Turbo boost

'Tis the season to hop on the turbo and just ride, right? Think again with our ultimate guide to optimising your indoor cycling

• WHERE ONCE THE turbo trainer was seen as an instrument of torture, now the smart trainer is seen as an essential tool to prime you for your big rides. The likes of Zwift and Wahoo RGT have seen impressive uptake over the past few years, and this can only serve to help your cycling performance. Read on for how you can boost your indoor training.

What the experts say...

Get more out of each indoor session with these handy tips

01 All the gear

• To tap into online cycling games, you'll need the basics of a bike; computer or smartphone; and a set of rollers or a turbo trainer. It's this last one where, increasingly, the magic happens, as smart trainers like those from Wahoo wirelessly sync to an app for terrain-specific, reallife-mimicking changes in resistance. Don't panic If you don't have a smart trainer as an ANT+ or Bluetooth speed cadence sensor should also do the job.

02 Sim or Erg?

• The two most common 'resistance modes' for your smart trainer are Sim and Erg.  Sim mode is simulator mode and is used in all Zwift activities other than workouts. In this mode, an application like Zwift tries to replicate the feel of the VR environment via its resistance on your drivetrain. Erg mode, on the other hand, enables you to hit and hold a pre-determined wattage, forcing you to work at a certain level. This is particularly useful for pacing.

03 Fan your furnace

• Whichever gaming system you're riding to, one or more cooling fans will mimic the air chill you enjoy from outdoor training. If you're using just the one fan, choose one that's at least 15 inches (38cm) in diameter so you receive the air coverage needed. It's also worth the extra outlay for a remote-controlled fan to adjust speed as intensity rises.

04 Find your FTP