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Roller Workouts on a fixed gear

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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

Roller Workouts on a fixed gear

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Old 01-17-09 | 11:34 AM
  #26  
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just did an hour on rollers, albeit with my road bike. i watched half of "hell on wheels" for distraction. i feel good. shower time.
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Old 01-17-09 | 11:46 AM
  #27  
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I just picked up a set yesterday.

45 minutes here on the fixed gear and I feel like I'm going to die.
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Old 01-17-09 | 12:29 PM
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i'm a long time user (3" keitlers)...*great* for your form.

lately i've been working on my high rpm spin...intervals at 150+ RPM for as long as i can hold it, recover, repeat. usually starts at 15-20sec/~180rpm, deteriorates to 30-45sec/~150rpm over several reps...that +30rpm is a *huge* difference. 46x16 gives 'speeds' of 30-37mph or so. haven't crashed yet, but been close...
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Old 01-17-09 | 03:09 PM
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anyone use the headwind for the kreitlers?
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Old 01-18-09 | 09:13 AM
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speaking from experience, you might want the KHW if you've got the biggest size kreitlers (4.5"), but at 3" there is plenty of resistance (and the even smaller ones are brutal). if you're just looking for the breeze, get a fan.
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Old 01-18-09 | 10:11 AM
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From: Alaska/Oregon

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I've got the big ones, so spinning them takes NO effort at all (which is a sign of their quality), maybe a headwind is in my future.
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Old 01-18-09 | 10:20 AM
  #32  
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I just lower my PSI for more rolling resistance.
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Old 01-18-09 | 11:10 AM
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I was going to ask about that: can you not add resistance to the rollers themselves? Seem like it would be an easy and obvious feature to include.
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Old 01-18-09 | 01:10 PM
  #34  
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Can't wait to try the rollers my neighbor let me borrow. Are they difficult to ride on?
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Old 01-18-09 | 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by Guvna
I was going to ask about that: can you not add resistance to the rollers themselves? Seem like it would be an easy and obvious feature to include.
kreitlers do not have external resistance, other than the the optional belt-driven 'killer headwind' squirrel cage fan.

other mfgs offer magnetic or fluid resistance units.
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Old 01-18-09 | 08:50 PM
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my roller came with a resistance unit.
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Old 01-18-09 | 08:57 PM
  #37  
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I've been looking for a set of second-hand rollers, anyone got any outs?
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Old 01-18-09 | 09:18 PM
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I live in a tiny NYC apartment. Will my downstairs neighbor hate me if I use rollers?
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Old 01-19-09 | 12:20 AM
  #39  
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nah it's NYC anything flies
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Old 01-19-09 | 12:27 AM
  #40  
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who is your downstairs neighbor? that's a key ingredient if I was your downstairs neighbor I wouldn't care so I'd say go for it
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Old 01-19-09 | 12:29 AM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by MIN
I
Min that loft is looking dope! quite the upgrade from the Euge back in the day. How are you liking Philly in comparison to Portland besides the cold and the eagles loosing... not that you care ?
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Old 01-19-09 | 12:59 AM
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Originally Posted by solbrothers
my roller came with a resistance unit.
What kind did you pick up?
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Old 01-19-09 | 08:40 AM
  #43  
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From: philadelphia
Originally Posted by Live2Die
Min that loft is looking dope! quite the upgrade from the Euge back in the day. How are you liking Philly in comparison to Portland besides the cold and the eagles loosing... not that you care ?
Thanks dude. Philly got a great bike culture. I've met tons of people, rdden on lots of group ride already and done a couple of cross races. It's not as snowy as NY but still pretty cold which brings us back to the topic at hand...
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Old 01-19-09 | 08:43 AM
  #44  
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Any of you guys experience a numb taint on the rollers? Never happens on the road which is mixed with more out of the saddle riding, but on the rollers - with the higher cadence and less resistance - I frequently get a numb package after 30 minutes. I've been trying to stand more on the rollers but I can't spin more than 40-50 RPM while standing.

Last edited by MIN; 01-19-09 at 12:13 PM.
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Old 01-19-09 | 09:05 AM
  #45  
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yeah, it's a thing with rollers. on a trainer you get to stand up for some position variety, but rollers don't really offer that. i ride in a doorway so that i can sit up, take my hands off the bars, have the option of resting a hand on the doorframe. it's a bit of variety that's necessary during cool-downs in my intervals. also, don't hesitate to spend a minute off the bike, or out of the saddle - just straddling the bike. using the footblock that rests on the frame of the rollers is helpful. unclip one pedal and rest it on that, keep the other foot clipped in the pedal. it's kind of annoying to cool down not pedaling (soft pedaling keeps the blood flowing, etc), but sometimes you just need to get off.
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Old 01-19-09 | 04:42 PM
  #46  
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Originally Posted by MIN
Any of you guys experience a numb taint on the rollers? Never happens on the road which is mixed with more out of the saddle riding, but on the rollers - with the higher cadence and less resistance - I frequently get a numb package after 30 minutes. I've been trying to stand more on the rollers but I can't spin more than 40-50 RPM while standing.
this is why i limit my roller sessions to around 20 minutes, and go for quality over quantity. i think the longest i've ever gone is 40 minutes with 3 breaks off the bike to wipe off the ridiculous amount of sweat / change my shirt after it was completely saturated.

i mostly view rollers as a recovery ride the day after a hard gym / road ride day, though, and a chance to work on technique and leg speed for the track.
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Old 01-20-09 | 09:01 AM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by MIN
Any of you guys experience a numb taint on the rollers? Never happens on the road which is mixed with more out of the saddle riding, but on the rollers - with the higher cadence and less resistance - I frequently get a numb package after 30 minutes. I've been trying to stand more on the rollers but I can't spin more than 40-50 RPM while standing.
standing will get easier with practice...just like when seated you need to be buttery smooth, which is much harder while standing. but you knew that.

also like on the road, i vary my seated position to delay the inevitable. back on the saddle/hands on the tops, mid-saddle/hoods, front of the saddle/drops. it helps.
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Old 01-20-09 | 12:26 PM
  #48  
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Does anyone else try to see how slow they can go on rollers?
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Old 01-20-09 | 12:43 PM
  #49  
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y'all have totally made me want a set of rollers
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Old 01-20-09 | 12:48 PM
  #50  
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Rollers have really showed me how far out of shape I am haha


I get tired after like 3-4 minutes and I can probably go for like 10 minutes before I gotta take a break


God I suck


46/18 gearing sucks too with small rollers i think...
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