Training & Nutrition - help me-rollers

I am a 16 year old boy who races bikes.This winter I joined Beverton bicycle club(BBC) and I will be training with them indoor and outdoor this winter, as well as racing on the team.My problem is this.The indoor training is on rollers, on track bikes with fixed gears.Ive never ridden a fixed gear before, and Ive also never ridden on rollers before.Am I going to kill myself trying to learn these things at once?Help!!!

Dont rush into it, You may need to hold on to a wall for a little till you get the hand of it. Take your time.

Good luck with your training and the coming season!

I rode a geared bike on the rollers last year and this year I'm riding a fixed gear on the rollers. The fixed gear is my commuter that I built up in April.

I actually find the fixed gear easier to ride on the rollers. I'm not sure why, but maybe with the geared bike I can ease off the pedaling slightly w/o noticing. With the fixed gear it is what it is.

I've been riding rollers for about 8 years and never once had the nerve to ride no-handed. Until this year. I can ride no-handed just fine now. Maybe it's the fixed gear and the smooth action that's giving me that confidence.

Thanks guys.I talked to my coach, and he said he will hold the bike untill I get comfy with it, and I am a fast learner, so I should pick it up easy enough.I cant wait to ride the fixxy's on the velodrom this year.I have wanted a single speed/fixed for a long time, and I have a frame to build up, but money is always tight becuase of racing, but now that Im going to do the velodrom I think I may invest in my frame so I have a fixed to ride around town/to school ect, for training.

Gravityhatesme

thats good,

oh and another question, Why exactley does gravity hate you? if you dont mind answering.

You might want to review the most recent thread about riding rollers in the Road forum. (Sorry, but I simply refuse to retype the advice I offered there.)

Gravity Hates Me becuase I do alot of bmx/ trick riding and stunts and so forth, and I crash alot, so My name for e mail and stuff was always gravityhatesme, and now its my name for everything.

If you can, set the rollers up in a narrow doorway so your shoulders can bounce off the door frame on either side. Its how I learned, and I think its the fastest way to learn, by far since there is no fear of falling. After the first day the rollers were like second nature. It also helps to be really relaxed on them. When you first get on typically you have a tendency to tense up and oversteer. You'll learn to "steer" with your weight/knees pretty fast. Good luck.

gravityhatesme,

see this thread
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=69763
it's about 9 pages about riding rollers.

Marty

Since the rollers raise the bike off the floor there's no way you can put your foot/feet on the floor if the bike is the proper size. To do that you'd have to lower your seat by the height of the rollers which would wreck your ability to pedal. Set something sturdy next to the bike so you can get on and off by yourself and leave the seat height at the proper setting. I use a little step stool but a milk crate, piece of 4x4, etc would work as well.

Doorway or something to lean on.

Something solid to step on to get on and off the bike since it'll be raised off the floor.

Cadence of at least 80 and speed of at least 14 mph. If it feels "squirrely" increase cadence.

Look ahead, not down.

Spin don't mash.

Relax your upper body.

Don't relax your concentration. You have to continually be aware of what you're doing.

Small shifts in body position or on seat will create a quick response that'll be larger than on the road.

Set up a fan at max speed to blow right in your face.

Don't forget to hydrate.

Until you've had lots of practice, don't try to stand to give your butt a rest without leaning on something.

Protect your bike from sweat with a towel but make sure it won’t fall into the wheels.

Make sure the distance between the front and rear rollers is correct or you'll immediately ride right off the front.

Periodically check that the rollers are properly tightened.

Take the belt off when not is use so it doesn't stretch.

Stick with it! It shouldn't take too long to be comfortable. You can get a great workout and improve your technique at the same time.