tgenec86

Kreitler 3.0 Alloy Rollers with a Killer Headwind Unit. I have never used Zwift - I would much rather put on replays of races (mostly Cyclocross) on a big screen TV I have set up low to the floor so I can watch without craning my neck up. I don't have anything against Zwift, but don't need the interaction to motivate me. Just pure riding on rollers, a good race, and sometimes a hard driving heavy metal soundtrack with my earbuds. Riding rollers takes concentration and attention, plus it absolutely forces you to have a very smooth cadence and to ride a very straight, controlled line. Zwift is great for fitness, rollers are beyond great for making you a good, smooth rider. Both my road bikes have power meters / cadence / speed sensors, so I guess I could use online programs but I just don't have the interest. If you love to ride, it's not hard to be motivated to do it, even indoors.

And in Upstate NY, in the winter you just don't have the option to ride road bikes. MTB yes, but having to drive to trails, etc... every day is way too much.

Leebo

Trainer? I go with wool, studded tires and big cup of HTFU in the winter.

hubcyclist

Apologies in advance for the snarkiness, I just see this way too often. Why the need to weigh in on riding outside when the question was about indoor product recommendations? Why is riding outside in the winter such a badge of honor? I live in the area and race cyclocross, so I'm quite familiar with riding in tough conditions, I race in freezing conditions with little more than a skinsuit and maybe leg warmers. But for day to day training having an indoor trainer has made by quality of riding much better, I'm not messing around with clothes, I don't have to worry about cleaning a dirty bike, and I'm in much better shape than people just tooling around outside. Again, I'm just responding to you since it's the latest response, lots of other people chime in on these indoor trainer topics with similar responses, but folks need to get off their high horses with respect to winter riding.

zjrog

I tried that, my arthritis said stop that... As did the aftermarket hardware in my knee and back...

I do get away using my riding mower and snow plow blade wearing shorts.

Txbluelacy

We had a cold snap and with darkness descending upon the northern hemisphere the days of warm or even cool rides before or after work have been replaced by bitter cold rides in the dark. That is unsustainable so I bought a used CycleOps Fluid 2. It works great. I hate the damn thing.

Kapusta

Because..... Bike Forums. Where one goes the have their questions questioned.

Leebo

Ok, point taken. A bike is meant to be ridden, spinning in a circle going 0 mph is not biking. Lots of other options than sitting in your living room watching news (or what ever)on a bike stand. Tooling around outside? Not. Fat bike with studded tires, way awesome. I don't gym, I don't own a trainer . And winter riding? You're in your living room or basement, not outside winter riding. All I'm saying is that winter doesn't mean you are stuck inside. Cheers. Hiking, snowshoe, XC skiing, all good too.

hubcyclist

Look I get it, different strokes for different folks, but riding indoors is still exercise, I can assure you. It may be zero miles per hour but the kj of energy I expend are real and I'm in way better shape than most recreational cyclists. People derive different enjoyment from bikes, I like putting in the work indoors and get out in the nice weather, some people like riding year round, one isn't better than the other. Before I got my smart trainer I was riding outside in the winter, I didn't care for all the bike maintenance and clothing that went along with it. Personally, I'd rather get up early on a weekend and watch some soccer while I knock out a great workout. But that's me. So I'm not going to go into a winter cycling thread and tell people that I'm a better cyclist because I train indoors.

Kapusta

What value do you perceive your are adding here? Because I am at a loss to tell.

Leebo

Fresh air, a crisp breeze and reveling in nature, or not. Just different view point that is all. Step outside your comfort zone. Cheers.

Kapusta

Your aversion to indoor training is of no relevance in this thread.

Your response is about as useful as responding to a thread asking about what guitar people like to play by stating that you hate playing guitar and prefer the drums.

Also, riding indoors and outdoors in the winter are not mutually exclusive.

zjrog

After my cardiac scare last year, and lots of monitored exercise bike time, I am in better condition than I used to be.

Now. I MIGHT get a snow suit and try a Fat bike this winter. A lot of things in the air before that happens.

Leebo

If I can convince one person to try winter/cold biking outside instead of a trainer? My work will be done. Just a different perspective, that is all.
Next up, flats vs clipless.

Kapusta

Ah, so you are one of those people who respond to threads asking for advice on which flats to use by telling them to use clipless?

N00b_Cyclist

I have always used Wahoo Kickr Snap. It will be my go-to this winter. I don't have 2 bikes, so just a bunch of swapping thru axle and all that jazz. Pretty simple I guess, compared to a wheel off trainer. Calibration is a bit more annoying though. Meh, pros and cons I guess. Works for me!

guachi

I thought the other reasons you mentioned would be more important to me but after actually buying my trainer the above reason was far and away the best benefit. There is no way I'd be in remotely as good a shape as I am now if it weren't for the turbo trainer to attach my bike to.

SalsaShark

No trainer for me...cant stand them. Riding outside in harsh winter conditions is a fun challenge, and can be a great workout.
Trainer=RG350ex
Outdoors=Team J. Craft Prestige

Alloyboy

No one has mentioned my sixteen year old Blackburn TrakStand. It is still going strong And it is homebrew.
Made in good old USA. Rantoul . IL. 61866-9512. No software to worry about. Just sweat wear. Giggle. Jim.

Cyclist753

When it gets too cold outside I'll ride my 'analog' Kreitler rollers.

Ghazmh

I have a Cyclops flid drive dumb trainer. I pretty much hate using it. I find studded tires and cold weather gear a better investment. I’d sell mine but the local Craigslist is full of like new or hardly used trainers.

Goofball

I use this old piece of crap but according to my heartrate monitor, i burned over 900 calories while rocking to "made in japan" by deep purple and that means it's whopper time 🍔

Alloyboy

Hello Goofball,
Your man pain cave is so neat and tidy, just like mine. Jim.

jadocs

There’s a huge difference between riding outside in harsh conditions just to be “outside” vs. actually doing structured training indoors on a trainer. There is no comparison. All things being equal (two people with same experience/physiology and conditioning) the person doing real structured training indoors will be in much better shape than the person who thinks “outdoor miles are better than indoor miles” in the spring.

La Tortue

This is so true. The few serious racers left who are resisting the smart trainer trend will get even smaller this Spring when they find out how far behind they are from their competitors. The numbers are getting smaller and smaller every year.

zjrog

I used a Giant Cyclotron mag trainer since 2006, until last year (well, when I could use it). A couple years ago I found a Performance mag trainer.

I liked that it replaced the front wheel and the bike was 100% locked in solid.

But I needed power output for the smart apps for winter riding. So I snagged a used Kurt Kinetic and the iNride sensor. I may yet fabricate a sleeve for the Kurt fluid head to be fit to that Performance stand...