The same thing every year: The will is there, but the conditions are lousy. It's cold, wet and usually dark. That puts the brakes on the desire to bike. But giving up is no solution either, and before you march to the water ballet or torture your legs while jogging, the new direct drives are a great way to simulate your favourite sport at home.
The current generation of trainers has electronically controlled brakes that are driven directly by the chain; the trainer simply replaces the rear wheel of the bike. No slippage, no rattling as with the classic roller trainer, which is driven by the tyres! The starting resistance is high thanks to the large flywheel mass, but once the bike is moving, you can skip a pedal stroke and listen to the whirring of the freewheel. These trainers are usually also "smart", as they connect wirelessly to your remote controls - smartphones, tablets, computers. The incline or wattage values can be preselected there, and your own bike is transformed into a high-end training machine complete with wattage measurement. With a little training structure, you can get a lot out of very little training time. A typical indoor session doesn't have to be longer than 60 minutes. If you train systematically and with discipline three times a week, you are guaranteed to be well prepared for spring training.
There is only one point where the smart trainers are not yet perfectly adapted to the needs of cyclists. The apps, which connect you with sparring partners via the internet or project virtualised race tracks, are all tailored to the needs of road cyclists. There are almost no bike-specific animations. But even without these bells and whistles, it's a great way to train.
THE MOST IMPORTANT FORMS OF TRAINING ON THE ROLL
Effective training is not rocket science. Here we show you the interval forms that deliver the most bang for the time invested. Short & crisp.
140 % - Power intervals
Really intensive training to increase maximum aerobic performance. 10-15 minutes easy run-in with 60% FTP power (maximum power that can be maintained for an hour). Then one or two series of 10 x 30 seconds at 130-140% FTP, followed by 30 seconds at 60% FTP. At load 100-120 rpm. The subjective load increases significantly over the length of the interval series and is maximised towards the end. For two series: two minutes break between series, ten minutes at 60 % FTP power.
100 % - Threshold intervals
Here you train at the maximum speed that you can maintain on medium climbs - essential for marathon runners, for example. 15 minutes at 60 % FTP power, followed by 4 x 5 minutes at 100 % FTP power at 90 rpm. Three minutes recovery between each interval. The intervals can be extended to up to ten minutes. After the intervals, ride out for ten minutes at around 60 % FTP power.
90 % - Tempo intervals
The gentle way to increase continuous power on the mountain. This pace can be used to tackle really long climbs in a race. When training indoors, motivation is usually the key to making the intervals longer. Ten minutes run-in with 60% FTP power; 1-2 x 15 minutes with 85-90% FTP power at 80-90 rpm; 5 minutes recovery between the intervals. The interval lengths can also be extended as your form improves. Ten minutes at 60% FTP power.
THE TEST RESULTS OF THE ROLE TRAINERS
Cycleops Hammer - Price 1299 Euro / 2000 Watt / 20 % incline
The heavyweight. The Hammer has the largest flywheel mass of all the power trainers, which you can feel when pedalling, and it also weighs the most. Subjectively, the ride feels very solid and less resonant than the Kickr. The heavier flywheel mass of the Hammer obviously manages with less speed and rolls out almost endlessly at low resistances. The initial volume is moderate and does not increase as much with increasing speed as with the Kickr. At top speed, the Hammer is comparatively quiet. The feet can be folded out wide for a small pack size. Adapters for all axle types are included. The wide control range of the brake allows you to set the speed to the desired range. The deviation of -6 % at 350 W is somewhat disappointing - still just within the specification. Cycleops does not have its own app, but the Hammer is compatible with all common apps.
Weight 22.2 kg
Footprint 77 x 50 cm
Max. Deviation of the watt values: -6 %, noise level at 100 rpm: 27 km/h: 46 dbA, 40 km/h: 56 dbA, 66 km/h: 67 dbA
PLUS Wide stand, particularly high flywheel mass, elegant folding mechanism, moderate sound
MINUS Accuracy
Wahoo Kickr 1199 Euro / 2000 Watt / 20 % incline
The game changer. When the first Kickr came onto the market five years ago, it was a sensation. Because it offered a drastically better pedalling feel than classic rollers. The 2018 model has been gently revised, now accepts all axle standards, has a more accessible connection and status LEDs provide information about the connection. The ride feel is still great: the flywheel mass is brought up to speed with the wheel's gears. The gear ratio of the wheel can be used to select which speed the flywheel reaches at which resistance. This has an effect on the driving noise. In low gears, the Kickr still hums moderately; in high gears, it can start to resonate, vibrate and become shrill and loud. However, the brake has a very wide control range. In ergometer mode, you therefore have a free hand to choose a good combination. The Wahoo Fitness app is very suitable for the ergometer mode and is free of charge.
Weight 20.6 kg
Footprint 53 x 70 cm quick-folding feet
Max. Deviation of the watt values: -4 % per cent, noise level at 100 rpm: 27 km/h: 47 dbA, 40 km/h: 62 dbA, 66 km/h: 77 dbA
PLUS Top ride feel, fast control, powerful brakes, solid metal construction, exclusive, free app
MINUS Loud at high speed
SUITABLE APPS & SOFTWARE
The smart roller trainers are controlled by apps that connect to the devices via Bluetooth.
Wahoo Fitness
The Kickr is controlled via this free app, which is exclusively reserved for Wahoo devices. The desired power can also be changed in Delirium using the large buttons - a lot of thought has gone into this! Alternatively, you can also preselect the incline or resistance level and then adjust the power via Tempo. This is old school and without animation, but it works perfectly.
Rouvy
Versatile app that can control the Cycleops Hammer, among other things. However, the full version costs 8 euros per month after a two-week trial period. The app makes it easy to define interval structures, but it also plays videos and allows online races (the focus is on the road).
Zwift
If you're looking for competition, Zwift is the right place for you. Here, the action is fierce every day in online races with fixed start times. The sparring partners are spread around the world. However, the animated race tracks only feature street circuits.
TESTING FTP PERFORMANCE: HOW IT WORKS
This allows you to find the right wattage values to optimise interval training on the trainer:
The linchpin of training intensity is your maximum continuous performance over an hour, the FTP performance (FTP = Functional Threshold Power). You can measure this gently with a Step test determine. Start with a moderate wattage that you can ride for a longer period of time. Familiarise yourself with it for ten minutes. Then increase this power Gradually by 20 watts and drive each stage four minutes.
When you reach your continuous performance limit, your breathing suddenly becomes much more intense. With a little body awareness, you will notice the difference. If you can no longer complete a stage, you are clearly above your FTP. To verify your FTP performance, you can do a 20-minute interval at your estimated FTP a few days later. If you do this well, you can be pretty sure that you have hit the FTP performance well. Based on this, you can derive the interval zones on the left. You should repeat the test every four to six weeks when you are well recovered and adjust the interval zones accordingly.
If you ride outside with a power meter, you can of course use the FTP values, which many computers and programmes now calculate automatically. But beware: training indoors always feels harder, especially with longer intervals.
You can read this article or the entire BIKE 2/2018 issue in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or buy the issue in the DK shop reorder:
