so i got ahold of rollers this weekend. i spent all of saturday trying to get on the damn thing, and despite putting it in a doorway and pushing a big gear at high rpm and focusing on my technique, i shot off sideways, A LOT. my shins are bruised and covered in chain-lube, and my groin was assaulted by the top-tube sooooo many times…
but i’m finally getting it. i can get on it without problems, i can stay upright, i don’t have to look at my front wheel to stay in control. today i experimented, and now i can ride with one hand, or in different positions, and drinking water. i can kinda stand, but only for a little bit.
i absolutely love the rollers. i’ve been on a mag-trainer all winter, and it became mindless, just something to do for 3 hours at a time. now i’m focused, and improving, and most of all, i’m having a great time.
thanks to all slowtwitchers who posted previously about rollers, you guys were great resources.
I know how you feel, I’ve been using a roller for a month now, about once or twice a week.
It is much better than the trainer although for some workouts, like hills, I still use the trainer.
David
You may want to try rollers with fan resistance. I use the kreitler “killer headwind unit” and also an inertia wheel in the back. See setup in pic here…
I do ride outside, on Saturday I did a 160Km ride (100 Miles), but during the week with work and a family its easier to use the trainer or roller, so when I need to do an easy spin I use the roller, and when I have a more specific workout like hills or power workout I use the trainer.
I still lose my balance sometimes on the roller, when I lose concentration.
David
glad i’m not the only one that still falls off. i seemed to have regressed in my ability to ride them ~ fell 3x in 30mins last week. i think maybe that i’m not meant to ride them at 5am. 
“ride outside if ya can”
i’d love to, good idea! now, while i find my helmet, do me a favor and get the weather to stop snowing.
seriously, isn’t it supposed to be spring?
If you are concerned about falling, just put two pieces of duct tape on your front roller about 9 inches apart. Each time you ride over them, you’ll hear it and you’ll move right back to the middle. This way you don’t need to look down at your front wheel.
I agree that rollers are great, and they put less stress on your frame. They are great to develop spin technique by doing sets like 15x30 second at 120-130 RPM with 60 seconds recovery at 90-100 RPM. The load need not be great. The goal is to develop skill.
Fitness comes and goes (and it usually goes as you get older). Skill lasts for a lifetime and rollers will improve your skill (timely application of force), on the bike. For even better improvement, do the above set with Powercranks.
Dev
any recommendations on how to progress to standing on the rollers? i tried it once and had a pretty violent crash narrowly avoided the water glass my roomate had left on the floor (but smashing it entirely)
I have a cycling coach who has put me on rollers. Now,I am a true novice barely have been riding a year. He let me wear tennis shoes the last two times so that I wouldn’t have to worry about unclipping as a fell. I was deathly afraid, but he has built a platform that is even with the rollers, that fits in his hallway space so that when you slide off of them, you land on the platform in time to grab the wall. I have only lasted less than 5 minutes.
I thought I was going to put my death grip marks into that wall. I think if one could string up a springing harness from the ceiling so that when you start to slide off, you could just spring up and not fall.
It will be a while before I buy my own. It definitely makes you work on balance and pedal stroke.
Good luck!
Re: "For even better improvement, do the above set with Powercranks. "
How much more difficult are rollers with PC’s? I’ve only tried rollers a few times before I got PC’s. I had borrowed a set for a few weeks from a friend a few years ago, and I managed to work my way up to riding for an hour without falling off (though I don’t think I ever concentrated that hard for that long in my life). I’ve been considering buying a set, and I was curious about how much harder they are with PC’s vs standard cranks.
PS- the doorway thing is a deathtrap in my opinion. I got much better results from setting the rollers up in a wide open space with a chair on one side to help getting on and starting. This way you have something to grab onto if you need it, but if you fall off you have an open space.
Once you are comfortable riding with powercranks, riding on rollers with them is no big deal assuming you can already ride rollers. The main point was in the set I mentioned 15x30 seconds at 120-130 rpms with 60 seconds rest at 90-100 RPM. It is hard enough riding at high RPM with PC’s, but trying to ride in 120-130 range while on rollers will force you to be super smooth or you’ll fly off the rollers :-). Again, it is more of skill and technique building set, not so much for pure fitness, although it will get hour HR up regardless of how low the resistance. Just moving your legs in circles that fast is work.
I agree with the open space bit, just one other thing…don’t let your dog nap beside you while you are on them. I landed on the lab once (as the boxer looked on from his lazyboy) and it was not appreciated.
k