albeit fractionaly better.

 

By using a real bike on the IDT you are riding with the exact gear ratios that you would use outdoors and your actual handlebar and body sitting position. Especially important imo if you plan on riding indoors for lengthy periods.

 

With both you will need a good fan and visual entertainment (DVD player) to keep your body coolish and mind occupied while training.

 

 

 

I use my mtb on the A frame, but it means having a spare wheel with a slick tyre fitted (knobblies are very noisy) and having to change wheels everytime when you want to go ride outdoors. Sweat dripping on your real bikes parts is also a problem, you will be amazed how sweat drips on the bike while riding indoors. I usualy wrap critical areas with cling wrap, use a front mudgaurd and one of those sweat gaurds that fit between the stem and seat post.

 

A good spinning bike which has unlimited bike fit adjustment possibilities also works well and at least you can just get on and ride, no fiddling with wheels and installing / removing it from the A frame. Spinning bikes are also more resistant to and have less parts that can get damaged by sweat. The only issue i have is that spinning bike gearing is not the same as mtb / road gearing and i like to train with the exact gearing that i normaly ride with.

[mudda]

Cycling indoors at home = total boredom.

 

Spinning at a gym : getting better with music and a pumped up class.

 

Riding your bike in rain, snow / heat wave / lekker usual SA day = nothing beats it.

 

Think about the reasons for wanting to train indoors. (In my humble opinion , riding your bike the way it was meant to be, is the best.)

 

Is there a specific reason for wanting to train indoors ? Speed work / sprint training / strength or something different ? (For endurance / base training, an indoor trainer wont cut it for me and I cant think of anything worse than base training on an indoor trainer)

 

There are ways to train on your bike for speed/sprint if you have a specific goal in mind. Joel Friel author of the training bible has some good advice.

 

http://www.joefrielsblog.com/

[Richard]

Tried IDT, only used it twice..total boring, not to mention having to have a spare wheel. Spinning can be be better, again the gears are somewhat not reflective of reality..Always amaze myself how I can 10min standing on a spinning bike, and can hardly do 1min on a real bike,

 

Personally I have a 1.5km gentle uphill in my area that i use, 6 times up and down gives a better work out that 90min on a spinning bike. Takes me 50min to do 6 laps..My philosophy is that uphills need training, flats and downhills will take care of themselves...I could be wrong in the eyes of purists

[HappyMartin]

I use an IDT a lot at certain points of my training. It base number of advantages.

 

You can get home a bit late from work after dark and just jump on for a quick hour and a half.

You can train during peak traffic times in safety if that happens to be your only free time.

It is good for intervals and very structures training rides

It's time efficient because there are no easy sections or drafting like on the road

 

The big advantage is if you keep the curtains closed no one from the Hub will be able to see you, take a photo with their cell phone and post it on a new thread with a heading that starts. " Total tjop seen..............." You know what I mean and who you are.

 

Seriously though it has its place but not for everything. Base is no good because who can spend 3 hours at a go on a trainer.

[tombeej]

I need to get something that I can train indoors - lost too many riding hours this summer from the rain coming down days on end. Very frustrating to get up early with all the kit ready, only to look outside and see it's pissing down again.

 

Tried spinning bike but soon started getting niggles - if I don't have my bike set up exactly right then the old injuries soon play up. Unless you buy a top end spinning bike that you can to micro sizing adjustments with, you can't get saddle height/setback exactly right, etc.

 

Thought about the IDT but sounds like a total schlep removing the rear wheel and putting on the training wheel every time (which includes using 2 different chains as well). So not an option for me.

 

So only viable option for me personally are the rollers.

[Cav']

+1 on rollers

[SwissVan]

My home indoor setup back in 2010 / 2011

 

Edited January 13, 2013 by SwissVan

[DamMTBer]

Great thread... with the little ones not geting time to ride without it being to checkers baby seat. Any advice on spare wheel building cost?

[Dubber88]

IDT is perfect for a structured interval program to use throughout the week.

 

When training properly I'm between 3 and 5 times in the work week on my IDT and do my LSD/ Hill repeats/heavy rides over the weekend.

 

Nothing beats good 90min interval sessions used right and structured with incremental added workloads and resting weeks.

 

Also want to mention that it only starts to really transfer to real world riding after 6 weeks assuming you have a decent base fitness.

 

So if you know how to use it, you can get allot done in relatively little time over the week.

 

Starting to train again this year for Sabie I realized how hard intervals are at the beginning, but after the first week you break through, the workload gets harder but the perceived effort isn't proportionally the same.

 

Also a great way to focus on pedaling technique and isolating problems and practicing them.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Dubber88