roller riding

[hosko]

Do around 30+km / night if I can get to it. Don't need the resistance ones when starting out either. I can if I push to my hardest gear still get out of the seat easily.

Generally I have seen a big improvement in efficiency in my riding. Still long way to go of course but power is delivered better to the wheels.

Mainly using it for weight loss at the moment so I will be going down to around 25-30km/h and trying to stretch that over a longer time. Heart will not be pushed as much but will be better for endurance and weight loss.

[toolonglegs]

Thanks Hosko. I am maybe starting out on rollers... but not on a bike. I might see if I can borrow one as I want to be sure it makes me work hard enough at my normal cadences.

[vander]

Thanks Hosko. I am maybe starting out on rollers... but not on a bike. I might see if I can borrow one as I want to be sure it makes me work hard enough at my normal cadences.

I may be an idiot but isnt that what gears are for? I thought it was similar (although possibly slightly easier) to riding on the road on the flats. So you can always up the gears. If you can ride a 53-11 on them at a cadence of 80-100 then maybe rollers arent for you. I have only used them a couple of time and dont yet have the skills to ride them without holding on but I think in your biggest gear you will be able to do hard efforts and if you want to sprint learn to spin as the track riders do.

[g-boaf]

Post here as I don't want to start yet another thread...
Rollers?... I have a home trainer, gives me a great workout for sure but I don't find it comfortable for long periods ( over an hour... maximum I have done is 3 hours ), maybe a better model with larger flywheel would be better but it gives me knee trouble if I use it too much.
Thinking about getting rollers as well for winter.
Do I need the resistance ones or just a good quality normal pair will do? ( something like this ? <a href="http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=39524" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link added by VigLink" class="vglnk"><span>http</span><span>://</span><span>www</span><span>.</span><span>chainreactioncycles</span><span>.</span><span>com</span><span>/</span><span>Models</span><span>.</span><span>aspx</span><span>?</span><span>ModelID</span><span>=</span><span>39524</span></a> ). Looking at them for doing threshold work through out winter... I will get outside as often as I can but sometimes the fog etc that is thick all day long can stop even the bravest of us!.
Anyone doing or have done lots of training on rollers?.

I tried it for a while, and I do some of it on the computrainer occasionally down the road from where I work. I find them uncomfortable too, though perhaps some of that is just not enough getting out of the saddle. Comparing the distances on the actual bike versus on the comptrainer and adjustabike, I just find the adjustabike gives me a very sore backside after 45 minutes (the sessions are usually 60 minutes). The intervals are properly hard work though, you start to feel the quads getting sore near the end. But you can see the time counting down so you just HTFU and get through it.

I think rollers are good for getting comfortable in different positions, i used to get a sore neck whilst riding with my hands on the drops but since training on rollers the problem has gone, i warm up for 10 minutes in high to medium gear (small chain ring) shift into a lower gear (big chain ring) and go steady for about 30 min changing hand positions along the way sitting on about 90 to 100 rpm if you place a clock in front of you,and count the revolution of one leg for 30 seconds x 2 there is your rpm.(still can't take bottle out of holder though)

I wonder if the drops are too low for you? Perhaps you need the bars set a bit higher. Getting the bottle out of the holder you will eventually be able to do smoothly. It just takes practice.

[toolonglegs]

Been using rollers for a while now... Took about 30 minutes to get good on them... Yesterday I sat there for 2 hours watching a movie quite happily... So don't have to concentrate on where the wheels are any more. I did have a break after an hour though for 5 minutes to de-numb certain parts!.
I am using the CX bike and the 46/12 seems to be a good gear for about 95-100 rpm... But by the end of the ride I am usually in the 11. Even with the fan on and windows open the sweat starts pouring pretty quick.
Not going to do intervals on the rollers... Will use the mag trainer for that, but the rollers certainly give you an ok workout with out too much load... Especially as the weather outside has turned cold and wet.
I haven't been tempted to try the tt bike on rollers yet .

[hosko]

I have changed the way I use rollers recently so it is more efficient.

10 min warm up at around 80-85 RPM
10 min intervals (20 second burst to 110-120 RPM) followed by 40 seconds at 70 RPM
10 min warm down - 80 RPM

After 10 intervals I am shagged. I look like I have been in a swimming pool. The body bleeds sweat however I feel damn good.

Gear - 50-17 which will slowly be reduced over time.

If I can't get out on the road on a Saturday I also do a 1 hour ride on occasion as well, no intervals.

Doing 2 hours on the Rollers was impressive though Toolonglegs!

[Slvr32gtr]

Hi guys,

Im curious as to which rollers you guys use? I have been looking into them as the recent bad run of weather, along with the benefits of the rollers in smoothing technique etc seems very beneficial.

I have been looking on the UK based sites but was wondering if there are certain brands and types that would be advisable to go for? There also seems to be some good specials on lately so the rollers with resistance are at a good price. Are they worth looking into rather than a standard set?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Tony

[moreegolfer]

I have the CycleOps model with magnetic resistance and can't fault it other than the fact to change the resistance you must stop and hop off. I am looking at Sportcrafters Inc who make a retrofit rear roller with an internal resistance that purportedly gives a more progressive resistance as the RPM increases, somewhat like a gel trainer.

[Slvr32gtr]

I have the CycleOps model with magnetic resistance and can't fault it other than the fact to change the resistance you must stop and hop off. I am looking at Sportcrafters Inc who make a retrofit rear roller with an internal resistance that purportedly gives a more progressive resistance as the RPM increases, somewhat like a gel trainer.

Thanks moreegolfer!

Im currently looking at either the Elite Arion Mag resistance rollers or the Arion Al13 resistance rollers. They also require you to hop off to change resistance, however they seem to be getting great reviews and can be bought for good prices off the usual UK based websites.

The only difference between them is the choice of aluminium rollers or the thermoplastic PVC rollers. Not sure which would be better...

[Derny Driver]

Here's me doing a roller riding sesh
http://s898.beta.photobucket.com/user/D ... 4.mp4.html

[Gassy]

thats what I need, not so far to fall !

[foo on patrol]

Just came across this and thought it could be of some use to noobies and the like.

http://www.sportcrafters.com/images/sto ... manual.pdf

Foo

[moreegolfer]

Just came across this and thought it could be of some use to noobies and the like.

http://www.sportcrafters.com/images/sto ... manual.pdf

Foo

I bought the Sportcrafters retrofit drum for my Cyclops alu rollers. Now you mention I might go and fit it and give it a whirl. I'll report back.

[hosko]

Be interested to see how the progressive resistance rollers go on the Cyclops units.

[Slvr32gtr]

My rollers arrived and I finally got on them for the first time last night after a 4week holiday and a week of contemplating it.

I ended up getting the Elite Arion Digital rollers and I have to say, im very impressed with them! After the initial 5min or so of being a bit wobbly, I figured it out and put a good session in, varying the resistance and getting comfortable on them.

Im looking forward to having them in my training regime and being able to train when there is torrential rain from now on!