Riding your bike on a trainer is much better than bruised hips and frost-bite. In an ideal world all our rides
would be on perfect roads or singletrack but this is Canada. If high taxes and a little crappy weather is as bad
as it gets then we're all extremely lucky to live here.
Fight Boredom - get a plan, a partner, a goal, a group - or all the above!
Riding indoors can be painfully boring - as are many tasks when they're done without purpose, meaning or friends. Do some
searches online and you'll soon find more different routines than you could ever do. This is a big help.
while you're riding, think about posture and your pedaling. The offseason is a great time to work on pulling a tad more power
out of your body through smoother, more efficient pedaling and posiiton.
As you're pedalling remember to keep the elbows loose, not locked. Think about your back and shoulders. Shoulders should not be
tense and pulled up next to your head.
Look down at your legs. Your knees should run like pistons - no flopping out or in and kept the same distance apart throughout the
pedal revolution (spaced directly above the feet). Think about your feet. You don't want to feel a bunch of pressure over your pedal
on the down-stroke. As Phil Liggett says, you should be dancing on your pedals - light feet.
What you need to get going
This is the simple part. You need a bike with either standard 26" mountain bike wheels, 27" (old school) road wheels or 700c road wheels.
In many cases a tire switch is smart - either to put a smooth tire on mountain bikes or either a trainer specific or cheap tire on road bikes.
If you're going to keep up with the indoor training, having a bike computer can be a real motivator and help you get the most from your training time.
You'll want a computer that senses speed off the rear wheel (your front wheel will be stationary) and cadence is an important feature too.
Beyond that, you'll want something to lift the front wheel to the proper height so your bike is level, perhaps a sweat-guard for your bike and
a towel or mat on the ground - you are going to sweat!... Oh, and don't forget your water bottle.
Trainers
Giant Cyclotron
Unless you live under a rock, you probably know Bike Bros chooses the products they sell based on quality and value. The Cyclotron
delivers on both accounts. It has a remote resistance switch with 7 settings, the resistance is courtesy of a 1500g flywheel on
extremely smooth bearings.
Trainer prices increase with the size/weight of the flywheel. The Cyclotron's magnet is over 50% larger than
many similar priced products from those other brands. Larger magnets offer smoother, more realistic performance!
The frame is TIG welded steel, has a simple quick release mount and feet that can be adjusted for uneven
floors and set wide apart for stability. The roller, the spinny thing your tire rests on, is precision machined and a larger diameter
than most other trainers - helping to increase tire life and decrease noise and vibration.
Price: $239.50
Giant Cyclotron Auto II
This is an amazing trainer. You'll hear a bunch of people talking about "fluid trainers". In many cases people don't know
what is so special about fluid but it sounds good so they want it. Fluid trainers are great because of their "feel" and because
the faster they spin, the more resistence they provide - meaning you can just use the gears on your bike to change resistence levels.
There is another brand of trainers that says they are the first and only one offering progressive resistence with a magnetic trainer. Well,
they lie because the Cyclotron Auto II offers great progressive resistence with a big 1500g flywheel and at a fraction of the price of good fluid
or the "other" progressive trainer. This is a fantastic trainer for the money! One last thing: this model uses an aluminum frame so if you
need to lug it around, it'll be a bit lighter and easier to move.
Price: $309.50
Trainer Accessories
We have a package deal for you: The Chopping block, G-Thang and trainer mat for $75 with purchase of a trainer
Chopping Block: Price $15.50 This holds your front wheel stable and at the right height.
The G-Thang: Price $15.50 This stops sweat from dripping on the floor and on your frame - easily washable terry cloth
Trainer Mat: Price $59.50 This protects the floor, stops your bike from budging when you're givin' 'er and helps kill
the noise from going through the floor
