# Indoor trainer vs. outdoor cycling - time equivalent?



## HappyHamster (Jul 27, 2004)

A question - I'm beginning my first year of using my indoor trainer to actually train with a specific, periodized program. I think I saw a comment somewhere on this board relating how the time spent on an indoor trainer would measure up to actual riding time outside - that time on the trainer is actually equal to a longer time cycling outdoors. I couldn't find the comment again, and am curious. As a former distance runner, I've seen similar discussions comparing treadmills to outside running, but wonder how this relates in cycling.

Also, I'm curious as to your personal experiences in using a trainer for a long endurance effort, i.e., how long do you ride, do you listen to music, watch TV, etc. Just anticipating the fading daylight and dropping temps!

Thanks!


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## biknben (Jan 28, 2004)

HappyHamster said:


> A question - I'm beginning my first year of using my indoor trainer to actually train with a specific, periodized program. I think I saw a comment somewhere on this board relating how the time spent on an indoor trainer would measure up to actual riding time outside - that time on the trainer is actually equal to a longer time cycling outdoors. I couldn't find the comment again, and am curious. As a former distance runner, I've seen similar discussions comparing treadmills to outside running, but wonder how this relates in cycling.
> 
> Also, I'm curious as to your personal experiences in using a trainer for a long endurance effort, i.e., how long do you ride, do you listen to music, watch TV, etc. Just anticipating the fading daylight and dropping temps!
> 
> Thanks!


Time will be equivelent only if the intensity is the same. You could use different methods to gauge this. Heart rate and/or power come to mind. Don't guage the effort by distance, speed, or time alone.

The comment you were searching for may have been in regard to how a trainer doesn't exactly simulate an outdoor ride. Trainers have various resistance levels and each is different. Some do a better job of simulating real world rides than others. Some may have you begging for mercy at 15 mph while another will let you spin a 30 mph. You may find that after an hour on the trainer, your avg. speed was way high but your avg. HR was low. That means the trainer's resistance is too low compared to real riding.

If your elapse time and your HR are the same (indoor vs. outdoor) than you have found the right balance. If you were training with a power meter you could use that too.


How long you can ride the trainer is very individual. I know guys that will ride a computrainer for hours. If I ride indoors for over 30 minutes, I'm ready to shoot myself. I use rollers to supplement my outdoor riding in the winter. I'll commute to and from work or ride on the weekend. Then use the rollers in the evening while I watch a tv show.


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## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

*45 minutes tops*

Most of my trainer workouts are 40 minutes (10 to warmup and 30 minutes of various intervals based on the heart monitor). I'll go and extra 5 minutes if I'm feeling good but that only happens every other week. After 40 minutes, I'm cooked and ready to come off. During the winter I don't get to ride the road mid week so the trainer is my only saddle time. I try to do 3 hours on Sundays with my regular group as there is no substitute for the road. The road is the highlight of the week, always...


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## palewin (Mar 12, 2003)

*Reduce by 20%*



HappyHamster said:


> A question - I'm beginning my first year of using my indoor trainer to actually train with a specific, periodized program. I think I saw a comment somewhere on this board relating how the time spent on an indoor trainer would measure up to actual riding time outside - that time on the trainer is actually equal to a longer time cycling outdoors. I couldn't find the comment again, and am curious. As a former distance runner, I've seen similar discussions comparing treadmills to outside running, but wonder how this relates in cycling.
> 
> Also, I'm curious as to your personal experiences in using a trainer for a long endurance effort, i.e., how long do you ride, do you listen to music, watch TV, etc. Just anticipating the fading daylight and dropping temps!
> 
> Thanks!


Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) suggests cutting outdoor training times by 20% if you do them on an indoor trainer, since you can't coast, don't have downhills, etc. So if I have a 2-hour workout scheduled, and must do it indoors, I will convert the total time to 1.5 hours. But the "real work" (lets say the workout was 2 hours total with 20 minute of Tempo or Power Intervals) gets done at the full scheduled time. Personally I can't handle more than 1.5 hours on the trainer, and anything over an hour is a struggle. I have several strategies if I need to accumulate more time: either split the total into two sessions, or try to do some of the time outdoors, and the more intense portion on the trainer. And yes, I must be watching tv, or it is simply too boring!


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## Gary Tingley (Mar 15, 2004)

HappyHamster said:


> A question - I'm beginning my first year of using my indoor trainer to actually train with a specific, periodized program. I think I saw a comment somewhere on this board relating how the time spent on an indoor trainer would measure up to actual riding time outside - that time on the trainer is actually equal to a longer time cycling outdoors. I couldn't find the comment again, and am curious. As a former distance runner, I've seen similar discussions comparing treadmills to outside running, but wonder how this relates in cycling.
> 
> Also, I'm curious as to your personal experiences in using a trainer for a long endurance effort, i.e., how long do you ride, do you listen to music, watch TV, etc. Just anticipating the fading daylight and dropping temps!
> 
> Thanks!


Depending on the trainer (get a Kurt or 1up), 1 hour may be = to 1.5 hours on the road if you live in a metro area.


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