Rollers will help you be able to ride well, simply because of the balance and smoothness needed. The best way to learn is to put the rollers in a doorway, so that if you start to lose balance you have something stable you can grab. There are also fork stands you can use, but that's just cheating.

Most of the time people crashing on rollers is because they are careless or inept and don't take the time to learn how, they just leap on and start cranking away.

John

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I just picked up a set of rollers when I saw them for dirt cheap at Play it Again Sports a week ago.

I have ridden them 3 times. I will use them for short, easy rides and recovery rides indoors in cold or wet weather. All the heavy lifting for me occurs on the trainer or outside.

I am riding them in a doorway and small hallway right now, and I don't see ever moving from that location.

As a novice biker, any time you spend pedaling your bike will help make you faster. Needless to say, you can't do all of your riding at a high intensity. I see rollers as an excellent complement to your trainer and outdoor riding.

Rollers are fine for short easy rides but I wouldn't do a workout on them. They really kill my arse because standing up is difficult at best and I just stay planted on my seat for the entire ride. Stability on rollers is greatly enhanced by making sure the front drum is in the right place. Too far forward, which logically seems more stable, makes them candidates for the YouTube videos you mention.

^^^^^^ this^^^^^^^
Although I just lept on mine and let the ball bearings land where they may. Strangely enough it was a very large pothole and a car that did me in.

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good idea they really teach you how to hold a straight line.

hard works (say up to 110% of FTP) is doable on them, although i tend to get uncomfortable after 20-25 minutes of threshold workout. That said, for criss-cross intervals, it's actually easier to hold the high wattage on rollers

I love my rollers for a "now you have to pay attention" winter workout.

A couple of notes:

You will need to learn how to ride them. It will take a couple of rides to just be comfortable enough to have a conversation with someone else.
You can crash off of them. Thus, the paying attention thing
They are way fun
On mine, I can not do big power workouts. Somewhere in the forum here, I posted a link to my Garmin workout file on the rollers. I was riding, I think, a 53x12 gear most of the time and power was is in the 220w range (IIRC).
You will be a better bike rider for using them.
You will be a better bike rider for using them. (I typed it twice for a reason)

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/70486855

Edited to add link to roller workout.

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Twitter @achtervolger

The smaller the drum, the higher the resistance.

I have a set of Kreitlers with the smallest drums (2.25"?). In the 39/25, I can easily just spin at ~100W. However, in the 53/12, I can hit 300+W at a reasonable cadence (~100rpm), even with my race wheels (with fast tires & tubes). And this is with no extra resistance (Killer Headwind Fan, etc.) If I'm using my roadie with Gatorskins & butyl tubes, I don't even need to crank up the rpms to hit 300+W.

All that to say... Don't be scared of getting small drums. They'll be good for everything from easy spinning to super-threshold stuff (unless you're a real monster). About the only thing I really can't do is an all-out sprint. Being a triathlete, that doesn't bother me much.

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Steve

"If you ain't first, you're last." Reese Bobby Talladega Nights

What The_Mickstar said.

My rollers are 3.25" (I think). Smaller drums would let me ride mine in more scenarios.

Get rollers. They are fun.

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Twitter @achtervolger

Good advice above, smaller drums and slower tires help if you want to do harder workouts. But a decent resistance unit is even better. You can always go with the improvised resistance unit of an old towel folded up and pinned under the rear legs of the rollers so that it brushes one of the rear rollers. I've used that with run of the mill rollers, though the towel will get scorched so don't use your best bath towels and it's best if the roller drums are alloy so you don't overheat them.

For the best option, especially for someone new to rollers is to get set of inside ride e-motion rollers. Awesome rollers that are a lot more forgiving in terms of ease of riding, ease of standing up and sprinting, safety bumpers to keep you on the rollers if your mind drifts a bit and a very good and adjustable resistance and inertial drum that makes it easy to do harder or easier work and gives you a bit of roll down momentum so you can actually coast a bit from time to time to reposition and such. I love these to the point where I sold the CompuTrainer I was previously using. They're much better for long roller sessions at Tempo and even Threshold work than any fixed trainer I've ridden. They're pricey, but IMO well worth it. Check out some of the videos on their site: http://s428353027.e-shop.info/...XY8p&shop_param=

-Dave

Maybe it is because I live in Texas so we don't have an extended "Stuck indoors period" where I might theoretically forget how to keep my bike upright (really guys?)

but... rollers? ain't nobody got time for that.

counterpoint: puts less strain on your frame, inertial loading with a resistance unit would be better than most trainers. Get the front wheel, the rollers, AND the resistance unit.

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I've only had a set for about 2 months. But when it comes to steady Zone2/3 workouts they are a nice change from the trainer. I haven't done much threshold stuff on them yet, but they can get over 300w resistance without any problem. I still use the trainer for the work sessions, but for recovery and steady rides, rollers are a nice change.

And living in Michigan lots of indoor riding is a requirement.

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Fraser Bicycle | First Endurance

Check out my blog here | Twitter:@tmalis3

I imagine they might be more comfortable at times since you move around a little instead of being LOCKED IN PLACE

but still, I'm gonna fall over enough outside =)

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

So far they are LESS comfortable overall since I have to stay balanced and centered over my saddle the entire time. On the trainer, you can coast, stand, stretch and move around whenever you feel like it. Do that on rollers and you fall over. But now that I'm getting more comfortable on them, I can stand and stretch for a few seconds and stay more relaxed.

However, it is really nice the bike moves a little when you start to put the power down. That part is way better.

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Fraser Bicycle | First Endurance

Check out my blog here | Twitter:@tmalis3

I can do almost all the roller tricks. Net result on my on-road riding: nearly zero. While I can hold a slightly straighter line, and definitely can accelerate smoother if I choose to, I still have to think about doing it, and it's not like I was all wobbly to begin with. I have the standard rollers (no float) that were about $120 at Performance bike, and I wouldnt' use them for hard efforts, mainly because the trainer is so much better (and works well with Trainerroad.) Rollers for me are utterly over-rated for technique, and I've taken a fair amount of time to get good at them (no hands, one leg, no-look even, and sprinting reasonably hard in the drops.)

There is, however, one key move that I think is absolutely worth learning on the trainer, and pays good dividends directly on the road. It's also hard to learn to do correctly without rollers.

It's the "look back and check for cars over your shoulder" move. I know, sounds easy as pie, because you do it all day on the roads already. Well, try it on the rollers, and you'll get a rude awakening of how NOT straight your line is the moment you make that look. Everyone thinks they've got it mastered, then they try it on rollers and they're like "woah - I'm really bad at this!" If you can do that move on rollers, you can do it in a tight paceline at full speed with no risk of sweverving or wiping anyone out. A VERY good skill to have on group rides.

+1

Rollers!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhEEOT-KB00&feature=youtu.be

I dislike rollers. I use a Kurt Kinetic road version. Love it.

So to answer your question, I think minute for minute a trainer is the best way to get faster. Like I said earlier I just got a set, but not so much to improve technique or handling, but for something different. I spend ALOT of time training indoors year round due to either the weather or my family/work schedule, so I think it's a nice change. But as others have said, I don't think the improvement in technique will make me any faster next year....but staying more motivated to train will.

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Fraser Bicycle | First Endurance

Check out my blog here | Twitter:@tmalis3

Does the kinetic help in handling skills and balance?

how have i never seen this?

No not the one I have.

show off.

I am working on a 2013 version featuring Cervelo and Di2 :-)

Point being, I think everyone should ride rollers for active recovery, cool down etc. Very helpful for technique, I once heard it described as riding on ice so you have to be smooth.

From a guy who spends 12- 18 hrs a week training indoors through the winter....I say rollers over a trainer any day. It's so much more bearable put in time on rollers because you can move around as opposed to being fixed in one position. The perceived exertion is so much lower on the rollers. I can bang out 4-5 hr endurance sessions on the rollers but I'm not sure I could bear much more than 2 hrs on a fixed trainer.

Check out a nice set of Tru-trainer rollers, or E-motions. They are well worth the investment if you are forced to train indoors.