CompuTrainer Review

A rose, by any other name, would smell just as sweet. Well, in this case, a trainer, by any other name, is still just a trainer. Heavens, the word "trainer" is even in the name of the product, so what should one expect?

Okay, so I've had my eye on a CompuTrainer since I started doing triathlon. Of course, I could never justify buying one for several reasons, not the least of which was I didn't have the money. I bit the bullet this year, though, because I knew I was going to have to do some really long rides this winter and, since it was winter, many of those long rides were going to be indoor. If I didn't have something else besides football (while riding in front of the big screen in my living room where hubby controls the viewing) to keep me entertained, I was afraid I may not do what was required of me. Getting on a trainer for 30 minutes is pretty tough. Staying on for 45 minutes is incrementally harder. Doing an hour is almost impossible. Going longer than an hour...uh....not gonna happen?

But, if I want to succeed at IMC in 2006 and not do a repeat of 2005, then I was going to have to get on my bike over the winter. Riding the trainer isn't particularly difficult from a physical standpoint, but I find it mind-numbingly boring from the mental standpoint. I have no problem getting on my bike and riding for hours as long as I'm out-of-doors. But stick me in a stationary position for hours on end and I want to go out of my mind. The treadmill would likely have the same effect. I can use it for up to two hours so long as I have something to watch on TV to distract myself. If I don't, I won't last 20 minutes.

So I ordered the CompuTrainer at the Seattle Marathon Expo on a Saturday, the day before the race. It was delivered to my home by the Tuesday after the race. That's f-a-s-t! Great service. I'm impressed and very pleased.

When I opened the box, I have to admit to being mildly overwhelmed at all the pieces. And there were no less than 4 manuals to go with the thing. Unlike most new computers and/or printers these days, there was no colorful "Quick Start Guide" with pictures. I had to read the directions which I could find in one of those manuals, but figuring out which manual had the information I wanted was a chore unto itself. I may have to offer up a suggestion to the company that they should put in large script on one of their many manuals START HERE FIRST. Once I started reading, it wasn't all that bad, but figuring out where I needed to start was a little less than intuitive.

Please note that I consider myself fairly good at following directions. Doing so allowed me to change the timing gear in an old 1967 Chevy Impala I once owned. Of course, I had to figure out how to use the harmonic balancer puller to do it, but I eventually got that figured out too. Too bad the Chiltons Auto Manual I was using (borrowed from a neighbor, along with most of his tools) forgot to include the minor detail that you were supposed to drop the oil pan first and then replace the gasket once you were done. Sadly, the car leaked oil like a seive after that, but at least it ran.

Back to the trainer. So, after doing a little reading, I figured out that I needed to decide if I wanted to run my CompuTrainer in a stand-alone mode or if I wanted it hooked up to my computer. In the stand alone mode, I wouldn't have some of the pretty graphics or the spin-scan show up on my TV screen. That is NOT why I bought the thing. As the first part of the product name would imply, it was a COMPUtrainer, hence should be connected to a COMPUter. Okay, we were going for hooking it up the the computer.

After work on Tuesday, I spent most of the day re-arranging my office to accept the new trainer so I can hook it up to my computer. I did my level best to figure out a way to get the computer hooked up to my TV which is at least 25-30 feet away, in another room, but I wanted the thing hooked up now and I didn't want to fiddle with all the necessary connections and coax cables and such. That was a cluster I wasn't prepared to deal with.

What I simply could not figure out was where I was supposed to put this little piggie. However, after reading the paper that was attached to him, his significance became clear. He is the P.I.G. (Performance Improvement Guarantee). CompuTrainer guarantees that the original purchaser can return the product within 12 months if they don't see at least a 5% improvement in their cycling power (as evidenced by watts) after using their product three days a week for five consecutive months. Of course, there are a few other stipulations, but since I'm currently on this thing three days a week, it gives me hope.

================
The above was written shortly after I received my trainer. The following is written as I contemplate and prepare to get on for a 3 hour and 45 minute ride. Yes, you read that correctly, 3 HOURS and 45 MINUTES.
================

As of this writing, I have had my trainer set up for a little over a month. While the computer graphics make riding the trainer at least mildly entertaining, watching the spin graph and drafting off metal man or watching him get way ahead of me is, after all, still sitting on a trainer, and that just sucks big time.

However, it is scary to note, I am getting used to riding on my trainer. When I first started, riding for 20 minutes was a chore. Going for 45 minutes was excruciating. Now I find that the idea of doing 90 minutes is (almost) easy. Anything longer than that, though, is something I admit I fight.

Okay, so what are some of the main features and benefits?

First, and I believe foremost, there is a plethora of courses which one can ride. While the courses range in distance from a measly one-third mile flat course, to almost any Ironman course out there, this is a screen shot as I prepared to tackle the IMMoo (Ironman Wisconsin) course. Naturally, one of the rides I do most frequently is Ironman Canada. I am hoping that by riding the course multiple times before I ever return to Canada, that when I get there for the race, it will simply be second nature for me. I was in the mood for a change on this day, though.

In addition to being able to ride a variety of courses, if you have the correct software, you can create your own courses. I will have to do some additional investigation as to exactly what is required as I have the TopoZone software (purchased long before I got the CompuTrainer) they mention, but I do not yet know what it takes to convert my rides into courses for the CT.

Besides having all the courses available, if the course loops back on itself (start and finish are in the same place), you have the option of selecting to do 2 or more laps (not sure what the limit on laps is). Doing laps can be fun because you can try to improve your time from the previous lap. This is a double-edged sword, however, if you are supposed to be keeping your HR or your watts in a certain range.

You also have the option of starting anywhere on a course that you'd like. You simply select the mile marker where you want to start. You can also create courses manually, something I haven't yet found a need to do. I've not used all the courses available yet.

What I am also not yet familiar with is how to modify the courses I have to take into consideration things like wind. The program allows you to add wind, but I don't know how yet. For now, I've been riding in a windless environment. Having my fan on doesn't exactly count.

Another benefit is the "spin-scan." This is available as either a bar graph or a polar-type graph (tough picture to take as I was actually on my bike when I did it). Both of them show pedal stroke efficiency. It is designed to help you eliminate the "dead" spots in, and thereby improve, your stroke. I have yet to really get anything out of this, though it is interesting to play with it and watch the graph change as I change my pedaling. It becomes especially evident when I do one-legged drills.

While a funky pulse-meter that you wear clipped to your ear in included in the set up, I find I don't use it as it appears to be extremely unreliable giving me readings that aren't anywhere close to reality (300 bpm is not close). I continue to use my regular HRM for that data.

I don't think the software is all that intuitive either. I've been using computers, in one form or another, since 1978. By most standards, I would be considered a power user, at least when it comes to most windows-based applications. Features like "cut & paste" are second nature to me and I'm dumbfounded when people don't understand. I'm usually able to open and quickly pick up on how to use most software without reading the instructions. Not so in this case. I'll actually have to hit the books on it.

In the mean time, one of the things that can be extremely deceiving, when looking at the screen of your course is the course profile. What might look like a flat course, may actually have hills with an 8% grade in them. Likewise, what looks like a hellacious hill climb is nothing more but a series of ups and downs (like the IM Wisconsin course), with most climbs being no greater than 5%, but it looks like a 12%.

In addition, to use the trainer properly, the tire must be wiped down with alcohol before every ride and the trainer must be calibrated. Not a big deal, but an inconvenience when you just want to start your ride. Also, in the way of trainers, it can chew up your race tires. To alleviate this problem, I have just ordered this trainer tire, made by Continental, which is specifically geared for use on indoor trainers and is in now way an outdoor tire.

Another disadvantage, of course, is the price. This is not a cheap product. It regularly retails in the neighborhood of $1200. That will take a bite out of anybody's budget. Unless, of course, you are independently wealthy.

All that aside, the biggest disadvantage, in my view, other than the bike being stuck on the trainer rather than outdoors, is the fact that you must constantly pedal. It doesn't matter if you are going uphill, downhill, or on flat land with a tailwind. There is NO coasting. Pedaling is done non-stop, or you cease forward motion, even on a downhill. This can result in a great deal of leg fatigue. There is an advantage to that, though, in that you are increasing endurance. I guess it just depends upon your perspective.

In the end, though, computer graphics aside, trainer rides still suck. NOTHING can replace doing your riding outdoors in the fresh air where the scenery changes regularly. Even when it means dealing with weather, terrain, and inconsiderate drivers. However, if you are stuck indoors either because of daylight or weather constraints, this isn't a bad way to go. If you are a geek (or mildly OCD) like me, then you will enjoy the instant data feedback such as current, average, and peak MPH, watts, and RPM.