Originally Posted by
rubiksoval
How does it improve cadence? Anything you do with cadence you can do on the road.
How does it improve endurance? Probably erodes endurance because people generally train less indoors than they do out.
Balance? Any 5 year old that just learned how to ride a bike can balance. Rollers involve balancing in a particular spot in which you don't ever move from. Completely opposite of the road, in which you must negotiate turns, significant changes in speed, debris, obstacles, other riders, cars, etc. Totally different "balancing" needs.
Pedal smoothness? That's a nonsequitor as putting power to the pedals is not a smooth motion and in fact is more effectively done through a stomping motion, at least for higher power outputs, which is something you don't do on rollers.
Riding rollers makes you good at riding rollers. They have nothing to do with riding in a group or in a race. You get good at those things by doing those things.
I think this is the core of your argument but it suggests that pedaling amounts to one big muscle in each leg pushing alternately.
Aside from that muscles don't actually push, muscle strength is useless without the nervous system coordinating the contraction of many muscles in the right sequence,
so training is as much about developing an efficient sequence as developing strong muscles.
Stomping on the pedals produces high power but is inefficient. If it was efficient, you would sprint the whole race, not just a tiny fraction here & there,
and if pro sprinters only stomped, they would not be there to contest the finish. The idea that Mark Cavendish does not pedal efficiently for the majority of the time when he is not sprinting is ridiculous.
So rollers can
- improve endurance by training an efficient muscle sequence
- allow riding during times & conditions when road is not available
- allow specific training without distractions of traffic, wind etc.
- provide a good way to test & adjust fit, equipment changes, etc.
- train holding a line- essential for riding in traffic & groups
- improve balance on the bike generally- what changes from 1st time on rollers to later proficiency? Better balance. That this would not transfer to other riding is also ridiculous. Trainer riding OTOH does nothing for and may harm balance.
I'm sure you know all this- just tossing it out as a counter viewpoint.