I’m intersted in increasing my balance on the bike. From what i’ve read it seems that rollers could go a long way to helping me with that. Any thoughts on this?
Also are their any particular brands that are better than other? What should I look for in a model? I’ve seen everything from rubber rollers to aluminum, and concex to classic, what are the pros and cons of both?
Their must be some one who has an opinion on this.
If you plan to spend significant time on them, InsideRide e-Motions are fantastic. I only preface it that way because they cost significantly more than most rollers, but they are worth it. Especially if you are planning to ride on aerobars. They are a bit more forgiving than standard rollers with side bumpers, and fore/aft motion that not only makes the ride more realistic, but forgives small mistakes. And allows you to go harder where form/concentration is bound to break down at some point.
I checked out the inside ride rollers. Very nice… but way out of my budget. Plus I only plan on using these for balance and pedal stroke work. But that does bring up an intersting question. How many people use only rollers instead of a trainer? My original plan was to use the trainer to build power and the rollers to build balance and efficency, but if I can kill two birds with one stone then why the hell not.
Kreitler are considered by most to be the “Gold Standard” for standard rollers. I have a set with the poly end caps and the middle-sized rollers, and like them very much. With the mid-sized rollers, the feel is very similar to a flat road. But, since there is no wind resistance, it is just a bit easier to maintain a certain speed than it would be outside.
And, to answer your question, they are my only inside bike trainer. I use them all Winter, and have no trouble riding no-hands, in the aerobars, etc. About the only thing I’d hesitate to do on them in very hard out-of-the-saddle efforts. But, since I’m a triathlete and not a roadie, I don’t see that as too big of a deal. I get plenty of range of resistance just using my bike’s gearing.
It is harder to do really long sessions on rollers than on a trainer, though. Not only do you have to concentrate more than on a trainer, but it’s also a bit harder to move around the saddle.
The couple of times I’ve traded with people who have fluid trainers and wanted to try my rollers, I really missed my rollers. Fluid trainers don’t feel anywhere near as natural as the rollers. (And, these were pretty nice fluid trainers - Kurt Kinetic Road Machine and Cyclops Fluid 2.)
Steve
I don’t even own a trainer anymore. If I’m not on the road, I’m on my rollers. I love them. They are great for improving your “line” and your balance. Don’t get the “forgiving” rollers – you might as well have training wheels on your bike. Get the real thing. You’ll get used to them and that’s what you are looking for – better balance. It’s really not that hard once you try a few times. I have gone from my wife holding the seat of my bike for the first few minutes the first time I tried them to riding one legged in the aero bars while watching tv. Get them, ride them, and you will like them.
The smaller the rollers cylinders (diameter), the more resistance you can get on them. As another poster said, Kreitlers are the gold standard. Get aluminum cyclinders. The Kreitler aluminum cylinders are very precisely round and it makes the riding experience exceptionally smooth and quiet. And with the smaller cylinders I guarantee you that when you’re in your 53x12 you’ll have more than enough resistance to put a hurt on yourself.
When you’re just starting out, set them up in a doorway. Line up so that your shoulder is right at the doorjam. If you start to lose it, even the slightest brush of your shoulder against the door jam will steady you.
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I have a set of Kreitler aluminum drum rollers. I have the small size. I also have a fluid trainer. I find it easier to do a long ride on the rollers as the time goes by much faster. However, for my harder interval sessions, even the small drum rollers do not have enough resistance. Especially if you are trying to do some lower rpm intervals. You need the trainer for those. I probably do 40% of my training on the rollers.
I used to have a set of taxc rollers. They were good to learn to ride, however, the resistance wasn’t there. I am a big believer of rollers… however, the mag/fluid trainer should always be in your stable.
Yes, Kreitler is the gold standard, but, you really don’t need to spend that much. I have these from Performance which are a third of the cost and work just fine.
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19548&subcategory_ID=4121
I never ride the trainer any more. Rollers only. Even to warm up at a bike race.
clm
I’ve done most of my Nov-Feb riding on rollers. I started with Kreitler 4.5" drums, but outgrew them (too little resistance). I’m now on Cycleops 3" I picked up used on Craigslist for $100. The Kreitler’s were quieter and maybe a bit smoother, but I don’t have any problems with the Cycleops.
I also bought a used Tacx I-Magic somewhere along the way, but I always found myself on the rollers so I got rid of it. I do live in Tx and I don’t do power workouts on the trainer or ride them Mar-Oct.
Hey, can you switch out different brand rollers on one frame?
ie. own Kreitler 4.5, buy cycleops 3" drums, switch back and forth depending on how much resistance you want on a given day?
Kreitler makes a resistance fan that you can set how much wind it pushes. More wind, more resistance. The Kreitler website has a chart with approximate power requirements for given accessories and settings.
I have the Kreitler 3" drums, a fly wheel, and a killer kool fan. These are all great purchases. I also have a forkstand that my wife uses and I use sometimes for very long aero rides. Makes the rollers into a trainer.
I have had the performance rollers. They were fine. No resistance adjustment. After about 4 years, a bearing went, but not too bad.
Feel free to ask any questions.
Gordon
I’m looking into buying a new trainer, or rollers…
… rollers are practically as much as I paid for my bike! Goodness.