Any old guys ride rollers?
#26
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Put the rollers away last fall after my son bought a Wahoo Kickr trainer for me so he and I can do virtual rides together. Haven't bothered with the Zwift or other apps cause I don't like subscription services, but spinning vinyl or a CD and using the watt and rpm function on the Wahoo app makes for a fine workout.
FWIW rollers most certainly helped train my legs into an rpm machine, which in turn requires a smooth pedal stroke. RPM's are needed to keep the drums turning and due to the design of rollers a smooth pedal stroke makes for a really unique experience. Rode those cheap Giant rollers for over 30 years and only one band had to be replaced. They still spin like new and the Minoura replacement band that is about 12 years old is still working just fine.
FWIW rollers most certainly helped train my legs into an rpm machine, which in turn requires a smooth pedal stroke. RPM's are needed to keep the drums turning and due to the design of rollers a smooth pedal stroke makes for a really unique experience. Rode those cheap Giant rollers for over 30 years and only one band had to be replaced. They still spin like new and the Minoura replacement band that is about 12 years old is still working just fine.
#27
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Old man on rollers:
Smoother helps a lot on seated climbs. Those biased studies of pros hammering were all done on flat TTs. Yep, rollers won't help you hammer, I know a great shock, but there it is. Want to see how smooth you are? Sit down on your trainer, get in a very low gear, and pedal at 115-120 rpm for 20'. Nothing to it, right? Actually, I could do that in my 60s, but now I'm down to 105-110 for long periods. Smooth is all about only putting force on the pedals that's tangential to the pedal circle, i.e. no wasted effort, no bouncing.
These are ancient Bike Nashbar rollers with ABS drums. The drums used to be ribbed, but I've long since polished all that off. The hand lamp at the rear is a heat lamp to preheat the fluid resistance unit. It gets cold out on our shop in winter. The resistance unit isn't very strong, only gets up to maybe 500w, but plenty for me.
The post on my right is there, well, because I'm old and want things a bit easier. Various interval workouts are tacked to it. I want to stop, I just lean to my right and stop. I also get dressed in the morning while standing, pants, socks, and shoes. Every little bit helps. Falling is not good.
Oh - the door behind me is for our resident hobbits.
Smoother helps a lot on seated climbs. Those biased studies of pros hammering were all done on flat TTs. Yep, rollers won't help you hammer, I know a great shock, but there it is. Want to see how smooth you are? Sit down on your trainer, get in a very low gear, and pedal at 115-120 rpm for 20'. Nothing to it, right? Actually, I could do that in my 60s, but now I'm down to 105-110 for long periods. Smooth is all about only putting force on the pedals that's tangential to the pedal circle, i.e. no wasted effort, no bouncing.
These are ancient Bike Nashbar rollers with ABS drums. The drums used to be ribbed, but I've long since polished all that off. The hand lamp at the rear is a heat lamp to preheat the fluid resistance unit. It gets cold out on our shop in winter. The resistance unit isn't very strong, only gets up to maybe 500w, but plenty for me.
The post on my right is there, well, because I'm old and want things a bit easier. Various interval workouts are tacked to it. I want to stop, I just lean to my right and stop. I also get dressed in the morning while standing, pants, socks, and shoes. Every little bit helps. Falling is not good.
Oh - the door behind me is for our resident hobbits.
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#28
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I once overheard a very smart teammate of mine enthusiastically complimenting a guy on another team on his pedaling smoothness during a crit race. After the race, I asked him what that was about. He said that he figured the guy would probably try to pedal even more smoothly and thus waste additional energy.
Spinning at high speed downhill on a track bike has nothing to do with conventional pedaling technique and certainly nothing to do with theoretical roller-acquired smoothness. Keeping up with other guys who were on road bikes, my maximum rpm on a downhill per a cadence meter was around 225. The only way you can pedal that fast is to forget about "pedaling circles" and instead pretend that your feet are shuttling back and forth on a flat plane. Takes a certain amount of nerve, too.
Spinning at high speed downhill on a track bike has nothing to do with conventional pedaling technique and certainly nothing to do with theoretical roller-acquired smoothness. Keeping up with other guys who were on road bikes, my maximum rpm on a downhill per a cadence meter was around 225. The only way you can pedal that fast is to forget about "pedaling circles" and instead pretend that your feet are shuttling back and forth on a flat plane. Takes a certain amount of nerve, too.
#29
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I once overheard a very smart teammate of mine enthusiastically complimenting a guy on another team on his pedaling smoothness during a crit race. After the race, I asked him what that was about. He said that he figured the guy would probably try to pedal even more smoothly and thus waste additional energy.
Spinning at high speed downhill on a track bike has nothing to do with conventional pedaling technique and certainly nothing to do with theoretical roller-acquired smoothness. Keeping up with other guys who were on road bikes, my maximum rpm on a downhill per a cadence meter was around 225. The only way you can pedal that fast is to forget about "pedaling circles" and instead pretend that your feet are shuttling back and forth on a flat plane. Takes a certain amount of nerve, too.
Spinning at high speed downhill on a track bike has nothing to do with conventional pedaling technique and certainly nothing to do with theoretical roller-acquired smoothness. Keeping up with other guys who were on road bikes, my maximum rpm on a downhill per a cadence meter was around 225. The only way you can pedal that fast is to forget about "pedaling circles" and instead pretend that your feet are shuttling back and forth on a flat plane. Takes a certain amount of nerve, too.
Descending fixed at high rpm is a good way to get TKRs. You really want to use your front brake (better have one) and pedal against slight resistance. Or so said The Octopus, who rode all 4 routes on Ventoux fixed in 24 hours. That back and forth sensation is very like pedaling circles at high rpm.
I'd sometimes hit 150 and could hold 135 on the flat, going out with geared bikes on a SS. That was about 25 mph with me back in the paceline in my early 60s. With SS, I preferred to climb in the saddle up to about 15%, when I couldn't turn the cranks seated anymore. I had a spin bike instructor, a Cat 1 trackie, who could hit 200, though of course spin bikes are FG too.
Both high and low rpm on a freewheel bike is a very different sensation as the chain doesn't make your feet go 'round - plus one gets to coast! We all get better at the thing we do the most.
I've found one-legged pedaling on the rollers definitely helps my climbing endurance. Of course it has to be done on a freewheel bike or there's no benefit. I quit the interval when I can't keep a tight chain. I found OLP was easier outdoors on the flat or a slight climb with some bike momentum - higher inertial load - but easier isn't the point. I push forward at the top, pull back at the bottom, and somehow drag my foot up the backstroke.
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#30
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I use rollers for warmup and cooldown at the track. I think most trackies can ride rollers. My first coach, who was from Belarus and coached the national team loved rollers. He showed me pics of two person rollers. Now that is what I am talking about. Get on a double wide set of rollers (common drums) and ride together.
#31
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Sure, yes. I've got a smart trainer that I use more, but sometimes I just spin on rollers while watching a movie. Which I probably should be doing right now.. but...
#32
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been riding them about every day for the last 2 weeks and it came back pretty fast. just need to lose the gut but spring.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MaoabD1KiBHFDXCM9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MaoabD1KiBHFDXCM9
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Still riding my Kreitlers several times a week in the winter when the temp dips below 35 or the roads are snow/ice covered.
A couple of years ago a built a freemotion cradle for the Kreitlers and then I installed an angle iron bar in front of the rear roller with 10 neodymium magnets. Makes for great adjustable resistance.
A couple of years ago a built a freemotion cradle for the Kreitlers and then I installed an angle iron bar in front of the rear roller with 10 neodymium magnets. Makes for great adjustable resistance.
#34
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been riding them about every day for the last 2 weeks and it came back pretty fast. just need to lose the gut but spring.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MaoabD1KiBHFDXCM9
https://photos.app.goo.gl/MaoabD1KiBHFDXCM9
But then, given that I even own an analogy wall clock says something ancient about me.
BTW: equally ancient 4” aluminum Kreitler rollers. Original bearings still smooth and quiet. Nice kit. Made a magnet bar for increased resistance but didn’t really need it. Took it off and set in a corner.
Last edited by Prowler; 12-05-22 at 05:51 AM. Reason: add info in BTW
#35
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Still riding my Kreitlers several times a week in the winter when the temp dips below 35 or the roads are snow/ice covered.
A couple of years ago a built a freemotion cradle for the Kreitlers and then I installed an angle iron bar in front of the rear roller with 10 neodymium magnets. Makes for great adjustable resistance.
A couple of years ago a built a freemotion cradle for the Kreitlers and then I installed an angle iron bar in front of the rear roller with 10 neodymium magnets. Makes for great adjustable resistance.
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Jadmt, I cannot tell from your photo whether or not you have the alloy rollers? The resistance from neodymium magnets only works with the alloys.
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You can still build a freemotion chassis, but the rare earth magnets will do you no good as far as reisstance. By the way, I have replaced the sealed bearing cartridges on the Killer Headwind fan. If yours is extra noisy, you may want to consider new bearings.
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Got given a set of rollers about 4 years ago and thought, I'm a well trained cyclist, I race, how hard could it be..... now I know. still cant ride them!!!!
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May I ask, do the conical rollers as on a TacX Galaxia make a worthy difference? Case in point, I’m a near beginner. I’ve ridden straight rollers once, successfully, many moons ago.
thanks kindly
thanks kindly
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I’ve been riding rollers for several years. I think I was 60 before I first started on them. There is a bit of a learning curve, but I find them fun when the weather is lousy. I would rather be outside on the fat bike.