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Cycle training rollers
I've just ordered a set of rollers (I already own a turbo) and am interested in finding out who uses rollers, and what sorts of sets or drills you do on them.
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I have some, but have not used them since Feb this year.
I tended to do 30-45 minutes on them, mostly easy and concentrating on pedalling form and staying upright and alive rather than drills or sets.
Yeah I use them, just do any extended intervals or an easy recovery on them.
Talk about quick delivery! Ordered at 0800 yesterday, received this afternoon.
1730 and I've done my first session. 15 minutes pratting around like a frightened toddler with stabilisers. Justifiably. My target was 10 minutes. After 8 mins the wife came into the mancave, I looked at watch and fell off. Great. Back on and the next set was 12 minutes.
I'm chuffed with that.
13 min, 18 min. They certainly add focus to the garage sessions!
Good work. Very soon you'll be able to take a top off or take a drink. The biggest problem I found was but endurance.
I have the same with my bike on the turbo. 1hour on the turbo and my backside in screaming at me to get off but out on the road 6 hours with barely any discomfort!
What Cougie & Chunky said. I can and have ridden for hours and hours on the road. Turbo isn't too bad but rollers is a different kettle of fish for me.
I've managed a drink once, but that was clearly luck, because I failed miserably the next time. As for butt endurance, I did notice that was going to be a challenge. On a turbo I can happily get out of the saddle, find the banana, suck on a peach, and whatever else I fancy doing. The rollers? I have to think carefully about moving my hands at all, let alone shuffling about in the saddle.
I've had a set of rollers for a couple of years, but have only used them regularly over this winter. I've never really used a turbo, but have used a Wattbike at the gym which should be similar. I much prefer the rollers - they feel a lot more natural, and I really think my riding has benefited.
You can really tell when you're not pedaling smoothly, especially at higher cadences, and finding that limit where you start to feel the bike rocking back and forth under you, then trying to hold that cadence while concentrating on pedaling as smoothly as possible should pay dividends. If you don't already have one I'd recommend using a Garmin or similar with a cadence meter - I tend to do most of my workouts on the rollers by cadence, and use the gears to vary resistance.
Once you get past the initial scared-you're-going-to-fall-off stage, I'd try some intervals of various lengths. After a warm up, I'll usually do something like 3 or 4 x 5 minutes effort (top gear, trying to hold the cadence at around 110) 1 minute off, or 1 minute on (cadence over 120) 30 seconds off, for as many as I can manage. Building cadence up in steps of 5 or 10, starting at 80 and going as high as you can manage is another good one for focusing on pedaling technique, and keeping it under control at higher cadences.
I also will often try riding one-legged, to focus on pedaling circles - you can really tell if one leg is stronger / more controlled than the other. Takes a bit of practice, and make sure you've got something ready to grab hold of if you need it
Hope that helps. I know most rollers don't have variable resistance like a turbo, and I think that puts some people off, thinking they're not going to get a proper workout, but I've not found that to be a problem, and can work up a proper sweat in half an hour on them.
Wow!
This thread could become a home to roller users and those trying out. I'm way sort of kamoshika's ability.
Keep posting your triumphs.
As my turbo is set up in the conservatory, I think rollers might be a bit on the risky side for me! Just got a ride london turb dvd to motivate my sessions!
Siri (Hitec Products) cooks omelette on the rolle???: http://youtu.be/ybFvomdhW2Y
I dug out the rollers and did an hour tonight.
I should move the huge worktop that is leaning against the garage wall next to where I roller. I'm sure I'm going to knock it one day and I'll be like Flat Stanley.
http://youtu.be/ybFvomdhW2Y
Oh my Mother and Father!
I think that the bit where she did the one leg drills (hands free) was when the omelette stuck to the pan.
Awfully impressive.
Obviously I need another couple of sessions.
Never done it myself but if you could ride a TT bike on rollers down on the bars that would help you stay smooth and less movement is more aero.
Finally got round to watching it. Wow. One thing I did notice is that she happily lets the bike wander from side to side. I tend to tense up when I get to the end of the rollers which makes the wobbling worse.
Things to do this week:
1. Be able to ride TT bike on base-bar on rollers
2. Move worktop away from rollers
One thing it took me a while to get used to on the rollers is that, because spinning the wheels faster makes you more stable (gyroscopic effect?), pedalling harder can actually help get you out of a wobble. When I started, if I let the wheels wander too close to the edge, I'd panic and stop pedalling, which made things worse.
Did another hour yesterday AM and if I got wobbly I put in some more effort and all was good. Thanks Kamoshika.
Did a total of an hour today, so I could multi task, this was is bite sized chunks. The longest chunk was 25 minutes, the shortest 10 minutes.
Positives:
-got started quite easily on the 2nd and subsequent starts
-stopped each time in complete control (major success)
-managed to get a drink from the bottle on the frame cage, and put it back!
-didn't fall off.
Challenges:
-unable to make omelette
Well there is no way i am going to try rollers
I fell off the turbo today so rollers are defo out of the question
Crooky - you belong to a pretty exclusive club there. Meldy is chief membership officer I think.
Blisters, what was the problem with the omelette - did you not set up a camping stove before?
She is indeed, close.y followed by Barlos and LindI who managed to take each other out racing in a garage
i am enjoying my (new) rollers
75 mins today after getting home from a double spin class.
I also do 60 mins rollers then 60 mins turbo.
they do hurt my arse - I am stuck in 1 position
after a month I can drink, look behind me, (at the cat heading for my rear wheel!) eat malt loaf and look 90 degrees right at the PC playing music, and change hand positions
I cant use the tru bars yet though
Oooh cyber-stalkers on the thread! Although it does sound like a new club has been formed.
OCK5- Impressed with the looking behind! I manage to wobble with that on the open road!
I can happily change hand positions (I'm best on the drops). Changing seat positions is out of the question at present.
Anyway, I've got a new wheel to use now - dedicated to the indoor trainers.
More fun tomorrow!