🚴🏻♀️ 5 Tips for Strong Girls Riding Inside on the Trainer 🚴🏻♀️
Author and cyclist Mackenzie Myatt shares her top trainer tips!
Author and cyclist Mackenzie Myatt does a lot of training outside, but uses the indoor trainer too, especially in the winter. She recently created a great video of her working hard on the trainer during Zwift Academy, and shared audio from one of her poems. You can watch it here.
We wanted to know what her best tips for enjoying + making the most of trainer time where, and she shared 5 great pieces of advice! (Psst… if you have an indoor trainer but haven’t tried using an app like Zwift or Peloton to ride, check them out if you struggle with riding motivation—they both offer free trials so you can see what’s fun for you!)
OK, on to Mackenzie’s top tips for trainer success:
1. The more permanent the set-up, the better. It will encourage you to ride more often. Part (most) of the appeal of riding indoors is that it is easy and convenient to set up and take down. Make sure that it is! Whether that is having a dedicated pain cave or having a space in your garage where a few key items stay (at least during the winter) like the trainer, a bench or snack stand and a fan. The more you leave out, the higher chance you’ll use it.
2. Get a good fan. Like, approaching industrial level fan that can blow your face off. I have a 20inch three speed metal floor fan and I mostly use it on the first setting. If you’re a heavy sweater, you can put it on setting #2 but it will probably feel like you’re sticking your head out of a car at 100km/h. Definitely recommend a strong fan.
3. Budget time to set up. Even if you have a permanent set up, I always underestimate how long it takes to actually get ready. You need water bottles, snacks/gels, gloves, towel, connect/calibrate all your sensors, adjust the temperature, etc. When I was doing Zwift Academy I would warm up with tights and a long sleeve jersey. Start without the fan, pick a short route I could do at my own pace and wait until I start sweating to shed layers and turn the fan on, grab the towel I always forget and maybe grab more food. This is when I take my caffeine gel. Don’t forget to pee and you’re set!
4. Pre-hydrate! Because I sweat a lot more inside than I usually do outside (unless it’s +30C) I usually drink a glass of Skratch electrolytes before I even get on the bike. (That’s why I have to pee 20mins later) ALSO because I like to drink plain water when I’m doing an intense effort like racing or a hard workout. If you’re riding indoors for several hours, make sure you’re staying on top of your hydration!
5. Do what makes you comfortable, even if it’s weird. You’re in the privacy of your pain cave, who cares? I wear long fingered gloves so my sweaty hands don’t slip off the bars AND so I can wipe sweat off my face when I want to. I also have a towel on the floor for spitting/snot. GROSS, I know. I also like to put bobby pins in my bun so that I feel a little more put together for at least the first half of the ride before #trainerhair takes over. Little things like wearing my favourite socks or sports bra make me feel more excited and ready to take on a challenge. Don’t forget chamois cream if you’re riding for a long time!
6. BONUS: If you’re doing a multi-hour challenge and you want to stay with your group or a pacer (who doesn’t) then make sure you have someone who can jump on while you take a pee break so you don’t get dropped!
You can also read more from Mackenzie on Canadian Cycling Magazine’s website in this great article about what she learned doing the Zwift Academy.
And of course, shop her book here:
