Claremont Cycle Depot: bicycles & sporting goods

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Bicycle Trainers

There’s no better way to maintain cycling-specific conditioning than by riding a bike. But when it’s too cold, snowy or icy to ride outside, don’t despair. Claremont Cycle Depot carries trainers by several of the leading manufacturers.

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Trainer essentials

Many people buy a bicycle trainer, use it a few times and never get on it again. While the same can be said about any piece of exercise equipment, here are a few tips to make winter training and “riding nowhere” more enjoyable (or at least more tolerable).

• You need a fan. Riding a bike outdoors creates a strong breeze to cool you. Without this breeze, you soon overheat, sweat like mad and even become unable to produce as much power as you should. Get a powerful fan (or two) and aim it directly at you. Being in a cool (less than 70° F.) helps a lot, too. You’re probably still going to want a towel nearby.
• You need hydration. Even if you have a fan and train in a cool basement, you’re going to sweat. Take a waterbottle with you.
• You need entertainment. Let’s face it, riding nowhere is boring. The scenery never changes, and unless you somehow amuse yourself, you’re never going to last long enough to get much out of your training. An iPod, Walkman, radio or TV will make the time go faster. Listen to music with a beat or watch tapes of “Le Tour” or trainer/spinning specific videos if you can. which leads us to…
• You need a plan. Without a plan, you’ll either lose your concentration and “noodle” along or just quit. Smart Cycling by Arnie Baker has an entire chapter devoted to indoor training workouts, and The Reoch-Zonneveld Indoor Winter Workout Program (if you can find it) gives you a plan for the whole winter. A web search will find workouts online. Make up your own plan if there are some areas you want to improve, but keep each session to about an hour. You can work on your endurance in the spring.
• You need some way to track what you’re doing. A rear-wheel pickup cyclocomputer will do the trick, especially if it displays cadence. For those who want to spend more, a trainer that displays power output is ideal.

Don’t forget to level your bike your with a trainer block (or block of wood) under the front wheel. You can raise it higher to simulate hills.