- More and more people are investing in smart trainers.
But they're so loaded with tech,
are you getting the most out of it?
Well, we're making this video with Wahoo
to make sure that you are, whatever trainer you ride.
(laid back electronic music)
- I think it's probably fair to say
that most people who invest in an indoor smart trainer
do so to use in conjunction with a third-party training app,
such as Zwift or The Sufferfest.
The combination of these two
has really transformed indoor cycling
from something that used to be a bit of a chore
to something that people even call enjoyable these days.
So if you haven't already done so,
download yourself a free trial to either of these,
and simulate riding on the roads or racing with Zwift,
or sticking to a really strict
training session with The Sufferfest.
It really is a great place to start.
That being said, you probably don't
even need a third-party app, as most smart trainers
now come with their own platform,
allowing you to use all of these additional features.
The Wahoo Kickr rides real-world routes,
either ones that you've already done
or ones that you've created.
Simply upload the GPX file to your ELEMNT,
and let the smart trainer replicate it exactly.
So you could, for example, prepare for a specific event,
all from the comfort of your own home.
Or if you're training properly, the discomfort.
To really get the most out
of the training aspect of your smart trainer,
you'll want to take advantage of the fact
that it has an accurate built-in power meter.
So first up then is a fitness test
to find out how strong you really are.
And once you have the data from that, you can use it to plan
and execute a really good training program.
Training smarter, not harder definitely applies these days.
- Now we know Chris' fitness level,
we can use something called ERG mode, or torture mode.
What this does, effectively, is it hands control
over the workout that you've selected over to your trainer,
meaning that it will literally generate
the exact amount of resistance required
to hold you at the power output
that the workout has selected.
Now, what that means is that if you then start
to pedal slower, the trainer will generate more resistance
so that you still keep the same power output.
Or vice versa, if you start to pedal faster,
then it will back off the resistance
while still generating the same amount of power.
Now, what that is great for is actually carrying out
the workout of choice to the book.
If you're anything like me and you're out on the open road,
you probably overcook the first couple of intervals
and then struggle to complete the session.
But when ERG mode is switched on,
you know that you'll complete the workout consistently.
How is that 400 watts doing for you, mate?
- It's not great.
(Simon chuckling)
- To get the most out of riding with ERG mode,
there's definitely a certain technique
you'll want to practice,
and that is to anticipate the interval starting,
and up your cadence before the turbo trainer
increases the resistance.
And that's because when we produce more power,
we naturally want to pedal faster.
So if you don't get ready, not only is it gonna feel
really, really weird, but worst-case scenario,
you may not even get on top of the gear
and hit the right power numbers,
which will disable ERG mode.
And in fact, when it comes to doing spring training,
we would actually recommend
you disable it completely anyway.
- Do you want to train for flat roads
or hill climbs, or a little bit of both?
Because thinking about your gear choice
when doing your intervals will have
a subtle but nevertheless important effect
on just what you're training your body for.
So for example, if you choose easier gears,
and therefore the flywheel is turning slower
but with more resistance on it
in order to get to the same power output,
then that's kind of gonna simulate climbing.
Whereas on the flip side, if you use a harder gear,
make the flywheel turn faster for a given power,
that will simulate riding on flat roads.
The reason being that the variation in inertia
that comes from the flywheel turning at different rates
will actually affect how you put power through the pedals.
The theory goes that actually,
your leg muscles will fire at different rates,
depending on the inertia
that you're feeling through the pedals.
- So we touched on interactive third-party apps before,
but I'm gonna bring up another aspect of that now.
And that's the social side of things,
particularly when it comes to Zwift racing
or Zwift group rides, where I find the smart trainer
makes this this really engaging experience
that you otherwise don't really get.
And it certainly helps me ride
a little bit harder for a little bit longer
than I perhaps would if I was on it by myself.
I don't like being overtaken
by all these other people though.
- No matter how smart your trainer is,
remember that you are still riding indoors.
And so the very best thing that you can do
to get the most out of your workout
is to try and stay as cool as possible.
If you get too hot, your body will literally stop you
from working hard in order to protect itself.
And so with that in mind, you should open windows,
have loads of fluids to hand, and make sure that you have
some kind of fan in front of you.
Now, this Wahoo Headwind one
is a bells and whistles example,
like it can connect up to your heart rate and the trainer,
meaning that it will vary its rate,
depending on either how fast you're going
or how hard you're working.
But most importantly of all, it has a monster airflow to it.
But anything will be better than nothing
in order to try and keep you cool.
So now you know how you can...
Do you wanna just, just lose the wig?
- Mate, it was your idea.
- I know, but now it's, there we go.
Now you know how to get the most out of your smart trainer,
which is perfectly timed, really,
given the weather we are having
here in the Northern hemisphere.
- So why not head over to the GCN shop,
if like me, you need to replace your turbo trainer towel?
Perfectly sized to drape over your bars
and cleanse all of that sweat.
- Yeah, now, if you want to have another look
at Zwift racing, which Chris mentioned earlier on,
then why not check out the recent GCN
Zwift race that we had in central London.
That one's just on screen now.
- Brutal.
- Yeah, it was, wasn't it?