bruce19

I've never owned a trainer. Back when I started cycling (around 1985) I read that to be smooth one should ride rollers. So, I bought some Nashbar rollers, that I still use, and learned to ride them. Apparently to good effect because a recent training session had me spinning circles at 85% in each leg. I am told that for as 68 yr, old recreational rider this is quite good. Now, 30 yrs. later, I am thinking about a new set of rollers. In doing some research I've come across some questions for which I have no answer. For instance, apparently I set up the roller distance incorrectly. I've been riding all these years with the front wheel sitting directly atop the front roller. From what I've seen on youtube the wheel is supposed to be slightly behind the roller. True? Also, my drums are approx. 3 1/2" in diam. Do different diameters make the rollers harder/easier to ride? Is the difference in resistance only? If so, how do I decide what diameter works best for me? Any advice would be welcomed. TIA

Sorry...screwed up the title. I meant Rollers not roller. Could someone fix this? Thanks.

howellhandmade

I think Kreitlers are great. The smaller drum gives a little more resistance. I think there is an acceptable range for your front wheel position. It probably happens often that a bike's wheelbase falls somewhere between the adjustment points on a set of rollers, and slightly behind should be safer than noticeably in front.

beatlebee 

Different sized drums do offer different resistances. I have the Kreitler rollers, I think they are ~3 inch drums. In the other thread on rollers, you can see how I bumped up the resistance with a simple neodymium magnet. This is plenty for everything except full on sprinting.

carpediemracing 

Fixed

carpediemracing 

I've always tried to keep a couple sets of rollers but I inevitably end up "lending out" my spare set, leaving myself with the best rollers I ever had, Kreitlers from way back. Drums are in the 4" range. Reminds me, wondering if the teammate/friend that got the last set I lent out (they were new) still needs them now that he's stopped racing.

Smaller drums make for more resistance. It's about tire deformation because I've done "group indoor rides" where a half dozen of us meet up and ride trainers or rollers and talk and watch bike racing on TV (it was in a large area, 75'x25', 20' ceilings, so plenty of air). I tried out various rollers and trainers because I could. I found the smaller double-drum rollers to be counter productive for me, the resistance was too high for me to use the big ring for any length of time (i.e. more than maybe a minute or so). I found the same with the Kreitler Headwind resistance unit also made it too difficult for me to ride.

I have a low power threshold (200-220w for the last few years - in 2010 when I upgraded to Cat 2 it was 220w or so) so that's part of it. I have a teammate whose threshold is 370 watts right now. I spoke with a racer that does 5 minute intervals averaging almost 500w. Those are numbers that I can only dream of - my max power for a minute in any kind of training is in the 400-450w range, and on a trainer it's about 400w. Therefore someone with a much higher power threshold than me might not mind the smaller diameter rollers etc as much. I'm just not strong enough.

carpediemracing 

For wheel position I have it slightly behind. My Kreitlers don't have a sliding adjustment thing, it's brackets at 1" intervals, so it's hit or miss on the alignment. Sometimes it's slightly behind, other times it's more than I like.

I found that if I had the front wheel at the top or in front of the roller I'd ride off the front.

I'm okay on rollers, I can't do any tricks other than stand up for short periods of time, so that's my level of fluency on them.

datlas 

1. I generally have my hub above front roller but I think this is not critical.
2. What's wrong with your Nashbar rollers? I would use what you have.

bruce19

Thanks.

bruce19

Just the question I asked myself yesterday. Probably going to just keep riding them. They are a fold-up design so they are convenient to store.

bruce19

Same with mine. I now have it set up at slightly behind. Haven't tried it yet. Being in Tariffville, have you ever ridden with Thread City Cyclers or Pequot?

Doge

To the OP...
For form I like, and my son likes larger drums. They also are a bit nicer on the tires.
For warming up he likes the 2.25 something - the small ones, although I think a stationary portable trainer is a better warm-up tool.
For balance between the two we use the 3 1/2 and have the Hot Dog version.

Doing it again - getting one pair, I'd go large drums - as you did before. Warming up for a race, use a trainer.

If you want to add a challenge try ...training... Those are the HotDog 3 1/2 in BTW
https://vimeo.com/109371142

bruce19

Wow! That's neat.

Silvercivic27

I set the front roller directly under the front wheel because that's what the instructions that came with my rollers said to do. That being said, I've switched bikes to one with a shorter wheelbase before without remembering to reset the front drum, effectively placing the front drum ahead of the wheel somewhat and didn't notice a difference until I was finished and noticed it at that point. I have no comment on the size of the rollers themselves, I just ride the ones I have.

carpediemracing 

I don't know either, at least in recent history. I knew a Pequot rider or two back in the day. Some of my teammates ride with TCC, in fact I think he started his cycling with them.