Where to put a turbo trainer?

[YMFB]

My spin bike is in the garage, I have a fan but rarely use it as I can open the doors which creates a through draught. I just but some bone earphones, which stay in place unlike my EarPod.

I don’t find it any fun and have recently canned my Zwift subscription and watch YouTube for free or listen to music.

I bought some muc off exercise bike cleaner, which smells good and installed a paper towel roll holder Within reach. I still use a sweat towel as it’s more pleasant than paper to wipe myself down.

As it’s icy again I will no doubt be on it tonight between work and dinner.

 

[CXRAndy]

I am not going to open any windows in the house in cold winter conditions when the central heating is on. This is an old poorly-insulated house so it costs me quite a lot of money to heat it to my preferred 18.5-19.0 C. I am not going to leak that expensive heat out of an open window!

So... I was thinking about using my dehumidifier next to the turbo trainer. It is impressive to see how much moisture it sucks out of the air when drying washing in front of radiators. I could easily see it extracting 500+ mL during a long, hard turbo session!

I haven't tested the idea because my turbo trainer hasn't been delivered yet. I will report back below in a month or two.

You might end up looking like a dried out prune if not careful with the dehumidifier

 

[ColinJ]

You might end up looking like a dried out prune if not careful with the dehumidifier

Hmm, (fingers crossed!) I'll be 69*** later this month so there is a big risk of developing prune-face. I'll have to ask for a huge tub of moisturiser for my birthday!


*** It's a fine age to get to. I will mark the achievement with an exciting 69...




... km bike ride!

 

[HLaB]

OK, so with the New Year I am now in possession of a Wahoo KICKR Core. Unfortunately the day I received it I also tweaked my back (ironically, whilst hosing off my bike from a ride that day) so I have yet to set it up. The location is now under negotiation, with the previously-mentioned small office still in contention but the larger 'snug' room downstairs also an option.

I am also now wondering about accessories for the trainer - a mat of some kind, a towel, a table, a fan etc. I am assuming that I can use normal versions of all of these rather than paying for a Wahoo, Elite, Tacx or whatever ones?

Any other tips for keeping the training room from becoming a sweaty, smelly mess? I am planning on trying Rouvy and have a few options available for the device to use it on - iPhone, an ageing iPad or a slightly old laptop. If I am in the downstairs room there is a TV I could link up to, I assume I can mirror my iPhone to it whilst running Rouvy? (To be clear, I know I can mirror my phone to it, just wondering if Rouvy will work well like that?). Or I could connect the laptop to it as a monitor. Unfortunately I don't have an appropriate Apple TV.

Do any of you set up and break down again for training? The need for me to put it away sometimes is higher if I use the downstairs room. There is a great space for hiding the trainer and I suggested I could get some of those brackets to hang the bike on the wall when not in use, which received the face that clearly said this wasn't an option.

I set up in my front hall which doesn't get much cooler than 18deg

Ive got two mats: a cheap yoga mat and a harder wearing training mat to put on top https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08QW8NS1K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ive got a turbo trainer desk, like that wahoo one but a 3rd of the price, it might have been from PlanetX
A 18inc Gym Fan, a 16" remote control pedestal fan and a Remote control Vacmaster https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08WJ2XST9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
If the 8 year old gym fan ever fails I'll get another of the vacmaster type
A Bike Thong and a Small Towel to protect the bike.
I usually open the door on the chain.

That hopefully means I don't have a sweaty smelly mess but then again I live alone

I usually set up/ dismantle each time. This week, I trained in my lunch hour Tues & Wed and left it set up from Tues session till Wednesday evening for the first time.

I use TrainerRoad and occasionally Indie/TP Velo on a my only lap top but I use a keyboard cover to keep it clean https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07KY66HCS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Big John]

I can tell you from bitter experience (recent cold snap) where NOT to set up your kit :
1. In a garage which is full of bike paraphernalia
2. Where there's no heating of any description
3. Where the light is as dim as a Toc H lamp.

A room in the house would be luxury but according to the wife that won't happen apparently until the current cold snap extends to hell and makes it freeze over.

 

[BSRU]

Mines in the garage, only space available.
Like being outside but protected from the wind and rain but not the cold.
This time of year gloves and a jacket required, plus a fleece to put on when I have finished to stop me cooling down too quickly.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Mine is set up in the garage. I mainly use it when it is wet and cold so even though I have a fan, I’ve never used it. If I get too hot the window gets opened.

I started yesterday with jacket, hat and gloves on, but they quickly get taken off.

 

[CXRAndy]

If you use a fan heater, blowing warmed air over the bike and turbo, it will take the nip off these garage/shed setups. Once you're up and running, getting a sweat on, the heater is needed anymore. Then optional whether a standard fan is required

 

[KneesUp]

Mine is in the cellar.

Nobody else goes in the cellar. I wish I didnt' either, but it's an empty space that is - whilst not quite dry, is at least not as damp as it could be.

I have a wheel on trainer, and at the moment it has a traded tyre (because - reasons) It's directly below the sofa in the front room but apparently you can't really hear it over a slight hum.

Because the cellar has access to the old coal hole (under the front step) it is cold in the winter but there is at least some air in summer.

 

[Regular.Cyclist]

My setup is a Wattbike Atom which stands on a yoga mat in the spare bedroom. An Apple TV connected to a projector gives me my viewing area and I use a fan to keep cool. All in it’s pretty compact and stays in place.

The fan I use is the VacMaster Cardio 54 which comes of sale from time to time.

 

[figbat]

Things are coming together nicely. I have installed the trainer and bike in the upstairs office. I had imagined I might have to remove some furniture to do so but I have managed to squeeze it in with everything still in place. The front wheel is about 40mm too tall to go under the desk so I raised the desk with a couple of batons of wood and it all fits in perfectly! The desk will take a laptop and monitor plus any other ephemera I might need. The only thing not yet dealt with is a fan - hoping to try out our existing 18” floor-standing fan and see how that goes. The setup is right next to an opening window.

The mat is a washable entrance mat that we had lying about unused. Best of all we can still use the other desk in that room as normal, for my remaining time working from home and after that for any other work that might come up or as a home admin station.

The only thing I’ve had to remove is an office chair.

 

[figbat]

Things are coming together nicely. I have installed the trainer and bike in the upstairs office. I had imagined I might have to remove some furniture to do so but I have managed to squeeze it in with everything still in place. The front wheel is about 40mm too tall to go under the desk so I raised the desk with a couple of batons of wood and it all fits in perfectly! The desk will take a laptop and monitor plus any other ephemera I might need. The only thing not yet dealt with is a fan - hoping to try out our existing 18” floor-standing fan and see how that goes. The setup is right next to an opening window.

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The mat is a washable entrance mat that we had lying about unused. Best of all we can still use the other desk in that room as normal, for my remaining time working from home and after that for any other work that might come up or as a home admin station.

The only thing I’ve had to remove is an office chair.

And there we have it! All set up and connected, just waiting for a first ride in anger.

 

[figbat]

Thanks to all who contributed here, it really helped me work through the options.

 

[figbat]

First ‘ride’ today. Just a Rouvy FTP test so not long but quite hard. It couldn’t have gone better. All the tips and advice here paid off and the workout was straightforward and I wanted for nothing. I really did think that a trainer setup like this needed a lot of room, but have been very pleased how well it has fitted into a small space without significantly impacting the use of that room or the house.

The only thing I did notice was some perineal compression and the associated numbness that it can bring. I’ve suffered with this very occasionally on this bike on the road but it can be eased by standing on the peddles occasionally or shifting position. This is something I don’t do during my workout and I imagine wouldn’t do much unless I force myself to. I have also found that how I wear my bib shorts can affect this too, so will have to be mindful of that. No harm done though!

 

[13 rider]

First ‘ride’ today. Just a Rouvy FTP test so not long but quite hard. It couldn’t have gone better. All the tips and advice here paid off and the workout was straightforward and I wanted for nothing. I really did think that a trainer setup like this needed a lot of room, but have been very pleased how well it has fitted into a small space without significantly impacting the use of that room or the house.

The only thing I did notice was some perineal compression and the associated numbness that it can bring. I’ve suffered with this very occasionally on this bike on the road but it can be eased by standing on the saddle occasionally or shifting position. This is something I don’t do during my workout and I imagine wouldn’t do much unless I force myself to. I have also found that how I wear my bib shorts can affect this too, so will have to be mindful of that. No harm done though!

Riding a turbo is different to real life you move on the bike a lot less no leaning into bends no getting out of the saddle . Just something to be aware off and make a conscious decision to move get out the saddle if your on for extended periods but again it is something you get use to