It's wintertime in Utah and, since I hate the cold, my bike is put away for the next couple of months.  I have two questions for everyone:

1. What do you do for wintertime/off season conditioning to stay in shape for the next season?

2. I am looking at getting a spin bike rather than putting wear and tear on my bike with a trainer.  Can anyone recommend a good spin bike that wont break the bank?

I live in Canada and am in a pretty similar situation.  Obviously cross training with other sports like skiing or speed skating really compliments cycling, and thats what I prefer through the colder months, but weights and putting in time at the gym is good for the early off season.  Then as mid to late winter approaches starting to ramp up hours on the trainer is a good approach.

 Can't speak for spin bikes but I have an older, cheaper bike that I throw on my Kurt Kinetic Fluid trainer and I find that works great with some Carmichael Training Systems vids (the 8 week strength training program is a really good one I find).  I prefer the feel of a proper road bike to a spin bike since you have the drops and the positioning the same as when you are outdoors.

 turbo trainner with summer bike, but cheap wheels and a trainer specific tire...

 if you have an old or cheap bike anything pretty much will do, BUT try and make your position match very closely to your summer bike.. crank length, set-back, reach, obviously sadle height etc etc... thats quite hard to do well unless its the same geometry bike.  Partly why even though I have an old bike, I generlaly now use my R3 with cheap wheels... there's really no wear for the bike except chain, and as you dont change gear so much its not really a bike worry.

You are clearly a serious rider, so for a spin bike you really have to be willing to spend enough to get a SOLID bike that is fully adjustable allowing you to try recreate your bike set up and provide a good work out.

The CycleOps Indoor Cycles start at around 1200$ and are definitely solid, adjustable and well reviewed. More if you want power.

The reality is that it is probably much better to use your bike on a trainer which is significantly less, as you can get a very good trainer for ~300. I don't personally think that most bikes are at risk of damage in a trainer. I have used my cervelo R3 for one winter in the trainer and an old Trek 5200 for about 17 winters and it has never been a problem. I intend to put my newest carbon bike in my Cycleops Fluid trainer this winter. With a trainer and your own bike, the setup is exactly like your bike, because it is your bike.

For the workouts, I use many of the SPinervals DVDs (e.g. No Slackers Allowed, Suffer-o-rama, Hillacious, aerobase etc.) and then I have a couple of Virtual Reality spinerval DVDs including Autumn Country Training Ride and Tucson Training Rides. I set these up on a DVD or laptop and watch on a flat panel TV or projection video, while also playing loud alternative music (either on stereo or through iPod)...

Buy a used/cheap bike and a trainer. You'll have the excuse you need to buy another bike (I own 4), have a beater bike you can thrash around, a ride for  bad conditions, a source of spare parts for emergencies, or a ride for a quick beer run. Can never own too many bikes, I say. I have a problem buying something that pretends to be a bike.

I have a high end but older steel bike (Waterford) I've used for years on a trainer and never had a problem.  As others say, get a trainer specific tire or just buy some cheap ones because trainers tear them up quickly.  I also use good wheels and never had a problem with them.  Just use the skewer that comes with the trainer or buy a cheap one. 

Spin bikes and trainers will all drive you mad with boredom sooner or later. Rollers?

Get a mountain bike, wrap up warm and go outside to the muddy forests and trails. There's nothing like actually going somewhere. Mind you, I found out yesterday that wet tree roots can cause you to go ***-over-tit rather easily. 

And it's a soft(er) landing. :-)

Easy solution, follow the snowbirds to Arizona, outdoor cycling all year round.

Computrainer works for me, elliptical machine, and swimming.  And stretching every morning and evening.

Give yourself a couple of months off and enjoy the Wasatch Range, if not he best place in the world the second ( North America anyway ), and I would move there tomorrow if my wife let me.

SKI, SKI and go SKI- downhill - cross country - backcountry, get some snow shoes and a dog, leave your bike in the basement, get yourself a beater bike with fenders and ride the crap out of it while the roads are wet and dirty, this way when the roads are dry you get your purdy Cervelo out that you have been staring and fondeling and staring and fondeling and dusting all winter, you will have the ride of your life. Enjoy the break and you will look forward to that spring moment.

Now for all those skeptics, my opinion is that if you cross train, you will loose very little over the few months you are off the bike and it will not be long before it is all back., so if i have not made myself clear, clean your Cervelo, put it in the basement, get a beater and enjoy the beutiful nature you have at your disposal.

Rollers are a brilliant idea. I've been using the Inside Ride e-Motion rollers and they are better than any trainer (that locks you in) any day of the week. The beauty of rollers is that you are actually riding your own bike, balancing, and learning to spin very smoothly. Plus, if you're bored, you can also watch a little TV.

I use a Kurt Kinetic also. You can buy a computuer for it which will display wattage. The wear is way less than out on the road - no potholes, no grit, no crashes.

greg66:

Spin bikes and trainers will all drive you mad with boredom sooner or later. Rollers?

 

 

 

Yup. I have a Giant OCR 2 that i use for both as a winter bike and a trainer bike. I have a Tacx Satori trainer and although useful, it gets bloody tedious. So on with the legs and arm warmers and i get out on the road.