Indoor Training with power using TrainerRoad or ????

[Too Tall]

Let's have a talk about using Computrainer, Trutrainer (rollers), Wahoo etc. etc. etc. with various software programs for indoor training.

Here is my schtick >>>

I feel another nasty winter coming on AND Queen works out indoors 4 days per week and she deserves an upgrade. With the old lady out of town I've deconstructed her playpen/workout station and in the throws of putting together something alot nicer using a Mac Mini, two very nice older HDTV monitors, Computrainers and a rug ;)

Situation:
I've got TrainerRoad working well with a lab unit that has a handlebar display chip version of 4.XX that works great. The other units all have 2.XX chipsets and will not talk to TrainerRoad. Booooo

If anyone has experience with this or a more recent chipset they are done with please holler.

Also, just to fan the flames, I'm real real real interested using TruTrainer or InsideRide (I have both) with TrainerRoad.

[bigbill]

My computrainer is from 1996 and still uses the Nintendo game so I'm no help. It's interesting to see it on a nice HD TV, kind of blocky. I've been setting up the mancave for winter since I have back surgery next Wednesday and won't be able to muscle stuff around for a few months. I'll start out on the spin bike hopefully around the one month point.

[roseyscot]

Josh, you've gone beyond me with the "extras" you mention, but, last winter I was on the inside ride (e-motion) rollers with trainerroad for structured workouts that I built using their build-your-own tool. My inside ride rollers are fully manual, I do not have the new adjustable electronic adapter they've released.

I was pairing my Stages PM with my iPad because at the time, my PC could not connect to the Stages. I have a new PC now, and expect to use the PC this winter. I did do a few sufferfest videos through trainerroad for variety. I also sometimes watched Netflix on a separate laptop or ipad while running trainerroad on the paired ipad.

[Hank Scorpio]

I switch between trutrainers and a Kurt kinetic depending on what I am focusing on for the work out. I will say that the pre-made trainer road workouts usually have too low power requirements between efforts to stay upright on the rollers. This may be a non issue depending on who may be using it. I can only get down to 120-130 W before things get wobbly with 53-39 and 11/23 or 12/25.

[Too Tall]

Good info.

FWIIW there is a companion app for trainerroad that allows you to run two computrainers at the same time.

Glad I still have SRM wireless which apparently will synch. with trainerroad via bluetooth / imac mini.

[jellysidedown]

Good info.

...allows you to run two computrainers at the same time.

if I had a million dollars...

[MarkC]

Looks like Inside Ride is shipping some of the new power units for their eMotion rollers. Looks neat, turns your rollers into a Computrainer type platform.

Have to hunt around on the web site to find the unit and its several hundred bucks (+ the rollers).

My "program" is wattage and duration targets using the on bike SRm and gears. Haven't made the jump to "erg" mode yet but interested in this eMotion resistance unit and duplicating some of our TT courses.

[roseyscot]

Looks like Inside Ride is shipping some of the new power units for their eMotion rollers. Looks neat, turns your rollers into a Computrainer type platform.

Have to hunt around on the web site to find the unit and its several hundred bucks (+ the rollers).

My "program" is wattage and duration targets using the on bike SRm and gears. Haven't made the jump to "erg" mode yet but interested in this eMotion resistance unit and duplicating some of our TT courses.

A friend was helping with the beta round of the emotion power units last winter. He was generally happy with it, though confessed he probably did not use it to the full potential.

[david]

I've had my computrainer for at least ten years and it's still going strong.
The stand shows significant rust from sweat, but the unit works like it did on day one. Amazingly robust.
I replaced the chipset in the handlebar controller and recently upgraded the connected pc.
For me, variety is the key.
While I tend to mostly utilize the racermate one power workouts, i also use trainer road, erg vids, etc. just to mix it up.
Just started using zwift and am actually liking it.
Did 40 miles last Sunday and it flew by.
A lot of people can't bear riding a trainer indoors.
I actually really like it.
Maximum efficiency and the numbers keep a person humble.

[DOOFUS]

I've been using a Powertap Powersync since I got back in to training after my crash this year.

The video game software isn't my thing -- I find the "virtual" world annoying as shit. Also, the power in Slope mode on the Powersync doesn't track well with my powertap wheel (which is dead on -- I've static tested it properly and the calculated torque and measured torque line up).

The Erg mode lines up with my powertap wheel. I really dig just setting the Erg at a wattage load and getting on with it.

Powertap rates the Powersync as accurate +/- 5%, which is a pretty big margin of error, but mine is both accurate and consistent.

(powertap wheel on my road bike -- I use a single speed beater on the Powersync, to avoid getting sweat goo on brakes and derailleurs and shifters and....)

[Hank Scorpio]

I forgot to mention I am using a p-tap G3 for power. I set the display in the horizontal aspect and put it at the very bottom of the screen and stream something on Netflix. I use a MacBook with a thunderbolt/hdmi adapter to run it to a larger screen.

[Too Tall]

I forgot to mention I am using a p-tap G3 for power. I set the display in the horizontal aspect and put it at the very bottom of the screen and stream something on Netflix. I use a MacBook with a thunderbolt/hdmi adapter to run it to a larger screen.

That's perfect.
Our Computrainers are tanks. Incredibly, the first one I got nearly 20 years ago works just fine despite Queen grinding the roller to dust.

[J-HY]

I use a bit of everything, but regardless of hardware, I prefer to control everything with PerfPro Studio Software on my PC. Great package, not as cheap as Trainer Road, but neat stuff if you're working with multiple riders at a time (or solo, really). integrated handlebar controller functionality makes it super nice for 'on the fly' adjustments. Robust workout library, custom course/erg generator, integrated Sufferfest video/erg workout pairing, and allows as many Computrainers/ant+ devices/Wahoo KICKRS/ as you can support. I've routinely had groups with a mixed bag of hardware all uniformly controlled- for instance, 2 Computrainers wired in via USB, 2 KICKRS controlled wirelessly via ANT+ stick, and 2 stationary trainers with riders transmitting power via their ANT+ powermeter to the ANT+ sticks.

Personally, my preference is still my CT Lab on a Slocum stand being controlled with PerfPro. If traveling, I like a Wahoo KICKR being controlled via bluetooth / TrainerRoad on my iPad (simple, mess free, and nicely functional). With the KICKR's - it's much nicer now that you can use your powermeter to control the erg with most software - in my experiences KICKRS vary hugely in their wattage reporting and definitely over the course of a longer session.

I do find the KICKR more preferable than the CT's for TT/MotoPace simulation work - I like the heavy flywheel and the 53x11 for solid for indoor replication the recruitment patterns of fast-road work.

[s_curran]

My fiance and I use a Kurt Kinetic as we get closer to the (CX) season, this year, she wants me to set up a more structured plan for her, and I'm thinking about using trainerroad. Are the estimated power numbers that come from trainer road good to start out? we will not be buying a power meter, never mind two of them.

[Jeffrey Borisch]

My fiance and I use a Kurt Kinetic as we get closer to the (CX) season, this year, she wants me to set up a more structured plan for her, and I'm thinking about using trainerroad. Are the estimated power numbers that come from trainer road good to start out? we will not be buying a power meter, never mind two of them.

Definitely. Just follow the usual advice of consistent tires, tire pressure and roller tension. Mine (just a cheap cyclops) is fairly close to my powertap.

[dogrange]

My fiance and I use a Kurt Kinetic as we get closer to the (CX) season, this year, she wants me to set up a more structured plan for her, and I'm thinking about using trainerroad. Are the estimated power numbers that come from trainer road good to start out? we will not be buying a power meter, never mind two of them.

I haven't directly compared to a power meter, but it feels pretty close.

[Too Tall]

Just get the Wahoo Snap + Zwift and done. The Wahoo Snap is smooth as silk and dead on accurate. Zwift I can't say enough good things about it as far as indoor training goes (gag) this makes it ok'ish.

[11.4]

At the heart of this discussion is the question of whether one is trying to pursue a structured intensity workout or simply combat the stultifyingly boring nature of indoor training. If the latter, lots of video and simulation work best, plus a setup you don't really have to pay attention to. If you're trying a very structured workout, there's nothing in it except to focus hard on the pain and the parameters of each step of the workout. In that case, a movie or riding simulation or whatever are distractions. You're not only training your physiology but also your mind to put in those harder intervals, so you can do them when you're out on the road (or track). For that hard structured work, one can do it on a lot of equipment but using a powermeter (even an older model) with a Kurt Kinetic road machine (no need to go for all the verisimilitude of the rock-and-roll version) or using a Wahoo Kickr will give you the ability to set numbers and ride to them. Especially in the erg setting on the Kickr, you preset your parameters and just ride. It does the rest for you and you can do it with your eyes closed. Those are the best workouts, though they are also the ones where you may want a crash pad to fall off onto afterwards, plus a garbage can in case your stomach doesn't like the workout. It always comes down to what you want to get out of the workout.

[Too Tall]

Thing of it is Lane, if you have not done a little training using Zwift you won't see why it is a natural workout. Riding for an hour and fifteen mins. on "The Pretzel" route with a bunch of other riders around you is as close to the real deal as you can get including all the little "X's" we mentally paint on people's backs ;) Zwift brings something new to the indoor arena. No kidding, I agree with anyone who says all we need to do is crank the tension and perform structured workouts. No question, no argument from me. Than there was Zwift. You have to try it before making any assumptions.

PS - I was diametrically opposed to indoor workouts on any regular basis before this winter.

[11.4]

Thing of it is Lane, if you have not done a little training using Zwift you won't see why it is a natural workout. Riding for an hour and fifteen mins. on "The Pretzel" route with a bunch of other riders around you is as close to the real deal as you can get including all the little "X's" we mentally paint on people's backs ;) Zwift brings something new to the indoor arena. No kidding, I agree with anyone who says all we need to do is crank the tension and perform structured workouts. No question, no argument from me. Than there was Zwift. You have to try it before making any assumptions.

PS - I was diametrically opposed to indoor workouts on any regular basis before this winter.

Josh, I've tried Zwift, both as an early tester and more recently in its more rounded current form. One can definitely do a hard workout, as one can do around Sufferfest videos, TrainerRoad, and others, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. My point was that if one is using the trainer to do a hard structured workout, it's just that -- structured. One can do hard workouts in a team ride or on Zwift, but often one needs something structured to focus on your weaknesses or to target improvement that doesn't come just from hard efforts defined by others.