I’m thinking about joining a gym to shift some weight over the winter. I’m also keen to improve my fitness to be better on the bikes next year. The gym I’m thinking about has spinning bikes that are available most of the time and if I join I plan to use the spinning bikes on a regular basis.

But my question is would I get better results from a turbo trainer at home than from spinning bikes in the gym?

Honestly I can’t speak for what would suit you best but for me as a time poor family man with young kids a Turbo and a Zwift* or Trainerroad subscription is definitely the way forward as I can hop on it for an hour or so at a few minutes notice.

*without one of these (other versions are available but I’ve never tried them) turbo trainers are mind numbingly boring. I prefer Zwift but ymmv.

Zwift is a game changer

Whichever you’ll spend more time on.

Some people are better at getting on with it if it involves going to the gym, others if it’s easily accessible at home.

FWIW I turbo and use trainer road, usually while watching something on netflix or iplayer. I can while away hours doing that.

Oh and there’s quite a big support group thread on here for TrainerRoad turbo slaves.

I’d say to lose weight you need to put some hours in regularly. You might manage it on a turbo at home with Zwift etc but I would start off booking a spinning class at the gym 3 or 4 times a week.

Some people manage well on the turbo but they are few and far between. I quite like them for doing a six week block of interval training once I have a bit fitness. For winter base I’d rather commute.

Thanks for the advice. so it seems that there is no difference between the spinning bike or the turbo. I think I’ll do better in a gym and I’m a little bit competitive so spinning classes will push me to work harder.

I personally prefer the feel of a spinning bike as it feels more like riding a bike outside. The turbo makes the the leg spinning feel unnatural. Having said all that I still use the turbo when the nasty weather really sets in, otherwise I prefer to ride outside at night in the winter.

Different turbos do have very different feels. Some have more of a road feel than others.

If you’re even remotely competitive Zwift races and a smart trainer are the way to go – there’s something on most nights and if there isn’t then organise your own.

I smashed loads of PBs earlier this week battling for mid-table obscurity in the Cat C ZTR race. You can’t beat beasting yourself up some hill trying to hang on to some spindley climber because you know you can do him in the sprint!