Indoor training is great - don’t make the mistake of thinking it is the same as riding outdoors

Zwift has opened up a world of possibilities and enjoyment for our indoor riding. The experience is amazing and engaging - but riding indoors isn’t the same as riding outdoors. We need to respect the differences, so we don’t end up hating our bike.

For one, we can describe indoor riding as being more “dense” than outdoor riding. Riding indoors we don’t get the micro breaks that happen outside. There is no coasting through corners and on downhills, no stop signs and moments where we just ease off on the pace for a moment. The trainer also gives us the sensation of putting more tension into the legs, tension that doesn’t let up as we keep our avatars moving forward. Indoor riding is more “dense”.

Secondly, while riding indoors is much more enjoyable than in years past it is, for most of us, more mentally taxing than riding outdoors. The mental energy needed to do a 2-hour ride indoors is greater than that for an outdoor one - particularly if you are doing something less engaging like an endurance ride. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do that sort of riding indoors, but we should be aware of its mental cost.

Zwift allows us to do longer rides which is great. What it does not allow us to do is mimic outdoor riding in a one-to-one ratio. Keep in mind that the indoor riding is more “dense” and that there is a higher mental cost that comes along with logging our miles on the trainer.

Ultimately, our indoor training is there to prepare us for great outdoor riding. Being motivated to train through the winter is great. Just be sure you are still motivated to get on your bike once spring arrives!