Taking the "Pain" out of the Pain Cave - Part 1

The Pain Cave.  Image used with permission from Saris Cycling Group.

Winter is coming, and for many of us who like to ride bikes in Indiana, this could mean our opportunities to ride outdoors might be coming to an end soon.

In the fitting studio at Vector Cycle Works, I often have conversations with customers about how they can improve their fitness and cycling efficiency.  This inevitably leads to talking about indoor training and how to make trainer time more effective and fun.  I spend a lot of time on the trainer year-round, and I really enjoy it.  I've recently done quite a bit of research for my customers, and thought it would be nice to share it with everybody.

So, this is the first of a series of posts intended to discuss indoor cycling options.  A lot of people find the trainer to be an awful experience, but a lot has happened over the last 3 to 4 years to make it better.  I thought this might be a good time to take a look at what trainers are available today, software options that can be used to enhance the experience, and alternatives to the pain cave.  

I don't claim to be an expert on all things regarding indoor cycling, and I don't have hands-on experience with many of the products discussed here.  So, please don't expect this to be an in-depth review of every product out there (although if anybody wants to send me stuff, I'll gladly review it as long as you let me be honest!).

The goal of this series is to promote awareness of what products and services are available today.  Regardless of whether you are a Cat 1 roadie or someone brand new to cycling, maybe this will inspire you to find a way to make this your best off-season ever.

As we move through this series, here are some of the questions I hope to address:

• Which Trainer is Right for Me?
• What Else Do I Need?
• How Can I Make my Workouts More Effective?
• How Can I Make my Workouts More Fun?
• I Don't Want to Die in my Basement Alone.  What Other Options are Available?

That's just a start, although it's already looking like a lot to cover.  Who knows?  Maybe some more topic ideas will come up.  I do plan to do another series at some point regarding training and racing with power.  So, there's a lot coming.  Feel free to leave comments with some ideas or suggestions for additional topics.  

I'm a bike fitter, but I'm a cycling advocate first.  I got into bike fitting because I honestly love seeing people finding happiness in cycling.  I enjoy spending time with the people who come to me for a bike fit - every one has been an inspiration.  The cycling community has a lot of great energy, and I hope this blog can give back something positive.  This is all about sharing the cycling experience with anybody who wants to ride a bike.  I hope you enjoy the upcoming articles.