leaderc

I know this has been beat to death in other posts, but I need some serious help getting started on rollers. First let me introduce myself. I've been riding on and off for about 15 years, but have not been riding for a couple years. I recently upgraded to a new CDale R800 which was a nice step up for me (I know, not much compared to $3000 and up bikes, but a step up for me), I'm anxious to get riding again but the weather is just far too cold right now. So I bought a set up rollers because I wanted to work on my technique. However, 2 days into it and I cannot even let go of the wall for even a second without losing my balance! I've tried unclipped and clipped, higher gears, lower gears, faster pedaling, slower pedaling, no matter what I've tried I cannot even let go! Any other tips anyone can offer or am I screwed on these things. While I feel that I can comfortably ride (even in packs), I am neither able to ice skate nor rollerblade because I cannot balance on either of those types of activities. Are there those who just do not have good enough balance control to ride rollers or have I not given it enough time? At the moment, I can't ride more than 2-3 minutes with a death grip on something before I have to stop just because there seems absolutely no point?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Charles Leader
Boise, Id.

LordOpie

I'm new to rollers too and have only been able to ride without holding anything but the bars for 10 minutes at a time and I need both hands on. I need to be at 80+rpm and I NEED to be looking about 10-15 feet ahead of me. Moment I look at my wheel, I'm wobbling. I also need to be confident that a fall won't mess me or my bike up, so I've tried different locations. Right now, I'm riding in the kitchen, where I won't actually fall. Yeah, small kitchen

barepedles

I like to ride rollers. I have been riding for many years, have riddin rollers on and off through the years. I will admit that they seem harder to adapt to now then when I was 15!
I can't say whether or not there are people who just plain can't ride them, but it seems odd that you can't let go of the wall at all. Are you sure that you are absolutely upright when you attempt to ride. I have found that when I start out with my elbow against the wall, I am somewhat leaning toward the wall when I attempt to ride "wall free" and then I come very close to going down!
I will also say that for me there are days when I just don't feel comfortable on the rollers...usually feeling like my balance is a tick off...so I either cut it short or go on the trainer.
Bare

SDS

You can get it. The other posters are right, your launching (we hope not!) platform matters. Find a super narrow doorway and try launching off your elbow or shoulder. The other thing you can do is to MAKE a doorway out of plywood that is just barely wider than the rollers. A 2' thick doorway that is barely wider than the rollers can't be missed by a shoulder or elbow.

55/Rad

The very hardest part is that transition from holding the wall to getting both hands on the hoods. Once you get going, you will learn very fast. Try having somebody strong hold you at the waist so you can get both hands on the bars. Another tip is to lower your seat 2 or 3 cm's until you get the hang of it, then put it back where it belongs. This will minimize any possible rocking you may have in your hips - which makes it virtually impossible to ride rollers. Good luck.

55/Rad

altoption

I've been on my rollers for about a month. All the advise you're getting is good. Definitely set them up in a doorway. Use a gear that you can pedal 80-90 rpm and not spin out. Try balancing on the bike while leaning an elbow on one side of your door, then start pedaling. This way you already have two hands on the bar. One other thing, you're gonna lose your balance. If you're in the doorway, it's very easy to use your elbows to catch yourself, without ever letting go of bar. The trick is to get pedaling again.

formulaben

The only thing I would add is make VERY SURE that the front roller is directly below the front axle. Don't eyeball it, use some kind of plumb bob. It makes a huge difference if you got the wrong hole...trust me.

granularus

The best piece of advice I got when I was learning was not to look down at the front roller - this what most beginners do, their heads are not at the angle they are used to and so their balance skill goes down. What you need to do is look ahead, you can still see the roller but you aren't fixated on it. I ride in my garage and put a mark on the wall - it overcame my problem with having to look at the wheel to keep it centered.

Some other tips - where is the center of your front wheel relative to the center of the spindle axis. By experimenting I found that while the instructions say that the wheel axis can be as much as two inches behind the roller axis, that the bike is more stable if you get the axes much closer, I ride mine with the wheel axis no more than one-half inch behind the roller axis. Be sure that the wheel axis stays behind the roller axis - its quite a surprise if you overshoot - not as exciting as the time I got distracted and put the front wheel on the double, but a short ride nevertheless. Finally, it's easier to learn with wider tires. I learned with my hybrid (the tires made so much noise that I wore ear plugs) and then switched to my road bike. The basic thing is to stick with it. It took three days for me (but I have really good balance and since I was on vacation, I spent several hours each day) first I could go thirty seconds, then a few minutes, then it jumped to ten, then suddenly I had gone for fifty. In contrast to some, I didn't spin that fast, and found that spinning the 38X14 or the 38X15 at 65-75 rpm was the optimum for me to learn on - that's still what I use for warm up.

lotek 

some excellent advice being posted above.
if I might add:
Try to find something to use to hold on other than a wall.
I think if you use your elbow you end up leaning towards the wall
and it throws your balance off. I used a chest height counter to start,
other folks have used chair backs (if they are high enough).
One point that hasn't been mentioned that I can't stress enough is
RELAX (I know easy for me to say) if your really tense any movement in your
shoulders etc. will be amplified through your handlebars.
Try this, Sit on the bike without pedaling while you hold on.
When you get comfortable then start pedaling, you want a smooth
acceleration, and continue to hold on to your support. when you get
comfortable with that, slowly move your support hand onto the bars
(this is where a counter is nice as it can be only a few inches from the
bars). Try a more upright position at first (hands on top of the bars)
and don't grip the bars, just drape your hands around them, keep
them nice and relaxed.
Let us know how you do.
You can also go to Kreitler.com for roller tips.

Marty

leaderc

Thanks all, tomorrow's another day, I'll keep you updated.

Charles

kokodeselavy

One thing to add, something that helped me...(I think I read it in a post on these forums)...put a broom handle or long dowel rod on the floor in front of the rollers, parallel with the direction you're pointed (I mean as if you're going to ride the length of it with your front wheel). For some reason it helps a lot, even if you're looking at a spot on the wall and not at the rod. Maybe your mind needs to see a path to follow, as opposed to the random chaos of furniture and other stuff in the room.

seely

Relaxing and being loose on the rollers is the best thing I've found... also starting out in a doorway helps, you can bounce off the door frame without fear of falling.

JoeOxfordCT

That's what she said


............sorry, couldn't help myself

formulaben

Yeah, I probably could have been a little more slective with my words.

Brett 12

Supergo has some rollers for $130. I wonder if they are any good?

I used to have a trainer, but that thing was just boring as hell to use.

I really do like my treadmill (much better than trainer), but rollers would be nice just to mix it up every once in a while

leaderc

Well I said I'd post an updated today. I found a doorway that I could set up in so that I could hold on to the bike instead of the wall and bounce with my elbows. Taking the advice mentioned above I found a reference line that I could follow that keeps me right in the center of the rollers. Today I've managed about 10 seconds max without bouncing, but I see the goal is now in sight. Thank you for all your help, now it's just taking that 10 seconds into 10 minutes and then beyond. I do now feel the rollers are worth it for anyone reading or searching this thread for the trainers vs. rollers question. I see how the improvement in riding technique is there in the long run with the rollers.

Charles

Essy

I purchased Performance rollers recently, and have been using them once or twice a week. Started off in a door frame, recently moved on to using them next to some shelves. Always ride them clipped in because I don't want to have the hassle of changing my pedals.

Last night I had the funkiest roller experience. I carelessly went to wipe a drop of sweat that was going to fall from my nose, rode off the side of the rollers, and wound up with both wheels on the 1" strip of metal NEXT to the roller drums. I had stopped pedaling when I swerved off, so I just sat there, perched precariously on this inch, trying to figure out my next move...since I realized that if I clipped out, the motion would cause me to fall over, I settled for slowly leaning towards the shelves while clipping out with the opposite foot so that I managed to get a hand and a foot down at the same time.

So while my bike handling skills still leave much to be desired, at least I'm workin' on the balance...

DogBoy

I just got my rollers tonight and wanted to say all this advice helped me a great deal. I setup in a doorway that faces a set of stairs (excellent eye target) and rode for about 10 minutes with 3 touches. Hardest part was getting started. I think all the riding on snow and Ice that I've done this winter helped too, since the sensation to me at startup was the same as riding on ice. Tomorrow night, I try to include a water bottle and go for 20 min. Wish me luck!