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Indoor training has never been as popular, with the advent of smart trainers and immersive online apps giving this genre of cycling a 21st-century makeover. Indoor riding is now a year-round activity, and the ability to nail specific sessions in a safe environment is a huge pull for many. But who are those ‘many’? Well, as it transpires, riders of all abilities and experience. Here, we hook up with a quartet of Wahoo users to lift the lid on their indoor set-ups, from a world-class racer to a man who conquered his own Everest…
The pro
Name: Magdeleine Vallieres
Age: 23
Lives: Girona
Most memorable rides:
- My bikepacking trip to Gaspesie when I was nine years old. Around 1000km in nine days. That's when I fell in love with the sport.
- One of my favourite rides is taking the train to Sant Celoni and heading to Girona through the mountains.
- When I lived in Switzerland near Aigle, most of the rides were amazing. The days I was allowed to go explore were the best days.
My indoor setup is in my guest room in Girona. I have a mat, Wahoo HEADWIND fan and the KICKR. I place my computer on a desk, and then I connect the Wahoo KICKR to Zwift for specific sessions. I put Zwift on half the screen and then I always catch up on some racing, whether that’s a live race or an old race that I competed in. I watch to learn things. I also listen to music.
I’m impressed by my indoor trainer. It’s easy to set up and feels more like real riding. Also, I have the KICKR CLIMB [gradient cycling simulator]. It’s great because I can change my position, so if I’m riding for a long time I don’t become uncomfortable. In the past, I’d do all sorts of sessions on the Wahoo KICKR including great volume. Now, it’s more for shorter intervals.
I’ve spent the past few winters in Girona. In the past, I’d indoor train in the garage. It was pretty chilly in there. I’d ride five or six times a week, probably; in fact, some weeks I’d train for up to 25 hours on the trainer. Now, with better weather outside, I ride indoors twice a week, plus a little bit in the summer.
All in all, having a KICKR connected to Zwift makes indoor training so much easier and more tempting than it used to be. I used to train in the garage with little resistance and no changes in watts. Now, it’s far more exciting.
The Haute Router
Name: John Stirzaker
Age: 56
Lives: Manchester/Girona
Most memorable rides:
- Two would be on Ventoux, one when I was domestique to my wife, as we did Haute Route Ventoux 2019 together.
- 2023 was a great year as I qualified for the UCI Gran Fondo Worlds in Scotland and finished 66th in my age category in Perth. It was an amazing event.
- My top ride has to be one of the toughest, the queen stage of Haute Route Alps 2021. Iseran, Telegraphe, Galibier and Sarenne in one incredible day. So tough!
My garage/office houses my indoor trainer set-up. We converted half the garage into an office when I was working from home. I use the Wahoo KICKR, which seems to do the job well. I tend to use my Rotor power meter, though, so my indoor and outdoor rides use the same training tool. Indoors, I also use a laptop and desk.
Depending on the weather and training phase, I ride indoors for anything between two to five sessions a week, though typically I’d say three weekly sessions. Primarily, I use it for interval training. For instance, hardly a week goes by where I won’t tick off a VO2 max session and a lactate-threshold interval session. That’s mainly because Lancashire doesn’t have any super-category climbs.
I also use the Wahoo for testing on INSCYD [physiology test that reveals an athlete’s current fitness and metabolic strengths and weaknesses], which can be as short as 40 minutes, is more often than not between 60 and 90 minutes with occasional ones lasting 120 minutes. Any more than that is very occasional when weather interrupts my training schedule. Being able to do sessions like 40/20s is brilliant as you just couldn’t do that on rolling roads; lactate threshold intervals of 90 minutes are brilliant. And I also use my Wahoo KICKR for recovery rides. That’s because of the rolling terrain in Lancashire.
I use Zwift. It makes intervals easy to follow as it syncs with TrainingPeaks; you get nice bleeps in your ear when using the companion app. The ERG mode is a life-saver because you don’t have to keep changing gears, which means the chain stays straight. Also, via my Jabra earphones, I listen to a mix of music, though I’d say my favourites are Muse, Prodigy, Queens of the Stone Age and old dance music.
I know riding in the heat is popular but riding at around 290-300 watts for 90 minutes, well, you tend to get pretty hot, so I don’t do anything specific with heat! I’ve not used an altitude tent yet but will be heading to altitude in the Pyrenees in the run-up to Haute Route Alps.
Ultimately, indoor training is great because you can focus on the work you need to do whilst not worrying about routes, traffic or weather. It’s great for training in specific power ranges. Just make sure you stay cool (-ish) and well-hydrated. Take on nutrition, too, depending on the length of the session.
The KICKR CORE is a reliable training partner (Image courtesy of Zwift)
The Ironman
Name: Sim Gill
Age: 33
Lives: Bedfordshire
Most memorable rides:
- Climbing Puig Major in Mallorca.
- Completing two Ironman events (and their 180km bike legs).
- Night ride from Manchester to Blackpool. (That has a special place in my heart as that’s what got me into cycling 13 years ago).
I have a sacred area of the garage where there are no boxes, lawnmowers and the like; instead, there are 3m x 3m gym mats, upon which is my Wahoo KICKR CORE and attached road bike. I use my normal road bike (Giant Propel). Before that, I used my trusty old steed, but that corroded a little after four years of sweat! The garage set-up is pretty simple. I have a standing desk where I can rest my laptop. That connects to Zwift, the KICKR CORE and wireless headphones. I have thought about an Instagrammable indoor set-up, but I’ll save that for when I need extra motivation to train (or have cash to burn!).
I have the 2020 KICKR CORE. It’s been the best-value purchase I’ve ever made. Luckily, I bought it just before lockdown and it’s lasted ever since. It’s really robust and reliable; I haven’t had any issues with it (touch wood!).
I usually ride three times a week throughout the year, with a varying degree of luck. In the winter I’ll definitely ride the trainer three times a week and a maximum of twice a week in the summer.
I mainly use Zwift, though on occasion I’ve just connected the KICKR CORE to my watch. Ticking off Zwift routes adds motivation, and I also like the way Zwift syncs with TrainingPeaks, so if you’re prescribed a workout by a coach, it’s just sitting there waiting for you.
All my structured workouts will be on the KICKR CORE as the environment is perfectly controlled. Over winter, I’ll do long rides on the trainer. I think my record is four hours. You must be well stocked with nutrition and drinks, and have a good selection of entertainment.
I don’t ever ‘heat train’ specifically but sometimes the garage can reach 39°C when the sun shines in the right place. That’s when I might do a lighter session knowing that the heat stress will deliver a further training benefit.
Ultimately, a big plus of indoor training is safety. Every year the road conditions seem to worsen with drivers becoming more impatient. The other big positive is being able to squeeze in a workout during a lunch hour. Also, with a two-year-old, I rarely get time to watch television, so on easy Zwift rides I can multi-task and watch a show while spinning the legs. And I can ride while she naps without leaving the house, too.
Everyman
Name: Ian Kemp
Age: 46
Lives: Worcestershire
Most memorable rides:
- Devonian bikepacking weekend from Ilfracombe to Plymouth
- Tour of Flanders Sportive
- Climbing Ventoux indoors. Both painful and boring in equal measure!
I’ve got a minimal indoor set-up. I have a Wahoo KICKR CORE in the kitchen that attaches to my Charge Plug. It’s a wonderful bike with a real personality disorder. I don’t know what type of bike it is, what it’s designed to do, but I love it. I started riding indoors during lockdown by using a basic trainer from Halfords before upgrading to Wahoo.
I’m away with work a fair bit but if I’m at home for a reasonable stretch, I’ll follow a programme. If I’m working away, when I’m back I’ll do a few VO2 sessions. My issue is sticking at zone two because if I just hop on and I’m not following a structure, I tend to blitz myself for an hour or two. Since developing a love for indoor riding, I’ve racked up over 12,000 miles.
My cycling highlight is completing the 2022 Tour of Flanders Sportive with a couple of friends. I followed a 200km training plan, predominantly indoors, and I stuck to it religiously. It was tough, as you were sometimes spending hours at tempo. But I’ve never been so fit, and it enabled me to complete Flanders. That was my Everest. It doesn’t matter how long it took or where I finished, just completing that was a massive thing for me. I used to be over 20 stone but then discovered cycling, using the Wahoo indoor trainer as a tool, which has given me the confidence to ride outdoors. Crossing the line at Ronde… I’ll take that to my grave.
Indoor riding is great if you have a young family as you’re time-starved. I have to pick my moments to take myself away from the family and ride outdoors for hours at a time. If I do a two-to-three-hour indoor session, though I’m not playing dominoes or doing puzzles with the kids, I’m still around, so it doesn’t feel as much of a sacrifice. Cycling has also opened a whole world of sports science to me, too, whether it’s sleep, heart rate variability or just looking after yourself. I follow the pro calendar now, too.
I enjoy pedalling to music. If it’s a heavy session, it’ll either be fast-beat music or, at the other end of the scale, Massive Attack’s Mezzanine. That is one dark album. If I’m going up Alpe d’Huez (Alpe du Zwift in the game), that’s what I like. If it’s a zone two thing or something easier, I’ll watch the WorldTour and highlights.
Piece of indoor advice? A fan is essential (something like the KICKR HEADWIND which adjusts to your speed or heart rate is ideal). I use a six-inch rechargeable camping number, I’d recommend indoor riding to everyone. It ignited a passion in me to get fit… It’s also helped to clear my bank account of 10 grand as I now have three bikes!
Money well spent, we’d say. And time well spent for as you can see with our quartet of cyclists, indoor training is applicable to all. There’s Kemp, who’s found outdoor riding through a continued love of Wahoo and Zwift, resulting in a life that, by his own admission, is healthier, happier and more adventurous than ever before. Then there’s our professional roadie Magdeleine Vallieres, whose Wahoo keeps her competitive at the peak of the performance pyramid. All in all, indoor training is a great way to boost aerobic fitness, crank up power, clear your head and have some fun, all in a safe setting. And once you hop on board this winter, you’ll discover that it’s a year-round activity, making it great value. It begs the question, can you afford not to train indoors? Happy pedalling…
