So much fun…well…considering you’re riding on your own in the garage.

For the first time ever I had fun on the turbo; it didn’t feel completely pointless; I didn’t want to give up after 30 minutes; and I didn’t get off thinking “never doing that again”.

Downward Spiral was last night. Next up – Fight Club.

http://www.sufferfest.com

hmm been thinking of getting that for a while now, you may just have persuaded me…

edit…fixy linky… http://www.thesufferfest.com/

I do the Spiral a couple of times a week. I do at the gym on the bikes there (I’ve got a turbo but it’s better at the gym). Everyone looks at me as though I am mad. You do go kinda crazy doing those intervals..

My average watt for the Spiral sessions is around 210 watts for appx 50 minutes. During the intervals I’m around 350 watts. Does anyone else use wattage when doing Sufferfests ?

I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing one but then I only have a net book so I think it will be lost on a tiny screen, plus I dont have a heart rate monitor currently so would find it difficult with knowing the effort level.

I’ve been using this

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/

I find the plans on there interesting enough to keep me going for up to 1 hour just having a TV on in the back ground. I find it good that they have cadence ranges and gear selections.

Will the vids work with out a HR monitor?

Agreed.

Hope fatherhood is treating you well Flash 🙂

They are excellent training aids, I’m currently doing one Sufferfest session a week out of the 4 turbo sessions I do.

Angles, Local Hero, Downward Spiral, and Fight Club are all very good.

I have to agree…

Did my first turbo session for ages last night. First time watching Sufferfest – Angels and I have to say I didn’t clock watch and actually ‘enjoyed’ it! And will be doing it again!

You don’t need a H/R monitor as they work on perceived levels of effort which are quite easy to know if you’ve cycled a bit, even more so if you’ve raced

Agreed, you need the HRM, although I have found it better now I have one & use it.

Finally got to the stage where I can (just) back to back them now, which is good fun.

Anyone tried the new 80 minute video? Been meaning to give it a try.

I do at the gym on the bikes there

How does that work then? Do you just set your laptop up in the gym?

What? Sorry I really dont understand, if your turboing properly you shouldnt be able to back to back them, you shouldnt be able to do it 4 times per week, and you certainly would NEVER consider doing it a room where normal people (of the opposite sex) can see you!

How does that work then? Do you just set your laptop up in the gym?

I have it on my iphone and balance it on the bars below the screen.

I do it in the same room as ‘normal’ people – I don’t care. Many of the people in my gym, who use the bikes, kinda sit there and soon as they start sweating they slow down. I am like a man possessed.

I also snapped a crank off of one of the gym bikes mid interval once – got swiftly off and got back on the bike next to me and carried on. Got some looks that morning..

downloading Angels now… 😯

Gym bikes are never as comfortable or realistic as a road bike on a turbo IMO.

Slight highjack… I’m starting from scratch with fitness after 3 or so years off the bike and young child/long hours that prevent me getting out on the bike much.

I’m trying to do this 60 min ‘endurance’ workout x 1 per week

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/indoor_cycling_workout.php?id=569

60 min Strength/power x 1 per week

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/indoor_cycling_workout.php?id=749

32 mins endurance or 39 mins (once or twice a week in the evening)

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/indoor_cycling_workout.php?id=705

http://www.turbotraining.co.uk/indoor_cycling_workout.php?id=323

Is this the type of stuff I need to be doing to build base fitness?

Just 2 months ago I couldnt manage more than 25 mins on the bike, or push the biggest gear for more than a 1 minute so I already feel 100% fitter, but nothing like I used to be.

I’ll look at doing the pyramid interval stuff when I start to feel like my base fitness is back where it used to be.

Any suggestions welcomed though.

Gym bikes are never as comfortable or realistic as a road bike on a turbo IMO.

Kinda what I was thinking. Unless you can have access to a spin bike I guess it might be better.

video or not i can’t think it compares to being on a real ride?

tt sessions will never replace “real” rides…they’re just an option for when a real ride isn’t practical, or for some specific hr targeting or whatever.

video or not i can’t think it compares to being on a real ride?

Well of course not. Anyone with half a brain would realise that.

the gym bikes at my gym have a screen and a usb port that i can connect my ipod up to watch the sufferfest on the bigger screen. also allows for wireless heart rate data to show on that screen too. Would be really quite a good set up if it wasn’t for the daft big soft seat on the bike that makes my arse go numb after about 20 minutes!

the gym bikes at my gym have a screen and a usb port that i can connect my ipod up to watch the sufferfest on the bigger screen

From that I can deduce you go to a much swankier gym than I do 🙁

I’m currently doing one Sufferfest session a week out of the 4 turbo sessions I do

you’re mad!

Jamie – Member

video or not i can’t think it compares to being on a real ride?

Well of course not. Anyone with half a brain would realise that.

oooh pardon me for not sitting in a room watching a video,how much brain does that take then?, actually riding a bike outside in some fresh air might cheer you up a bit 😉

No need to get all defensive. I was merely pointing out that obviously a real ride is preferable and that most will see that…..

…..and if they couldn’t then they possibly had half a brain.

…..you noticed this so obviously have the full 100% of brain matter.

etc etc.

Yep. Gym bikes and turbos are uncomfortable and are not like riding real bikes, obviously. But for 50 mins first thing in the morning when it’s raining and dark outside – it’s better than nothing.

I too downloaded the Sufferfest downward spiral a couple of weeks back, it’s good bar the music which is utter gash

rocketdog, sometimes a real ride just isn’t practical though.

I did Fight Club the other night, which was hideously hard, though time-trialling on Cancellara’s wheel was pretty cool.

Quite a few times, I found myself trying to lean into the bends…

Tonight – The Hunted.

Fatherhood? Pretty damn great thanks. Lots of fun.

I also find myself leaning round corners.

The Hunted is excellent, probably my fav for this time of year.

Local Hero for me tonight as it’s still minus 10 and snowy outside.

I’ve used Downward Spiral and Revolver – both of which were good.

Enjoyed them enough to persuade me the turbo was useful after all, so have since invested in a VR one (iMagic) so don’t use the sufferfests any more.

Oh I would love an i magic, but never going to be able to afford one 🙁
I don’t get this sufferfest is fun thing, are you sure your riding hard enough? They make me work really hard, so hard I can barely stand at the end but I wouldn’t describe them as fun, painful is the word I would use…or maybe suffer?!
And thats coming from someone who ‘likes’ going on the turbo!