Scott threw down the challenge in his December update: Who of you has done a longer session on the home-trainer than Scott's fakta teammate, Roberto Lochowski (6 hours)? Some of the responses recieved so far have been published below - there are some indoor lunatics among you! The "winner" of this informal competition may be rewarded with some fakta team kit according to Scott.
Read the first 19 entries
Read entries 20-26
Read entries 27-38
Scott,
I love your column and your dedication and maturity is a great inspiration for my cycling career. I couldn't imagine doing such long hours on the trainer, but I have done some rather lengthy rides on the rollers.
One time I decided to watch the Liege video I had on tape. I found that it was really hard to ride rollers and watch at the same time. I was turning with the riders and almost fell off a few times.
Best of luck and I hope you have a happy and healthy new year.
Matt Wilson,
Australia
A guy called Craig Maskiel who was a top ten ranked short course triathlete, got into ironman events in the early 90's. He was a time management freak and was doing ironman events while completing Medicine at the University of Queensland. He has done quality 8 hour sessions (when the weather was O.K. outside 'cause there's no red lights on a trainer) on an ergo in preparation for Hawaii. You would have to hit him between the eyes with a sledge hammer to divert his concentration and would be a well deserving winner of the gear.
Stuart
Brisbane, Australia
Scott, as I read about this contest, the names of many crazy indoor riders I know came to mind. <
I live just outside of Toronto, Canada in the suburb of Mississauga. For the past 3 winters, I have been spinning at Gears Bike Shop at least two nights a week for an hour with some classes lasting up to an hour and a half. Every class I go to, it is over 3/4 full and often, especially on weekends the classes are completely booked with enthusiastic riders.
There is a good reason for this. The instructors are awesome. They are professionals that take us to far away places for that hour, and make us believe that we can do anything we want on a bike if we put our minds to it.
Every year for the past three years, the bike shop has been organizing a 24 hour charity spin to raise money for cancer research. Every year there are a handful of crazy people out of the 1,100 or so that participate, who are willing to torture their bodies by spinning the entire 24 hours.
This year is no exception. Once again, it is expected that about 15 riders will voluntarily ride nowhere for 24 hours. Two of these riders are Kevin Wallace and Jeff Rushton. Currently they are riding across the southern states in 24 days to raise money for their worthy cause.
This across America ride will then be followed by the 24 hour spin on February 22. So far about $500,000 has been raised and their goal is to raise $1,000,000 in three years. I nominate these two blokes for your contest because out of all the entries I have read so far no one can even come close to what these guys have done on an indoor trainer. (See http://www.coasttocoastride.com/ for more on the ride)
Bob Tomsic
Canada
About ten years ago I met Henry Kingman at a gym. I had seen him on the trainer and while stretching asked if I rode. After speaking awhile about cycling it became apparent Henry had been there all day riding the trainer.
For a Paris-Brest-Paris veteran (unsupported record holder at 44 hours - straight!) see http://www.milly.org/hkingman/henry_pbp.html, the race across Australia and co-founder of the "mille-ride" - a 1000 mile loop ride around California - a day on a trainer is no big deal for Epic Ride Kingman. But Henry can also mix it up with day racers having made many of us suffer over the years on short training rides of much less distance.
Cheers,
Patrick,
USA
Scott,
A friend of mine recently ran a double marathon (52 miles) on a tread mill for charity. It took him 10 hours without a break. He had to be carried to his room after he finished as he couldn't walk. I think riding a turbo trainer for 8 hours would be a doddle for him.
Best wishes for the new season,
Jim,
USA
Scott,
I do the same workout every year and have for at least the last 10 years in a row. My superbowl is spent on the rollers. I start at the beginning of the game and just spin (track bike 47x16) during the action, but when there is a commercial break I try to do intervals for the complete break.
The half time show is usually 20 mins so I really push during this break and try to go for at least 15km during the show. (45 kph). This is considered nuts by some of my teammates but I have done it for so long that it is just a workout I look forward to the start the year. I think the longest this ride has ever been is just about 5 hours.
Mike Whitman,
Virginia, USA
"Misery loves company": The motto for any roller session.
For a successful session, one needs to find another individual suitably desperate to put in some miles. Look for a rider with sunglass tan lines (saying something in the winter) and a gaunt appearance who peers at the sky every 5-10 minutes, looking for a speck of sun in the rain clouds.
Once you've found this training partner, set two roller sets alongside one another and pretend you're out on a ride. You can always add diversions not possible during a regular training ride. Some fun ones include:
1) Who can ride with no hands longest.
2) Who can take off their (you choose) jersey, shoes, arm warmers, leg warmers,
and/or socks then put them back on again without crashing.
3) Who can reach the highest speed in a 39x21 (Quite exciting when some lunatic
is wobbling along at 210 rpm 18 inches away from you).
4) Who can push the other one off their rollers first without use of hands (My
personal favorite).
5) Who can pretend they are enjoying the ride the longest.
My longest training session was about 95 minutes. It would have gone on longer however an overenthusiastic training partner took me out during a roller "shoving" match, ending the "ride" prematurely.
Good luck in the coming season.
Tim,
San Jose, California
Dear Scott,
First of all, I love the column. You have a dry sense of humour which gives some great stories of pro life. On the 17th of December I broke the neck of my femur and had a big bolt fitted to hold the hip joint in place. This is after knee operations 3 years ago, snapped a groin tendon last year and a hand operation the year before, so like yourself I know a little about turbo training.
Currently I am allowed to do gentle 30 minute sessions on the turbo, and yes, even riding a turbo beats most other sports. I am allowed to do 3 sessions a day so that's indoor riding 21 times a week. Surely it's not the length of time you spend on one, but the amount of pain and suffering you put yourself through on one.
The winner of your competition should surely be the most dedicated not just the craziest.
All the best with your coming sessions.
Mark Harris,
South Wales