General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Converting Trainer time to road time Rss Feed  
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2006-08-27 1:15 PM

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Master
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Royersford, PA
Subject: Converting Trainer time to road time
This morning I did a 3 hour ride on my fluid trainer due to the rainy conditions that greeted me this morning. I know this has probably been asked before but how does the time spent on a trainer convert to the equivalent amount of time on the road. Since the resistance on the trainer is constant and you never get a chance to coast, that should be worth some time, but how much?


2006-08-27 1:50 PM
in reply to: #523231

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
3hrs on the trainer demonstrates your bottomless pit of patience.

As far as converting, what do you want to convert it to? Distance? I'm not sure that you can really - I was faced with this same question over the winter and decided to simply keep track of the time in my logs. I don't really worry about the distance, so much as effort and time. Noone around here talks about DISTANCE in the saddle, it's always time. I think that means something.
2006-08-27 1:58 PM
in reply to: #523231

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COURT JESTER
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Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time

Have spent last winter on the trainer, would just say, don't worry about a 'road time conversion.'   Just log your time.  Wear a heart rate monitor to make sure you are working as hard as you want to.   If you have an RPM senor on your bike that's a good measure to use also.

Otherwise, just work you tail off on the trainer.  And, what did you watch in order to endure 3 trainers hours?

2006-08-27 2:00 PM
in reply to: #523231

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Master
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Royersford, PA
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
I'm just looking for the equivalent time or equilanvent total workout. If I had a wattmeter or something I could compare the two pretty easily, but I don't have one.

For the curious, I had my IPOD and one very cool 4 hour playlist, I need to finish my basement to get something set up to watch by this winter, but until then its me and my IPOD.

Edited by southwestmba 2006-08-27 2:17 PM
2006-08-27 2:10 PM
in reply to: #523231

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COURT JESTER
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Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
Now that I recall, having done Spinervals all winter, Coach Troy mentions that since the trainer is a continuous effort (no coasting) that a 3 hour trainer ride can be equivalent to 4 hours on the road. 
2006-08-28 8:50 AM
in reply to: #523249

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Elite
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Preferably on my bike somewhere
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
Be careful about setting something up to watch while on the trainer. I had a conversation with Mike Ricci about this in another thread and he said that you should be concentrating on other things, not watching TV. I used to watch TV while on the stationary at the gym, or the trainer at home, and I found that as soon as I turned off the TV, and focused on cadence, effort, form, and position on the bike, my workouts improved DRAMATICALLY. Don't listen to me - listen to Mr. Ricci.


2006-08-28 8:54 AM
in reply to: #523979

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time

D.Z. - 2006-08-28 9:50 AM Be careful about setting something up to watch while on the trainer. I had a conversation with Mike Ricci about this in another thread and he said that you should be concentrating on other things, not watching TV. I used to watch TV while on the stationary at the gym, or the trainer at home, and I found that as soon as I turned off the TV, and focused on cadence, effort, form, and position on the bike, my workouts improved DRAMATICALLY. Don't listen to me - listen to Mr. Ricci.

I've found concert DVD's to be good for this. I can use the music to change effort levels etc. and there's something visual that doesn't require full attention like a movie.

2006-08-28 9:08 AM
in reply to: #523231

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Expert
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Houston, TX
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
I don't know about time but you can get a good idea as far as distance is concerned. If you know what gear you typically use on the road, your cadence, and your average speed, then you can apply those to your time on the trainer and guage distance as long as you are keeping the same cadence in the same gear.

Man do you have a lot of patience to sit on the trainer for 3 hours!
2006-08-30 12:30 AM
in reply to: #524008

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Coach
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Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
chris carmichae also says that 45 mins in a trainer is "worth" an hour on teh road, but I wouldn't worry about that. Just log your trainer time.

it's hard to convert cadence, gear and distance because there is no way to control the resistance that well to get it to be close to resistance on the road.

On a trainer, time is the only thing that matters, (along with your intensity level, best guaged by RPE or HR)
2006-08-30 2:15 AM
in reply to: #523231

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Expert
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Kaneohe, Hawaii
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
How about moving your sensor and magnet to the rear wheel for a milage readout?
2006-08-30 6:21 AM
in reply to: #523231

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Master
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brummie land
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
i do that. my trainer ride on monday had a mileage read-out and a max and average pseed. however i am wary of all converting trainer time to road time as the conditions are so different.


2006-08-30 10:25 AM
in reply to: #523231

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Extreme Veteran
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Los Angeles
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
What about taking the average time and distance from your road training and apply it to the hours on your trainer? You're not going to get a 'real' distance on your trainer but so an estimate would be fine right?

So if you've done 30 miles in an hour, then just say you did 90 miles in the three hours you trained and leave it at that.
2006-08-30 10:27 AM
in reply to: #523231

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The Original
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Raleigh/Durham
Subject: RE: Converting Trainer time to road time
I just make sure to spend the time my plan calls for on the trainer and wear my HR monitor.  As long as I'm in the right zone I know I'm working how I need to be, whether that's on the road or on the trainer.
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General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Converting Trainer time to road time Rss Feed