[Closed] Rollers

Yeah, really tear your technique apart I find. Struggle to do more than half an hour at a time personally, but you can get a warmup and some intervals in in that time.

Yeah I'm just thinking of doing 20min technique sessions on them, not so much for intervals, just learning to spin a bit more effectively.

Recent convert.

I like how they do show how terrible my pedalling technique is - I'm really trying to improve it now and I think it will help my riding.

I set them up in the hallway, which is tiled, as I find I can use the walls to give me a little bit of a confidence boost. Would be terrified in the middle of a room.

Rachel

like my rollers a lot, good session kicking about on the web spin ups etc. much more enjoyable than turbo

Yeah, I took delivery of some last week. So far I've spent about ten minutes on them in the garage doorway. For at least five of those I wasn't holding on to the door-jam for grim death, and even then I was staring at the main door at the far end like I was trying to burn holes in it with my eye lasers 🙂

Building myself up to riding clipped in...

Been using them for a month or so. They're very easy to learn, 15mins in a doorframe and you're good. I've dismounted a few times when absolutely churning or right at the end of sessions when I could barely even see.

All the people who struggle with them must either have heinous pedal strokes, terrible balance or both. They're much easier than their reputation would suggest.

Funny isn't it, how we look at things differently - I would be terrified of riding on it *not* clipped in!!

Rachel

[i]All the people who struggle with them must either have heinous pedal strokes, terrible balance or both[/i]

Hi there! 🙂

To be fair, after the first scarey five minutes, you fairly quickly get the hang of it and I can totally see how they force a smooth pedal stroke and a strong core.

It is like riding on ice though...

Thanks, cadence and pedalling technique is a big thing for me over the winter so I'm hoping they'll help me spin a better circle.

As for learning, the Youtube videos are scary enough! I saw one a while back where a guy attempts to bunyhop sideways off a set!

Thanks all!

good session kicking about on the web

linky?

I love the rollers, look forward to a session on them 🙂 Did my first turbo sess last night since Feb, realised just how much i prefer rollers to turbo. But rollers not suitable for max effort work. My pedalling technique has come on loads with weekly roller sessions.

I’m lucky/ unlucky that I ride to work everyday, so get at least 26 miles in, and will always try and extend the run home even if it’s just by a half hour.  I went with a set of rollers with a resistance unit when my daughter was born, and use these when I’m in alone (daughter in bed) and MrsB is out, so have used them in all seasons for the last 2 years.  I can generally tolerate just over an hour with some music on.  I’ve tried turbo’s but just cannot get motivated to really lay it down with them, so I’m quite happy to spin with the rollers as it’s only a spot of bonus exercise.  One of the lads I ride with, will pack away his bikes for the winter at the end of October, and just move to the turbo doing sessions of up to 3-4 hours; I would rather drink tramps urine.  But he holds his fitness well over the winter. 

Anyone tried rollers on an mtb with nobblies?

Secret to riding rollers is just looking ahead and not thinking about what is beneath you.
Only comedy off's I've had has been trying to hop on and off. Still can't do it.

Rollers rock, both for technique and interval work. I do all my sessions on them, Tabata, Sufferfest, you name it.

They can be used with nobblies but IMO I'd only go that route for warm up before races.

Tabata, Sufferfest

Yeah I use the Elite V-Arion Parabolic Inertial ones. I can get over 600 watts with a 53 * 12, without scaring myself too much.

Interesting. I need to get a new turbo but had been toying with the idea of rollers with resistance. Decisions, decisions...

bikeradar has some sessions or for improving cadance 1 min on max cadence without bumpingin seat 1 min off

or if you have a cadence sensor increse cadence every min or 2 ina pyramid from 90-140 and back down (or a high as you can get if not to 140 to start with)

great piece of kit - I use mine mainly for anaerobic workouts (50mins 150/155bpm), good for technique and can get heatrate max without resistance (just gears)

mix things up with high cadence work
start next to a wall and use elbow to help - after letting go you'll be flying within a few minutes!

good for HRM workouts.

As i only have a cross bike, do rollers work ok with cx tyres if pumpwed up hard enough? Turbo's just seem to munch rear tyres.

I want to turn mine into these

You want some flintone rollers

[img] [/img]

Do the free motion ones from Tricky's link negate some of the 'control' that normal rollers force you to have/gain?

As i only have a cross bike, do rollers work ok with cx tyres if pumpwed up hard enough? Turbo's just seem to munch rear tyres.

They'll work but they'll be VERY noisy and uncomfy. And probably quite scary.

If you really want to improve pedal stroke, cadence etc, ride rollers on a fixed gear.

Do the free motion ones from Tricky's link negate some of the 'control' that normal rollers force you to have/gain?

They feel more natural and you can sprint out of the saddle without fear of coming off them. You still have to learn to control the bike but it feels more like riding on road

Fair enough. It's interesting to see how much they move, I can't quite get my head around the forces involved...

Anyone tried rollers on an mtb with nobblies?

Technique is everything, but unplanned dismounts are not really an event.

Personally, I prefer the road, but I like the engineering.

EDIT: and I've posted this tip before, but use a small front headlight, shining on a wall/garage door and focus on keeping that in a fixed area. Helps immensely.

If you really want to improve pedal stroke, cadence etc, ride rollers on a fixed gear.

Another recent convert here. Loving them over the turbo, certainly a lot more engaging and not so mind numbingly boring. Didn't find them too hard to get used to, but found setup quite critical. You want to get the roller as close to directly under the front hub as possible. If it's too far forward you reduce trail and make it very difficult to steer/stay upright.

Oh - and also on resistance, drum size makes a big difference. I started off on some borrowed Tacx rollers and found them on the border of being hard enough - I could wind up my biggest gear fairly easily. I subsequently bought some JetBlack aluminum rollers with a smaller drum and they are much more difficult to push around. been toying with the idea of the free motion conversion as well, but don't think the floor of my shed is level enough...

Does anyone have a rough idea how noisy rollers are or have recommendations for quiet ones? I’d be using it in the kitchen of a ground floor Victorian flat so vibration shouldn’t be a problem for the neighbours but I like them so I don’t want to piss them off too much with general noise.

Fixed gear road bike with conti gator skins if that makes a difference.

a lot less noisy than a wind resistance turbo. Alu drums and smooth tyres make them quieter as well.

I only feel safe if it's on the garage floor between 2 motorbikes, but just sold 1, so not sure how that'll work now and it's dull, even with the radio on..........

a lot less noisy than a wind resistance turbo. Alu drums and smooth tyres make them quieter as well.

Thanks. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ve ever heard a wind resistance turbo. How loud (above normal) would I have to have radio 4 to be able to hear gardeners question time.

Quieter than my "old" turbo, but a long way from silent. I can easily hear my laptop play music when its in front of me when I'm training though.

Getting off in a controlled fashion when you're completely spanked can be a bit interesting.

exactly 12dB....

What i want to know is why haven't they developed rollers further? Why not use electro magnets to create better resistance? I much prefer rollers but need to use turbo for hard resistance stuff

Are there any rollers that are better suited to out-of-the-saddle mashing?

Are there any rollers that are better suited to out-of-the-saddle mashing?

They all are, technique limiting. However the parabolic ones do give a certain amount of leeway when things get off centre a little.

Cheers, I'm tempted as my turbo is useless for out of saddle stuff, and I miss the power data when I'm using my spinning bike!

What i want to know is why haven't they developed rollers further? Why not use electro magnets to create better resistance? I much prefer rollers but need to use turbo for hard resistance stuff

200 rpm in top on 3.25? rollers is a fair bit of resistance already!

pedalhead - Member
Are there any rollers that are better suited to out-of-the-saddle mashing?

The free-motion type setups as linked above definitely better for out of the saddle efforts.

Cheers Sam, I feel a project coming on...

Here's a little vid to give you some idea of the noise. I took this about a year ago, when I was learning how to use them, so wanted to review my 'form' (which was pretty dreadful). They are sat on a suspended wooden floor, so really loud, and the rattle is from the drive band hitting the floor at certain revs.

GavinB, you need to pedal faster, thats a very slow cadence for the rollers. Its much easier if you are around 90-100rpm (or over if you can)

Are there any drills? I've tried doing pyramids, going up and down the gears, going down to really low cadence, then back up to a faster (easier) cadence. Some more ideas would be good.

Yes, agree about the cadence. I wobbled like a goon for the first few weeks, then sped up. Alarmed myself a few times, whilst wearing earphones, and yelping really loudly, as the bike swerved almost off the rollers whilst belting along at '35 mph'.

Gavin, put them on a hard rubber mat - one of those exercise mats you see at gyms. It'll damp the noise down significantly without being so soft that the rollers dig in. For even better insulation, stick an old foam rollmat under the hard rubber mat.

create better resistance?

[img] [/img]

Kreitler use a fan to create resistance and flywheels to maintain inertia. Also go for the medium rather than standard diameter rollers for more resistance. You can also go for small, but will need to be a US track champion!

Im fighting the need to use mine at the moment. Hate them with a passion, but 30min (tried 1 hour, was torture) sessions 2 to 3 times a week do work wonders.
Tried a turbo but for some reason I got chronic knee ache. Went back to the rollers and its been fine.

[img] [/img]

Woh! i didn't know about these. Is it more resistacne the the alu cyclops ones? Surely this would work with my cyclops ones?

@ Crazy-legs: Good idea, I'd tried to bodge something with a few random doormats, but nothing really worked, so will grab a gym matt. The rattling used to annoy Mrs B more than anything - I just zoned out (mostly with intense concentration). 😀

The Headwind Fan is an adjustable resistance unit providing a wide range of resistance options depending on how far you open the air inlet. The air flow can be aimed at the rider for a cooling breeze, or directed away if preferred. The range of resistance when used in combination with the 4.5 rollers simulates everything from a 2mph tailwind to a tough uphill climb into the wind!

Awesome!