Hell Yes, I'm Going Out in That!

Why it’s worth facing down the elements.

- Joe Lindsey

In recent years, indoor training has become such a richly connected world of interactive workouts, social engagement, and virtual environments that some people choose indoor workouts even when the weather’s fine. The tech geek in me had become increasingly intrigued, so I finally got a smart trainer last year. 

It’s still sitting in its box, unused. 

I’ve just never liked riding inside – an aversion that dates back more than two decades, to a time when I had visions of being a racer, and my friends and I would one-up each other with tales of increasingly masochistic (which made them largely counterproductive) indoor trainer sessions.

Aside from bad fever-dream recollections of these thrashings, you miss out on a lot if you avoid the outdoors. For one thing, you tend to pedal in squares – thanks in part to the ‘resistance’ feel of many trainers, though they’re improving, and also because the bike is fixed and doesn’t move with you like it does on the road or trail. You also won’t hone your handling ability if you don’t have to steer and brake (even in the most energetic Spin class, your muscles get a workout but your pack skills don’t). You can also lose your resilience for less-than-ideal weather conditions, and your knack for assembling the jigsaw puzzle of the proper clothing to wear.