Are the inside trainer workouts helping?

I am very consistent at getting on the trainer during the winter.  I will ride for an hour or two.  Usually I will be on my tour bike on the stand which holds the rear wheel. 

The unit does have a lever that will add greater resistance.  This is a feature that I do not adjust.  This tour bike has a 10 speed cog and 3 chain drives.  My strategy is to work on a steady cadence that ranges 70-90 rpm. My heart rate usually ranges from 70-100 BPM.  This level of effort is less than when I bike outside.  

During the fall I started walking in the mall three times in a week.  I started out at one mile and now I am up to three miles per session.  Yesterday my average heart rate for the hour of walking was 132, which is in zone 4 (67% of the time) for me. That level of exertion is a good workout.  I think that both the cycle trainer and the walking help keep me ready to bike outside.

It has been a month since I rode outside. We had snow that covered the roads, and the thawing left slippery spots. Plus temperatures were well below my 50 degree cut off.  Today was sunny and 50!  Out I went for a two hour ride and I felt great.

The Lesson and what I need to remember.

Every time I return from the ride outside after weeks of indoor training I say, "I had a great ride and that indoor work is helping me to start sharp."

Advice to you.

Do what works for you.  If you are just starting: set a schedule, make a plan, be consistent and test it out to see if it is enough.  You may need to make adjustments.