Let's see your paincave!

Not that you need it, but you have my approval. :smiley:

Awesome setup!

1 Like

Moved a few months ago. New pain corner:

And the squat rack is now in the garage with enough room to do overhead press.

28 Likes


Recently moved and the new pain cave is a work in progress (I’ll post when it’s done). I was wondering if anyone has ever mounted a fan on the wall behind their bike to blow on their back, and if so, what was the solution?

7 Likes

I don’t think a tailwind will help you on a trainer. :grin:

7 Likes

Yes, sort of. I simply use another Lasko that I have raised up slightly on a box, then use the fan’s ‘tilt’ feature to angle onto my lower back. Activated by one of those cheap remote control things, it works perfectly. Two Lasko’s in the front, and one in the back seems (for me) a good setup.

So I guess the issue is that I have my trainer right up against the wall so I don’t have space to put another Lasko (I have two in front). If I move the trainer forward, I block my sliding door.

I’ve seen wall mounted options for the front. No reason a rear setup couldn’t work. But fan type (blower vs circular) and placements of them all will be important.

I’m a strong advocate for rear fans and think more people can benefit from them once they try them.

1 Like

A standing fan, on a plastic box (to get the height right), just off to the side…maybe 45 deg angle (don’t have space directly behind either). Still blows onto my back

I’m setting up my new pain cave and wondering if anyone has any rubber mat recommendations. I just want to protect my hardwood floors and don’t care about logos as long as the mat doesn’t fall apart after a few months. I’m also not a super drippy sweater so it doesn’t need to be a dry suit for my floor.

I got a Kasmet one after reading reviews maybe this was one of them. https://www.bestproductsreviews.co.uk/bicycle-trainer-mat

Ive been quite happy with its robustness with it being strong enough to move about with the turbore and bike on top. I maybe should have looked at the size before I ordered as the standard size is not long enough for both wheels but that is actually fine for me.

We moved and I got to upgrade my pain cave. Much more room, and I have incorporated some free weights and a custom storage solution for bikes and wheels. Some bikes and wheels haven’t made the trip yet, but I’m proud enough of it to share pics so far. Component storage in the white cabinets, and the tv stand is on wheels so I can move it around for viewing anywhere in that part of the basement.


I have a work bench with pegboard and light coming soon, as well as a large rubber gym floor mat.

28 Likes

Question to all paincave owners!

Moving into a new build house [in the UK] in the new year which will come with a double garage that i will be commandeering for a pain cave space [turbo set up + squat rack etc.]. A major upgrade from the living room of my current flat…

This will just come as the shell [e.g. exposed brick on the inside, concrete floor etc.], but the developers have asked if we want to ask for any quotes for additional building work as it progresses.

I was thinking of asking for the builders to insulate / plasterboard the garage walls and roofing to make the space a bit nicer. I will then buy some horse stall type matts for the flooring.

Is this necessary / would anyone have any suggestions for additional extras i should get quotes for to make the space feel less like a garage and more like a gym?

Thanks!

2 Likes

Depending upon what you use for TR / entertainment, think about power outlets and internet connectivity. Plus outlets for fans. Garages don’t usually have many power out, so solve that now.

Also maybe nicer ceiling lighting

5 Likes

This might sound like a no brainer, but I would build some kind of mood board to get an aim of what you are after. For example, I would love a pain cave that has luxury gym vibes to it, while still being easy to clean etc.

Things I would look at:

  • Material use
  • Wall sockets
  • Flooring
  • Lighting
  • Ventilation

Of course it all comes down to how picky you are, but a nice space goes a long way when it comes to motivation during trainer season :slight_smile:

So I would aim to have something like this as inspiration, and then work backwards to see if there are certain things you can ask for to get the right vibes:





One thing all these have in common is good lighting, as well as using the space to get airy feeling, as well as lots of wood to counteract the harshness of the training utilities :slight_smile:

Also, maybe see if they can make sure that you want an ethernet port in the garage so you can have a router in there for the trainer etc?

10 Likes

Good point. They are in the UK so not sure what codes is but NEC in the US is only 1 20 amp outlet per vehicle bay compared to 1 every 6ft of wall in most parts of a residence. That isn’t the exact code but close enough to make the point that if a 2 car garage was a room in the house it would have 6+ outlets in most cases vs 2 if we just built to code.

If the main panel isn’t going to be in the garage the easiest thing for future proofing while it is all open would be sub panel in the garage that can handle an EV down the road. That would also work well for supplying power to a mini split if you wanted to get some heat/cooling, guessing UK code is similar to the US and a ducted HVAC system can’t be tied into the garage and the residence.

Since the R value of brick is terrible (live in a 3/2 wythe brick house) I’d definitely look into at least building it in a way you can easily finish out the space later. As in stud out the inside now and have the outlets placed in a way that works to come back and insulate/finish the walls.

I have done it for years in a single layer garage and it is blinking freezing in winter, baking in the height of summer. But I’ve got through it.

Life will be much easier if you have insulation, power sockets and fans sorted.

And the more appealing the place is to be the easier it will be to get up and into it when the weather is bad.

Being able to store clothing without fear of damp/rot is useful too for changing.

1 Like

yep this is me. 86f as i type this and it gets up to 90. june and july are brutal. in the winter it gets down to 55f or so, which is pretty refreshing actually, so i don’t mind it. but yeah, june and july…

81 and 70% humidity for my threshold session in the garage cave this morning. Got through it pretty well though, TBH. The first couple of weeks when it gets like this really suck, but eventually I just adapt. (Garage is uninsulated, but I have plenty of power outlets and run 3 blower fans!)

1 Like

same. lots of fans and a dehumidifier i have to empty 2x a day to knock down the humidity to 45% or so

I would die. I have the a/c cranked and a fan blasting on me.

1 Like