Well, I am thinking that to successfully complete the MS150 in 30 days time, I am going to have to train during the week. And that means riding in the dark. The best way I think I can do this is to use a trainer.
I have an old trainer in my garage. I think I bought it in 1996. I haven't used it in probably 6 years. It is an old friction trainer. By that I mean that the axle of the trainer is a single machined bar. One side has a small flywheel. The other side has a similar ring with four slots in the perimeter. In the slots are four fiber brake pads. Around this ring, there is a fixed brake drum in which the brake pads rub. The concept is that the faster the axle spins, the harder the pads press against the drum, and the more resistance to spinning is provided. In actuality, the axle never turns freely and you always feel like the bike wheel is dragging a brake pad. If you want to just burn out, it is a great trainer. If you wanted to do intervals or something more varied, it isn't a good trainer.
So I have been looking, and I can't decide what I might like to purchase. There are several inexpensive ($100) magnetic trainers that look somewhat appealing. I even found one manufacturer that provides the resistance (power) curves for their magnetic trainers based upon speed and resistance selection. Looks interesting.
Or will I find that I don't like the magnetic trainer any more than I like my friction trainer? Should I just go ahead and spend the extra to get a fluid trainer (probably not the $1900 item I found on-line)?
I will let you know what I decide. I hope to have something purchased by the weekend. (I may try my old trainer in the mean time.)
30 days and counting!
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