Written by Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach.
Though we live for riding outdoors with the warm sun on our backs, at some point in the year we each find ourselves an indoor trainer in the basement, garage, or spare room. There’s no doubt you’re better off riding than sitting on the couch until the weather improves, but to maximize the benefits of your trainer time, it’s important to properly set up your indoor training space.
Step 1: Claim your space
I’ve noticed personally, and professionally as a coach, that people are more likely to get on the trainer when the environment is inviting and convenient. That means you should try to find a space where you can leave the majority of your indoor training equipment set up and ready to go at a moment’s notice. If you have to drag the trainer, TV, and bike from all over the house every time you want to ride, you’re not going to bother. You want some room in front of you to accommodate the TV and fan without leaving you feeling cramped or claustrophobic. If you are putting your rear wheel pretty close to the wall, be aware that you may end up with debris on the wall. This is not an issue with wheel-off trainers like the Wahoo KICKR.
Step 2: Gather your gear
There are a few key items that make indoor training more comfortable, effective, and even enjoyable:
— Stationary cycling trainer (Wahoo KICKR is my first choice)
— Front wheel block. Preferably one that allows for multiple wheel heights.
— Fan. One will work, two is even better.
— Entertainment device. Variations include a TV, DVD player, laptop, tablet, smartphone, stereo.
— Bar Stool. Perfect place to put the remote where you can still reach it.
— 2 Towels. One small one for wiping your face, one bigger one to catch dripping sweat.
— Bicycle. The rest of the gear won’t do you much good without it. Make sure to put two full bottles in the cages.
Step 3: Set up your entertainment
Most people set their trainer up facing a screen so they can view training videos, television shows, sporting events, or footage of the Tour de France and other races. One key to riding in comfort and simulating your outdoor riding position is to position the screen low and at least six feet in front of your front wheel. This often means taking a TV off a stand, but allows you to watch while keeping your head, neck, and shoulders in the position you normally use outside.
If you’re using a laptop, tablet, or phone for your entertainment you’ll want them closer to you because of the smaller screen size, but you still want to position the screen where you can maintain a normal head position while riding. And since laptops and smartphones don’t react well to sweat, make sure not to drip on them!
Step 4: Crank up the fans
When you ride an indoor trainer in still air, even in a cool or cold room, you superheat a pocket of air immediately surrounding your body and then struggle to keep cool. Moving air is crucial for evaporating the sweat off your body and controlling core temperature; if you’re too hot your performance suffers and you’re less likely to complete your workout.
If you’re using one fan, place it in front of you and off to the side at about the 10-11 or 1-2 o’clock positions. You want to direct the air so it flows over as much of your skin as possible, and from these positions you can get moving air on your face, chest, arms, shoulders, and legs. If you have a second fan, position it behind you so it’s blowing on your back; the big area not being hit from the fan in front.
Step 5: Close the heater vents
When you’re in there generating a lot of heat and using fans to keep you cool, there’s nothing worse than having the furnace flood the room with more hot air.
Step 6: Don’t forget about the drops
If you live in an area where you’ll be riding the trainer for months at a time, remember to spend some time doing intervals in the drops. If you want to be able to ride powerfully in this position outdoors next spring, you have to spend some time riding in that position now.
Step 7: Crack a window
Some cold air from outside will help keep the room and your body cooler while you’re training.
Step 8: Consider wireless headphones
If you’re training at night, early in the morning, or in a house with thin walls, you can avoid cranking the volume on your TV by getting some wireless headphones. Then all your family will hear is the trainer… and your agony.
Step 9: Level the bike
Unless you’re purposely elevating your front wheel to simulate a climbing position, your bike should be level when it’s on the trainer. With a standard frame, you can check by putting a level on the top tube. With compact frames (sloping top tube), you can measure to make sure both hubs are equidistant from the floor. You should only have to do this once, as long as you’re able to leave the trainer and wheel block in place until your next indoor trainer ride.
Jim Rutberg has been a CTS Coach for 15 years and is the co-author of “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” and “The Time-Crunched Triathlete”. Ready to take your performance to the next level?
Get started on a 3-, 4-, or 5-day Strava Indoor Cycling Training Plan and keep the fitness you spent all summer building! These 4-week plans are also a great way to keep from gaining weight during the off-season.