Cooling at the indoor trainer: a fan and a place for training

First check the area around the machine

Put the equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions: the supports are fully open, the bicycle mounts are checked, the floor allows you to stand steadily. Leave a place for safe landing and disembarkation. Moving parts, hot surfaces and wires should be inaccessible to children and animals during operation.

Place the screen so that you don't have to tilt your head back for a long time. Place water, towel and application controls within easy access. If you need to reach for an item through rotating parts, move it to the start. The fan cable and charging should not be under the pedal or in the way of getting off the bike.

How to direct the air flow

Adjust the fan in the position in which you will ride. The flow should reach the body, and not rest against the table or hit only the front wheel. Check the direction at the calm beginning of the lesson, then assess whether the blowing remains sufficient at the working pace. Accommodation that is comfortable for a standing person may not be suitable for a sitting cyclist.

It is not necessary to start with a special model. It is important what the device actually does at an accessible distance: whether it covers the desired area, whether it is possible to change the mode, whether noise interferes. For example, Wahoo HEADWIND offers directional flow and manual or automatic control. This is an example of features worth comparing, not a must-buy for every room.

The fan and ventilation solve different problems

The fan creates a flow around you, but does not necessarily renew the air in the room. Ventilation changes the conditions of the room, but an open window does not guarantee the necessary blowing of the body. Choose a combination that can be maintained throughout the lesson without disturbing other people and without creating a dangerous location of wires near the water.

Don't set one mandatory room temperature for everyone. Conditions, clothing and the nature of the occupation vary. It is more useful to check in advance whether it is possible to reduce the load, stop and change the setting. If you feel unwell, finish the lesson; you don't need to try to save the target watts in an unsuitable room at any cost.

How to protect your bike and electronics from sweat

Prepare a towel and, if using, compatible frame protection. It should not interfere with steering, pedaling or normal cooling of equipment. Do not throw anything on the fan and do not close the openings of the machine. Place the bottle so that if it accidentally falls, the water does not get on the electrical connections.

After the lesson, wipe the surfaces according to the instructions of the bike and equipment, check the attachment points and dry the textiles. Sweat can get under the winding and into the bolt area, so periodic inspection of these places is useful. If corrosion or backlash is detected, contact workshop, and do not tighten everything with arbitrary effort.

The general order of home care shows Trek; take the requirements for cleaning electronics from the manufacturer of your machine.

Why conditions should be recorded

If you are comparing two classes or tests, save not only the result, but also the conditions: room, blowing, power source, duration and subjective sensations. Changing the fan at the same time as changing the training task makes it difficult to understand why the second lesson turned out to be easier.

Imagine two identical job files, but in one case the fan is directed at the case, and in the other it is closed by a table. The difference in impressions does not yet prove a change in FTP or a machine error. First, eliminate the obvious difference in preparation. How to use threshold power, — in a separate article.

A short check before pressing "Start"

1. The bike and the machine are fixed, there is enough space nearby.
2. The flow is directed at the cyclist, control is available.
3. The wires do not interfere with the pedals and immediately, the water is stable.
4. The screen is read in a working position, with a towel at hand.
5. The connection, the task goal, and the end button have been checked.

After that, you can proceed to starting a FATRACING workout. If something doesn't work, find out one at a time: first the connection, then load management, then saving. A fully prepared place makes such checks much easier.