Bike Forums - Rollers are over-rated

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- - Rollers are over-rated (https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/626204-rollers-over-rated.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by agarose2000 (Post 10484301)

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.

Smooth riders stay smooth even when they're maxed out, dead, and blind from oxygen deprivation. Riding smoothly will save you energy-- any motion that isn't propelling the bike forward isn't helping you go faster. And if you go watch a big track event you'll see quite a few people riding pretty smoothly all out on the rollers. I used to tag (not sustain) 200 rpm on the rollers without bouncing around- I haven't tried it in a while since I haven't had a cadence sensor in ages.

Will rollers help you on downhill descents? No.
Will they help you in a fast paceline? Yes.
Will they make other riders in a breakaway want to keep you there? Yes- if you're a **** and hard to ride behind you aren't helping the break and people will want to shed you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agarose2000 (Post 10484743)

I agree. But nobody views the trainer as helping one bit on downhills. Whereas MANY people view roller skills as helping a lot with downhill riding, which I disagree with. (Ok, if you're a wobbly rider even on flats, it'll help you, but that's an egregious case.)

Facepalm

Dude, even my cat likes rollers.https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&i...f_g6ferkff0&zw

I have done a lot of my endurance work/tempo intervals/recovery rides on my rollers this winter and they're completely awesome and have helped immensely with both my fitness and my form.

Also, have you really ever heard anyone claim that rollers help you on descents? They're great for a lot of things, but I think you may be tilting at windmills on that one...

Quote:

Originally Posted by umd (Post 10485630)

Facepalm

Okay, seriously, someone's got to explain to me about the whole "riding downhill" thing. I'm not getting it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Ratliff (Post 10485712)

Okay, seriously, someone's got to explain to me about the whole "riding downhill" thing. I'm not getting it.

I don't either, I've never heard anyone give riding downhill as a benefit of rollers.

Quote:

Originally Posted by umd (Post 10485754)

I don't either, I've never heard anyone give riding downhill as a benefit of rollers.

E-motion rollers help with downhills.

Quote:

Originally Posted by umd (Post 10489489)

How?

just checking to see if you're online and how fast you reply.

good job!

:p

I'm being lazy now relaxing before I race in a few hours

Quote:

Originally Posted by umd (Post 10489532)

:p

I'm being lazy now relaxing before I race in a few hours

oh wow, good luck!

is this a RR or crit?

It's a 75 minute crit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by agarose2000 (Post 10484071)

I'm not sold on them. They're not bad, but I far prefer my trainer. I can go much, much harder and focus on power, which seems to be the most critical thing for riding/racing.

Someone convince me to keep riding these things.

I take it your rollers don't have a resistance unit on them.
I can get a better workout on my rollers at settings 1-2 than I ever could on my Cycleops Fluid 2. And I don't get bored on them either.
And I blew away my best time on my 50 mile route this afternoon.
So I would argue they do work.

Just send them to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsteinb (Post 10484090)

Who would possibly care what you do?

"I have pcad on ignore, you should too."

^^^With replies like this, perhaps the OP should add you to your own sig.