Rollers
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tsilcyc posted 1 year ago.
You are missing patience. It's tough and you need to just keep trying. I think it's like snowboarding where eventually it just clicks.
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ChunkyB posted 1 year ago.
tsilcyc wrote:
You are missing patience. It's tough and you need to just keep trying. I think it's like snowboarding where eventually it just clicks.
+1.
This is totally how it was with me.
One thing to try is to get in a doorway where the door frame is right next to your hip. You can actually pedal while you're leaned up against the door frame, and once you get up to speed, then you can start to drift away from the door frame.
Also, a few tips that helped me:
1. Look ahead instead of down at your tire.
2. No sudden movements. Try to make all your movements smooth, even if you feel like you're going off the side.
Good luck, and don't give up. You'll get it in no time, and you'll be spending hours on those things.
"The melting point of wax means nothing to me": Thrice
412
Member
712 days
SueR posted 1 year ago.
So should I ride rollers instead of a trainer? Are they quieter and will they extend time before off season divorce due to repetitive humming noise? I am terrrifed of them, but wondering if maybe I need to cowboy up and get a set...
5333
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2119 days
kylie posted 1 year ago.
There are fork mounts you can use with rollers from what I understand. Makes it more stable. If I ever road indoors, I think I'd get that setup, so that I could use the rollers without it some days to work balance and smoothness, but so that I could also really drill some days without worrying about wiping out on other days.
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729
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788 days
jhudalla posted 1 year ago.
I'd suggest starting off in a big gear. The faster the wheels are spinning the higher the rotating mass force = its easier to stay up. The focus for rollers is to have a wicked smooth pedal stroke. In my own experience I couldn't stand to be on them for more than 30minutes 2x a week. I did this once for an entire winter (MN) and it has made allllll the difference. The rest of the time was spent on a regular trainer. Good luck!
Weary is the path that does not challenge.
93
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993 days
Jetskr posted 1 year ago.
I did the big gear thing and that's how I was able to get up to 20 seconds. Tonight I'll try the doorway and see if that gets any better. The only sudden movements I thought I was making was to put my arms up to catch me but I wonder if it's my pedal stroke too. Thanks for the suggestions! I'll update with how it goes.
I'm not sure if the rollers are better than the trainer but I hate the trainer. The workouts on it are pretty good but it's tedious even with a movie or something to watch.
2905
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1806 days
Triguy98 posted 1 year ago.
Make sure your wheelbase is set right on the trainer. You may have to move the front roller forward or backward to do this. You want the front drum just on the outside curve of your front tire. If that is set up ok, you just need to keep at it. Remember even and smooth pedal strokes. Dont push down too hard.
Life is short. Play hard and get dirty doing it.
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2916
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1565 days
tri-ac posted 1 year ago.
Triguy98 wrote:
Make sure your wheelbase is set right on the trainer. You may have to move the front roller forward or backward to do this. You want the front drum just on the outside curve of your front tire. If that is set up ok, you just need to keep at it. Remember even and smooth pedal strokes. Dont push down too hard.
+1
and, maybe i misunderstood the comment above but I'd recommend a low gear to start off (ie 39x15) so that you can get your cranks spinning. if you pick a high gear and can't get the cranks turning over, you're going to topple.
2916
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1565 days
tri-ac posted 1 year ago.
i've also read a recommendation for beginners on rollers to reduce tire pressure to 80-90psi to create a larger contact patch with the drum
93
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993 days
Jetskr posted 1 year ago.
tri-ac,
The advice I got earlier was to use a tougher gear so the rear wheel would spin more quickly and that would help with the balance. Maybe my cadence isn't high enough either.
Man, you'd think I had no clue how to ride a bike!
100
Member
553 days
mtbke15 posted 1 year ago.
I would have to agree with what everyone has said. As previously having done rollers for 2+ hours in the winter and there is almost nothing wost, it just takes time and confidence. When I first started to learn, i kept my hand on the wall or door frame to keep my steady and slowly took my hand away.
Small movements is the key to staying up right. If you get the front fork mount, it kind of defeats the purpose of rollers since the key is to work on your spin. Also, not all rollers are quiet. Some can be very loud. I have used metal and plastic and typically the plastic quieter
180
Member
672 days
StephenPDennis posted 1 year ago.
tri-ac wrote:
i've also read a recommendation for beginners on rollers to reduce tire pressure to 80-90psi to create a larger contact patch with the drum
I've heard this as well. What about the effects of rollers on tires? I've heard they can eat through them pretty rapidly. Any truth?
100
Member
553 days
mtbke15 posted 1 year ago.
Having done rollers for 3 years almost 2-3x a week with my team, none of us saw any extra wear on the tires. That could depends on the riders weight, type of material the drum is and quality of the tires.
2916
Member
1565 days
tri-ac posted 1 year ago.
Jetskr wrote:
tri-ac,The advice I got earlier was to use a tougher gear so the rear wheel would spin more quickly and that would help with the balance. Maybe my cadence isn't high enough either.
Man, you'd think I had no clue how to ride a bike!
this is technically true for once you're up, due to the rotational inertia (sorry that may not be the right word from physics) of the spinning, but it doesn't get you started, try the low gear and the spinning of your cranks should help establish this rotational inertia which in turn should help you stay straight and upright...worth a shot! this is what I read and it worked for me
2916
Member
1565 days
tri-ac posted 1 year ago.
StephenPDennis wrote:
tri-ac wrote:i've also read a recommendation for beginners on rollers to reduce tire pressure to 80-90psi to create a larger contact patch with the drumI've heard this as well. What about the effects of rollers on tires? I've heard they can eat through them pretty rapidly. Any truth?
with more surface area, it's going to eat up more rubber
(i actually ignored this advice when I was learning and just used my normal tire pressure)
2916
Member
1565 days
tri-ac posted 1 year ago.
tri-ac wrote:
i've also read a recommendation for beginners on rollers to reduce tire pressure to 80-90psi to create a larger contact patch with the drum
i didn't know this when i started...maybe it will help explain this to others: because the surface you ride on with rollers is curved, your contact patch for the front wheel is smaller than it otherwise would be on the road. this is one of the reasons the steering is so much more squirrelly than on the road
In an effort to become a better cyclist, I picked up a set of rollers. However, I can't get the hang of them and am starting to think I'm doing something wrong. I set them up in a hallway that is just larger than a door frame and can not seem to go longer than 15 - 20 seconds without having to grab onto the wall. What am I missing?