# DIY recumbent trainer **URL:** \ **Category:** Equipment\ **Created:** [November 28, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845 "2019-11-28T17:55:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mrgoman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mrgoman/32/32048_2.png) [@mrgoman](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mrgoman)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2019, 5:55pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/1 "2019-11-28T17:55:27Z")
Hi all, I’ve got shoulder surgery on 17th December 2019 after dislocating it 4 weeks ago. I’ve had to pull out of Ironman 70.3 in December and 140.6 in March. I’ll be off the bike for 3 months. Hugely frustrating as my fitness was going really well. I decided I needed a solution to keep some bike workouts going during my recovery. I purchased a cheap second hand recumbent trainer and took to it with an angle grinder. I took and old specialized Roubaix that was cracked and my Tacx Neo and made the Recumbent Smart Bike. It works really well even though riding recumbent is taking a bit to get used to. I’m a 40 year old product design engineer who just does management now, but I still like to get my hands dirty… Maybe @Nate_Pearson, chad and @Jonathan could give me some recumbent training advise on the podcast. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/original/3X/8/8/88323c73688664f63c1d1d811a8e2d0bf3780457.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![carytb](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/carytb/32/23710_2.png) [@carytb](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/carytb)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 2:14pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/2 "2019-11-29T14:14:32Z")
You need to send a photo to GCN’s “Hack or Bodge”. It would get my hack of the year award ---
**Author:** ![binhopires](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/binhopires/32/1418_2.png) [@binhopires](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/binhopires)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/3 "2019-11-29T14:20:54Z")
Wow! Have no words. ---
**Author:** ![onemanpeloton](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/onemanpeloton/32/69536_2.png) [@onemanpeloton](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/onemanpeloton)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/4 "2019-11-29T14:26:05Z")
Feature request: More recumbent training plans please Seriously though, nice work!! ---
**Author:** ![Nate\_Pearson](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/nate_pearson/32/117463_2.png) [@Nate\_Pearson](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/Nate_Pearson)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/5 "2019-12-01T17:30:02Z")
This is crazy! I believe that we wouldn’t change any training advice for a recumbent position. So everything that applies to upright would apply to recumbent. I will ask @chad what are your thoughts on it? ---
**Author:** ![TRMailloux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@TRMailloux](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/TRMailloux)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/6 "2019-12-01T18:08:51Z")
I would think this position would impact your FTP and a new ramp test would be in order. ---
**Author:** ![mrgoman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/mrgoman/32/32048_2.png) [@mrgoman](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/mrgoman)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 6:54pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/7 "2019-12-01T18:54:41Z")
Thanks for the encouragement team! I’m having quite major surgery after a dislocation - lots of repair, an avulusion fracture etc. It will be open surgery, so I’ll have a big scar to manage as well. My shoulder will be immobilized for 6 weeks and then very limited movement for another 6 weeks. I’ve knocked 30W off my FTP. The recumbent position takes a bit to get used to, but after only two rides, it’s getting easier. I’ve found the position a lot easier than riding with one hand, which is what I had been doing since my dislocation 4 weeks ago. ---
**Author:** ![jeremybnz](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/jeremybnz/32/28741_2.png) [@jeremybnz](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/jeremybnz)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 9:27pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/8 "2019-12-01T21:27:48Z")
This is incredible!!! Recumbents tend to work your glutes harder, so you might find that a bit odd to begin with, but you should be able to put out more power due to the position, would be interesting to compare an upright vs recumbent ramp test! ---
**Author:** ![chad](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/trainerroad/forum/user_avatar/www.trainerroad.com/chad/32/195_2.png) [@chad](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/u/chad)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/diy-recumbent-trainer/24845/9 "2019-12-05T15:56:40Z")
Hey @mrgoman. I applaud your ingenuity–that’s some can-do attitude in action right there. Very cool. I’ll just echo what @TRMailloux said below in that you’ll just need to perform another ramp (or assessment of some form) to reestablish your recumbent FTP since it’s a distinctly differently movement pattern even though it bears many, many overlaps with upright riding. Years back, I had a nationally competitive handcycle rider in my CompuTrainer classes, and everything worked seamlessly with regard to the workouts and how they scaled perfectly well to his FTP (getting the handcycle into a CT was the biggest, but totally surmountable, challenge). Best of luck, @mrgoman! And keep everyone posted and updated when you find time, eh?