Bicycle trainer, Kurt Kinetic?

[billybek]

Originally Posted by red-beard

Just get OUT and ride! You are in Houston, not Canada

I was 3 hours on the bike today!
Fat bikes are not for fat people...

[jhynesrockmtn]

Get some foul weather gear and ride. I bike commuted year round in Seattle and rode mountain bikes year round there as well. Now that I'm in eastern WA, I'd love to be able to ride a real bike, outside year round but unfortunately we typically have harder winters with much snow, ice and below freezing temps. It's unusually warm now, I'm heading out tomorrow I hope. I hate riding inside unless it's a well taught spin class which doesn't exist in my area.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I have a Kurt Kinetic Rock and Roll - it’s great when the weather is rotten and I don’t feel like getting wet.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by look 171

It does helps with "Spin", but more then anything else, help build form and makes a rider "Smooth". People think you have to drive those big gears and have your heart and lungs beating outta your chest to get stronger. True, but spinning easy gears and keeping a steady pace and cadence also help tremendously. A rider that spins can ride on forever (Comes in handy on very long boring rides).

I've been reading about the differences between fast and slow cadence and the benefits, although it seems like not all of the articles that I've read agree, there does seem to be some consensus. I'm hoping to integrate some of that into how I ride

Originally Posted by David

My Kurt kinetic is the best trainer I’ve ridden although I haven’t tried the new $1,000 computer controlled trainers. I hate using it. The longest I’ve ever ridden it is 40 minutes and usually I can’t stand more than 20 minutes.

I road this morning bundled up for 45 degrees but it quickly became 55-60 so I sweated. 40-45 is easily doable with long tights, a long under jersey, long sleeve jersey, winter riding gloves and maybe a vest.

You live in the city so on crappy days and dark evenings you could ride the picnic loop at Memorial Park.

I can easily ride up and down the Bayou too.

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

Get some foul weather gear and ride. I bike commuted year round in Seattle and rode mountain bikes year round there as well. Now that I'm in eastern WA, I'd love to be able to ride a real bike, outside year round but unfortunately we typically have harder winters with much snow, ice and below freezing temps. It's unusually warm now, I'm heading out tomorrow I hope. I hate riding inside unless it's a well taught spin class which doesn't exist in my area.

We definitely won't have any issues with snow and ice. I live about 3 miles from downtown/work. Folks have asked me over the last few years, "so do you ride a bike to work?" My response is always "hell no, too hot, too humid, too much chance that it could rain at any second despite how the weather looks. Now that I have (well, soon) a bike, I'm thinking, "hey, maybe I could ride to work." My wife says she's going to laugh at me when I do (because I've been telling everyone "hell no")

[David]

After a few weeks of training, your speed should be high enough to make riding the bayou trail a bit hairy with all the joggers, baby strollers and slow moving cyclists.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've been reading about the differences between fast and slow cadence and the benefits, although it seems like not all of the articles that I've read agree, there does seem to be some consensus. I'm hoping to integrate some of that into how I ride

This is actually a problem with the spin classes. Spin classes, they have you speed up and slow down, etc. In riding, you really want to keep a constant cadence, change gears to adjust speed, as you go up and down hills.

Originally Posted by masraum

We definitely won't have any issues with snow and ice. I live about 3 miles from downtown/work. Folks have asked me over the last few years, "so do you ride a bike to work?" My response is always "hell no, too hot, too humid, too much chance that it could rain at any second despite how the weather looks. Now that I have (well, soon) a bike, I'm thinking, "hey, maybe I could ride to work." My wife says she's going to laugh at me when I do (because I've been telling everyone "hell no")

I had a lot of problems with the heat after moving back to Houston. Once I started riding, I accepted being hot and sweaty. As long as I keep the sweat out of my eyes, I'm fine. You will notice a difference.

BTW: Buy Chamois Butt'r, aka BUTT BUTTER. Slather this on your skin where you will chafe in the seat contact.

Clothing is supposed to be tight. Clothing that is too loose will move around and cause chaffing. One of the worst things to chafe is nipples, and it happens for both men and women.

Drink on a time/distance schedule. I drink on average a bottle every 15 miles. In hot weather, 1 bottle in 10 miles, and cold weather 1 bottle in 20. Stay away from "vitamin water". You need the calories of the high sugar Gatorade. And you need the electrolytes. I personally do not think that most have enough electrolytes these days.

Eat before you are hungry. You have 2 hours of energy in your muscles. After 2 hours of exercise (40 miles for me), you need to be eating or your muscles will start to pull glucose from your bloodstream. Glucose is your brain food, which is why you get tired/dizzy. In running, it is called hitting the wall. In cycling, it is called bonking. People talk about all sorts of things. Stay away from protein, stay with high calorie, easy to digest carbs.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by David

After a few weeks of training, your speed should be high enough to make riding the bayou trail a bit hairy with all the joggers, baby strollers and slow moving cyclists.

I hear that White Oak Bayou is also really nearby and wide and long.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by red-beard

This is actually a problem with the spin classes. Spin classes, they have you speed up and slow down, etc. In riding, you really want to keep a constant cadence, change gears to adjust speed, as you go up and down hills.

That's a lot of what I read, keep it steady and for maximum effeciency, it should be fairly high (higher than most would expect).

Originally Posted by red-beard

Clothing is supposed to be tight. Clothing that is too loose will move around and cause chaffing. One of the worst things to chafe is nipples, and it happens for both men and women.

I had that happen in Sep when I ran the 10k in the cold rain in Seattle. They were sore for days and it sucked.

Drink on a time/distance schedule. I drink on average a bottle every 15 miles. In hot weather, 1 bottle in 10 miles, and cold weather 1 bottle in 20. Stay away from "vitamin water". You need the calories of the high sugar Gatorade. And you need the electrolytes. I personally do not think that most have enough electrolytes these days.

Eat before you are hungry. You have 2 hours of energy in your muscles. After 2 hours of exercise (40 miles for me), you need to be eating or your muscles will start to pull glucose from your bloodstream. Glucose is your brain food, which is why you get tired/dizzy. In running, it is called hitting the wall. In cycling, it is called bonking. People talk about all sorts of things. Stay away from protein, stay with high calorie, easy to digest carbs.

Yep, I've read your TdT website and have your recipes at the ready!

[mepstein]

You use your gears for optimum cadence but the optimum will vary depending on what you are doing. Climbing hills out of the saddle, around 60. Steady flat road, around 80-90, sprinting to catch the guy in front of you, 120+. If it was always 85, we would just have computerized shifting like an automatic car but that's not the way our bodies work, For example, going up a short hill, you might not shift down because you want your cadence to naturally slow down so you can stand easily and push over the hill. Going up a longer hill, you might click through the gears to keep it at 70-80 and sit the whole time. a third way to climb is to be spinning up the hill on an easier gear but then start shifting to a harder one and stand up as you get near the top. Lot's of variations and techniques because we all are different and are exposed to different situations.

[look 171]

I say just go out and ride and get a feel for the bike and how you think you should ride the bike and what you are most comfortable doing, spinning, in between, or mashing a larger gear. It really doesn't matter at this point.

I am a spinner. Been doing that for a very long time. On our ride, I am spinning at about 95-100 rpm for the first 15 or so miles until the pace really picks up then I drop a couple of gear and cruise or hang on for dear life is more like it. I sometime spin through 75% of the ride just happily sitting in most of the time. Sitting in means drafting another person not really doing as much work in a group.

You may find spinning takes no effort on strength coming out of your legs. Most people, usually newer riders to the sport often wonder by applying no strength on the pedal strokes, how can one built and be a stronger rider. They really dislike it, hate it is more like it. You will be surprise how difficult it is to keep those pedal spinning at 90rpm for just 3-5 minutes constantly. With a computer, it may make it easier. After about 3 -4 weeks of just spinning like mad, you will be shock how much strength you developed and how fast one can be by turning easy pedals. Keep in mine that your body must not be bouncing on the saddle. If you are, then you are spinning too much or doing it incorrectly. It not for everyone.

About two months ago, I took a guy out on the road. He claims to be a spinning class guru and had been doing it for several years. Big difference riding a stationary bike and one on the road. Yes, the wind will kick your ass. I have been to those spinning class twice many moons ago. I ended up doing my own thing for an hour, spinning at 90-100 none stop while the instructor yells our different drills with super loud head splitting music. She would have the class tighten the knob to add more resistant and have us up out of the saddle and pour on the power for X amount of time to built strength or cardio. I had my friend set his gears to the same as mine as he road behind me. After 15-20 min of none stop at 95rpm doing about 17 mph. I can hear him breath and he was hurting and started shifting to a larger gear just to keep up. I usually ride a 53x21at 95-100 to warm up for 15 min before I started to bang on the larger ones. He just wasn't used to the consistent pace. On a bike, you build on staying consistent for a certain period of time.

As for the 53x21 gear, its the size of the front chain ring, 53 and the 21 tooth, on the cassette out back. On solo ride, I am usually between 19, 18, 17 and sometimes 16 out back keeping the 53 up front unless I am climbing. I am talking flat to rolling hill here.

[look 171]

Hey, you want a fluid trainer? I am not sure how the heck to ship it to you in TX. Don't laugh, I may have shipped two things in my entire life. I gotta find a box large enough somewhere. Its your if you want it. Its an older one. Like I said, all trainers are new because it never gets used. Believe me, I wouldn't miss it and be glad its gone.

[wayner]

A few observations from a guy who started from nowhere a few years ago and now dies centuries thanks to the help of the guys here:

1) as far as gear, experiment and figure out what works for you. I used to just wear a golf shirt. It worked well and had a high collar to protect my neck from sun, but then I got a nasty sunburn on my lower back and realized why riding sorts droop at the back so I got one:-)

2) spares: food, water, inner tube
I always pack a snack even on short rides just
in case. You never know what’s going on inside your body and I’ve used it to help out even experienced riders who bonked after a night out or something they didn’t account for

3) cold weather for me is anything less than 10c. ( 50F)
Below that I actually have to think about what I wear.
Above that just try something light that you’ll probably shed. Below that it varies.
For all weather I wear wool socks instead of booties ( unless it’s snowing)
Wool socks work well in extreme heat, rain and cold. I no longer try to keep my feet dry. Wool is nature’s wet suit.

just ride, you’ll figure it out

As for spin classes, I used to do these a lot
Then I realized ya there good to get your cardio in good shape but once your at a level it’s time for road work

I’ve modified my approach to spin classes now though. I just pick my cadence, stay in a tuck and ignore the class. I’ll join in on the climbs but then drop back into my training cadence instead of resting

The instructor hates it ( your not doing it right you have to listen to me) no I don’t 🙂

[stuartj]

Originally Posted by masraum

That's true. I've got to get the bike first. Still, it is winter. The missus and I are not likely to go riding when it's <50* or raining. I'm just thinking ahead for eventualities.

That's very funny. You are clearly a good candidate for the HTFU Princess Cycling Club.

Trainers are starting to make sense to me. I got hit by a car yesterday, again. Got away with it, again. Minor damage to the bike (derailleur and rear wheel trashed), minor damage to me That's number 4.

I gonna get some cameras so the Coroner can work it out.

[masraum]

Lots of good info guys, thx.

I think I've nixed the idea of a trainer for now, so you don't need to figure out how to ship it, but thanks for the thought.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stuartj

That's very funny. You are clearly a good candidate for the HTFU Princess Cycling Club.

Trainers are starting to make sense to me. I got hit by a car yesterday, again. Got away with it, again. Minor damage to the bike (derailleur and rear wheel trashed), minor damage to me That's number 4.

I gonna get some cameras so the Coroner can work it out.

The problem isn't me. I'm going to be doing all of my training with the missus. She's most likely to not want to deal with bad weather. I enjoy cold.

I'm hoping to avoid misunderstandings with cars as much as possible. Fingers crossed!

I'm glad that you've been lucky so far (no coroner wishing for video).

[mepstein]

Don't hate on bike trainers. Last Saturday it was 45 and raining all day. I'll finish a ride in the rain but won't start one at that temp. Rode the trainer for 1 1/2 hour. Wasn't as fun as riding on the road but I cranked the music and dreamed of spring. Sure beats sitting on the sofa.

If you are concerned about traffic, look up the rides your local bike clubs are promoting and ride with a group. It won't negate the asshats on the road but there is strength and visibility with a group. It's also a great way to meet other cyclists and find great rides.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by masraum

Lots of good info guys, thx.

I think I've nixed the idea of a trainer for now, so you don't need to figure out how to ship it, but thanks for the thought.

Well, its here and its free if you still want it.

[Gogar]

Whatever you do, search Craigslist first. It's great for basically-brand new indoor equipment.

I bought an almost brand new cycleops fluid trainer with a mat and a wheel block for $80.

It's still almost brand new.

[David]

One more thing: WEAR DAYGLOW COLORS!

I'd rather be a good target for someone who's trying to hit me than being unseen until the last minute by someone who's not.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by David

One more thing: WEAR DAYGLOW COLORS!

Agree....sometimes, even that will not be enough. Pic of result of elderly lady hitting me while crossing a road. (on a crosswalk) Happened a year ago..all is normal again.