Originally Posted by
Prowler
Last night was, again, better than before. I'm finding that riding back on the rivets works better. I'm also finding that no way I can DT shift at this point. I did set the tranny gear-inches higher and that worked better. 53-16 on the Nishiki Int'l. Even in that gear I could accelerate surprisingly fast. Sorta fun. So I just rolled (or is that rollered? or Roollered?) along thru 3 Chris Smither songs ~ 10 minutes steady. OK. I'm also now infrequently and only gently bumping 'the walls' so control is improving. I'm also pretending to relax: light grip on the bars, target fixating on a paint can out ahead and spinning about 100rpm. Day by day.
BTW, I'm only playing with this now as I have the opportunity. I normally never do indoor cycling this time of year. I want to decide soon on whether or not to buy these rollers for regular winter work.
It occurred to me yesterday that an update may be a good idea. I did buy the Kreitler rollers I tried last spring and I've been rolling this winter and I still really like them. Even though our mild mid-Atlantic winter has allowed me out on the roads more than usual, I've been indoor cycling too. I alternate between the stationary (with the '79 Moto) and the rollers - both have advantages. When I rolled last spring I was focusing on a spot about 12 feet out ahead on the floor (a paint can, actually) and could not look around let alone move my head around. I can now look around, watch the dog and the squirrels out the window, check the time. I better understand about rollers forcing you to FEEL the ride vs think about what to do. They do promote smooth pedaling and they reward a higher cadence.
I've gravitated to using my CAAD3 Cannondale with integrated shifters as I can shift underway without taking a hand off the bars. I can move my hands around on the bars but cannot ride one handed, even for a second or two. The ride is smoother with my hands right next to the stem but I don't do that out in the wild so I ride the rollers with my hands out on the ramps or the hoods. If my arms are not equally relaxed or if I'm leaning on one side more than the other, the rollers will let me know - "unless you wanna crash, you gotta stop that stuff right now!"
Shifting while underway means I can adjust my cadence to match the tempo of the music. Yesterday was Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - excellent music for rollers. I still have to stop to take layers off (I'm out in the unheated shop for this) and NO WAY I could ride sitting up, no hands. I've also not attempted riding out of the saddle.
Does anyone ride rollers out of the saddle? Scary.
So I use the stationary (CycleOps adj Mag) for variable resistance, riding intervals out of the saddle, for building core strength (hands off the bars and behind my back, still bent over the bars) and for one legged cycling to lock in use of the full pedal stoke. The stationary will tell me, from the front wheel wagging around, if I'm out of balance but only if I'm way out of balance. Pretty fault tolerant as it's solid on the floor.
I use the rollers to further lock in smooth pedal stroke and to fine tune and excellent balance, higher cadence and straight line riding. They are so much more like riding out on the roads. The forecasts imply that winter is now over so my indoor cycling will start to taper off (rainy days only) but I'm glad I have both options and have used them. Should make the return to actual long rides and real hill climbs easier this spring.
BTW: I've seen no indication of tire wear on either trainer. I have checked, mid ride, on both and the rear tires never even warm up let alone shed any rubber dust onto the floor. I keep the tire pressures at max rated when I'm indoors as there are no potholes, frost heaves or curbs to hit. Generally no rain either.