It all started with garage rollers
“My whole life story started with BMX, where our coaches in Chomutov made us ride rollers to get our legs spinning,” Gasperotti recalls. Back then, the rollers were nothing more than a homemade construction with bearings. A cyclist would place their rear wheel on it and pedal into the void. “It was mainly to warm up. Simply a trainer made in Czechoslovakia,” he laughs.
Later, when he transitioned to downhill racing—where riders become more like timed sprinters—the trainer took on a different significance. “In downhill, you need to build endurance, but you also need explosiveness. Back then, we used trainers where the rear wheel was pressed against an aluminium roller. That roller, combined with magnets, created resistance, and you adjusted the load with a lever,” he explains.
Covid boost
Although Gasperotti used trainers occasionally, he received an offer from Garmin one day. “I thought to myself, I don’t need this for my kind of riding. I climb hills and pedal in nature—why would I need a trainer at home? It felt like someone was offering me a luxury SUV when all I needed was an off-road beater,” he says of his initial feelings.
But then, during the boom in indoor training caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, he tested the Tacx Neo 2T smart trainer, which pairs with an app and simulates real rides. “Suddenly, I had a tablet in front of me, I could see the route, and when I started climbing, the resistance increased automatically. It worked. It was different from before when I would just stare at a movie and pedal aimlessly,” he says.
Virtual races
Gaspi gradually tried apps like Tacx, Rouvy, and Zwift. “Suddenly, I was racing against other people—like this Japanese guy trying to overtake me. It pushed me. That competitiveness makes you pedal harder than if you were training alone,” he says. “My wife thinks I’m crazy when I’m shouting at home that I won’t let that Japanese guy beat me.”
According to Gaspi, Tacx focuses on its own trainers and a simple route visualisation app. “It feels a bit like the ‘80s—you’re staring at a screen while you ride. But the good thing is Tacx can be paired with other apps, too.”
Gaspi’s favourite is Rouvy, a Czech-developed app. “It’s realistic. You see real scenery and people, and the trainer reacts instantly to changes in gradient. You start climbing, and you feel the resistance immediately.”
Zwift, on the other hand, is more of a game, according to him. “A virtual world, volcanoes, lava, fog. Cool for some, but I prefer reality. It’s like playing PlayStation on a bike,” he laughs.
Training and fun in the living room
Gaspi spends about an hour and a half on the trainer a few times a week, especially in winter. Initially, he thought it was unnecessary, but now he enjoys it. “I mix up terrains. On Tacx, it’s great that it simulates the surface. You ride gravel, and the trainer vibrates under your rear. On Rouvy, I like the realistic environment and quick response.”
Gaspi has even tried freestyle tricks on his trainer. “I ride a mountain bike on it, using it as a manual trainer or even to refine tricks like Superman or can-can. It works, and the trainer holds up.”
Futher tips
Gaspi advises putting a towel under the trainer because you’ll sweat. It’s also essential to have water and chain lube designed for indoor use nearby. “Bikeworkx Indoor, a dry wax-based lube, won’t stain your clothes or floor,” he says, adding that modern trainers are quiet. “Neighbours won’t complain, even if you’re riding the Tour de France in your living room,” Gasperotti concludes.
