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Reverence: LeMond Revolution

The LeMond Revolution

I read recently that a number of Pros like to ride the turbo for an hour or so before having breakfast in the morning to jump start the old metabolic system. Which means that now I ride the trainer for an hour in the morning before breakfast. I think the Pros probably do it to lose weight, and I do it partly for that reason but also to burn off the hangover which comes as a result of my status as a semi-professional drinker.

I used to ride an old Tacx trainer, but I found riding the device only slightly preferable to shoving bamboo shoots under my fingernails. Then I got a LeMond Revolution and now I actually look forward to my morning sessions. I’d been interested in the LeMond Revolution trainers for some time, but it wasn’t until I discovered that the device is based on a direct-drive trainer that Greg’s coach built for him in the 80’s that I decided to embark on my new morning ritual at the mercy of one. After all, if it was good enough to help LeMan become a Tour de France winner, then surly it was good enough to help me get less fat and become less of a weakling.

The first thing you notice about these little numbers that you remove the rear wheel from your bike and mount the Revolution in its place. This means no wheel slippage on the mag and what amounts to a remarkably pleasant ride feel. The second thing you notice about the trainer is that its bloody hard to spin up; I start crossed in a 53×26 and can hardly turn the pedals at first, but there is no way I’m shifting into my little ring on a trainer on account of my not being a giant sissy. The third thing you notice is that it’s actually fun to ride; I turn on some old Cycling movies and before I know it, I find my buzzer going off indicating the hour has already passed. I had no idea riding a trainer didn’t have to suck.

But lets be clear: we are road cyclists, and we ride on the road. A long ride in the cold wind and rain is preferable to even an hour on an indoor trainer. But trainers do represent an important training tool and as such should be a part of every Cyclist’s arsenal. I’m on it every morning, and as the season looms I’m looking to it more and more for intervals and power work. Not to mention that as I prepare for my Hour ride on Festum Prophetae, I’m training Obree Style on my Revolution.

Before we get too carried away with this indoor riding business, let’s review some examples of acceptable reasons to ride a trainer:

Strength and/or interval training.
Pedaling technique work.
Hour Record simulation training.
Pre-breakfast rides to help lose weight, assuming you still hit the road after breakfast.
Recovery from injury.

Examples of unacceptable reasons to ride a trainer:

Its raining outside and you don’t want to get wet.
Its cold outside and you don’t want to get cold.
Its windy outside and you don’t want to get blown around.
Its cold and wet outside and you don’t want to get cold and wet.
Its cold and wet and windy out and you don’t want to get blown around while getting cold and wet.

[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Revolution/”/]

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

frank says:

Jan 21 2014 at 10:21 am

@Chris

@frank Does this mean you're putting in turbo sessions before your commute? What time are you getting up in the morning or has the book been such a success that you've retired (or been released by your employers to spend more time on activities closer to your heart)?

Turbo from 5am-6am; then breakfast, off to work, rides on the road in the afternoon before it gets too dark. Or on the CX bike in the park.

@Deakus

Your narrow vision continues to limit your progress along the Path. Also note bullet 4 in the article.

@ChrissyOne

(sorry for shitting all over your thread, Frank!)

Not at all; the sidetracks are the best part!
Ron says:

Jan 21 2014 at 10:42 am

I used to ride rollers indoors during the winter months. Then I got lucky and met a VMH who lived 615 miles to the south. My rollers still live back north, with the Olds. I don't miss them. I live a few minutes from trails so now I just jump on the cross bike when I want to get out.

I just decided yesterday that no matter what the weather or temperatures, I'm heading out in the morning. I always plan on riding in the early afternoon, then it arrives and I don't think I've gotten enough work done, can't justify a ride, and then miss it. Screw it, I'm waking up and heading out the door. Great way to start the day by turning the cranks.

ChrissyOne - argh! Isn't that the worst? You either have great, courteous drivers or total lunatics when you are on the nice, open country roads. Same here in NC. They either move to the opposite lane, slow, and wave. Or, they pass within centimeters in a shitty pickup with Cujo in the back. I dream of a middle ground!

In the saddle at 5? Damn, I thought I was tough getting up at 5:51 and taking the dog for a walk...
Optimiste says:

Jan 21 2014 at 10:55 am

@Ruud

@Chris points taken! (certainly about not leaving kids alone in the house); it's personal, which is why I took care to phrase in personal terms-from the (admittedly little) experience I have with these things, I hate them!

Indoor trainers or kids?
cyclebrarian says:

Jan 21 2014 at 11:10 am

@ChrissyOne

Got ya. I live close to my job (about 18km round trip) and want to start commuting soon - just a little hesitant about the idiot drivers in town. However, there's a park on the way home with gravel trails (going to put CX tires on my commuter bike and take advantage of them) (and then more back roads from there to our apartment), so that might minimize some of the risk from drivers.
unversio says:

Jan 21 2014 at 12:10 pm

What's up with this Wahoo Kickr?
PeakInTwoYears says:

Jan 21 2014 at 12:30 pm

@ChrissyOne

Wow, I looked away for a second... Awesome, awesome description of turning a sportbike. I never made it to the track, but your narrative resonated enough to get my blood up. And, of course, you're on an R1. Of course.

I guess the reason I posted that question, aside from hoping for the vicarious sportbike thrill that I got, was that I changed my cornering style on the road bike last year--started turning it more like I turn my mountain bike, staying more over the leaned bike and actually consciously doing a bit of counter-steering on the inside of the bar the way one does on a sportbike. I'm just back on the road bike after a long time off it, but I don't remember doing it this way in the deeps of time, and I immediately started feeling a little better and cornering a little faster.

Wanted to get the perspective of someone who was heavily invested in a variety of tw0-wheeled turns.
ChrissyOne says:

Jan 21 2014 at 1:06 pm

@PeakInTwoYears

@ChrissyOne

Wow, I looked away for a second... Awesome, awesome description of turning a sportbike. I never made it to the track, but your narrative resonated enough to get my blood up. And, of course, you're on an R1. Of course.

I guess the reason I posted that question, aside from hoping for the vicarious sportbike thrill that I got, was that I changed my cornering style on the road bike last year-started turning it more like I turn my mountain bike, staying more over the leaned bike and actually consciously doing a bit of counter-steering on the inside of the bar the way one does on a sportbike. I'm just back on the road bike after a long time off it, but I don't remember doing it this way in the deeps of time, and I immediately started feeling a little better and cornering a little faster.

Wanted to get the perspective of someone who was heavily invested in a variety of tw0-wheeled turns.

It's funny, because I've started to turn my road bike more like I turn my sportbike - pushing my knee out more and pulling my chin toward my inside hand. It feels better, but I don't have it zero'd yet.
I know Frank said he didn't mind, but feel free to hit me up on my blog or Facebook if you want to talk more sport bike talk. They're listed in my profile.
frank says:

Jan 21 2014 at 1:52 pm

@Nof Landrien

Sportcrafters rollers with the resistance drum at the back. Awesome. Add the fork stand for the Sufferfest videos where you know you are going to black out just a little and lose balance. Double awesome.

That's quite a few mentions for Sufferfest. I'm going to have to check that out.
frank says:

Jan 21 2014 at 1:57 pm

@Mike_P

I'm sure the Revolution is a good bit of kit, but by the looks of it, I'd need to build a new wing on the side of my house just to accomodate the thing. And could I really be arsed with the whole back wheel on/off thing. Nah. Oh but I'm forgetting that Frank has a squillion bikes so has no worries on that front.

Seriously? Seriously?

Taking the wheel out and mounting it on the trainer is a fuckton easier than messing about with clumsy trainer mounts and trying to get the tension on the turbo set consistently. Not to mention swapping tires and skewers.

If you lack the skills to be able to easily remove your back wheel, however, I think you might be due for an entirely different discussion before you start worrying about riding the turbo.
frank says:

Jan 21 2014 at 2:04 pm

@Chris

Besides, whilst I'm not a pro, there's no reason why I can't approach my training in as pro like manner as possible, it's more likely to get results than fannying around. I all for the Graham Obree method of reducing the variables down to the rider - that way if I don't go as well or better than last time or as planned, I've only got myself to blame. Can't see how that is in any way Anti V. They're not meant to be a substitute for getting out on the bike but they are complimentary.

Beautiful.

@Ruud

@Chris points taken! (certainly about not leaving kids alone in the house); it's personal, which is why I took care to phrase in personal terms-from the (admittedly little) experience I have with these things, I hate them!

The point is that the trainer is an excellent training tool in addition to riding on the road. It is not meant to replace it under any circumstances.

Reading all the way through to the end of the article would be a lot to expect; I'll start condensing everything down to one paragraph to make sure you lot don't nod off before you get round to hoping onto your Jump To Conclusions Mat.