Getting the most of out the computrainer

harrast

I'm looking for some critical suggestions for improving my computrainer use.  I'm in my third season training with the wonderful gadget, and I've learned a lot about how to use it, but I know there are peeps who have secrets to share.  Here's my configuration:

I keep my bike set up on the traininer in the cave, and I have a microphone stand where I attach the head unit.  I keep the CT software on my laptop. When I want to ride, I bring my laptop into the cave, plug in the USB, add some butt cream, and I'm riding.  I do a 25 min. warmup, calibrate, then start my main set.  I keep a big fan right in front of the bike, and I drape a towel over the aerobars to wipe my face.  I keep my perform on the bike, and I eat out of my bento box.  Not very exciting, but it works okay. 

 

Some things I don't use and maybe should? 

I hardly ever use spin scan or analyze my pedal stroke. I just can't seem to get my cadence sensor to work consistently.  Thoughts?

I don't hook up to or use the internet for any type of group rides or competition.  Should I?

I haven't used any of the real course videos or anyhing other than the standard 3D software.  Am I missing out?

 

Some things I use and maybe I shouldn't?

I use the small sceen on my laptop to view the course and all metrics.  It's so small that I can't aways make out what it says. 

I use the coaching software extensively to run the workouts that I create (using a web tool).  This gives me exactly the power output that I want for my workout.  I rely heavily on the coaching software.

All  comments welcome and appreciated

Gene

I'm also interested in peoples' opinions.  I do not have a computrainer so I have nothing to add.  I do have a regular fluid 2 and a quarq on my bike.  What are the true advantages of the computrainer?  I can't get past the calibration every ride after a warmup. I would think for the price it should be a bit more advanced. 

Gene

[Deleted User]

I know I don't use mine to the full potential...but now I LOVE hooking it up to Trainer Road. I can create my workouts then hook it up and TR guides me and the computrainer for my power and intervals. I could never figure out how to create workouts for the CT....with TR it's easy. TR screen can be big so you can easily see the metrics. I know...$10 more bucks a month..but for me worth every penny.

tim cronk

I got one word. Trainnerroad. I gave up trying to learn how to use my comptrainer to its full potential. Way above my skillset. Trainnerroad makes it easy like it should have been all along!

Tom Glynn

one more word, TrainerRoad.

I actually figured out how to use all the CT software over the years. It's difficult, poorly designed and was ready for a major revamp years ago. Their new software is 5 years behind TrainerRoad already.

I bought the CT about 6 years ago because of all the cool graphics, spin scan etc. I quickly learned that the real value was writing your own workouts in their erg mode. I wrote all the EN workouts. It was great. Pedaling was the only thing to worry about.

I have a laptop that is connected to a TV screen to run TR and CT.

Now with the advent of TrainerRoad, there are tons of rides, many similar to EN style. Some sync with Sufferfest videos for fun and entertainment.

I've got a Kurt Kenetic trainer also, and the CT is just much better. Just pedal and not worry about anything else.

Having said all that, there is a DC Rainmaker review out that says there is a better product (Wahoo Fitness??) coming out early 2013 and if you haven't purchased a CT yet, wait.

Yes, it's expensive and the software is awful, but I've got great use out of mine for many years. Wears like a tank.

roblroy2

I have used CT for two years now and really love the real course videos. The videos cause you to have to shift a lot to maintain the proper wattage over hills and descents just like in real life riding. But their software is really antiquated, even the new version. But it does work just fine and the hardware is very durable. I second the DC Rainmaker post, here's the link.

http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2012/10/my-2012-trainer-recommendations-early.html

He loves the Wahoo Fitness KICKR but it isn't out quite yet. Looks really smart because it is open source and so anyone can write applications for it.

robin sarner

Strong argument from me just to use in ergo mode.      No computer to mess with.         Can have just one wire to the computrainer monitor.      Just dial in the watts for where you are in the workout.       Simple.      I watch tv during easy parts of the workout.      Pandora heavy metal for hard parts of the workout.    As long as your legs are moving, you are doing the workout. 

roblroy2

Last night I hooked up my CT to the Trainer Road software and absolutely loved it.  I know that member John Stark is working with the people at TR and some volunteer EN folks to get all of our OS training rides available in a special portal section soon.  However, if you download their beta software, the custom workout creator is drop dead easy to use.  I just setup tomorrow morning's workout and am excited to ride it.  You put your FTP on your profile, and all of the workouts are created in %'age of FTP so it adapts to you really easily.  If you have any questions, check the EN forums on TrainerRoad, or drop me a note.  I just started using it, but it is a breath of fresh air from the antiquated CT software.

ECherullo

 I am new to this forum and have been on the CT for a year - agreed it seems complicated / occasionally antiquated.  I seem to have successfuly uploaded a GPX file from Map My Ride of the IMMT course and converted it t a 3Dc file for the CT about 4 months ago.  I tried to reporduce this effort for Syracuse 70.3 and seem to be either not remembering how I did it or there is some roadblock in the way.

So, what is the easiest way to "practice" ride a course on the CT of my planed races for 2013 (IMMT and Syracuse 703)?  

Thanks all.

 

-ed

ECherullo

I was able to get the cadence sensor to work by having the pedal component NEARLY TOUCH the frame component with every stroke - works perfectly now. I have heard this from many CT owners.

-ed

Darren Freeman

Declaimer: I have nothing against engineers, all my very close college friends are mechanical engineers. I just have issue with a few of the design decisions for the CT

I bought a CT from my fellow club and EN buddy John Withrow recently. I love and hate it at the same time.. I love it because it kicks my @#!$# and pushes me to train better and harder than I would if I jumped on my bike and hit the roads for a ride, but that is what you get when you train with Power. I hate it for more practical reasons because the engineers who built it are engineers and not software developers, but I can get over the software part of the equation as it is functional and does what I want it to do. I'm a software guy by day and deal with software bugs and issues all the time so that doesn't bug me so much. I probably won't ever upgrade to their RacerMateOne software as it might have more functionality but in many ways still looks like it was built in the 1970's, not a big step up for me. I do question some of their engineering skills and logic because they are still producing parts of it like it was designed in the era of video arcade machines and Apple IIc computers. I can understand their logic of not going with a wireless controller to the load generator because the communication frequency used with SpinScan is too fast for BlueTooth and ANT+, but they could update the rest of the setup to eliminate some of the wires for the HR monitor and cadence to ANT+ instead of another wire with a sensor on it. I'm currently using my Garmin HR monitor and using ctANT+ to connect with my computer and it works just great. The other benefit of using ctANT+ is whenever I buy a PowerTap I can double check my CT watts against the PowerTap watts to ensure my calibration is correct, nice slick benefit.

Overall it is a great tool and is going to help me prepare for my first IM in Lake Placid. It just could use some practical updates. Many competitors are starting to put out their own version of a CT and they clearly are going in the right direction. Completely wireless, but CT is still the leader at the moment.

Great tool. Enjoy!

Other specifics about what I love and hate about it.

Loves:
CS Charts ERG Mode - It keeps me honest. I particular like that it forces me to spin a particular wattage regardless of which gear. I make my own ERG files for the Coaching Software on my interval workouts so I don't have to touch the headset to adjust the wattage. Once you know how to do it, it is pretty easy.

SpinScan - Great! Helps me work on recovering power that I'm losing by not pedaling correctly.

Hates:
3D Software - I don't really hate it, but it is pretty boring.. I usually like to run Netflix on my TV with CS Charts mode from an ERG file in the background and then I don't need to think about it. Just pedal..

Cadence sensor - Really?!?! The engineers can't make an update that will work on ANT+ instead of a wire and cheap magnet, so instead they make some bulky hockey puck type thingy that sits on the floor. Come on.. Totally what I would expect an engineer form 1970's to do.

Posilock rear mount stand - My issue with the stand is that it isn't wide enough. I have a P2 and it barely fits the axle between the brackets when they are completely extended out. I have a Cyclops fluid 2 trainer and I don't have this problem.

Axle Brackets - When mounting my P2, I nearly scratch the frame and my rear derailleur every single time I mount it because the sharp edges on the axle bracket holders. Again my Cyclops trainer doesn't have this issue. The other thing is there is barely any room between my frame and the bracket nearly scratching my frame some more, so I have to shim the axle bolt to give my frame some breathing room so it won't get damaged.

Wires hanging all over my bike - total pain to mount and un-mount my bike if I want to head outside for a ride. I'll eventually reduce this by setting up a controller stand.


My Dedicated Computrainer Setup:
1x Computrainer - Of course!
32" Dynex LCD TV
Dell Computer Inspiron 660s - used for more than CT
ctANT+
Garmin HR Monitor

Future Upgrades:
PowerTap
CT Controller Stand
Cadence Sensor - considering upgrading to a better magnet on my crank. The small one that comes with the CT is just too wimpy for me.

harrast

Okay, I just learned something. I can get a piece of software (ctANT+) and use my garmin heart strap instead of the Polar thing. I likey. I likey lots. It also accepts input from other ANT+ devices such as a Quarq. Where has this knowledge been hiding?

I did purchase the head unit stand from CT about a year ago. It's nice to have a place where all the wires can go. I also had to purchase a new metal hook for the head unit because the stand diameter was larger than my original part.

Trainer road sounds great, but I'm doing fine right now creating my workouts in a text file (using a web tool) then running them in the coaching software.

The CT is kind of like an old VW Bug. A little querky, but it's okay once you learn to work around its issues.

robin sarner

Darren agree with all.

Eventually will probably replace our Computrainers with Wahoo Kickrs.

Darren Freeman

If you are cheap like me... I'm really not cheap but I like to save a buck here and there but also I like to play with gadgets, data and software. You will also want try an application called Golden Cheetah..

http://goldencheetah.org/

You can import all your performance files and files from all sorts of things like your GPS units, etc and it will use the data for all sorts of geeky power and bike related calculations. It will show you your entire power curve and you can compare your rides against your total power to see how you performed. That number I used for my initial FTP value was just the CP value for now until I can do a real FTP test.

Basically it is suppose to do all the same stuff that WKO+ from Training Peaks does without the price tag. Documentation is thin for the software but if you play with it you can figure it out. Before joining EN I bought "TRAINING AND RACING WITH A POWER METER, 2nd ED" by the guys who created WKO+. I still have to get through it but it is a good addition to understanding what it all means if you like that kind of thing.

Darren Freeman

Steve.. Can you post the link to the web tool you use to generate your erg files. Haven't found that one yet..

Dino Sarti

I am waiting for the Kickr. I love DCRainmaker and think he is right on. Open source, ANT+ and Bluetooth smart. Give it a few months and developers will have some crazy good stuff for it. Plus, it is direct connect like my LeMond Revolution. It's means no tire inflation, no trainer wheels. Just drop your bike on to the cassette on the trainer. I actually saw them live at Interbike this year and they are well made and very quite compared to either my LeMond or Cycleops fluid trainer.

harrast

Darren, here's the address for the ERG set up website:

http://63.134.234.143/tri/erg.asp

It's pretty self explanatory. After you enter the data, click save. Then open your saved workout using the CT coaching software (install this if you haven't already). I've been using it for about a year without any trouble.

Darren Freeman

Thanks Steve.. Neat little tool. Although it only does watts and you can't ramp them up or down. Not a big deal though, you can always manually edit it after the file is created.

I've thought about making a similar tool in Excel. It really wouldn't be too difficult. Maybe when I have some free time.