Rollers

I got a set of rollers from performence. they're online at www.performancebikes.com
they should have some instock still. colorado cyclist and nashbar may have some as well. rollers have similar resistance to riding on the road. also, you can buy resistance things that hook up to the trainers.

my only problem is that I can't seem to get a rhythm going on the bike. I read that it's easier to start in a doorway. so, I tried a narrow hallway. that didn't work well.
then out in the open I had a fear of falling over. and, I'm not totally comfortable on my bike, so that didn't help. I guess my off season luck was not good...at all. 🙂

good luck!

I would recommend starting out with a trainer, where you place the rear skewer of your bike (road bike only :-), unless you have slicks on your MTB), and the rear tire rolls against a magnetic resistance unit. I have a Minoura that I paid about $100 US for. I've had it for seven years and use it mostly in the winter.

Rollers are not primarily for those who are looking for a workout (although many models now come with resistance units that simulate road conditions). However, the smaller the diameter of the roller wheel, the more resistance it offers. Rollers are mainly for balance.

Get yourself a trainer first if you're just looking for a way to hammer out a good workout indoors, then move to rollers.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by zperrys
I would recommend starting out with a trainer,

Agreed! I used a trainer for some time before I got rollers.
trainers involve less thought about technique than rollers, and often can be found for cheaper prices.

My mother got a trainer, complains about the cold. After getting home from school I tried it out, I can't stand the thing it feels like I'm trying to ride on a square wheel. The resistance hugely variable. If the bikeshop really likes me maybe I can switch it for rollers.

I have found rollers to be really good and i agree that you have to ride them in a doorway or atleast near something that is easily grabbed when u want to stop/start. The resistance is quite low but the smaller rollers do make for a tough workout nonetheless. I just gear up if i want more resistance. I think that rollers are good for warming up and cooling down because u can pedal much easier than on a trainer (unless u turn off the resistance). I have found that the rollers are just as hard a workout as a trainer because of the added mental stress of maintaining balance for an extended period of time......also the faster u go the easier it is to keep balance forcing you to train well.

Thank you!

I don't want to spend over 150 dollars on a trainer, could someone give me some advice on what kind to buy or what they like? So far, the Minoura is winning...

THANKS!

Rollers are the way to go. I don't own a pair yet myself but I've been using my flatmate's set and after the trainer this is a revelation! I'll only do sprints on the trainer now (which is rarely).
Did my first interval session with aero bars on them this morning. Came off a couple of times but that's part of te fun.
Provided you get the right sized rollers (I reckon 3~3.5 inch diameter) you will get similar resistance to riding on the road and you have the advantage of the inertia of both your wheels giving you more of a road feel.
Just remember to steer with your hips and not your hands. You will learn great stability on the bike riding the rollers.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by TrekDedicated
I want a simple indoor trainer and I was wondering if rollers are good?

I know it improves balance, however, there is no resistance and how does that come into play?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

I don't know that I'd agree that rollers improve balance per se. I'd say that it's more accurate to say they improve your spin and bike handling skills. The things that make you erratic on rollers are pedalling squares or not stabilizing yourself on the bike with your trunk thereby putting excessive weight on the bars. Rollers are very sensitive to small inputs on the bars which is what gives most folks problems as they weave back and forth on (and sometimes off) the rollers.

As far as getting started is concerned, the advice about riding in a doorway is good but the descriptions here are a little vague so I'll try to clarify. You need to find a doorway where the floor is level on both sides i.e., not carpeted in one room and carpeted in the other. The doorway should be relatively narrow and you should position the rollers so that when on the hoods you can extend your elbows out and brace yourself against the door frame. The comments about "being close to something you can grab" don't work when you're getting started since you'll need both hands on the bars to keep yourself from weaving back and forth. To get underway, start in a moderate gear so that you can spin smoothly. Clip in one foot and lean against the doorway with your elbow and clip in the other foot. Get yourself more or less straight up and down with both elbows braced against the door frame and start pedalling. Focus on pedalling smoothly, remember, "it's just like riding a bike". When trying anything new with some possibility of an accident, people tend to get rigid which makes you erratic with the bars and makes it difficult to pedal smoothly. After you get underway and pedalling smoothly, shift up as the higher speed will help you stay centered. Also, don't stare down at the rollers or front wheel, look up as you would when riding. The rollers aren't going anywhere and it'll actually help you relax and spin smoother.

It's possible to get one heck of a workout with rollers depending on the diameter of the rollers. The kreitler dyno-myte rollers will kill most normal human beings, the dyno-lytes will provide pretty high resistance on the big ring.

Hope this helps,

Greg

I have a set of small diameter Kreitlers and like them a great deal. I've heard the Minouras are good for the price.

* For the first few times, don't use your rollers on a good floor, as you are likely to go off and make marks on the flooring...or walls, etc. (Trust me on this one...)

* Plan to ride facing into a fan, 'cause you'll get real sweaty.

* Rollers take more thought and concentration. Because of this, I find that time goes by more quickly.

* One thing that you might notice as you get comfortable is that countersteering doesn't work on the rollers at any speed. It's a little weird to get used to.

Good luck.

Neil

Excellent, thanks for everyone for the help!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by ghsmith54
I don't know that I'd agree that rollers improve balance per se. I'd say that it's more accurate to say they improve your spin and bike handling skills. The things that make you erratic on rollers are pedalling squares or not stabilizing yourself on the bike with your trunk thereby putting excessive weight on the bars. Rollers are very sensitive to small inputs on the bars which is what gives most folks problems as they weave back and forth on (and sometimes off) the rollers.

Good observations -- though wouldn't you agree that the handling aspects you describe above (an even cadence, body stabilization, precision bar-handling) are all key elements of bike balance? Balance, on a bike, isn't about standing on one foot with your eyes closed -- it's about manipulating the speed and weight of the machine beneath you.

All in all, though, a great post. Lots of good insight.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by lokstah
Good observations -- though wouldn't you agree that the handling aspects you describe above (an even cadence, body stabilization, precision bar-handling) are all key elements of bike balance? Balance, on a bike, isn't about standing on one foot with your eyes closed -- it's about manipulating the speed and weight of the machine beneath you.

All true and very well said. However, at the risk of splitting hairs, rollers are a lot less forgiving to bad technique than riding on the road. On the road, you can stomp the pedals and whip the bars around (as many do when climbing out of the saddle) whilst staying upright. This would have you off the rollers in no time flat. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the effect of improper inputs to the bike on rollers is not so much to lose ones balance but rather to cause a rapid change of direction that'll send you off the edge. I guess either way you fall down and go boom!

Greg