Trainer vs. Road workouts

This can of worms was recently opened on another thread, and I think that the result of that discussion was that, on the one hand, assuming that the computer is set properly, it will more or less correctly indicate 'distance' traveled in the sense of reporting a number that is indeed, more or less, the number of revolutions your rear wheel made times its circumference, BUT, on the other hand, this number has very little training significance.

The conclusion that I've drawn for myself is that RPE is the way to go with the trainer. (I don't have a power meter.)  I know what a hard ride outdoors feels like, and what an easy ride feels like, and I can, with some discipline, approximate those conditions on the trainer.  (My personal tendency, however, is just to go very hard on the trainer and be done with it, because it is so mind-numbingly boring.)

Speed and distance don't really translate well on a trainer. I mean, they roughly do, but it doesn't really mean you would only have averaged 15mph on the road. 

The best way (expensive, though) to have an apples-to-apples comparison of road vs. trainer is with a power meter. For speed, you're at the mercy of the resistance unit, but the watts don't lie. 300 watts of power output for 60 minutes on the trainer is the same as 300 watts of power output for 60 minutes on the road, even though the speeds/distances may differ substantially.

 Short of a power meter, I would at least get a heart rate monitor so you can better quantify your effort on the trainer. And if you're feeling masochistic, go to www.realrides.tv and order up the "Race Day" DVD. There will be much pain, but man does it make you strong over the winter.

You can find out the power curve for your trainer.  For mag trainers (with adjustable resistance), it will be a linear curve with a steeper slope for each resistance level.  For fluid trainers, it's a higher order curve.  So once you get this equation, you can plug in drum speed (aka wheel rpm) and get power.  So you could make up a chart translating wheel speed (and resistance) to power if you wanted numbers.  Or you could just recognize that pedaling faster hurts more (meaning more power) and ignore the numbers

You can usually find these through google.  

Wow...I thought something was screwy on the trainer...you guys are so smart.

Now I know that I'm not crazy!  

Thanks.

Bottom line for me:

When I can't ride outside, the trainer is way better than the alternatives

• Nothing
• Recumbent
• Spin bike

That's a much cheaper option than buying the powertap, but 90% as good for a long, sustained effort.

Well, after a couple of winters of training on a trainer, and the last two using a power meter on the trainer, power meter is really the way to go if that is an option. I actually improved my cycling over the winter by training with power meter. Prior to that to often I did the time but didn't work hard enough.

Now my kids call my interval work on the trainer 5 dog panting workouts.

I have PM and still my distance is way off on trainer rides...it is all about the resistance.

 Which trainer do you have?  I have the Cycleops Fluid 2 and it has a STEEP power curve.  On the open road, 200 watts will get me over 20 MPH.  On the trainer, I'm lucky if that get me 17 MPH.  

 No as steep as the Cycleops but since it's fluid,it's going to be harder than the road is (translation: you will go slower on your trainer).

RPE definitely the way to go.  I use HRM too.  Usually, I just assign a distance/rate which approximates my effort.

Easy = 16-17 mph (watching sports or a movie and getting a recovery ride done)

Moderate = 18-19 mph (shorter rides with intervals)

Hard = 20-21 mph (longer tempo intervals)

I agree with a lot of what's been said already.  I don't have anything techie enuf telling me how far I've traveled.

I use a HRM.  I like my own bike in my own position.  I have a Kurt Kinetic.  Love it.  And defnitely better than the alternatives. 

I figure if my plan calls for an easy Z1-2 hour ride, that's what I do and don't worry so much about "miles traveled."  Same if it's intervals or intensity, I just keep track on the HRM.  I'm really bad with RPE.  I usually think I'm dying when I'm really not ;-)

did an hour last night and got my heart rate up and kept it there and felt like i had a good workout after i was done.

really interested to see how this helps my real riding.  

thing i really like is i can get on the trainer later in the evening after a long day at work and still get a workout in without leaving the house.

thanks again for all the responses.   i'm gonna concentrate on time spent and effort instead of distances from now on