Trainers

[Jorg Lueke]

As I complete my recovery, and in general to deal with the darkness of
Northern winters I'm looking into bike trainers. My LBS stocks a
magnetic model and two with fluid resistance (the deluxe version lets
you tilt from side to side). The guy says 70% of their sales is the
basic fluid trainer as it gives you realistic resistance unlike the
magnetic type. My brother also recommended against the magnetic
though he prefers the whole spin bikes.

What are people's thoughts? Assuming usage of 5 hours per week during
the dark months of December-February (sometimes icy March) is it worth
the $300-$350?

[Peter Cole[_2_]]

Jorg Lueke wrote:
> As I complete my recovery, and in general to deal with the darkness of
> Northern winters I'm looking into bike trainers. My LBS stocks a
> magnetic model and two with fluid resistance (the deluxe version lets
> you tilt from side to side). The guy says 70% of their sales is the
> basic fluid trainer as it gives you realistic resistance unlike the
> magnetic type. My brother also recommended against the magnetic
> though he prefers the whole spin bikes.
>
> What are people's thoughts? Assuming usage of 5 hours per week during
> the dark months of December-February (sometimes icy March) is it worth
> the $300-$350?

I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
because they're cheap and reliable.

[Jorg Lueke]

On Nov 29, 11:04*am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>
> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
> because they're cheap and reliable.

I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. Like when you do
the hill course on the excercise club bikes. Even with an mp3 player
standing still can get boring. How hard are the mags in the lowest
gear?

[Peter Cole[_2_]]

Jorg Lueke wrote:
> On Nov 29, 11:04 am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
>> because they're cheap and reliable.
>
> I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. Like when you do
> the hill course on the excercise club bikes. Even with an mp3 player
> standing still can get boring. How hard are the mags in the lowest
> gear?

Mine (Blackburn) is hard enough. I use it in a medium resistance setting
with a medium gear. You can always change the resistance on the fly by
changing gears. I usually watch a movie or some other TV when on the
trainer, so I only look for exercise, not entertainment.

[Mike A Schwab]

On Nov 28, 4:51*pm, Jorg Lueke > wrote:
<delete>
> What are people's thoughts? *Assuming usage of 5 hours per week during
> the dark months of December-February (sometimes icy March) is it worth
> the $300-$350?

Rollers can help with your skills, especially keeping in a straight
line, and are cheapest.
Trainers are good for building strength,but can be quite boring, and
cost a bit more. Watching TV can help a lot.
Computerized trainers are even more expensive but can really help,
especially if you can program a route that you usually train on.

Is it worth it? How important is it for you to be strong early in the
season? Recreational or Cat 5/4, you can get by without it. Want to
get to Cat 3 or better with a 4 month layoff? You are not going to be
competitive.

[Jorg Lueke]

On Nov 30, 11:47*am, Peter Cole > wrote:
> Jorg Lueke wrote:
> > On Nov 29, 11:04 am, Peter Cole > wrote:
> >> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
> >> because they're cheap and reliable.
>
> > I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. *Like when you do
> > the hill course on the excercise club bikes. * Even with an mp3 player
> > standing still can get boring. *How hard are the mags in the lowest
> > gear?
>
> Mine (Blackburn) is hard enough. I use it in a medium resistance setting
> with a medium gear. You can always change the resistance on the fly by
> changing gears. I usually watch a movie or some other TV when on the
> trainer, so I only look for exercise, not entertainment.

Getting bored is a problem. It's one of the big pluses for outdoor
cycling for me, it's one of the few activities I can stand to do for
more than 10 hours per week.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Jorg Lueke > writes:
> On Nov 30, 11:47*am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>> Jorg Lueke wrote:
>> > On Nov 29, 11:04 am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>> >> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
>> >> because they're cheap and reliable.
>>
>> > I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. *Like when you do
>> > the hill course on the excercise club bikes. * Even with an mp3 player
>> > standing still can get boring. *How hard are the mags in the lowest
>> > gear?
>>
>> Mine (Blackburn) is hard enough. I use it in a medium resistance setting
>> with a medium gear. You can always change the resistance on the fly by
>> changing gears. I usually watch a movie or some other TV when on the
>> trainer, so I only look for exercise, not entertainment.
> Getting bored is a problem. It's one of the big pluses for outdoor
> cycling for me, it's one of the few activities I can stand to do for
> more than 10 hours per week.

Outdoor[ish] activities that don't require bicycles
are quite possible during the bleak months.

I confess to enjoying ice skating. Not Olympics,
hockey or (especially) figure skating stuff, just
plain old casual ice skating. It doesn't combine real
transportation with physical exuberance in the same
manner as cycling, but neither does stationary cycling.

But at least you're really moving, and really going
somewhere. Even if it's around in ellipses, on an
indoor rink. It's a little better than some sort of
hamster wheel.

Ice skates are basically heavy boots with cutlasses
bolted onto their soles. Kicking those lead-weighted
things along seems to work sets of leg muscles that
bicycling overlooks.

And snowshoeing is increasingly becoming popular,
and people are realizing it isn't a simple matter
of striding along with tennis raquets tied to
your shoes.

You could euphemistically call it: "cross training."


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Jorg Lueke]

On Dec 5, 8:46*pm, (Tom Keats) wrote:
> In article >,
> * * * * Jorg Lueke > writes:
>
>
>
> > On Nov 30, 11:47*am, Peter Cole > wrote:[i]
> >> Jorg Lueke wrote:
> >> > On Nov 29, 11:04 am, Peter Cole > wrote:
> >> >> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
> >> >> because they're cheap and reliable.
>
> >> > I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. *Like when you do
> >> > the hill course on the excercise club bikes. * Even with an mp3 player
> >> > standing still can get boring. *How hard are the mags in the lowest
> >> > gear?
>
> >> Mine (Blackburn) is hard enough. I use it in a medium resistance setting
> >> with a medium gear. You can always change the resistance on the fly by
> >> changing gears. I usually watch a movie or some other TV when on the
> >> trainer, so I only look for exercise, not entertainment.
> > Getting bored is a problem. *It's one of the big pluses for outdoor
> > cycling for me, it's one of the few activities I can stand to do for
> > more than 10 hours per week.
>
> Outdoor activities that don't require bicycles
> are quite possible during the bleak months.
>
> I confess to enjoying ice skating. *Not Olympics,
> hockey or (especially) figure skating stuff, just
> plain old casual ice skating. *It doesn't combine real
> transportation with physical exuberance in the same
> manner as cycling, but neither does stationary cycling.
>
> But at least you're really moving, and really going
> somewhere. Even if it's around in ellipses, on an
> indoor rink. *It's a little better than some sort of
> hamster wheel.
>
> Ice skates are basically heavy boots with cutlasses
> bolted onto their soles. *Kicking those lead-weighted
> things along seems to work sets of leg muscles that
> bicycling overlooks.
>
> And snowshoeing is increasingly becoming popular,
> and people are realizing it isn't a simple matter
> of striding along with tennis raquets tied to
> your shoes.
>
> You could euphemistically call it: "cross training."
>
> cheers,
> * * * * Tom
>
> --
> Nothing is safe from me.
> I'm really at:
> tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

I think cross country skiing might work for me too. I could start
getting my oldest onto skiis too. Of course knowing him he'll start
wanting to gop fast down big hills.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Jorg Lueke > writes:
> On Dec 5, 8:46*pm, (Tom Keats) wrote:
>> In article >,
>> * * * * Jorg Lueke > writes:
>>
>>
>>[i]
>> > On Nov 30, 11:47*am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>> >> Jorg Lueke wrote:
>> >> > On Nov 29, 11:04 am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>> >> >> I never understood the need for a trainer to be "realistic". I like mags
>> >> >> because they're cheap and reliable.
>>
>> >> > I think it's more fun when the resistance changes. *Like when you do
>> >> > the hill course on the excercise club bikes. * Even with an mp3 player
>> >> > standing still can get boring. *How hard are the mags in the lowest
>> >> > gear?
>>
>> >> Mine (Blackburn) is hard enough. I use it in a medium resistance setting
>> >> with a medium gear. You can always change the resistance on the fly by
>> >> changing gears. I usually watch a movie or some other TV when on the
>> >> trainer, so I only look for exercise, not entertainment.
>> > Getting bored is a problem. *It's one of the big pluses for outdoor
>> > cycling for me, it's one of the few activities I can stand to do for
>> > more than 10 hours per week.
>>
>> Outdoor activities that don't require bicycles
>> are quite possible during the bleak months.
>>
>> I confess to enjoying ice skating. *Not Olympics,
>> hockey or (especially) figure skating stuff, just
>> plain old casual ice skating. *It doesn't combine real
>> transportation with physical exuberance in the same
>> manner as cycling, but neither does stationary cycling.
>>
>> But at least you're really moving, and really going
>> somewhere. Even if it's around in ellipses, on an
>> indoor rink. *It's a little better than some sort of
>> hamster wheel.
>>
>> Ice skates are basically heavy boots with cutlasses
>> bolted onto their soles. *Kicking those lead-weighted
>> things along seems to work sets of leg muscles that
>> bicycling overlooks.
>>
>> And snowshoeing is increasingly becoming popular,
>> and people are realizing it isn't a simple matter
>> of striding along with tennis raquets tied to
>> your shoes.
>>
>> You could euphemistically call it: "cross training."
>>
>> cheers,
>> * * * * Tom
>>
>> --
>> Nothing is safe from me.
>> I'm really at:
>> tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca
> I think cross country skiing might work for me too. I could start
> getting my oldest onto skiis too. Of course knowing him he'll start
> wanting to gop fast down big hills.

I could possibly get into skiing, too. I tried it a little,
a long time ago, before today's technological improvements
in equipment and clothing. I ended up cold, wet & miserable.
Of course I'd have to first suffer the ignonamy of the bunny hill
before I become somewhat enured. But I'm willing to take another
kick at the can.

I guess we all need bikes, rollers, trainers, skis-&-gear,
whitewater canoes & kayaks, fla****er canoes & kayaks,
ice skates, various raquets, a couple of really good
hackeysack bead bags, and somewhere to store it all.

At least a couple of hackeysack bead bags fit in
a dresser drawer. Unlike, say, golf or bowling
equipment, for which I have no need anyway.

A good round of 4-square hackeysack keeps one limber,
and keeps leg cramps, back spasms and sciatica at bay.
At least, it does for me, since so much of my work
involves physical labour. The worst thing for me to do
during a lunch break is to sit down and be suddenly
become idle. Gotta keep moving. Just change the movements.
A change is as good as a rest (if not better.)

Hackeysack among competitors with heavy steel-toed boots on
becomes an interesting and highly sporting enterprise.

If you take your oldest XC skiing with you, and he wants
to bomb down the steep hills, I guess he'll quickly realize
what hoofing it up the next slope entails in terms of effort.

And if you're combining XC with winter camping, and he's
packing some of the gear, you might have to relieve him of
some of his burden so he can gaspingly follow you up the hill
and realize that although you're older, you're certainly
no weakling, and you've still got more jam than he does.
That's a preciously Classic father/son moment. That's when
fatherhood clicks into place.

What were we talking about?

Oh, yeah -- mag vs fluid trainers.

I don't think it really matters, when we're talking
about things that resemble hamster wheels. If you
can get some stuff that allows you to get of the house,
you'll enjoy a little freedom. Whomever you leave in
the house gets to enjoy a little freedom, too. Win-win.
Except for the offsprings who get enlisted by Mom to help
clean house. They have to learn.


cheers,
Tom

--
"BLAAAGGHHH!!!!!!!!" -- I just felt like being expressive,
and saying what's on everybody's mind.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

[Peter Cole[_2_]]

Tom Keats wrote:

>>> Outdoor[ish] activities that don't require bicycles
>>> are quite possible during the bleak months.
>>>
>>> I confess to enjoying ice skating.

>>> But at least you're really moving, and really going
>>> somewhere. Even if it's around in ellipses, on an
>>> indoor rink.

I grew up on a lake (outside of Boston). On good winters (cold, no snow)
we could skate for miles. After that, I never could really enjoy rink
skating.

At one of the local parks that seems to be now only used for dog
defecation, lies the fieldstone chimney and foundation of an old warming
hut, next to a sluice gate for flooding a flat field from a passing
brook. It's hard to now imagine families spending a Sunday skating
outdoors and warming by a roaring fire.

>>> And snowshoeing is increasingly becoming popular,
>>> and people are realizing it isn't a simple matter
>>> of striding along with tennis raquets tied to
>>> your shoes.

Around here (Boston), there never is really enough snow to justify
snowshoes. Even XC skiing is pretty spotty. Some winters it's great,
others, non-existent (no snow).

> I guess we all need bikes, rollers, trainers, skis-&-gear,
> whitewater canoes & kayaks, fla****er canoes & kayaks,
> ice skates, various raquets, a couple of really good
> hackeysack bead bags, and somewhere to store it all.

I almost never use my trainer. I set up my fixed gear bike with studded
tires and there's never been a day I couldn't ride, even on unplowed
bike paths. I was out riding the river path around midnight in late
November a couple of years ago when I spotted a blinky pacing me in the
darkness. It took me a while to realize it was someone rowing. Despite
the fact that it was 15F last morning, I still haven't put away my
skiff. I pull it with a bike trailer and will use it on mild days until
the river freezes.

I'm amazed to read the old stories of how there used to be 5,000 canoes
in one short section of the river back in the 20's. People used to row
in the moonlight and anchor by the bandstands on Saturday nights. The
bandstands are gone and so are almost all the canoes. It sounds like
paradise lost.

There's a side street outside of Harvard Sq. that I frequently ride,
which goes past a glass fronted gym where you can see rows of exercycles
and treadmills. As I make eye contact with the patrons I wonder what
they're thinking. Alas, the Italian cafe with outdoor tables that was
often my destination has now been closed. Progress marches on.

When I first started doing a Saturday club ride, maybe 12 years ago, the
leaders announced that they were suspending for the winter. I said I was
going to keep riding, alone if need be. That first winter I did ride
alone a few times, but usually a few others would show up. Now, seeing
100 riders is not unusual in the dead of winter, even a dozen during
snow or freezing rain. To people who would remark that winter cycling
was crazy, I'd just compare it to skiing or skating.

It seems we're becoming a nation of indoor people. There was one old
standby that got people out and gave a chance to mingle with neighbors:
yard work. Around here, even in a rather modest neighborhood, it all
seems to have been outsourced.

[Jorg Lueke]

On Dec 9, 8:35*am, Peter Cole > wrote:
>
> I almost never use my trainer. I set up my fixed gear bike with studded
> tires and there's never been a day I couldn't ride, even on unplowed
> bike paths. I was out riding the river path around midnight in late
> November a couple of years ago when I spotted a blinky pacing me in the
> darkness. It took me a while to realize it was someone rowing. Despite
> the fact that it was 15F last morning, I still haven't put away my
> skiff. I pull it with a bike trailer and will use it on mild days until
> the river freezes.

It does get quite a bit colder still here versus the East Coast. But
we were in Hayward Wisconsin last weekend and they had some bikes with
very large snow tires in a bike ski shop there. Forgetting clipless
peddles and wearing good boots one could probably ride in the snow
quite a bit. I don't know how messy it would get though on the
bridges with all the chemicals and slush from the roadway on the
pedestrian path.
>
> I'm amazed to read the old stories of how there used to be 5,000 canoes
> in one short section of the river back in the 20's. People used to row
> in the moonlight and anchor by the bandstands on Saturday nights. The
> bandstands are gone and so are almost all the canoes. It sounds like
> paradise lost.

Canoeing down the Mississippi to work, I almost could :-)
>
> There's a side street outside of Harvard Sq. that I frequently ride,
> which goes past a glass fronted gym where you can see rows of exercycles
> and treadmills. As I make eye contact with the patrons I wonder what
> they're thinking. Alas, the Italian cafe with outdoor tables that was
> often my destination has now been closed. Progress marches on.
>

> It seems we're becoming a nation of indoor people. There was one old
> standby that got people out and gave a chance to mingle with neighbors:
> yard work. Around here, even in a rather modest neighborhood, it all
> seems to have been outsourced.

That is the truth! People use giant snow blowers even when it's just
2-4" of snow.

[[email protected]]

XC skiing. You know, if all this talk keeps up I'm going to end up
having to try it. I'd need wide skis, as my route is ungroomed and in
some cases untouched trails. I'd only use them when the snow was too
deep to ride through, so they wouldn't get a ton of use, which makes
it hard to justify the expense. I also don't have a lot of faith I'd
like it, since i don't really like downhill skiing. I do like to
snowboard, but that's really hard on level ground. Maybe I'll hit up
the local recycled sports and see how cheap they could get me up and
running. I almost bought snow shoes last winter, but decided the
going would still be too slow for commuting.

BTW, regarding the snowblowers, 4" of slush can be pretty heavy. I'll
shovel 8" of powder every time, but when it's the wet heavy stuff the
snowblower is much faster. When it's a race to get it done and get to
work, the snowblower is nice.

[Tom Keats]

In article >,
Peter Cole > writes:
> Tom Keats wrote:
>
>>>> Outdoor[ish] activities that don't require bicycles
>>>> are quite possible during the bleak months.
>>>>
>>>> I confess to enjoying ice skating.
>
>>>> But at least you're really moving, and really going
>>>> somewhere. Even if it's around in ellipses, on an
>>>> indoor rink.
>
> I grew up on a lake (outside of Boston). On good winters (cold, no snow)
> we could skate for miles. After that, I never could really enjoy rink
> skating.

It's not that good, but it's not that bad.
In fact I think there are more opportunities
for socializing in an indoor rink.

> At one of the local parks that seems to be now only used for dog
> defecation, lies the fieldstone chimney and foundation of an old warming
> hut, next to a sluice gate for flooding a flat field from a passing
> brook. It's hard to now imagine families spending a Sunday skating
> outdoors and warming by a roaring fire.

And kids being forewarned against using straightened-out
coathangers to roast weenies with, over that fire, because
it makes a poison. Use supple tree sprigs instead. In
the PNW, vine maple does nicely, and even imparts a pleasant,
maple-ish sub-flavour.

>>>> And snowshoeing is increasingly becoming popular,
>>>> and people are realizing it isn't a simple matter
>>>> of striding along with tennis raquets tied to
>>>> your shoes.
>
> Around here (Boston), there never is really enough snow to justify
> snowshoes. Even XC skiing is pretty spotty. Some winters it's great,
> others, non-existent (no snow).
>
>> I guess we all need bikes, rollers, trainers, skis-&-gear,
>> whitewater canoes & kayaks, fla****er canoes & kayaks,
>> ice skates, various raquets, a couple of really good
>> hackeysack bead bags, and somewhere to store it all.
>
> I almost never use my trainer. I set up my fixed gear bike with studded
> tires and there's never been a day I couldn't ride, even on unplowed
> bike paths. I was out riding the river path around midnight in late
> November a couple of years ago when I spotted a blinky pacing me in the
> darkness. It took me a while to realize it was someone rowing. Despite
> the fact that it was 15F last morning, I still haven't put away my
> skiff. I pull it with a bike trailer and will use it on mild days until
> the river freezes.
>
> I'm amazed to read the old stories of how there used to be 5,000 canoes
> in one short section of the river back in the 20's. People used to row
> in the moonlight and anchor by the bandstands on Saturday nights. The
> bandstands are gone and so are almost all the canoes. It sounds like
> paradise lost.
>
> There's a side street outside of Harvard Sq. that I frequently ride,
> which goes past a glass fronted gym where you can see rows of exercycles
> and treadmills. As I make eye contact with the patrons I wonder what
> they're thinking. Alas, the Italian cafe with outdoor tables that was
> often my destination has now been closed. Progress marches on.
>
> When I first started doing a Saturday club ride, maybe 12 years ago, the
> leaders announced that they were suspending for the winter. I said I was
> going to keep riding, alone if need be. That first winter I did ride
> alone a few times, but usually a few others would show up. Now, seeing
> 100 riders is not unusual in the dead of winter, even a dozen during
> snow or freezing rain. To people who would remark that winter cycling
> was crazy, I'd just compare it to skiing or skating.
>
> It seems we're becoming a nation of indoor people. There was one old
> standby that got people out and gave a chance to mingle with neighbors:
> yard work. Around here, even in a rather modest neighborhood, it all
> seems to have been outsourced.

ISTM Robert Frost wrote something about mending stone
fences -- neighbours cooperativey putting up physical
barriers between them while simultaneously establishing
social gateways between them. Mutually defining and
agreeing upon their boundaries and their access points.
Being good neighbours, where the word: "respect" doesn't have
to be uttered because that's already an understood given.

Wow, what a good post, and a bunch of good points that
you've raised.

Ice skating sure evokes nostalgia.

But it's still a pleasant pastime.

I learned to skate in 1964, at Vancouver's newly-built
Trout Lake Community Centre. I remember arriving home
to learn the Anchorage Earthquake had happened, and
hoping I didn't cause it. Y'know, the "Butterfly Effect"
'n all that. In that initial skating experience I did
send a couple of shock waves into the Earth's crust.
Not to mention my own body.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca