GrahamGKD
Forum Supporter
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- 1,437
- Thread starter Albert0109
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I use one of these make sure your tyres are up to pressure Ten mins on one of these is like half an hour on the road.
Take your time and concentrate untill you get used to it I started in the entry so i could hold on to the wall to start peddling now I am used to it I prefer it to the turbo back wheel type as you have to use all muscles to keep balanced.
It will work you to the limit.
Have fun
ps mine are parallel so don't let your front wheel drift to much
Take your time and concentrate untill you get used to it I started in the entry so i could hold on to the wall to start peddling now I am used to it I prefer it to the turbo back wheel type as you have to use all muscles to keep balanced.
It will work you to the limit.
Have fun
ps mine are parallel so don't let your front wheel drift to much
chunkolini
celebrity artiste
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- Swansea
I cant see any point in them, you will barely be doing any work. You are not propelling yourself or climbing.
I cycle a lot and without any form of resistance this looks pointless to me.
My time trialing maniac neighbour uses a set with an adjustable resistance thingy, that looks like bloody hard work.
Tog up for the winter and get fresh air.
I cycle a lot and without any form of resistance this looks pointless to me.
My time trialing maniac neighbour uses a set with an adjustable resistance thingy, that looks like bloody hard work.
Tog up for the winter and get fresh air.
Try one you will be supprized at the effort required.
Ah, something I do know about! I have a set of rollers and, to answer Mr Chunk, you get the workout not only from actually turning the pedals, but also from the act of staying upright. this takes more energy than you might think. It is the weirdest feeling. It feels like riding on the road but you're not moving! I crashed lots of times with the most painful crash involving bending a knitting needle into a right angle.
The rear rollers are connected to the front with a large rubber band. If you do make one, also make a support stand for the front forks so it can double up as a sort of turbo trainer although you will need to gear up the bike. I run a 52 x 14 gear when using mine like this.
The biggest problem will be centring everything. Mine has a roller bearing at each end of the drum. I changed mine to try and stop a terrible noise when in use (not my gasping) so if you want them, I'll pop them in the post after Christmas. It didn't stop the noise so the bearings are fine.
The rear rollers are connected to the front with a large rubber band. If you do make one, also make a support stand for the front forks so it can double up as a sort of turbo trainer although you will need to gear up the bike. I run a 52 x 14 gear when using mine like this.
The biggest problem will be centring everything. Mine has a roller bearing at each end of the drum. I changed mine to try and stop a terrible noise when in use (not my gasping) so if you want them, I'll pop them in the post after Christmas. It didn't stop the noise so the bearings are fine.
Albert0109
New Member
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- 19
Sounds great VFU, are the bearings just a push fit into the rollers ?
bigegg
Scream Not Working Because Space Make Deaf
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- Leeds, West Yorkshire
I imagine it's like pedalling downhill - really good for the CV system and the fast-twitch (speed) muscles, does nothing for the slow twitch (strength) muscles.
Interesting point about the balancing being effort -sort of like Yoga on a push-iron?
+1 for the get off your bum and out into the fresh air, tho.
Been for an hour today round the local reservoir; 5mins to far side, 45 mins back - bit blustery.
Fastfingaz
Member
- Messages
- 162
- Location
- Louisiana -USA
Man at the end of that video I was expecting to see Benny Hill on one of those bikes!!
I just go out hail rain or shine, did 26 miles every day since Boxing Day, today it was Whinlatter, Braithwaite, Buttermere, Lorton and home,
Even in the dark I go out around the lanes, with good lights and crisp air, it's a great way to spend an hour on a mountain bike!
Bartlett20
pre-moderated
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- ludhiana
If you’re looking at getting a set of rollers or a trainer and aren’t quite sure which one is for you, I’ll explain the differences of each.
Both rollers and trainers are great ways for you to train indoors because they allow you to use your own bike that you’re accustomed to, they’re relatively cheap (compared to a indoor exercise bike ergo setup), they’re easy to store and transport, they’re quick to set up and take down, and they’re easy to bring to races to warm-up on.
There are a few differences that you should consider before purchasing however. Which one you buy really depends on your goals for using them. If you want to work on spinning technique and base fitness, go for rollers. If you want variable resistance workouts that require lots of power, go for a trainer.
Here are a few points on each:
Rollers
Rollers allow you to practice your spinning technique. Once you get sloppy with your spinning, you’ll quickly become unstable and you’ll be forced to correct it.
Most affordable sets of rollers do not offer variable resistance. Your resistance will come from changing gears on your bike. This is okay up to a point and you’ll be able to spin your 53×11 up to 70km/hr without a massive amount of difficulty. The power you’ll be generating will be a function on your “speed“, not “strength“.
You won’t be able to perform all-out sprints or power intervals on rollers while standing up. Too much throwing around the bike will knock you off balance.
One thing I love about rollers is that there is zero downtime and your training is very efficient. Every minute that you’re on them you are spinning with perfect technique and not slacking off. There’s a saying that 90mins on the road is equivalent to 60mins on the rollers.
I find that the increased concentration that rollers require make them a little less boring and easier to handle mentally.
Your balance on rollers is coming from the gyroscopic effect of the wheels in motion. The faster you go, the more stable you are. It’s not as difficult or scary to learn how to ride on rollers as you may think at first. It’ll take you 2 or 3 sessions before you get the hang of it. Try staring out by setting up in a doorway where walls are close by.
Contrary to popular belief, if you happen to fall off your rollers, you won’t go flying into the television set and through the wall.
Trainer
Most trainers will have a gadget that will allow you to change resistance on the fly. This means that you can do more “strength” and “power” intervals against this added resistance.
The increased stability that a trainer provides allows you to do intervals where you can stand up and get a little more sloppy with the bike.
You won’t need to concentrate as much when using a trainer. This is great if you’re flipping through channels on the TV, reading, taking lots of breaks, whatever.
A trainer may be hard on the rear tire because of the increased resistance. I’d recommend using an old tire and putting something underneath the area where the trainer is sitting. The rubber will sometimes heat up and flake off and completely ruin your carpet. You won’t make that mistake twice.
If you’re intimidated by the thought of balancing on rollers then a trainer may be a better choice. There’s no learning curve involved with using a trainer.
A trainer is smaller and easier to transport, so it may be a better option if you want to use it to warm-up before races.
One last point about both rollers and trainers: they can be noisy and annoying to your neighbours (if in an apartament) or your husband/wife/roommate. If you can, nothing beats getting outside and enjoying the ride!
Hope i have offered some help
Both rollers and trainers are great ways for you to train indoors because they allow you to use your own bike that you’re accustomed to, they’re relatively cheap (compared to a indoor exercise bike ergo setup), they’re easy to store and transport, they’re quick to set up and take down, and they’re easy to bring to races to warm-up on.
There are a few differences that you should consider before purchasing however. Which one you buy really depends on your goals for using them. If you want to work on spinning technique and base fitness, go for rollers. If you want variable resistance workouts that require lots of power, go for a trainer.
Here are a few points on each:
Rollers
Rollers allow you to practice your spinning technique. Once you get sloppy with your spinning, you’ll quickly become unstable and you’ll be forced to correct it.
Most affordable sets of rollers do not offer variable resistance. Your resistance will come from changing gears on your bike. This is okay up to a point and you’ll be able to spin your 53×11 up to 70km/hr without a massive amount of difficulty. The power you’ll be generating will be a function on your “speed“, not “strength“.
You won’t be able to perform all-out sprints or power intervals on rollers while standing up. Too much throwing around the bike will knock you off balance.
One thing I love about rollers is that there is zero downtime and your training is very efficient. Every minute that you’re on them you are spinning with perfect technique and not slacking off. There’s a saying that 90mins on the road is equivalent to 60mins on the rollers.
I find that the increased concentration that rollers require make them a little less boring and easier to handle mentally.
Your balance on rollers is coming from the gyroscopic effect of the wheels in motion. The faster you go, the more stable you are. It’s not as difficult or scary to learn how to ride on rollers as you may think at first. It’ll take you 2 or 3 sessions before you get the hang of it. Try staring out by setting up in a doorway where walls are close by.
Contrary to popular belief, if you happen to fall off your rollers, you won’t go flying into the television set and through the wall.
Trainer
Most trainers will have a gadget that will allow you to change resistance on the fly. This means that you can do more “strength” and “power” intervals against this added resistance.
The increased stability that a trainer provides allows you to do intervals where you can stand up and get a little more sloppy with the bike.
You won’t need to concentrate as much when using a trainer. This is great if you’re flipping through channels on the TV, reading, taking lots of breaks, whatever.
A trainer may be hard on the rear tire because of the increased resistance. I’d recommend using an old tire and putting something underneath the area where the trainer is sitting. The rubber will sometimes heat up and flake off and completely ruin your carpet. You won’t make that mistake twice.
If you’re intimidated by the thought of balancing on rollers then a trainer may be a better choice. There’s no learning curve involved with using a trainer.
A trainer is smaller and easier to transport, so it may be a better option if you want to use it to warm-up before races.
One last point about both rollers and trainers: they can be noisy and annoying to your neighbours (if in an apartament) or your husband/wife/roommate. If you can, nothing beats getting outside and enjoying the ride!
Hope i have offered some help
Dale allison
New Member
- Messages
- 29
- Location
- Lancashire
I made one with two steel plates approx 100x200mm with two holes in each plate and put a hub across, used this for rear wheel with a old brake pad to adjust resistance, for front wheel I just put it in a wheel stand, works well, will post pictures when I can.
