55/Rad

Orquasch - those photos give new meaning to the phrase "Come to Jesus"....

55/Rad

Richard Cranium

There are "better and worse" ways to setup rollers for stability.

Typically if you adjust the rollers farther apart, about an inch beyond the wheelbase of the bike, you will get a less "twitchy" setup.

Remember, you "NEED" speed, for the gyro effect of the wheels to hold you up.
Put the bike in a big gear before mounting, and try to imagine you are trying to ride the front wheel over the front roller. (like going uphill)

Once you "feel" the resistance mentally, you're an expert......roller rider.

lotek 

Committed roller rider here .
Koffee really hit on something, you need to relax. Any twitchiness in your movements
gets telescoped up your arms through your white knuckle grip on the bars and
Bobs your uncle your going down.
I did the learn in a doorway trick, but quickly moved out, felt too confining to me, and
got the idea if I did fall there was nowhere to go.
Some hints.
1 DON'T CLIP IN (at least not until you can ride for 5 - 10 minutes without falling)
use sneakers etc. on top of your pedals, that way you can put a foot down (on the
frame) if you have to.
2 I use a step stool to help mount/dismount I can't just swing a leg over and start
pedaling all in one motion.
3) A tall counter (bar height) helps for something to grab onto if you need it. Its
also a great place to put water, coffee, snacks, towels etc.
4) Pedal faster
5) All movement sideways should be done with the hips, not steering with
the bar.
I can drink,eat etc. while on the rollers, can ride for about 2 to 3 minutes no hands
on the rollers but still not quite smooth enough for standing sprints.
Hang in there, it is most definately worth it.

Marty

Here are some additional hints:
https://www.kreitler.com/rolltips.htm

MelloBoy

had a second go at it today for about an hour
i decided to use the doorway. i ignored the advice of not clipping in and just went at it. omg, that is so much more easier, though i was cheating a little bit. static electricity allowed me to feel when i was getting close to the right or left side haha, but i only fell once or twice and it wasn't that bad.

i can definitely feel an unsmooth pedal now when i'm accelerating. i've noticed that i need to input force front and back as well as up and down to get a smoother stroke (or something like that...just can't describe it), but the difference was profound. after day 2 i'm thinking it was a very good investment. now i can ride on rainy days and at night without leaving my dog at home

melloboy

Fat Hack

I can't do it either

orguasch

55/Rad
thanks, You notice the picture on the right, , it a good thing to believe.
Oscar

Maj.Taylor

Congratulations!!!

Chef23

This thread is making me a little scared. I am debating between rollers and a trainer for use this winter. How long does it take to get comfortable on the rollers and can you get as good an aerobic workout?

I don't want to kill myself riding in the basement.

MelloBoy

i don't know about how much of an aerobic workout you can get, but you can always get a resistance unit to go along with the roller. i did about 45 min on saturday with some major falls (i also didn't heed the advice of previous threads and did it next to my tv as something to balance off of instead of a doorway), took sunday off for a training ride, hopped on again on monday IN the doorway this time and was able to ride for about 1hr w/o falling.

maybe wear a helmet the first few days? on the bright side, you can immediately see what small modifications in technique can do as either a) you go twitchy side to side, or b) you become smoother. i noticed immediately on day 1 that i was, in particular, going way out of balance when i was accelerating even a little bit. i was stomping harder with my left foot and started careening towards my left.

just wear a helmet, maybe some shin/arm guards for day 1 and 2 if there's any sharp objects near by, and DO IT IN A DOORWAY.

good luck

melloboy

elicheez

I was thinking about getting rollers this winter. What's the word on the elliptical* ones? Are they really easier to learn? My apartment's not big enough to go crashing around! And if they're easier, do they not help as much with your pedal stroke?

*or maybe parabolic... whatever they're calling the ones that are thinner in the middle...

Guest

When I saw people riding them at Interbike, they were sweating up a storm. Riding consistently, without falling, would definitely result in a full aerobic workout. Increasing the resistance can definitely get you anaerobic once you get really good at it.

Koffee

orguasch

its the next best thing to actually riding in the road... and you won't regret the moolah you will spend on this..

Maj.Taylor

Koffee, was the Headwind system attached to the Kreitler rollers you tried? There's very good reason they call it the "Killer Headwind System."

Guest

It was attached, but could come off.

I'm going to work up to using the headwind system. Pray for me.

Koffee

P.S. Happy belated, Major. I was out of town with no internet access, but wanted to wish you all the best. I hope it was a good one!

formulaben

OK guys. Here you go, only $180 for a quality set of METAL rollers with magnetic resistance. DO NOT BUY PVC ROLLERS! When exposed to the sun, they warp. Trust me, that's why I had to buy a new net. I bought a new set of rollers from nashbar that is very similar to this one. It is very nice because it folds up and I store it in my closet. I can vary the resistance and best of all, it is metal so it will be around for a while.

I really think you guys who are having problems need to look at your setup on the rollers. The front roller needs to be slightly ahead of, or directly underneath the front axle of the bike.

orguasch

you are exatcly right the front tireshould be on top of the rolller or Drum, if you will notice on my previous post, the front tire is on top of the roller

VintageSteve

My wife's father competed in roller races back in Buffalo NY circa 1930's riding big wooden rollers. They had large speedometers and milage gages spectators could see.
In the film "La Course En Tete" Eddy Merckx is riding rollers spinning about 140 revs.
I used to ride them with toe clips and straps.
Put a towel over your stem/headset area to keep the sweat off...
You need confidence when starting out; just start spinning right off, get yourself going and you will smoothly work your way into it.

It may be better to have a clear area around you, so when you drop off you can unclip and catch yourself. That is one way to stop also, but I always just slowed and put my foot down on the bar or grabbed a chair next to me.
They will make your spin better than just trainers.

Maj.Taylor

Thank you, Koffee.

rwg

What rainy days? It doesn't rain here!

You have made me want to get the rollers out of the cabinet now. I am not sure why - I have always preferred riding on the road and we can ride year round here, but all the gushing about rollers and form makes me want to do some roller brush ups. (nice post, Maj.) I just don't know where I will be able to fit it in. Hmm. Evenings. Double workouts. Movies sort of with wife. Hmm. I guess I do know where to fit it in. The dogs should love this.

VintageSteve

Rollers are like slide boards and dry-land training to speed skaters. They will improve your form when you are using proper technique to begin with. They supplement not supplant riding or skating.
Rollers force you use good form or you go drifting off. A side benefit is that they give you a good workout, but it is mainly for working on you form that you would use them. Otherwise, go ride or use a trainer.

MelloBoy

rwg,
there were some pretty nasty storms in the winter of 2k/2k1 during el nino. i remember this cause i was working at a ski shop back then and every day, it was like fresh snow in the local mountains i'd have my chains and stuff ready after classes at UCSD (when id didn't have work) and head up like 2-3 times a week haha.

but you're right...it doesn't rain much usually in SD. maybe around late jan to late march we have a few days or so. i guess i got it more so because my dog has bad separation anxiety and the rollers let me ride w/o guilt after a long full day of work/class besides, i was recommended my weekly training schedule for the cycling team (from mon - sun) to be rest, 20 miles, 20 miles, 50 miles, rest, 50 miles, 40 miles so it allows me alternatives to train without leaving my dog at home alone for more than i need to. maybe i should've gotten a burley instead LOL

melloboy

rwg

Well, it looks like your plan was a good one and that you are perhaps clairvoyant (although the Burley is a good idea too, if you have wide enough spaces to pull it). Postponed the ride on Sunday morning until Sunday afternoon b/c of rain. Went out Sunday afternoon and it started raining AGAIN when I was about 3 miles out (and I promptly shortened my ride from 30 miles to 28). Yesterday morning's ride was cancelled b/c of rain. Again. Got the rollers out last night for about 45 mins. Commute into work cancelled this morning b/c of rain. Again. I will get back on the rollers tonight. It's supposed to rain tomorrow, too. Looks like you were clairvoyant.

A few thoughts from our out of the ordinary rainy season - I haven't been on rollers for maybe 10 years and I was still fairly decent with them. No falls, but I rode between a wall and the kitchen breakfast bar. I would have gone down once if I couldn't catch myself. Having said that, my form needs work.

Rollers that were purchased solely on price 15 years ago and ignored for 10 are probably ready for replacement. They don't seem to be exactly round anymore.

I carried on with my ride on Sunday in the rain, but I won't do it again. It's not that the wet, cold miserable experience wasn't worth it (it was better than not riding), it's that the grime was everywhere, I am still cleaning the bike, I cleaned the chain and the gears, but I can still hear the grit rubbing around b/c it is between the metal pieces of the chain links and I don't know how to get it out . . . next time I will turn around and go for a run in the rain instead of a ride.

MelloBoy

haha
i was thinking of doing the "see i told you so" thing last night but decided not to thanks for bringing it back up haha
Sunday morning wasn't so bad. I was worried our training ride would be cancelled, as I had been up at 6am when it was literally a wall of water outside my window (i couldn't see any cars in the parking lot not 15 feet away. we did the fiesta island loop from 9am to noon or so which was pretty dry, except i was a klutz, tripped and knocked my wheel into the quicksand and got grit and grime into my drivetrain. i'm partially using that as an excuse to get a new frame as i'd need to disassemble everything and give it a good solvent wash and scrubbing...AND it's easier with the componentry off

but yes, I had a nice evening ride yesterday inside the house for a few hours as well as a few hours sunday evening at $80, i'm thinking now that the rollers were a good investment

melloboy

qmsdc15

I got the bug last night. Dug out some rollers from the closet after finishing my six pack. They are something I found in a neighbors trash years ago. They are real loud, bearings probably dry and rusted, also used rear knobby because I got a bad cut in one of my 2.1 slicks (I used an ancient ground control, knobs worn down but still there and loud). I could have hauled the hybrid up from downstairs (conti gatorskins), but the mtb worked fine. I was in the hall close to the left wall which I could and did lean on with my upper arm on occasion. I guess I was careful not to fall to the right because I did leave the door open and so no wall to brace against on that side. Now I want a HRM to make sure but I think I did get and stayed in a aerobic heartrate without added resistance (these old rollers probably offer alot of resistance compared to a new set). I rode about 15-20 minutes. Once I got started I decided to go until sweat dripped to the floor because it was late and I needed to sleep.

Gadfly

I tried the doorway scheme but found I ended up with one hand on the handle bar and the other one glued to the door frame. When i moved the rollers about 5 inches away from a wall on one side, i was able to start with both hands on the bars and things went better.

Still learning.