PAIN Cave Set Up. What's Yours? Photos Please!

[Arnomatic]

Don't underestimate how important having a permanent setup is lol. For me, need to be able to jump on and away you go. Cover etc, all the hassle (although all first world probs) were a barrier.

My bike, dumb trainer and riser block are kept away at one side of the room. The fan, laptop and desk at the other. I completely underestimated how much this 5 minute transfer and set up would put me off riding indoors

[Conza]

Don't underestimate how important having a permanent setup is lol. For me, need to be able to jump on and away you go. Cover etc, all the hassle (although all first world probs) were a barrier.

My bike, dumb trainer and riser block are kept away at one side of the room. The fan, laptop and desk at the other. I completely underestimated how much this 5 minute transfer and set up would put me off riding indoors

Hahaha! Yes. Indeeed. It'd almost be to the point that if someone was asking me - should they get one (indoor smart trainer)? The first & only question is: will it be permanently setup?

If the answer is essentially a no, then so is the recommendation .

Day dreaming about future perm setup, but also the standard - "how quiet etc. will all of the trainers be" in a few years time (hopefully silent. But they kind of already are?)

[TobinHatesYou]

Hahaha! Yes. Indeeed. It'd almost be to the point that if someone was asking me - should they get one (indoor smart trainer)? The first & only question is: will it be permanently setup?

If the answer is essentially a no, then so is the recommendation .

Day dreaming about future perm setup, but also the standard - "how quiet etc. will all of the trainers be" in a few years time (hopefully silent. But they kind of already are?)

I think a functioning KICKR18 is psychoacoustically the most "silent" trainer there is, followed by a Saris H3 and the Tacx Neo 2T. In reality they're all silent enough geared drivetrains are louder and unless you're specifically heat acclimation training, you're going to have a noisy fan or three turned on full blast.

Given how much indoor training I do, a Stages Smartbike SB20 or evolution of that will probably end up in my garage. It just depends on when my Hammer or the cheapo generic bike attached to it fail.

[Pottermouse]

All true.

I am half way there - moved from dumb wheel on trainer (replace skewer with turbo skewer, clamp to bike, lift flywheel, clamp control to bars) to wheel-on trainer controlled by phone (drop wheel out of bike; put on trainer; clamp quick release). That 145 seconds saved at the start and end of each session is massive!

[dgasmd]

Personally, I think if you are going to have a trainer set up AND use it frequently, you owe it to yourself to have a permanent bike attached to it. You could even get a super cheap bike with a single speed, as components and such its a non-issue. This is all good, but the most important part should be that the trainer bike has the same fit on you as the other/s you regularly use outside.

[GaBa]

How about rollers? No setting up, you just pun your bike on them and off you go. Sincer there are now rollers with resistance... might be a solution and then you don't need specific bike for indoor.

[TobinHatesYou]

How about rollers? No setting up, you just pun your bike on them and off you go. Sincer there are now rollers with resistance... might be a solution and then you don't need specific bike for indoor.

Rollers are rollers. Even the ones with resistance only go up to 600-700W or so at expected RPMs. Not great if you’re in a Zwift race.

They force you to concentrate on staying upright, which isn’t great when you’re 4min into a 5min max effort.

[kytyree]

I was a fan and defender of rollers for many years, but even though I still have mine I prefer any of the different modern trainers I've used.

Definitely agree with having everything set up. If I bring a cold drink with me I have everything I need to start riding right by my setup.

I'm curious if I'll get the bug for an indoor bike at some point. They'll have to offer something more than what they do now for me to make the switch. Be better integrated into things like Zwift, steering, the Climb, buttons and joysticks, I don't know. But the indoor bikes need to do more I think for me to really get into them. I've realized that almost any frame that allows me to achieve my fit points will work and I've got no shortage of old parts suited for indoor use. So until the price difference comes down or the indoor bikes add something I'm missing, I think I'll wait.

[Conza]

Personally, I think if you are going to have a trainer set up AND use it frequently, you owe it to yourself to have a permanent bike attached to it. You could even get a super cheap bike with a single speed, as components and such its a non-issue. This is all good, but the most important part should be that the trainer bike has the same fit on you as the other/s you regularly use outside.

I actually had a perm bike attached to my temp setup. . Fathom that! So even with NOT having to add or detach the bike each time, all the rest was just too much approx 5min minimum I guess faffing around?

Old bike I everested on, and got t-boned, so some damage to a few things but frame is ok, took off brakes (don't need those! and gave the DA's to upgrade my wife's brakes), sold the wheels... etc.

Now that I sold the kickr18 - basically starting process of building it up into wet weather commuter / climbing bike heh.

But yeah, definitely agree - either perm specific smart trainer bike, OR old/cheap bike with basics (no need for wheels/tyres/tubes/brakes).

[surfinguru]

Our son just moved out so I finally got my home office / pain cave setup going. (Found a great use for the box the Kickr came it!) I will have to work out a better table set up though as the wife will soon have her setup next to mine.

Pic is post ride, so I usually have an iPad for Zwift Companion and a variable speed fan controller connected to a simple fan, which you can see in the corner of the picture. (The fan controller is the bomb!)

[fiber]

The exercise bike is for her, the road bike for me. Every now and then I ride on rollers (behind the trainer), and at times I have my TT bike here.

We plastered the photo wall this morning. I shot it on Madeira in 2016. A work trip that allowed us to trek and ride as well

[OnTheRivet]

I'm surprised how many people use their "good" bike on trainers. I made that mistake, after one broken carbon dropout I ended up building a cheap trainer bike that I leave on my setup. Also, no sweat corrosion on my pricey Dura Ace Di2 shifters.

[fiber]

I've been riding and racing both of my "better" bikes indoors actively for 3-4 years (half-season). No issues with breaking anything. Towels help but some stem and bottle cage bolts have been rusted and have needed to be replaced. It is quite a lot safer for the bike indoors compared to outdoors where there is wet sand, potholes and race crashes.

[kppolich]

Here is my unfinished basement bike room.

In the future it will likley be rearranged, get a fresh coat of paint, and maybe some vinyl flooring. I'd like a larger worktop and to get rid of the kitchen buffet table in the future. I really like the temperature of this space (54-60F) in the winter. The room also has our home furnace in it, so it does heat up quick when that runs.
Best investments have been the Wahoo Kickr, Foundation ceiling mount bike work stand, and the smart outlet I have attached to the fan so I can turn it on/off while riding.

Pics!

[TonyM]

Why do you have a mirror in front of you? Amy special reason beside looking at yourself suffering LOL?