JonnyUtah75

So I got myself a 1up trainer while I heal from a clavicle fracture. I've been off the bike about 6 weeks and now can finally use the trainer with limited weight on the bad arm.

How comparable is the effort required on the trainer for the gear on the flats? I ask because it seems that for any given gear, it feels like I'm exerting a lot more effort on the trainer than the road. Granted, my fitness has dropped over the past month and a half, but I can't imagine I've lost THAT much.

Before the crash I could go 2 or 3 hours of moderate to high intensity without much of a problem. On my third day on the trainer today, I struggled with half an hour.

Have I lost that much, or is the trainer's resistance making me feel like a wimp?

Machka 

Riding a trainer is easier than riding on flat ground outside. Outside you've got things like wind howling at you, potholes to swerve around, vehicles to dodge, etc. Inside you don't have all that.

The idea that riding a trainer is easier is backed up when you look at the 24-hour roller records and compare them with the 24-hour road records. The average speeds on the rollers is considerably higher than the average speeds on the road.
https://www.ultracycling.com/records/...istorical.html


There are, however, some difficulties with riding on a trainer. One is the mental boredom of looking at the walls. You might be able to alleviate that by watching TV. Another has to do with the butt on the saddle. I'm guessing I must move around more when I ride outside because my butt doesn't hurt at all when I ride outside, but it does when I ride the trainer.

simonaway427

I'm about 2-3 km/h slower on my Kurt Kinetic trainer. Most KK users report a drop in watts while on the trainer vs spinning outside.