Talk to me about rollers

Looking to do more indoor riding due to constant rain here. Never used rollers but intreged by them. Im tempted to buy a smart trainer, but would also need a laptop to use it. Phone is too small to be comfortable and other devices are now too old.

I like doing more zone 2 stuff indoors than racing. Just lack motivation for racing and get too hot unless its winter.

So, are rollers a good option? Can i still log miles on strava etc?

Yes if you have a speed sensor, although the distance will be fairly arbitrary.

Have a look on Facebook marketplace / eBay as there’s loads of cheap ones around if you just want to try them out.

Sports- Crafters and Cyclops both have a resistance version which might be better.

It’s not as hard as it looks. It’s easier on a fixed gear as you can just jump on and spin it up before clipping the other foot in. Starting off with a freewheel is a bit more tricky as it takes a bit of momentum to get going and become stable.

Don’t watch anything like Zwift or sufferfest. You will steer/drift off the sides.

Don’t worry about crashing. Even if you ride completely off them you just stop rather abruptly ( there’s no momentum) and you just fall over like you’ve not managed to unclip.

Have a milk crate or something to step onto when you finish. You won’t be able to reach the floor as the wheels are 6″ off it!

Yes, I think with a heart rate monitor and a bit of care you can achieve a lot of useful training with them.

I got the Elite ones with the magnetic resistance which were enough for most workouts I wanted to do, definitely Z2 and sweetspot type stuff.

If you’re really scientific about maintaining consistent tyre pressures etc. you can even get a reasonable amount of repeatability although if you’re mainly doing Z2 it’s probably not that important.

That being said, I found anything more than 45 minutes Z2 indoors to be a real struggle just from boredom and discomfort. I think doing it on a fixed trainer might actually be slightly better as you can shift position more, it’s easier to stand up, do puppy paws etc.

You could get a decent quality dumb fluid trainer (Kinetics/Cyclops) dirt cheap second hand these days, get a speed sensor and heart rate monitor with the money you save 👍

When I used to train indoors I only used rollers, for some reason I didn’t get on with a turbo. I trained with a hr monitor and would do zone 2 , pyramid intervals etc.  They were fine for all of it.  I was just using the old fashioned tacx ones, no fancy magnets or shizzle. There always seemed to be sets up for sale in my club as they were a bit of an acquired taste (it was probably the same set circulating!).

I have a non smart turbo with a speed sensor which eorks with zwift but id need a new laptop to keep using it. Don’t need a new computer at home so was thinking rollers with just my phone.

Ive done some long zone 2 rides indoors (up to 3 hours) and much prefer that to riding in the rain.

Rollers are supposed to help with your core strength as well which a fixed turbo doesn’t.

I have smart rollers (Elite Nero) and a Kickr. I also have a set of dumb Kreitler rollers. The resistance is lower than the turbo, not really adjustable, and the learning curve is steeper. There is no flywheel (kreitler can be fitted with one) so stopping is instant. You will fall off but it’s not a big deal (chain sets on the floor notwithstanding).

But… for zone 2, they are vastly more fun than a turbo. The ride is so much more engaging and the resistance will be sufficient for your needs. One skill that takes time is taking a bottle. You need to drink indoors and it takes a while to master this. I ride up to two hours on both rollers and Kickr watching Eurosport bike races, and logging on group rides on Strava (hello Coco). It’s easy to lose concentration, and the rollers will come back to bite you! If I had to choose one, it would be the Kreitler 3.5” rollers I keep at the velodrome. With a pedal power meter. The Elite Nero is good, the resistance works, but the power meter is not accurate. It does pass through my pedal power to Zwift. I also like to ride fixed wheel on the rollers and they really reward smooth pedaling. A big gear keeps my HR in zone 2. I’d say go for it. But I had rollers before the Kickr. And I’d keep them after. If you want to race or need resistance, they’re rubbish, however.

Oh and my top tip. Use a front light to begin. Look forwards not down and try and keep the light within bounds in n the wall. Then practice touching your nose with both hands, touching the bottle, taking the bottle. Soon you’ll be pedalling no hands and reading your phone like the kids at the velodrome.