Will Spin classes improve me on a road bike ?

[huwsparky]

Don't waste time and money on spin classes. Don't waste money on a turbo trainer. There's an enjoyable way to get a great workout: go along to your local road club's evening TT, pay £3.00 to a friendly old bloke and absolutely ride your nuts off for exactly 30 minutes. Do it again the next week and be astonished at the improvement in your average speed.

So what you're saying is, don't bother wasting your time training, rock up to a 10, workout for half an hour, come back week after and do the same half an hour's workout at a much higher power? That must be where I and everyone else are going wrong!

 

[I am Spartacus]

I'd suggest that if you did just spin classes in isolation, your aerobic endurance (2 hours plus) would probably be lacking.
I think those 50 miles at high output would therefore be a challenge to your system, throw in road/weather and other people deciding to hit the turbo button when you are already in the red conditions.

 

[Globalti]

Short hard sessions are just part of increasing your fitness; you also need to be doing those longer slower rides to build stamina. If you only did half an hour a week you would never get anywhere, almost literally!

 

[CXRAndy]

Don't waste time and money on spin classes. Don't waste money on a turbo trainer. There's an enjoyable way to get a great workout: go along to your local road club's evening TT, pay £3.00 to a friendly old bloke and absolutely ride your nuts off for exactly 30 minutes. Do it again the next week and be astonished at the improvement in your average speed.

There is no better workout than an indoor trainer workout. Subscribe to Zwift and TrainerRoad, Do a prescribed workout plan on TR, add casual rides on Zwift, even racing. After a few months you will be much fitter and really enjoy those outdoor rides when the weather is nice.

 

[Globalti]

Yebbut the sweat! The sweat!