Spin bike for off-season fitness improvement

Peter Cole wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" wrote in message
:: ...
::: Peter Cole wrote:
::::: "Roger Zoul" wrote
::::::
:::::: 3) I don't think a trainer is the good solution. I want to use
:::::: the spin bike inside and definitely don't want to bring my road
:::::: bike inside.
::::::
::::::
:::::: As these spin bikes are very expensive,
:::::
::::: For the price of a spin bike, you could buy another bike and a
::::: trainer.
:::
::: Do you feel that trainers are any good?
::
:: Yeah, they're fine, just really boring. I hardly ever use mine, I
:: prefer to ride outdoors in whatever weather. I spent a lot of time
:: putting together the clothing and equipment though, and that's not a
:: trivial effort (or expense) here in New England.
::
:: The only way I can do trainers is to watch TV, for long, low
:: intensity, periods, or loud music, for short, high intensity,
:: workouts. I only occasionally resort to the trainer when schedule
:: doesn't permit ouside riding and my body is craving some work. My
:: wife, on the other hand, uses it pretty regularly.
::
:: My requirements are that a trainer be quiet, and stow away easily and
:: compactly. Mag trainers fulfill those, and are pretty cheap to boot.
:: Before investing in more expensive stuff, you might go the low cost
:: route & see if you will actually use it.
::
::: I do have another wheelset that I can use with my road bike.
::
:: I don't think you really need a separate set of wheels, it's just
:: one more thing to have to mess with. Trainers can be tough on tires,
:: but I use pretty inexpensive ones anyway.
::
:: My favorite bike for the trainer is my fixed gear. I give up the
:: ability to change load with shifting, but I gain the ability to
:: pedal backwards -- which is fun, I don't know why. It also gives you
:: that no-coast, flywheel effect of a gym stationary bike. I control
:: effort with cadence after initially setting the resistance level on
:: the unit. For hard workouts, I choose music tempos. I have made
:: several MP3 lists that have tempo "profiles", with varying changes
:: in pace. I find that to be a surprisingly good way to set the level
:: of the workout. My biggest problem with gym "spin" classes is being
:: burdened with somebody else's taste in music.

Good stuff, Peter. Everything you say is making a lot of sense in my head.
Thanks. I do have that iPod and I can make playlist, even though i don't
plan to bring the bike inside.

For a final question, what do you think about rollers?