My rollers came today in the mail so instead of going out for my Saturday ride, I decided I would see if I could learn how to ride on rollers.

My initial reaction when getting up on them was "Oh hell, what have I gotten into. I now see why people hate these things. There is no way that I'll be able to ride on this"

I put a folding chair next to it to hold my balance while I climbed up into the saddle.. Started cranking to get up to speed... I was so wobbly that I almost fell over even with the chair to brace me up.

I rode like that for 30 seconds or a minute to get comfortable, then let go. Rode for about 2 cranks, went over the side of the rollers and landed on the carpet. Didn't crash, though.

After like 3 tries I was getting close to saying ****it, it's too hard. but within the next few minutes I could stay up without the chair, even though my wheel was violently swerving from the left to the right of the rollers.

A few minutes of that and I could ride peacefully and in a straight line... It took me about 10 minutes to get it down, but after that it was awesome, after about a half hour of rolling like that and I wanted to try to clip in...

When I tried to clip in, I went over the edge and fell down. Which was my only fall. I then just clipped in and got back going with the folding chair next to it as a brace... I must say that it was easier to ride on the rollers clipped in rather than out. I rode for another 10 minutes clipped in.


Overall reactions:
1. I assume that in a few days I'll be able to get myself going without a chair... which will I look forward to.

2. I can't understand why somebody would want to ride a trainer, you miss so much of the "real" feeling that rollers can provide you.

3. It wasn't as hard as people told me it would be.

4. I had fun and will definitely spend a bunch of time on them this winter.

save the rollers for when it's too cold/wet/dark to go outside.

yeah I know, but it was the first day so I was excited.

I ride rollers 2 - 3 times a week. With family commitments I can not get out on the road everyday so I use the rollers or trainer.
You will get better on them but you will continue to take a dive every now and again. I still do. Usually when standing or when I start day dreaming and ride right off the side.
You will soon be able to pedal one stroke get both feet clipped in, drink from you water bottle, and stand.
I have fun riding them....changing up your training.....outside on a warm day, trainer, and rollers could keep you riding through the winter......

**Edit - There was a great link to another forum which discussed how to get started on rollers. Do a search and see if you can find the link. It would be worth it....

Rollers are hard to get going on without something to hang onto. Especiall with clipless. I clip on foot in and pedal with one leg until I can get my oter leg clipped in. Your pretty wobbly though.

I put two strip of duct tape that are 6 layers thick and are about 1 inch wide by 2 inches long on the sides of my rollers for a rumble strip which alerts me that I'm about to start swearing if I don't start paying attention real soon.

Having an audible and sensual cue that I'm only 2 inches from the edge helps when you get to the point that you can watch tv. If I get too far off-center, I hear and feel a bububububububub sound that snaps me out of my daydream right quick.

has anyone ever tried a fixed-gear on their rollers? I'm really thinking about getting a set, and I've got a perfect sutup for them.

Most people who ride them say to start in a doorway. That way you can hold on to the door frame for balance. Then you can let go and use your shoulders to keep you centered until you get the hang of them. I plan on getting a set next month and I can't wait.

Yea I am still playing shoulder pinball. But I haven't given them sufficient time yet.

-D

Learn to steer with your hips instead of your hands. It makes smaller adjustments alot easier.

Look straight ahead too. Not down.

wear your helmet!

Set the rollers in the middle of your garage with nothing around them. Ride up from behind and "hop" on.

Not today mind you - just something for the future.

55/Rad

I've never tried rollers so I have some questions:

Do rollers have any sort of resistance or only what is offered by gear change?

If not, then how do you get enough resistance? I mean, I can't see how the gears can provide enough resistance for simulated hill climbing and such on those. With my trainer I can make it harder (in use with gears) for such things. But from what I have seen of rollers it is just a belt running from a rear roller to the front, so both wheels turn but the rollers themselves have no resistance...right?

Or do they compliment each other - rollers for proper technique and trainer for power/strength...?

Digger

Certain brands of rollers have magnetic and fan resistance units that you can add on. There's also the poor man's version of a resistance unit: a folded towel slipped under one of the rollers.

For hardcore sprint exercises, a trainer is generally better. It allows you to go much harder since you don't have to worry about the bike getting away from under you because of all the hard pedalling and side to side rocking.

Always good to see another roller-er

The tacx mag unit for the tacx rollers even has a remote that clips onto your handle bars just like a trainner. Normally you can spin get up to a decent resistance of 230w or so when in 53x12, depending of course on your weight, tires, tire pressure, roller diameter etc. I prefer to use a mag unit almost all the time, the exception being maybe a short recovery ride on the rollers, or a very very light warm up before a race.


Now I know you're crazy rad. I'd love to see a video of someone trying to do that. I could imagine hopping sideways onto them but not ridding right onto them. Neither one being very good for your wheels i'd imagine.

For the record i've been riding rollers for a year now and i still can't even mount them without holding onto a chair while i get my foot over the bike and get started with one foot. Once i get going i'm fine and have enough balance to ride no handed at will, just can't seem to get started without aid.

Me up on my rollers now that I've gotten the hang of things much better.



Can you think of a better way to get your workout in when it's raining outside on a Sunday?

You go boy !!!!

Is it me or does that bike look small for you....you look pretty tall in those pictures...

It's a M frame and I'm 6'0"

It's my first bike and I'm only 400 miles deep into it, so I really don't know. The LBS said I'm in between a M and a L and since they didn't have any Larges in stock I just said F-it and went Medium.

Yeah, you look like a giant on that Giant.

Just a point of reference. I'm 6'0" and I ride a L (OCR1). Fits me well. My wife is about 5'8.5" and she rides a M (OCR2) and it seems to fot her well. Obviously alot more than height goes into proper fit, but those are just points of reference.

Bike doesn't look to to small, probably just how you have the stem angled up (looks like a multi angle adjustable stem) upright isn't bad though if that's what you're comfortable with now. As you start to angle it down once the miles start racking up and your flexibility improves you'll get more stretched out on the bike.

I'd be careful not to bang your head into the ceiling fan.

Yeah like I said it's my first bike so I have nothing to compare it to. I thought I heard that when you are inbetween two sizes, it's better to go with the smaller one... but what do I know.

Oh well, it's too late to do anything about it now.

I've tried it, you tend to spin out pretty easy, but trying that towel trick (under one of the rollers) might help.