IDT vs Rollers vs Spin Bike for MTB

[SwissVan]

With winter around the corner and the amount of rain we've been having in Gauteng I am looking at an indoor option. But not sure what is the best since I only have a MTB.

 

Due to work and location I have had the ?luxury? of over 10 years experience using in door trainers, and have tried rollers, A frames and spinning bike types of IDT?s. <?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

IMO I would choose a good quality A frame type of IDT and set it up using a spare bike that can be set up to match your current set up and left on the trainer.

Failing that then I would go for a spare rear wheel with a specific IDT tyre that you can easily swop each time you need to use the IDT or ride outdoors.

 

Rollers

Great for balance, leg speed and base training low to medium intensity).

Can use your normal bike and train with your normal setup (seat height, handle bar position etc..)

Difficult to do high intensity training at normal or low cadences, due to lack of resistance.

Easy to set up bike.

Possibility of sweat damage / corrosion.

 

IDT (fixed A frame type)

Good for all types of training.

Can use your normal bike and train with your normal setup (seat height, handle bar position etc..)

Can be noisy and wear out rear tyre quicker than normal.

Inconvenient if you only have one bike.

Possibility of sweat damage / corrosion.

 

Spinning Bike

Usually quieter than rollers / IDT.

Can be adjusted to match bike set up.

Mobile and easily moved around.

Can be used for all levels of training, BUT fixed flywheel effect and gear  options not quite the same as a real bicycle.

More corrosion resistant and less impact due to sweat damage.

 

Training indoors is all in the mind, you need to keep your brain busy with a specific training plan with lots of variety, good music or TV, DVD etc?

Also use a fan and if possible an aircon or open windows to drop the room temperature.

Set up a mirror on the side so you can check yourself out / position looks like, and also those leg muscles?LOL

 

And lastly?For some people IDT is a necessary evil to achieve their goals, unfortunately nothing can replace a real bike ride.

 

SwissVan2010-05-05 02:21:27

[philip.maree]

Thanks SwissVan, excellent feedback.

[Bos]

Don't be a sissy now' date=' train outside in the winter. Get yourself some decent kit and you'll be fine. We trained in -7 degrees last year and there's nothing like the feeling you get, thinking that other guys are on trainers or in the bed and you are on you're ride..[/quote']

 

 

Also nothing like the feeling you get when youre lying in hospital and see the other guys riding passed on a sunny saturday, because you crashes on the snotty roads around table mountain one moring trying to get training done in Pouring rain.

 

In Cape town City It pours in winter mate, Its those days Im talking about riding IDT. Trust me I rode 2-3 times a week the whole of last winter, Its not the cold, Its the rain, Visibility Is bad as it is, but when Its pouring  it is pretty hard to just Drive around town (especially in the dark). I went for a Swim with the Tri squad this morning, that was hell!, Im out of shape.

[Dirtbreath]

I tried rollers and they were so noisy that it drove me mad. Now have a spinning bike which I have set up exactly like my mtb and it works great. The flywheel gives you a much better feeling of "getting going". However, as mentioned earlier, no matter what you use the biggest challenge is the mental game of getting on and staying on. Try a series of dvd's that gets you hooked on wanting to see the next episode.

 

I'm selling a spinning bike for a friend in the for sale section if anyone is looking.

 

[wheelz]

Spin bike is not ideal as your setup will be different to your mtb' date=' but its good for interval work, but pretty expensive. IDT is also good for intervals and less expensive. but you dont have the riding 'feel' as you goint need to balance yourself. also they are pretty loud with mtb tyres. Rollers are the closest feel to riding on the road and is very good for your stability, although it is not the best for doing intervals as you may 'bounce' off the rollers and go into a glass coffee table(yes it happens),but saying that, it is possiable to have a decient hard session. and you also cant stand. I use the rollers most of the time but if I want to do lots of intervals I use the IDT.  

my 2c

[/quote']

Thanks for feedback, very insightful. Just a question. On your IDT, do you use a different tire or should my normal tire suffice? Same for the rollers. Will MTB tires be fine on them?

 

I use my normal tire as its a mission to change tyres if you decide to go for a proper ride. it makes quite a bit of noice but i just put the music louder and havnt had any complaints from next door yet. Its prob better to get a slick tire but its your choice. also another tip to help save your tires and if you run the same tire front and back is swap the tires around every now and again as your back tire will wear out faster, for both the IDT and rollers.

[Bos]

So I woke up this morning at 5:45 Here in Tamboerskloof Cape town, Knowing I need to do some riding.. I popped my head out the window and I wsnt raining but the roads were wet and thick fog was resting on the valley. So I Put on all my layers, Parked the IDTrainer In front of the window and started a 15min warmup - 5 minutes zone 3 @90-100 cad...

then one leg 1minute, etc etc when I was nocely warmed up I pulled the bike off the trainer put on a Beany, and went outside. Theres a short but STEEEEP little climb that climbs about ,Id say 70 meters over 300m and then a slight downhill all around the block back to the bottom, all takes only about 2:40 minutes to complete.. so I went and hit that puppy by no 5 my eyes were popping out my scull as that little hill F*cks you up! I was out the saddle wrestling those bars like it was a anaconda.. and by no 6 I was overs, so I headed back inside for 10 minutes in zone 3 and then 2 x 4 minutes zone 4, followed by recovery 5 minutes.

 

Sounds like a lot of PT but this morning It was fun! I guess one could also use the MTB If its not sa quick for you to set the roadbike up on the IDT  as mine is.

 

At least Im listening to that storm outside now and smiling. My session is in the bank

[philip.maree]

 

Ordered a Tacx Flow T1680 from CRC yesterday.

 

Going to set up my 26er MTB on it fairly permanently and use my 29er when I go out to ride

 

Quite excited and cannot wait to start training on it

philip.maree2010-05-06 03:40:52