Originally Posted by
agarose2000
Which would you take though - smoothness or power? I can always ride smoothly (esp on the rollers) if I'm not going at a pace that's very hard for me. Crank it up to VO2 or above levels though, and it gets substantially more difficult.
To me at least, it seems that the smoothness is more a function of riding within your O2 limits and less a function of technique. I don't think all the technique in the world would allow me to ride smoothly if I'm going all-out on the rollers.
Trouble is, for me, the key benefit of the roller/trainer is to be able to go hard. No traffic, no stops, and good reliable computer data. Backing off the top speed just so I can go smoothly seems to detract from this training stimulus.
Sounds to me like you just do the same type of riding every time.
Learn to ride the rollers at VO2 or above. If you can't do it, and think you're good on rollers then you're doing it wrong. I can smoothly ride my rollers at 150 rpm, dialing it up to 400W. Work on it, get better at it and see your riding improve.
The benefit is not just to go hard, it's to focus on targeted workouts when the condition outdoors is not suitible for your training goals.