For a cyclist not initiated, the
Bicycle training Indoor It can be a maze. But don't worry because we're going to help you have everything much clearer.
Welcome, welcome, to the wonderful world of the roller, the authentic axis on which it revolves (never better) this sports practice.
Roller training has become an industry itself. A paradox for those who defend cycling linked to freedom in all its expressions, to the enjoyment of the environment, to the laughs in good company, to the tortilla skewer with the group ...
In fact, Indoor training seems more associated with confinement, loneliness, sweat and suffering. But everything has changed.
While smart rollers of direct transmission (those that require disassembling the rear wheel and mounting the bike directly on the device) were already an impressive advance, it is the software (training applications) that has unleashed its full potential.
Interactive applications such as ZWIFT have turned roller training into authentic immersive experiences.
Surely you will be thinking about Zwift. Indeed, platforms of this type have transformed the monotony of training under ceiling into a fun experience and with high social component. The never seen. It is clear that we are living one of the great revolutions within the bicycle sector. And we want to be protagonists, of course.
For millions of cyclists, getting into the roller has become a blessed routine. On the one hand, it is a simple way to pedal without leaving home and saving time. On the other, it becomes the only viable option when it hits bad weather. Maybe you would prefer to go out there, but not better play it.
Already before the pandemic, when cycling
Indoor He lived his authentic explosion, cyclists were adopting smart rollers for more structured training sessions. And also, why not say it, for our dose of competitive or social cycling.
Social? Indeed, roller training is also social. And that is one of its main claims.
But let's start with the most basic. To start in cycling training
Indoor, there are two inalienable elements: the bicycle and the roller. There are different types of rollers, although we will not stop now in this matter, because we already treat it in detail in another article.
Nor will we forget to add the option of the
smart bikes. It is a solution all in one, which does not require mounting a bicycle in a roller. Let's say it is an evolution of static gym bicycles, which seek to simulate real cycling to the maximum.
[Captation Id = "Attachment_8808" Align = "Alignnone" Width = "744"]
Image: Smart Bike Exercrycle.[/caption]
In general, they are very silent and highly configurable. However, they can be too spectacular to use them in a modest apartment.
Cycling applications Indoor
That said: with the technological jump, training
Indoor It has ceased to be torture for the cyclist. Gone are the times when getting on the roller meant pedaling like an automaton without a stimulus greater than a little music or a television series. Nor is it necessary to waste time watching our heart rate or power. Applications do it for us.
The adoption of direct transmission rollers promoted the development of applications that has turned training into authentic interactive experiences. Zwift, Rouvy, Bkool ... and many more, in which we will not stop in this article.
Some offer a more social experience, while others focus 100% on performance improvement.
Traineroad, for example, it is a platform
all in one Where you can create your own training plan according to your goals. From there, you can plan structured sessions to help you achieve your goal.
Then we have the model
Zwift, the queen of cycling training applications
Indoor. In Zwift we pedal for
worlds Virtual, we participate in organized races, we release legs in groups, we organize
Questas With our friends ... we can also participate in challenges that allow us to improve our bike and our equipment, thus distinguishing ourselves within the community.
What do you need to fully enjoy the roller training
At least, you will need a roller with a bicycle, and you will need something that can transmit data to the device where you have the training application installed.
Therefore, even if you do not have a smart roller, you can enjoy an immersive training experience.
To do this, you will need a speed sensor to transmit that value to the application. From the sensor, the application can estimate your power. It is the most economical option (you can find good options for 30-40 euros). It would also be interesting for you to get a cadence sensor. With the combination of both devices, the application will better adjust the watts.
Even if you do not have an smart roller, you can also enjoy the main cycling training applications.
Anyway, it will never be the most effective solution. It is preferable to always have a power meter, although the costs are remarkably higher.
But do not literate. If your intention is to adopt cycling
Indoor As part of your training essential, it sure compensates to acquire an smart roller of direct transmission. Almost all include power meter, which allows to comply with your specific training plan with more precision.
What is the best bicycle for roller training?
If you are looking for a bike to use only in roller, it makes sense that values the option of a
smart bike. It could be the best solution for your needs.
Otherwise, apply the same reasoning as in training
Outdoor. That is, aspects such as rigidity, power transfer and geometry remain important. However, other issues such as aerodynamics or suspension lack meaning.
Find a bike with a relaxed geometry for comfort and with a plus of stiffness so as not to waste watts and have total control of your power over the roller. Keep in mind that the body's movement on the roller is more limited, which increases the feeling of fatigue.
In this case, aerodynamic issues are replaced here with aspects related to transmission. If your budget is generous, you can mount a bicycle with high -end ceramic bearings.
In any case, the use of direct transmission rollers, allows us to adapt any type of bicycle, whether of road, serious or mountain. We will always have options to mount on our roller.
Advantages of roller training
There are many reasons to affirm that training with roller is a good idea. Here are some.
It is a safe training
A simple matter of statistics: the more we expose ourselves on the road or mountain, the greater the risk of suffering an accident. Either because of ours or for others. It does not matter. A risk that increases with bad weather. Are you willing to play it with an injury? A season in the dry dock affects our physical and mental health, but also our closest work and family environment.
The training
Indoor Avoid the risk of falls, but also damage to our bicycle, which are sometimes more painful and irreparable. Surely you know what we are talking about.
In the worst case, a powerful roller session can cause a bird to neglect food, a principle of dehydration for not drinking in time, or some cramp. Little more. In addition, you can always satisfy your hunger for competition by pointing to virtual races on platforms such as Zwift, without the risk of giving you a tube.
Minimum time, maximum benefit
Work, family and various obligations. When you don't have time, training
Indoor It can be much more efficient than a bicycle output. There are those who say that an hour of well -used roller spreads more than two hours of road. Maybe it's exaggerated, but not so much.
In winter,
wear costumes of cyclist for a route takes time and does not always compensate: that if the gloves, that if the layers of clothing, that if they cover the shoes ... a roll. Especially, when you only aspire to an express training session to give everything in an hour. To all this, as a slight review of the bike, leave home, leave the city, etc ...
A roller session, on the other hand, does not require much more than a culotte, socks and shoes. You get on the bike, heat a little and give everything.
At the end of your training, you just have to worry about having a good shower and recovering energy. You don't even need to check your bike for your next exit.
The use of training is maximum
If you want to prepare a cycling test, good training planning
Indoor It is an ideal solution, since it helps you perfectly structure your exercise and without interruptions. Outdoors, the thing changes.
Even on a flat route, 10% are done by letting you carry, producing little or no power. But if the route is mountainous and has many declines, this percentage can reach up to 40%. Checked.
Let's say that every minute on the roller counts and the effort is more constant. In addition, the use of an intelligent roller allows you, through your favorite application, to replicate any route, obtaining an immersive experience.
You can configure specific training sessions to improve in specific aspects of your preparation: resistance, explosive strength, rhythm changes, etc. Everything is possible and everything is much more entertaining.
In summary, roller training allows you to obtain great profits in a short time. However, it is important to remember why we ride a bicycle. Going outdoors is an essential part of our sport. Don't you think?
You can use training
Indoor To complement your mountain or road routes, not just to replace it. In this way, you will introduce different stimuli in your programming and avoid
burn you. It is something that many experts coincide in physical preparation.
It is an extra motivation
As we have already argued, smart rollers and applications have changed the perception of training
Indoor. Today it is much easier to hook this modality, given its social character and its link with the game (gamification). Having a good time while we give everything about the bike is the key.
Just 10 years ago, training on a roof required a pump -proof will. No one could imagine that so many cyclists would end up adopting this activity as the basis of their physical preparation.
Ideal for training by power
Power training has already become a standard. And we don't talk only about professionals. In fact, measuring and controlling watts is key to athletes with little time that they want to squeeze their time on the bike. Smart or interactive rollers have built -in power meters, which makes them great training tools. With them, good training is guaranteed.
Once you know your FTP (the highest power level you can maintain for 1 hour without fatigue), you can plan sessions in specific power areas to make the most of your training session. It is as simple as defining the watts you want to roll and it will be the roller itself that adapts to your pedaling, offering you the resistance necessary to achieve the fixed power. In this way, you just have to concentrate on giving pedals. The power control is responsible for the roller, in tune with the corresponding application.
For millions of cyclists, getting into the roller has become a blessed routine. On the one hand, it is a simple way to pedal without leaving home and saving time. On the other, it becomes the only viable option when it hits bad weather. Maybe you would prefer to go out there, but not better play it.
Already before the pandemic, when cycling Indoor He lived his authentic explosion, cyclists were adopting smart rollers for more structured training sessions. And also, why not say it, for our dose of competitive or social cycling.
Social? Indeed, roller training is also social. And that is one of its main claims.
But let's start with the most basic. To start in cycling training Indoor, there are two inalienable elements: the bicycle and the roller. There are different types of rollers, although we will not stop now in this matter, because we already treat it in detail in another article.
Nor will we forget to add the option of the smart bikes. It is a solution all in one, which does not require mounting a bicycle in a roller. Let's say it is an evolution of static gym bicycles, which seek to simulate real cycling to the maximum.
[Captation Id = "Attachment_8808" Align = "Alignnone" Width = "744"]
Image: Smart Bike Exercrycle.[/caption]
In general, they are very silent and highly configurable. However, they can be too spectacular to use them in a modest apartment.
