First time on rollers
 

i ordered an elite ghibli roller the other day and it arrived whilst i was at work. i got the hang of it after ten minutes of wobbling about. i can't get going without a hand on something still though (hence the chairs either side of me)
video in the facebook link shows me having a go
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v...type=2&theater

Congrats. You will find that you are a smoother cyclist as a result.

Not nearly as good as the thread starter of four years ago but I got some rollers too, in an attempt to not get so fat over the winter.

I place mine in a door frame or next to a wall so that I can push my elbows out to balance while starting or otherwise. I found that relaxing the shoulders, dropping them, really helps with balance and leads to a smoother cadence.

I rode rollers for about 20 years, but moved to a smart trainer. I was never able to get going without something to hold. Once I was going it all went well, though.

You may want to try a higher cadence and wheel speed. It should make it a bit easier at first.

I've used my rollers for a long time now, and I find I'm still quite glad to be near something to grab. I set up next to railing of the basement steps. Like helmets, you don't expect to need it, but... The rollers require focus that a fixed trainer does not.

The first time I tried it, I felt like the bike wanted to come out from under me. Never tried again. I feel like it was not spaced properly though as I just hoped on someones else at the indoor training session.

Thanks. I will try that.

The front roller is meant to be "10 – 15mm (Minimum 0mm. No minus [Not negative])" in front of the front wheel. 0mm is for when you get good.

Mine is nearer the 0mm due to he size of my frame and the spacing of the holes which are 30mm apart. Apparently one can move the rear rollers for fine tuning.

You'll become a smoother roller rider.

Doesn't really have much to do with the road, though.

Looks great, I recently got a bike with through axles and have been thinking about rollers for next winter.

I've got about 25 hours on rollers over the last couple years from a training program I've taken. I still need to hang on to get started, but then I'm ok, but still nervous. Just crashed once on my second time. I am usually in my second to top gear 50/13 I think. Cadence around 90, keep my wheel speed at 26 mph or more. I feel more stable at higher speed, but it does take some getting used to.

Actually it does.

How, exactly?

How does "smoothness" on the rollers help on the road?

Put'em in a doorframe and ride a few times until you get comfortable. Rollers are really great for your technique (if you cannot ride outside). You will be able to ride comfortably in no time.

Smoothness is attained by learning to pedal efficiently. It reduces wasted energy and enhances your ability to engage fast twitch muscles. If you have ever seen a strong, undisciplined rider schooled by a less strong but trained and experienced rider, you know what I mean. There are other factors involved of course. When I first started cycling, about 40 years ago, I bought a book by Greg LeMond. In it he said, "If you can't afford a coach, buy rollers." I took that to heart and have never regretted it. I also have a childhood friend who was a cyclist. We met when we were 7 and went through school together up through our first year of college. We talk all the time. Back in the day he was always trying to get me on a bike but I was a football/baseball guy. Ended up going through college on a football scholarship. But, I digress. When he was 15 he was the youngest ever National Jr. Champion in his cycling event. He also went on to be in the '64 Olympics in Tokyo. A serious crash ended his career. In any event, he is constantly telling me that leg speed is the foundation of cycling and that rollers did that for him. So, I am going to stand by what I have experienced to be true. Perhaps we will just have to agree to disagree.

I would add that rollers MAKE you pedal properly. I don't seem to have the concentration any more.

That they do. A little anecdote....I was being fitted by a guy who has all the latest equipment and training. Bear in mind I am 72 and have the mesomorph football player body. So, I'm on the bike/machine and the fitter comes over and says, "A good recreational rider will pedal at about 60% efficiency (perfect circles). You are pedaling at 85% with no leg imbalance. How can you do that?" I responded, "I've never owned a trainer. But, I've ridden rollers for 30 years." He simply said, "Of course."

Generating the most power is not done by pedaling "properly" by spinning smoothly or in circles.

"Stomping" is the most effective way of producing power.

Right.

That's the old school lore.

Now it's been shown that that's not the most effective way to pedal.

And leg speed really has nothing to do with any type of foundation. Cycling is an aerobic sport. Getting oxygen to your muscles so they can continue to work effectively is the foundation of it and any other endurance sport.

Rollers simply make you good at riding rollers, but I'd argue even that's a bit of a waste if you're trying to improve fitness indoors. If that's the case, a trainer will allow you to do proper workouts a bit more easily (though with resistance, I've done up to threshold workouts on rollers).

It may be an old school approach, but it's hardly 'lore.' It takes a lot more than the ability to stomp on the pedals to be a good cyclist - or even a consistently fast one. Besides, what matters is how many watts get to the rear wheel, not how many you expend, and on rollers its hard not to develop a sensitivity to that.

I found rollers improved the cadence I could maintain and made me keep from rocking side to side as both keeps you more comfortable as the sessions lengthen.

So where's the crossover, then?

And why do you think there's a difference between the power you're putting out on the pedals and the power that reaches the rear wheel, save for the inevitable drivetrain loss? And how would riding rollers affect that?

Are you frequently spinning out your rear wheel?

I'm curious. Have you ever trained with rollers and, if so, have you seen no effect on the road? I'm not just talking about racing but general cycling as well.

As someone who has been hospitalized from cycling several different ways, it seems like a bad idea. :lol:

I think duration has a lot to do with this discussion. Certainly at TT durations, stomping is more effective, One can test this with an HRM on rollers very simply. Pedal at a given speed, say 20 on resistance rollers, stomping only. Then pedal the same speed with smooth circles. Your HR will go up pedaling circles. Which doesn't mean stomping is better than circles, but rather that it depends on context.

But out on the road, pedal according to context. Sometimes I'm smooth, sometimes I stomp.

Again, pedal at 55 cadence at that same speed, by whatever method. Then, using the same pedaling method, increase cadence to 100. Your HR will go up, which doesn't mean that 55 is a more effective cadence than 100. Again it depends on context.

It's very observable that fast LD racers and randonneurs pedal high cadence and pedal circles, Watching a local RAAM finisher pedal, neither his back or hips move at all. Just his legs go 'round, and quickly. I think if Grand Tour stages were as long as they used to be, one wouldn't see so much bobbing during hard efforts.

Be all that as it may, I've found resistance rollers provide excellent training and have made a difference on the road. Rollers without resistance are fine for form and recovery, but aren't as versatile as rollers sets which have resistance.

But out on the road, pedal according to context. Sometimes I'm smooth, sometimes I stomp. Sometimes I pedal fast, other times more slowly.

No.
There are a number of ways energy can be expended on the bike without getting it to the wheel. The most extreme example maybe something like jumping up and down while doing a track stand. I'm sure you can imagine a number of other ways our feet can apply force to the pedal where the resistance comes from the structure of the divetrain itself rather than the road or the air. I'd suggest that rollers are inherently unforgiving of the kind of pedaling form that wastes energy and upsets equilibrium that way.
I don't know anything about the absolute magnitude of the energy losses inherent in poor form, but riding rollers teaches one that they are not negligible.

That sounds like a bit of an unquantifiable stretch.

Yep. For about four years (during winter). Rollers are nice if you have one bike and switch between indoors and outdoors quite frequently.

Riding on rollers made absolutely zero difference to riding outside. First couple of times I'd do rollers each winter, I'd be a little wobbly initially. Went away quickly.

Again, nothing crossing over to the road, though, which makes sense. None of the skills necessary for navigating corners, adjusting lines, negotiating close-quarters contact, etc., are replicated on rollers. Pedaling, as I said, is a non-sequitor to begin with.

Edited to add: I used to be a big believer in the "pedaling circles/smoothness" stuff. Even had a pair of powercranks for a winter! Then I finally started using actual data instead of anecdotal tales. Saved me a lot of time.

I thought this was interesting...
Interesting that my experience with rollers is so different than yours.