Rollers...Your opinion please.

Super Freak

I'm thinking of getting a set of rollers for fitness purposes. I can see that turbo trainers are far more popular on this forum and universally but I think that rollers might suit me better.

From what I have read and seen on youtube I reckon that I would get bored on the turbo a lot easier than rollers as the rollers have more of a feeling of actually riding a bike.

I'm just looking for something to use in the garage for an hour or so a couple of times a week over the winter to keep the weight off and fitness up.

Thanks for any help or comments

Kieran

Lumen

I haven't used rollers, but received wisdom is that whilst rollers may be more fun, the balancing factor means they are more difficult to train at high intensities on (which is entirely the point of indoor trainers) and therefore inferior as a training aid.

Mr. Skeffington

Rollers are not really much use for training as Lumen rightly pointed out.

If you are concerned about your weight over the winter keep a close eye on your diet.

For fitness get a turbo and do a couple of sessions 45min - 1hr during the week, you could also do some running, and or circuit training to keep fitness up at this time of year.

Dont forget to do some long steady sessions on the bike at the weekends 2.5 - 4 hrs depending on your level.

If you are going for a turbo go for something like a Tacx flow with power readout. Oh and invest in a heart rate monitor if you dont already have one.

petethedrummer

Can't you get an attachment for rollers to lock the front fork down.

Like in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KgplSoBkOk

Lumen

petethedrummer wrote: »

Can't you get an attachment for rollers to lock the front fork down.

Intriguing. Wouldn't be easier to just buy a turbo?

For general fitness the roads work fine all year round. We're not in Finland.

petethedrummer

Lumen wrote: »

Intriguing. Wouldn't be easier to just buy a turbo?

For general fitness the roads work fine all year round. We're not in Finland.

I dunno, I was only sayin' like.

I wouldn't buy either.

DirkVoodoo

My rollers do a great job of propping my bike up against the door.

Other than that, they are handy for working on form: little imbalances that might not be noticed by you on the road are amplified on the rollers, so it can help with balance, pedalling technique, etc.

I would probably have got a turbo though, my rollers have seen single figure work hours since I got them at christmas (yes, even they are not exempt from my excuses).

Lumen

I know there are people (on this thread ) much faster than me who do almost all their proper training indoors, and I don't doubt the effectiveness, but in all honesty unless you are quite serious about training for racing or have extremely tight time constraints I wouldn't bother with indoor training. It's about as pleasant as doing a 40K TT in a bin liner.

If you only want to get out a few hours a week, you're better off spending the money on some winter clothing and enjoying the fresh air.

I sold mine a few months ago and don't miss it glaring at me through the ceiling from the attic.

IMHO.

Dr.Millah

Got rollers last week (cheap Tacx ones) and modified them to make them Free Motion. Rollers were around 130e and the materials to make them free motion cost me 8 euro (i had a few bits around that saved a few quid)

IMO i find them fairly entertaining compaired to being stationary.

Also, with regard to getting a workout from them i have no problem getting my HR right up. But im spinning at 100RPM on a very large gear. So if i get alot fitter/stronger i will have to increase the resistance on them. But for now there great!

bcmf

I have never used a turbo only rollers.
First of all as Dirk says the main improvement/benefit will be your balance and pedalling technique.with rollers you stop pedalling you fall off.There is no 'roll' you stop after a few secs. Falling off on the road is embarrassing enough but falling off rollers is so strange. Boredom does set in on rollers but just when you start to fall asleep you suddenly find yourself trying to guide your front wheel back.
I find there is massive resistance as both wheels are 'impeded'.
Plus if you use them outdoors watch as the neighbours try and figure out what the fook is that noise.
@ Dirk. Your not looking to sell yours as I am in the market for a new set?

DirkVoodoo

bcmf wrote: »

@ Dirk. Your not looking to sell yours as I am in the market for a new set?

Sorry dude, probably gonna hang onto them and give them a proper go this winter. Good point though, rollers are actually damn noisy.

bcmf

no worries.No harm in asking eh!!!

dave2pvd

I used to use a resistance trainer ('turbo'). Now I use rollers all the time, whether indoor training or pre-race warmup.

Indoor training is mind-bendingly boring. At least with the rollers, it feels a bit more like riding your bike. It truly is more rewarding than the trainer. But still boring. I mean, how many times can you watch 300?

I almost never go beyond one hour. Basically, it goes like this:

10mins: Warmup in small ring
5mins: 1st interval; 100rpm on 53x16 (or whatever feels like sub-tempo)
2mins: spin @ 53x19
5mins: 2nd interval - next gear up from 1st interval.
2mins: spin @ 53x19
5mins.....well, you get the picture. Keep increasing the 5min stint until you can no longer stand it. Try to make the last interval longer - 10mins is ideal.
10mins: Wind down. Reduce the gear gradually, finishing in same gear as warmup.

No problem having enough resistance on the rollers. Tyre pressure makes a huge difference to the effort you will expend. I usually check pressure before starting to make sure it is ~100psi in each tyre.

Oh, almost forgot to mention: absolutely NO problem getting a really tough workout on rollers. Just like when you ride your bike.

peterako

I got rollers a few yeats ago to try and keep up some cycling during the wet, miserable and dark winter days/nights.

Great for:

Balance
Pedaling technique
Strength
Does not damage your bike frame...

(as mentioned above....resistance is highish and you HAVE to keep pedaling....though when your balance gets good you can do all sorts of things like 'coast for a bit' ride one of no hands etc )

You can alter intensity by changing gear.

It's more like being on the road.

Bad for (just like Turbos ):

Entertainment (maybe good entertainment for others when you fall off )
You get HOT (no airflow).

To ward off the bordom I usually put a CD or two on to 'listen' to when on teh rollers.

And use teh tracks on the CD to signal different parts of teh cycle:

eg....

Track 1 and 2...warmup
Track 3 start of a hill (change to harded gear)
Track 4 recovery
Track 5 spring in small gear etc.

I find that 45 mins on the Rollers is equivalent in effort (for me) to a 60 - 90 minute cycle on the road.

Big thumbs up from me for the Rollers...

Peter

Super Freak

Thanks guys,

Bit of a mixed bag of reports for and against rollers. But I think for my level of training they might suit me better than a turbo.

I would prefer to be out on the road, but I'm not silly enough to think that I will come home in the evening and go out for a spin when it is dark+cold+hosing down rain. I just won't be able to motivate myself to do it, plus it is a lot more dangerous.

Thanks again everyone. (any more comments are welcome).

Kieran

Lumen

This thread is not helping my e-motion rollers purchase avoidance strategy.

Dr.Millah wrote: »

Got rollers last week (cheap Tacx ones) and modified them to make them Free Motion. Rollers were around 130e and the materials to make them free motion cost me 8 euro (i had a few bits around that saved a few quid)

Is the conversion something that takes real skill (i.e. fabrication) or is it more a case of putting stuff together like a piece of Ikea furniture?

Chips Lovell

I've the Tacx rollers and I like them. The downside of rollers is that you can't really increase resistance. The upside is that they are a bit less boring than the turbo, since there's the added distraction of keeping the bike on the straight and narrow. In the big gears, there is enough resistance to simulate a reasonably fast flat spin. With no stops for traffic lights or free wheeling, the amount of work you do on them in an hour would be greater than on the road, unless you live in the middle of nowhere. They're good for an hour or two before work or late at night, when going out for a quick spin is more trouble than it's worth. This winter I plan on using both the turbo and the rollers for indoor work.

bcmf

just a note of warning super freak. Rollers are VERY NOISY. Using them indoors on
a) wooden floors will almost certainly wake up small children several miles away and
b) on carpet-watch as you create static beyond your wildest dreams

Dr.Millah

Lumen wrote: »

This thread is not helping my e-motion rollers purchase avoidance strategy.



Is the conversion something that takes real skill (i.e. fabrication) or is it more a case of putting stuff together like a piece of Ikea furniture?

Not much skill required at all. Just know some basic DIY stuff.

This is a simple way of doing it http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=196027

I did something fairly similar and the only materials i used were

2m threaded bar
bolts for the above bar (5/16th)
4 skateboard wheels (with bearings)
2" x 4" timber for the frame
4 elastic cable tie things

All done in around 2 hours.

Super Freak

just a note of warning super freak. Rollers are VERY NOISY

If/when I get them I plan to use them in my detached garage with my MP3 player and sound cancelling headphones.

Not much skill required at all. Just know some basic DIY stuff.
This is a simple way of doing it http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=196027

The home conversion to the E-motion rollers really intrests me, thanks for the link

Kieran

dave2pvd

Super Freak wrote: »

Thanks guys,

Bit of a mixed bag of reports for and against rollers. But I think for my level of training they might suit me better than a turbo.

I would prefer to be out on the road, but I'm not silly enough to think that I will come home in the evening and go out for a spin when it is dark+cold+hosing down rain. I just won't be able to motivate myself to do it, plus it is a lot more dangerous.

Thanks again everyone. (any more comments are welcome).

Kieran

Kieran,

You might want to apply an opinion filter here. Many of the opinions you will get that are pro-trainer, anti-rollers are from people that don't ride rollers. Once you get used to rollers, the perceived disadvantages quickly fall away.

As for resistance, I suspect this is a function of roller material and diameter, together with tyre pressure. My rollers are heavy aluminum (not aluminium, sorry). I am a >1,500W sprinter, yet there is no way in hell that I can turn a 53x11 on my rollers for any length of time.

crashoveroid

el tonto wrote: »

I've the Tacx rollers and I like them. The downside of rollers is that you can't really increase resistance. The upside is that they are a bit less boring than the turbo, since there's the added distraction of keeping the bike on the straight and narrow. In the big gears, there is enough resistance to simulate a reasonably fast flat spin. With no stops for traffic lights or free wheeling, the amount of work you do on them in an hour would be greater than on the road, unless you live in the middle of nowhere. They're good for an hour or two before work or late at night, when going out for a quick spin is more trouble than it's worth. This winter I plan on using both the turbo and the rollers for indoor work.

Do Cycleops have one now that has resistance?

CheGuedara

Kanye wrote:

Yo dave2pvd, Im really happy fo you wit yo rollas n'awl, an Imma let you finish but aluminium is the only way to spell aluminium - ever

DirkVoodoo

Wikipedia entry on Aluminium:

The -ium suffix had the advantage of conforming to the precedent set in other newly discovered elements of the time: potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and strontium (all of which Davy had isolated himself). Nevertheless, -um spellings for elements were not unknown at the time, as for example platinum, known to Europeans since the sixteenth century, molybdenum, discovered in 1778, and tantalum, discovered in 1802.

The -um suffix on the other hand, has the advantage of being more consistent with the universal spelling alumina for the oxide, as lanthana is the oxide of lanthanum, and magnesia, ceria, and thoria are the oxides of magnesium, cerium, and thorium respectively.

The spelling used throughout the 19th century by most U.S. chemists ended in -ium, but common usage is less clear.[45] The -um spelling is used in the Webster's Dictionary of 1828, as it was in 1892 when Charles Martin Hall published an advertising handbill for his new electrolytic method of producing the metal, despite his constant use of the -ium spelling in all the patents[39] he filed between 1886 and 1903.[46] It has consequently been suggested that the spelling reflects an easier to pronounce word with one fewer syllable, or that the spelling on the flier was a mistake. Hall's domination of production of the metal ensured that the spelling aluminum became the standard in North America; the Webster Unabridged Dictionary of 1913, though, continued to use the -ium version.

In 1926, the American Chemical Society officially decided to use aluminum in its publications; American dictionaries typically label the spelling aluminium as a British variant.
Present-day spelling

Most countries spell aluminium with an i before -um. In the United States, the spelling aluminium is largely unknown, and the spelling aluminum predominates.[47][48] The Canadian Oxford Dictionary prefers aluminum, whereas the Australian Macquarie Dictionary prefers aluminium.

The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) adopted aluminium as the standard international name for the element in 1990, but three years later recognized aluminum as an acceptable variant. Hence their periodic table includes both.[49] IUPAC officially prefers the use of aluminium in its internal publications, although several IUPAC publications use the spelling aluminum.[50]

CheGuedara

The IUPAC may have crumbled but I will persist!!!

In time the americans will overcome their innate fear of words with more than four syllables. In time....


ALUMINIUM FTW!!

dave2pvd

Y'all are clue-less.

Doncha know that aluminum and aluminium are two different metals, aluminum being far superior? Yes, it's true. It took me a few years to realize this.

So, in conclusion, I am getting better training sessions than y'all because I have superior aluminum rollers.

Let me know if you want to place orders. I can help with shipping. By air.

CheGuedara

[break from reality]Right... and how did you come to realise this? What gave it away?

Will they make bike frames from this new even-better-than-aluminium 'aluminum' material? Can you imagine if they could alloy it with scandium - I bet that would be excellent!/[break from reality]

dave2pvd

CheGuedara wrote: »

[break from reality]Right... and how did you come to realise this? What gave it away?

Will they make bike frames from this new even-better-than-aluminium 'aluminum' material? Can you imagine if they could alloy it with scandium - I bet that would be excellent!/[break from reality]

It's Scandum, dummy

CheGuedara

[in Yankenese] My bad homes!

dave2pvd

CheGuedara wrote: »

[in Yankenese] My bad homes!

Jaysus, Che, there you go again. Not a single yank within miles here. This is the South. South'reners abound. Yanks are above the Mason-Dixon line. Except those on vacation. Which is a different metal to on holidays.

Junior

I have rollers made of unobtainium

Super Freak

I have rollers made of unobtainium

you sure that's not made from unobtanum

Kieran

Signal_ rabbit

I had a trainer and i have to agree that they are sooooo mind numbingly boring, so much so that you tend not to use them.

I bought rollers last year and much prefer it, the time goes a lot quicker as your constantly keeping balance.

I think rollers are great because they don't wear out the back tyre and the bike comp still works (something to monitor to keep the boredom level down), I usually listen to music on my MP3, and like to try and do 10 miles within 10 songs, not necessarily all that easy if some of the tracks are only a couple of minutes long! They are also superb for getting into the habit of keeping the upper body still.

They can be quite noise but i put mine on an old rug and this seems to do the trick, so much so that my Missus can still watch he tv.

alfalad

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

They can be quite noise but i put mine on an old rug and this seems to do the trick, so much so that my Missus can still watch he tv.

In the same room or just in the same house?

Signal_ rabbit

alfalad wrote: »

In the same room or just in the same house?

Same room, though i have been known to sing occasionally, not realising that i'm singing quite loadly, which really does give her the rupert.

The rug is on carpet, it keeps the oil stains off the carpet too.

dave2pvd

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Same room, though i have been known to sing occasionally, not realising that i'm singing quite loadly, which really does give her the rupert.

The rug is on carpet, it keeps the oil stains off the carpet too.

Same room!? She must be stone deaf. If not, she will be soon!

I agree with the rug idea - helps dampen noise. You need some kind of floor covering - one sweats a pedaling at 20+mph, standing still. The factory rollers/trainer floor covers I have seen tend to be made from closed cell foam, like a thinner groundsheet.

BTH

Resurrecting an old thread to start planning for my first proper winter of training. As I'm a triathlete (I know, scum) stayin fit won't be a problem and I'll still get a weekend spin in most weekends.

What I think I need to be doing is strength/power/intervals type work. So high resistance is important. I would like the extra balance and lack of boredom the rollers seem to provide but will rollers give me the resistance I need or do I need to go for a turbo for this winter?

Ryder

do most of my training on a turbo. Used rollers once. Rollers are more fun, buth both are boring and I need music/dvd to limp through 1hr. If you want high intensity intervals, turbo is the only way IMO. For resistance and the ability to push hard without worrying about balance, turbo wins. Form can be worked on at the weekend LSD spin.