Getting back into gear for the new year isn’t always as easy as it sounds, and getting the motivation to hop on the bike trainer can sometimes be an even bigger challenge. Here’s five things to keep on hand at all times to make your time in the pain cave more comfy.
Ice Cold Bidon (water bottle)
Now what’s cooler than being cool? Ice cold! Not only will your body thank you when you take that first ice cold gulp from your bottle, but you can also place the bottle on your neck every once in a while to cool yourself off!
Bluetooth Headphones
It takes two to tango, and it’s always a pain in the butt when you’re tangled. Bluetooth headphones are a great way to eliminate cords getting in the way during your workout and allow you to connect to devices that might not be at arm’s reach when you’re on your KICKR.
Sweat Catcher
There’s nothing worse than having to clean up a sweaty trainer mat after a hard effort. Grab yourself a sweat catcher to avoid the big mess. A beach towel can be used as well.
Storage Solution
You’ve gotta store the goods somewhere, right? You can be creative and head to the hardware store to find pouches for tool belts or hang your jersey somewhere on the handlebars to make use of the rear pockets. The epic set up is a trainer specific bike desk that gives you all the space needed for bidons, nutrition and electronics.
Cooling Towel
We all acclimate to heat differently, and for some, training indoors takes some time getting used to. If you can’t handle the heat just yet, having a cooling towel handy on days that you know you’ll be digging a little deeper might help you finish that last interval strong!
Now that you know what tools you need to keep cool, keep the sweat in check, and keep the tunes kicking, you’re on your way to build a big base this season!
Angelo Calilap is a Brooklyn-based bike rider and amateur road racer for The 5th Floor NYC. He discovered a passion for bicycles in 2009 and has since continued to document his journey on two wheels through his photography to this very day.
28 January 2017
Top 5 in my opinion:
Number 1 – buy some new shorts with a quality chamois, you won’t move around and off the saddle as much as outside. A good chamois butter otherwise.
Number 2 – get a very good fan … that downgrades some of the other suggestions. This ensures your heartrate isn’t capped by overheating, so you can work harder/happier.
Number 3 – either pimp up the above by buying a fan with a remote, or buy a BLE/WiFi switch for the fan. This lets you warm up gradually, then cool at the right time.
Number 4 – premium music streaming service like Spotify, so you can tailor your playlists to suit different workouts without adverts.
Number 5 – have a focus for the session, TrainerRoad, or Zwift membership allows dedicated workout choice.