Kinetic by Kurt

An unusual southeasterly flow is just stacking up the snow – the upper Cottonwoods and Park City ridge line now have about 18 to 36” of snow since the storm started on Tuesday the 14th, with water equivalents of 2 to 4”.
-Utah Avalanche Center


The discipline required to stay off the skis this week has been monumental. The mountains have been pulling at me like a black hole and cycling outside has been nearly impossible with non stop sleet and snow. Even fellow team member Jeremiah Bishop recognized the challenge I was facing and sent me an encouraging email:
“Cold rain here in Virgina as well, ride the trainer, that’s what I’m doing!”
I can’t remember the last time I rode a trainer, maybe 5-6 years ago. I’m an outside kind of guy and when the weather is bad here in the Wasatch it means snow and I just get my workout climbing up mountains on skis. The problem is, It’s April, and bike season, and this weekend is the Sea Otter Classic, one of the largest mountain bike races in the US. I really should be riding my bike.

So on the trainer I went. At least it was not just any trainer, this is a monavie green Kinetic by Kurt Rock and Roll trainer.

I guess the challenge I’ve  had in the past with indoor riding is the lack of realism, it always felt like a completely different sport. The Rock and Roll trainer takes realism to a whole new level and is the only trainer I have seen that delivers natural side-to-side motion. The heavy flywheel also provides the most realistic ride and coast-down I have ever experienced and actually feels similar to the road. The resistance unit provides a very smooth  and repeatable workload and is so quiet I could watch Seinfeld at a normal volume. Set up was solid and easy and with the Riser Ring that was provided for the front wheel I felt comfortable doing a couple Chipolini interpretations.

So I am the first to admit I am no trainer expert. I don’t have the expereince of some I know who watch multiple full length DVD’s while riding indoors. I am not a convert to indoor training and have no plans to abandon skiing as my means of winter exercise. In fact, I only rode this one for about 30 minutes and only because I needed to be on the bike before a big event. But, I must say it was by far the most realistic indoor trainer session I have ever had and I am no longer afraid to mount up the bike indoors in fear of boredom.

Now, I just need to resist the pull of the mountains for one more day…

-Bart