Roller training: 7 reasons why now is the right time for indoor cycling
1. indoor cycling is a cost-effective alternative to cycling in winter
Instead of buying complete winter equipment for different temperatures, fitting the bike with different tyres - some even put a "winter gear" on it so that the good ones are not so affected by dirt and salt - you need a smart trainer, a training app (e.g. on your mobile phone or laptop), a mat and a towel for roller training. Depending on where the training takes place in the home, a fan may be useful. If the indoor cycle is on the balcony or in the cool basement, there is no need for a wind machine.
In comparison, equipment for cycling in winter would cost around 650 euros for clothing alone (winter shoes: 260 euros, winter trousers: 190 euros, base layer: 90 euros, winter gloves: 80 euros, hat: 20 euros and buff: 10 euros), not including the additional costs for increased wear and/or bike modifications. A Smart Trainer, like the Wahoo Kickr Core, available for €599.99 including a one-year Zwift subscription and pre-installed cassette.
Household tip 2000: You also need to wash less laundry! For roller training, socks, cycling shorts, base layers and possibly a sports bra are enough for an indoor session. There's also no need to look after your bike: cleaning products, water and time saved!
2. roller training is varied
With Zwift and other interactive platforms, indoor training becomes an exciting experience. Create your own avatar, discover new virtual routes and worlds or take part in workouts and training plans - even virtual races are possible. So training at home never gets boring!
3rd training without idling
A smart trainer enables extremely effective training. While training in the city is often interrupted by stop-and-go traffic lights, this is not the case on the roller trainer. A short warm-up and then the training can begin directly and exactly according to plan. With longer intervals, it becomes increasingly difficult to find a suitable outdoor route. 3 times 20 minutes with a 10-minute break between intervals? Often a challenge outdoors. And even if you have found a perfect route, you have to watch out for traffic. Suddenly you're slowed down and can't do the planned interval as planned. On the Smart Trainer, however, you can track and control your watts, cadence and heart rate. This makes training really effective.
4. independent of traffic and road conditions - safety
When it comes to safety, indoor cycle training has another strength. Traffic lights and roadworks not only slow down your training, but traffic also plays a role in safety when cycling on the road. The same applies to road conditions: icy paths, deep snow or cycle paths clogged with leaves are no obstacle to indoor cycling. There are hardly any dangers when training indoors. What's more, you don't need lights if you train in the evening.
5. weather-independent - no chance for the weaker self
Depending on how much you spend outdoors, bad weather can be a good argument against regular training. Even 3 weeks in a row. The losers here are your fitness and your ego, which are maltreated by a guilty conscience. Whether it's raining, storming or snowing, you can train continuously all year round with indoor bike training.
6. when you want - the time no longer plays a role in indoor cycling
Early riser? Night owl? With indoor cycling, you can work on your fitness at any time of day or night. A short session before work, a long one after work, maybe even one between two meetings - the time of day no longer plays a role in your training session.
7 Train together - experience together
It's amazing how indoor training platforms can bring people from all over the world together. With chat functions on Zwift and group calls or video calls via external apps, riding together becomes even more interactive and fun. The ability to join global cycling communities and make new friends makes indoor training a unique experience that the solitary after-work ride cannot offer - provided you want to.
Nature stays outside the door
In principle, all the advantages mentioned also have a negative downside: Indoor training takes place indoors - or at most on the balcony/terrace. Logically, there is a lack of real contact with nature, the challenge of braving the weather and coming home completely frozen but proud. Smart trainers also only offer limited freedom of movement on the bike: the motor training (balance, reaction, coordination) is not the same as on a rolling bike. And so the experience of nature is also missing when you ride through fresh snow, the leaves swirl up or the winter sun shines low over the forest. And last but not least: What no indoor training platform in the world can do so far is actually get you from A to B. Commuting by bike, packing a bike, travelling to visit friends or family - Zwift and co. can't do that either.
You can find out more about indoor cycling here:
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
