Metric Century (on rollers)

[flip18436572]

I did 65 miles today or a little over a metric century. My goal is to get to a full century on the rollers, before the snow is off the roads. I would say it is harder for me to get it done on rollers than on the road. There is way too much resistance using a roller setup, and there is no coasting.

[RB1-luvr]

that is hard core.

[HandsomeRyan]

Sweet. I hate riding my trainer but I would like to ride a MC by this summer. Keep up the good training and you should have no problem one you are out on the open road.

[joelpalmer]

I did 65 miles today or a little over a metric century. My goal is to get to a full century on the rollers, before the snow is off the roads. I would say it is harder for me to get it done on rollers than on the road. There is way too much resistance using a roller setup, and there is no coasting.

Nice. For anyone here who didn't see it Fatty from FatCyclist.com (http://www.fatcyclist.com/) recently bet the blog readers he could do a full century on his rollers. It was being done (as a lot of his things are) as a LAF fundraiser and he ended up just over (101.66). Fatty mentions (http://www.fatcyclist.com/2008/01/12/pay-up-suckas-report-on-fattys-100-miles-of-going-nowhere-epic/) the same thing as the OP - there's no downhill resting on rollers so it feels tougher. I put the link in because I'm one of the "suckers" he mentions. I admit I didn't think he could do it and did a dollar per mile bet, rather than the $25.00 he suggested. Oh well, it's for a good cause.

[flip18436572]

I bet I could do the 100 mile ride on rollers, but I would definitely take breaks to stretch my legs and get some extra fluids and some calories into my body. I had to get off the rollers twice in the 65 miles today.

To the other posters, I didn't think it was that hard core, but more of a way for me to push myself and to make up miles from the days of being without a bike in 2008 while I was getting my frame replaced, because of a toasted bottom bracket. And, I honestly think I could do 65 miles on the road much easier than I did on the rollers. I mean we have small hills in Iowa, but then I would get some out of the seat riding time and that helps also. I would have to caryy some CLIF bars with me and pick up some extra water somewhere.

[RB1-luvr]

I would probably have to get off more than twice in 65 miles. I'm going to see if my buddy will try this with me. I emailed him to see if he'll bring the rollers to my house. Would be nice to have someone else to break up the monotony. Would that be cheating? (chuckle)

[Caincando1]

You rock! I think I'm pretty cool when I do 35 miles on my trainer....

[flip18436572]

I like to ride my rollers in a doorway. I am pretty sure I wouldn't want someone beside me on another set of rollers. I could see the domino effect happening. I think it would make it easier though to have someone else there with me. Today it was the news and then I watched an old Star Wars (III) dvd.

I don't know how I would do on a trainer. I bought rollers cheap on a craigslist ad I placed in the late summer/early fall time frame thinking I could get one cheap then and it worked out for me. I paid $50 for a nice large roller setup. I have thought about building/fabricating a holder for the front end, do I could use the rollers like a trainer and actually let go of the bars to change positions completely.

[JohnKScott]

Wow. Pretty cool. The most I have done on my trainer is 35 miles (about 2 hours rolling terrain). The problem with the trainer is the bike doesn't move and it's even harder on me bum than riding on the road. I make it a point to get up out of the saddle every so often. Helps get my HR up anyway ;). However, if I ever have a day to myself this winter at home, I may try a century on the trainer.

[flip18436572]

Wow. Pretty cool. The most I have done on my trainer is 35 miles (about 2 hours rolling terrain). The problem with the trainer is the bike doesn't move and it's even harder on me bum than riding on the road. I make it a point to get up out of the saddle every so often. Helps get my HR up anyway ;). However, if I ever have a day to myself this winter at home, I may try a century on the trainer.

That is why I like rollers instead of a trainer. This way I have to keep my balance, and I hopefully improve my riding skills at the same time.

[JohnKScott]

Yeah, I hear ya about the rollers. I do like my trainer though. I love the video courses and the near real feel of terrain changes. Plus the ability to monitor my power over the winter. I actually rode Alpe d'Huez yesterday. Climbed it in 52:44. Well, actually it was Alpe d'Huez light :D. My Travel Trac RealAxiom really only seems to simulate up to about a 6.5% grade well. Anything over that doesn't feel much harder. So I figured rather than climbing the 3,600 ft in 8 miles I only climbed about 2,900 or so. I can live with that :D

Might add rollers one day for a different type of work out. I certainly can see the benefit.

:)

[RB1-luvr]

Yeah, I hear ya about the rollers. I do like my trainer though. I love the video courses and the near real feel of terrain changes. Plus the ability to monitor my power over the winter. I actually rode Alpe d'Huez yesterday. Climbed it in 52:44. Well, actually it was Alpe d'Huez light :D. My Travel Trac RealAxiom really only seems to simulate up to about a 6.5% grade well. Anything over that doesn't feel much harder. So I figured rather than climbing the 3,600 ft in 8 miles I only climbed about 2,900 or so. I can live with that :D

Might add rollers one day for a different type of work out. I certainly can see the benefit.

:)

i rode the actual Alpe d'Huez in 1:07 and 1:05 two days in a row in July 2004. It's a killer. I didn't train much for it. I'd like to try it again, I'm much more fit now.

[flip18436572]

I have thought about adding a trainer, but I would probably have to buy that brand new, and with my current financial situation, I don't see that happening. I would like to try someone's trainer that is hooked up like your setup to see if it is something I would enjoy or not.

[superslomo]

Good luck... I believe it's certainly doable, I just wouldn't want to do it, given how much I hate trainer riding.

If you ever want to buy one, PM me, and we'll see what we can work out ;)

[flip18436572]

Superslomo -

What to you have for a trainer and how do you have it hooked to a computer for tracking what is actually being done?

[MillCreek]

I have thought about building/fabricating a holder for the front end, do I could use the rollers like a trainer and actually let go of the bars to change positions completely.

Kreitler, Cycleops and Minoura all make fork stands for rollers, at around $ 90-100. I have one for when the SO uses my rollers, or for those days that I just want to mindlessly pedal along rather than worrying about balance. Some of the hardcore roller users sneer at those who use fork stands. This does not distress me.

[CastIron]

I have rollers. I really wish I had the discipline to ride them for an hour, much less three.

[flip18436572]

Kreitler, Cycleops and Minoura all make fork stands for rollers, at around $ 90-100. I have one for when the SO uses my rollers, or for those days that I just want to mindlessly pedal along rather than worrying about balance. Some of the hardcore roller users sneer at those who use fork stands. This does not distress me.

Yeah, but 1/2" square tubing is about 1/8th that price and I can use it on other projects also. Plus I can make it the way I want it. I still don't know if it is something I will do or not.

[flip18436572]

I have rollers. I really wish I had the discipline to ride them for an hour, much less three.

Displine - errrrrrrr - stupidity??????????


You choose!!!! :D

My wife says the latter.

[JohnKScott]

i rode the actual Alpe d'Huez in 1:07 and 1:05 two days in a row in July 2004. It's a killer. I didn't train much for it. I'd like to try it again, I'm much more fit now.

That would be fun. I suspect I'd do it slower than you did for real :D. I didn't see any double digit grades on my trainer :D. I'm sure chugging those out would take a lot out of me. But I'll bet I could make it at least :D.

Not sure I'll ever get the chance to try though...

[jaxgtr]

Wow, I have a hard time doing 20 on the trainer, I can't imagine doing 65. :beer:

[flip18436572]

Wow, I have a hard time doing 20 on the trainer, I can't imagine doing 65. :beer:

Jaxgtr, I wish I had Florida weather and no hills to ride in also. The only hill I remember in Florida was when we were crossing bridges. :D

I don't know that Florida is the exact place I want to live, but it sure was a nice place to visit.

[superslomo]

Not hooked up to the computer, the regular bike computer is driven off the rear wheel, so that tracks it in terms of distance/time/speed etc.

I have a Mac, and aside from not wanting to spend the money on a computrainer, I don't think they make one that plays nicely with MacOSX. The trainer I do have is the CycleOps Fluid 2.

[flip18436572]

OK, then what about the people who are doing the "Alpe d'Huez" and other rides? Are they just watch a DVD and changing the settings?????

I don't know how they work, so I am curious.

Sorry about you being on a MAC. I really thought a MAC would be better for some of those things.

[jaxgtr]

Jaxgtr, I wish I had Florida weather and no hills to ride in also. The only hill I remember in Florida was when we were crossing bridges. :D

I don't know that Florida is the exact place I want to live, but it sure was a nice place to visit.

You hill description is correct sir. :D

[JohnKScott]

OK, then what about the people who are doing the "Alpe d'Huez" and other rides? Are they just watch a DVD and changing the settings?????

I don't know how they work, so I am curious.

Sorry about you being on a MAC. I really thought a MAC would be better for some of those things.

That would be me...

I have the Travel Trac RealAxiom. It is controlled by the computer to provide realistic resistance compared to the grade of the course. It takes into consideration a weight factor (I have it set at 30 pounds abocve my body weight to account for bike and gear) and tells you your speed, watts, HR if you get a wireless strap, cadence, etc. Keeps track of your virtual miles and climbing etc and lays it out for you for performance comparison. It's like a Computrainer, but not quite as advanced. I find it is overall pretty realistic on the "flats" and that the "climbs might be a tad easier but the "descents" are harder. It seems the way I have it set up sort of averages out. Of course, wind resistance isn't factored in either other than increasing the weight above your body weight.

It has video courses that you can buy and ride (2 come with the machine when you buy it). Or you can ride preprogrammed non-video courses or upload/enter your own course data to make a virtual (non-video) course.

I really like mine and love to be able to target my training to specific areas and watch the improvement over time. I can tell my power, cadence & HR has improved since I started using it.

Here is what it is http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=23636&item=40-3737&slitrk=search&slisearch=true

I'd still rather ride outside though. I got an Edge 305 for Christmas, so I'll be able to still keep a lot of my stats going, but I'll lose the power angle come spring. Although I'm using SportTracks and it "calculates" the power output based on weather conditions and aerodynamic profile (kind of). It's not really that accurate, but it should be a reasonable comparison over similar courses to watch the trends.

[flip18436572]

WOW!!!

I didn't spend that much on two of the bikes we bought from the LBS this year.

I think I will stick with my $50.00 rollers.

[JohnKScott]

WOW!!!

I didn't spend that much on two of the bikes we bought from the LBS this year.

I think I will stick with my $50.00 rollers.

Hey, I hear ya. I won the money to buy it as a result of winning a fitness contest at work. Couldn't really get the award money to a LBS or I would probably have gotten a new bike. Never would have been able to buy it without winning it. But I do love having it.

;)

[Wogsterca]

OK, then what about the people who are doing the "Alpe d'Huez" and other rides? Are they just watch a DVD and changing the settings?????

I don't know how they work, so I am curious.

Sorry about you being on a MAC. I really thought a MAC would be better for some of those things.

The problem isn't the Mac, it's software companies that have accepted the Microsoft religion and only make Windows versions of their software. Usually the same companies use proprietary protocols between the device and computer as well, so nobody else can make their own version of the software either.

[flip18436572]

Hey, I hear ya. I won the money to buy it as a result of winning a fitness contest at work. Couldn't really get the award money to a LBS or I would probably have gotten a new bike. Never would have been able to buy it without winning it. But I do love having it.

;)


Thanks for reminding me. I remember reading a post about that. I wish I could find that for $50.00 on craigslist like I did my rollers. :D

[flip18436572]

The problem isn't the Mac, it's software companies that have accepted the Microsoft religion and only make Windows versions of their software. Usually the same companies use proprietary protocols between the device and computer as well, so nobody else can make their own version of the software either.

I am a Microsoft person in the I.T. field and probably always will be. But, I really expected the bicycle world to be a different place. I guess I expected most things to be written for the MAC side of things first and the MS side to be lacking. But, I do remember people having GARMIN problems with the MAC side of things also.

[Wogsterca]

I am a Microsoft person in the I.T. field and probably always will be. But, I really expected the bicycle world to be a different place. I guess I expected most things to be written for the MAC side of things first and the MS side to be lacking. But, I do remember people having GARMIN problems with the MAC side of things also.

I spent 20 years in IT, everything from the Commie 8032 to a big blue machine that was the same size as the 100 ton Liebert water chiller that kept it from melting through the data center floor, ran MVS/XA IIRC. You wanna see panic in a computer room, just have the water chiller crap out in a data center that has to be up permanently, never saw MVS/XA crash.

I got out of IT in 2001 when the Y2K bubble burst, dot com turned into dot bomb, and they decided that paying a guy $0.08 an hour in India was better then paying a guy $80/hr in Canada..... These days my computer which used to run Windows and needed a daily reboot, runs Ubuntu and hasn't seen a reboot since Dec 26th when I refurbished it (new processor, main board and memory), and installed Ubuntu, $300 cheaper then Vista helped make that decision......

[flip18436572]

I ran DEC VAX/VMS when I started and moved to MS. Worked many hours through Y2K to meet the automotive OEM requirements of testing. Some of our business went overseas in support, then our business went to Mexico and Canada, and they closed our building. Thanks NAFTA.

I really don't know the problems people have with Windows. I had Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 servers that were up over 365 days without a reboot in an Automotive OEM 24/365 environment. I had limited PC problems, and I am not going to run Vista, but I have an XP machine that hasn't been shut off, until last night for 200 plus days in my basement that I was using for network crap. I am in the middle of a remodel and shut it down for a few days.

But, back to the thread. It is something I started and then I hijacked it myself.

Today is another 40 mile roller day.

[Scummer]

Geeks on bikes? :)

Ah.. while we are at Mickey$oft.. my Outlook just crashed on my 1 month old computer and fresh windows XP install. I love it so much, I want to throw the laptop under a train. But then, I'm more a FreeBSD, OpenBSD user, so I'm not very keen about MS.

But doing a metric century on rollers is quite an achievement. I also train on rollers and the constant pedaling pushes my pulse constantly over 140 without getting any rest. It's pretty tough.

[flip18436572]

Geeks on bikes?

But doing a metric century on rollers is quite an achievement. I also train on rollers and the constant pedaling pushes my pulse constantly over 140 without getting any rest. It's pretty tough.

If I am only going to do an hour, I really push myself and do some sort of interval workout. So, my heart rate will vary, but I will also get more miles in than normal also. Rollers really keep you working all the time as there is no rest for coasting.

[Wogsterca]

I ran DEC VAX/VMS when I started and moved to MS. Worked many hours through Y2K to meet the automotive OEM requirements of testing. Some of our business went overseas in support, then our business went to Mexico and Canada, and they closed our building. Thanks NAFTA.

I really don't know the problems people have with Windows. I had Windows NT, Windows 2000 and Windows 2003 servers that were up over 365 days without a reboot in an Automotive OEM 24/365 environment. I had limited PC problems, and I am not going to run Vista, but I have an XP machine that hasn't been shut off, until last night for 200 plus days in my basement that I was using for network crap. I am in the middle of a remodel and shut it down for a few days.

But, back to the thread. It is something I started and then I hijacked it myself.

Today is another 40 mile roller day.

I loved the VAX, we had a VAX 11/780 in college, we used to torture that poor beast, get 35 students in a computer lab, at about this time on a Friday afternoon, all key up a COBOL compile, and hit enter at the same time, listen as you hear the administrator 3 floors up in the computer room go AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH as the poor machine went TILT! Once had solo use of that machine, it dropped the password table into a bad block of memory, and NOBODY could login, so here I am in the days when 32K of RAM and 2MHz 8 bit processor was state of the art in the PC world, with the full power of a VAX 11/780 at my disposal. It didn't last long, until it got rebooted out from under me, but it was fun while it lasted..... I was deeply saddened when I heard that DEC had been sold to Compaq..... Even more so when I heard that support was being dropped for the VAX line. some 19 years later:eek:

It's funny but there were actually very few NAFTA jobs created in Canada, instead it allowed them to ship resources from Canada (duty free) to Mexico for processing to be sold to the highest bidder with the US getting the proceeds. The worst thing about NAFTA is it increased the tightness of the binding of Canada's economy to the US one, so now as the US economy gets flushed (again), it's going to be tough to keep ours from circling the bowl as well.

Typically I have found with Windows, that if you take the machine remove all outside connections, encase it in concrete, and bury that under about 4km of earth, it will probably run. However if it's an active desktop machine, that gets used all the time, and has a connection to the internet, then it's probably going to have some issues. As for server reliability I had one machine that acted as a gateway between the house computers and the internet, it ran 1123 days without a reboot, unfortunately the great power failure a few years ago, was too much for it's circa 1993 power supply, it was cheaper to decommission it, then it was to try and find a new power supply for a 12 year old Packbell. It ran Linux, actually so does the Linksys router that replaced it. which got rebooted once, when the DSL box quit.

Other then a few programs that were not designed with other then Windows in mind, it works quite well, and most of those programs have alternates that work well enough.....

[Mazama]

You must have quite the imagination. I tend to doze of after about 60 minutes on a stationary vehicle. Congrats!

[flip18436572]

Rollers are not stationary, I always have to pay attention, or I don't keep on the rollers. Watching a movie can be a good thing, but I still have to look down once in a while to make sure I am not too far left or right. That is why I was thinking about a trainer.

[SpeedyTSO]

I'm currently riding on CycleOps alum rollers which were purchased about a week ago.

Since I don't have the a roller with side bumpers, how do you guys stay out of the saddle to stretch your legs? Out on the real road, it helps riding out of the saddle after saddle soreness. No matter how many times I've attempted to do this on the roller, it always feel like I'm about to fall off the bike when rocking my bike side by side.

[flip18436572]

Just keep your pedal strokes as smooth as possible. Everything I have learned about the rollers is that smoothness is the best thing. Small movements make a big difference. Give yourself some time to get more comfortable. I have been riding the rollers off and on for a month or so, but I still ride in a doorway as I have something on each side of me and I think it makes me more comfortable.

[MillCreek]

Rollers are not stationary, I always have to pay attention, or I don't keep on the rollers. Watching a movie can be a good thing, but I still have to look down once in a while to make sure I am not too far left or right. That is why I was thinking about a trainer.

I recently picked up a set of rollers at Performance to compliment my Kurt Kinetic fluid trainer. My SO had some trepidation about the rollers, so I got a Kreitler forkstand. Trepidation gone.

[Scummer]

You're not supposed to be stationary on rollers :)
Rollers are used to train balance and even pedal strokes. I watch the morning and evening news when I'm on the rollers and as long as you pick a spot on the TV that you can fixate on once in a while, you will not fall of the rollers.

Also you need to try to work on the rollers with only one hand on the handle bar so you can wipe the sweat of your head, because it will be dripping like crazy. Hmm.. that sounded odd.

[flip18436572]

I put a towel on the floor underneath the rollers and I keep my water bottle handy and a towel if needed. Usually I just let the sweat get on the towel or my shirt absorbs a lot of it.

One hand is no problem on the rollers, but I cannot get stable enough to do no hands to work on my one legged workouts that everyone says will make you a better cyclists.

[MillCreek]

You're not supposed to be stationary on rollers :)
Rollers are used to train balance and even pedal strokes. I watch the morning and evening news when I'm on the rollers and as long as you pick a spot on the TV that you can fixate on once in a while, you will not fall of the rollers.

I don't necessarily disagree, and we will see how she feels about the rollers after some experience. I have some roller experience and the stock model sure offers little in the way of any resistance.

[SpeedyTSO]

You're not supposed to be stationary on rollers :)

True, but unless you're set up on a tri-bike/time-trial position practicing your pedaling strokes, it's okay to have fork stand. ;)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Hih5v9sTpyY

[flip18436572]

True, but unless you're set up on a tri-bike/time-trial position practicing your pedaling strokes, it's okay to have fork stand. ;)

Huh, if you don't want to get better with your style, get a trainer. I thought about making a fork stand for my rollers when I just want to put on long miles and get some reading done at the same time.