speed on rollers versus speed outside on flats, no wind
12-18-09, 02:40 PM
#1
Are you with me
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Washington D.C.
Posts: 1,311
Bikes: Giant TCR Advanced SL, Blue T-14 TT bike
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
speed on rollers versus speed outside on flats, no wind
I'm trying to get a handle on what my roller speeds would translate to outdoors (flats, no wind), roughly speaking of course. Any roller veterans have ideas on this?
I ask because I sense resistance with my travel trac aluminum rollers, but I don't know how to quantify this resistance.
thanks
I ask because I sense resistance with my travel trac aluminum rollers, but I don't know how to quantify this resistance.
thanks
12-18-09, 02:52 PM
#3
Banned.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: ATX, Ex So Cal
Posts: 11,058
Bikes: Ridley Noah-Scott Addict-Orbea Ordu
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Depends on the size of the rollers. 4" rollers spin easier than 3" and so on.
12-18-09, 02:55 PM
#4
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 28,387
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
There's is not going to be any single answer except for "not even close."
on my cycleops rollers I have to be in my 53x11 to get any kind of workout from it, which would translate to over 40mph on the road.
on my cycleops rollers I have to be in my 53x11 to get any kind of workout from it, which would translate to over 40mph on the road.
12-18-09, 02:57 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Northern Ontario
Posts: 3,659
Bikes: Colnago Master XL, Bianchi Via Nirone 7, Marinoni Fango
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
To many variable, aerodynamics, rolling resistance.
Kreitler has a power chart that should be closer to relevant.
https://www.kreitler.com/wattage_chart.pdf
Kreitler has a power chart that should be closer to relevant.
https://www.kreitler.com/wattage_chart.pdf
12-18-09, 03:38 PM
#6
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,846
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1174 Post(s)
Liked 935 Times
in
618 Posts
Speed is irrelevant. Your power output is what matters.
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
12-18-09, 03:55 PM
#7
.....
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Long Island
Posts: 4,816
Bikes: 2006 Cannondale CAAD8
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
when i had rollers (they were 85mm (3.35") diameter) the resistance was so low. I was usually in my 52x12 since that was my tallest gear. the speeds were super high compared to the road.
12-18-09, 05:05 PM
#9
Burning Matches.
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 9,714
Mentioned: 9 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4077 Post(s)
Liked 1,004 Times
in
677 Posts
Sweet flying spaghetti monster.
__________________
ElJamoquio didn't hate the world, per se; he was just constantly disappointed by humanity.
12-18-09, 05:26 PM
#10
Spin Meister
"I have to be in my 53x11 to get any kind of workout from it"
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
__________________
This post is a natural product. Slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and are in no way to be considered flaws or defects.
This post is a natural product. Slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and are in no way to be considered flaws or defects.
12-18-09, 05:34 PM
#11
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 28,387
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
"I have to be in my 53x11 to get any kind of workout from it"
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
12-18-09, 05:34 PM
#12
Senior Member
My low effort endurance rides on the rollers for the past few weeks are all done at 25mph. So I'd give it a ratio, rollers to road, of about 1.3.
To all the power nerds... sometimes you don't have a powertap and have to go by a stopwatch.
"breaking out into a sweat" and a "workout" are two different things. Also, umd is a pretty strong Cat3 racer.
To all the power nerds... sometimes you don't have a powertap and have to go by a stopwatch.
"I have to be in my 53x11 to get any kind of workout from it"
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
Is this literally true? It doesn't take me long spinning in a far smaller gear to break out in a sweat - 15 minutes on my fixie was more than enough to do the trick last time I was on my rollers. If I'm in a gear I like and I want a workout, I just spin up.
__________________
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
12-18-09, 05:39 PM
#15
No matches
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 11,647
Bikes: two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1398 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
250 Posts
My EcoTrack rollers are 80mm and 160W is around 21-22 mph I think. It's been a few days since I've been on them, so I don't remember exactly.
12-18-09, 05:57 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Indianapolis
Posts: 369
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Oh crud. Here I thought I was doing well on my 4" rollers. Will have to wait for weather to let me get on the road. Dang having given away all the winter riding clothes when I moved to Los Angeles. 
12-18-09, 06:21 PM
#18
aka mattio
12-18-09, 06:46 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: A Coffin Called Earth. or Toronto, ON
Posts: 12,257
Bikes: Bianchi, Miyata, Dahon, Rossin
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
if you want a ton of resistance, you get a trainer. I can never seem to get beyond 32km/h to register on the computer when doing a 'sprint' when the trainer is properly setup. I know I can hit 50km/h for a bit down a flat out on the road.
btw, if you putt the rollers on an incline, does it increase work or does it not change?
btw, if you putt the rollers on an incline, does it increase work or does it not change?
__________________
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
Food for thought: if you aren't dead by 2050, you and your entire family will be within a few years from starvation. Now that is a cruel gift to leave for your offspring. ;)
https://sanfrancisco.ibtimes.com/arti...ger-photos.htm
12-18-09, 06:47 PM
#21
Senior Member
Depends on how you like to do your training. A lot of people do SST sessions and threshold intervals on rollers. Most probably have to add some sort of resistance to do these workouts; a towel if you are cheap, or a resistance unit.
__________________
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
Cat 2 Track, Cat 3 Road.
"If you’re new enough [to racing] that you would ask such question, then i would hazard a guess that if you just made up a workout that sounded hard to do, and did it, you’d probably get faster." --the tiniest sprinter
12-18-09, 06:55 PM
#22
Banned
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 28,387
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac SL2, Specialized Tarmac SL, Giant TCR Composite, Specialized StumpJumper Expert HT
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
I think some of you are missing the point of what I wrote. I have to get up to or near the 53x11 to feel like I'm working hard on rollers but I'm not quite gifted enough to ride 40+ on the flats. Ergo the speed on rollers is nothing like the speed on flats. Yes you can add resistance but that's not what the question was about. Now, obviously the roller size makes a difference, and different brands have have different amounts of resistance.
12-18-09, 07:05 PM
#23
No matches
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 11,647
Bikes: two wheeled ones
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1398 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
250 Posts
if you want a ton of resistance, you get a trainer. I can never seem to get beyond 32km/h to register on the computer when doing a 'sprint' when the trainer is properly setup. I know I can hit 50km/h for a bit down a flat out on the road.
btw, if you putt the rollers on an incline, does it increase work or does it not change?
btw, if you putt the rollers on an incline, does it increase work or does it not change?
12-18-09, 07:11 PM
#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 1,272
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I think the effort on my rollers at around 20 mph and ~100 rpm is very similar to riding on a flat road with no wind. This is with the resistance unit set on zero. My only point of reference is that my heart rate is about the same on rollers vs. road it just feels about the same. That said, I don't often ride on flat roads with no wind, so it's not exactly a scientific comparison.
12-18-09, 07:14 PM
#25
gmt
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Binghamton, NY
Posts: 12,509
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 45 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
tires and tubes (and pressure) make a very big difference.
I also use the 53x11 or 53x12 for intervals. For L5 intervals I have to use the same plus the resistance unit.
I also use the 53x11 or 53x12 for intervals. For L5 intervals I have to use the same plus the resistance unit.