WalksOn2Wheels

Were you the guy who told me about lowering the psi in the tires to add a little resistance? I just mentioned this in the other rollers thread a few weeks ago. I put them down to like 45 psi and it's just enough resistance to give me a smooth spin and keep my HR in zone 2. I don't like trainers, but could see how structured interval training would be a bonus if you live in the frigid north. Down south you can hit the rollers for zone 2 stuff and get outside on the weekends.

Square Wheels

I got the remote wireless resistance option, it works great, but honestly, I never use it. I like that they have a modest amount of resistance built in and is more than I need. As an example, I have a compact 50/34 with an 11 tooth cog as my smallest gear. At the end of my workout last night I put it in the 50/11 combination and got up to 41 mph and a little over 600 watts (clearly that was a short lived sprint). So, they have plenty of resistance.

I might have a thousand miles on them so far, they've been great. I would probably still be afraid to ride them without my handrails because I watch TV and drift off at times.

UnfilteredDregs

I just saw this...

Doorway, and don't worry. Set them up in such a fashion that when you're on saddle and on the hoods you simply can lean against the frame with a shoulder. Start pedaling, Get up right.

It is not a big deal, relax, and be light on the bars. Focus on something ahead of you, don't look at the front wheel, at least not yet... (I stare at my front wheel all the time, with time you stop relying on your eyes and more what you feel regarding whether you're getting off track.)

You may shred a front tire or two.. I have, if you're making a hard enough effort and the wheel comes off and the edge of the roller ends up against the tire sidewall...it's like a knife through butter.

IMO if you're going to have ONE training device, or are getting your first indoor trainer, rollers is the way to go.

Not only will you really train your cardio, but it'll make you a much better rider.

Power without finesse isn't all that useful.

UnfilteredDregs

Maybe...it does make a difference. Being that I have a resistance drum it's never been something I do...For balance and cadence work I make sure my tires are hard as rocks because then it's like riding on ice, in your living room!

UnfilteredDregs

Question for all of you saying that you can't do big power training on rollers... how many of you have direct experience with the newer technology rollers whereas the drum induces drag magnetically as a function of RPM?

I'm not a pro, I don't endeavor to be, but the rollers I use as per charts as tested by users handle up to 900/1000 watt efforts.

kbarch

You're doing it wrong on the road, then.
Well, maybe not wrong, but getting off and back on the saddle without stalling or surging is a skill worth developing.

Marcus_Ti

Doorway is especially great for starting and stopping on rollers. Once on and clipped in, easy spin up to speed. Small control movements, and spin. The more uneven your pedaling is, and the more severe your steering is, the more likely to loose control and go riding through the living room you are.



Having a TV in front of you to focus on with something to pay attention to makes the time go quicker....as well as keeps you subconsciously steering straight.

Carbonfiberboy 

I only stand on my rollers to rest my butt. It's odd to me to dis rollers for not being good for max standing efforts. As if trainers were? Both are worthless for max efforts because you're not accelerating your mass. The feel of OOS efforts on trainers or rollers is completely different from on the road because you aren't accelerating your mass up the road and then reaching terminal velocity. Plus on the usual trainer you can't rock the bike which is so important to sprinting performance. The place to train sprinting is on the track or outdoors.

OTOH I can certainly do max seated efforts on my rollers except that the acceleration has a completely different feel, as above. Z5 intervals are also a little different on my 500 watt set because even in top gear my cadence will be a little higher than what I would use for Z5 climbing intervals on the road. The 800+ watt Sportscrafters set would be better in that respect.

jsutkeepspinnin

I have a set of the 2.5 diameter kreitler rollers. the resistance curve they post is not even close to correct. I was still able to easily spin at 25ish mph doing low z2 back when i actually rode (now im just fat and lazy). Hell, even recovery rides still could average like 18-20 mph. I'd recommend getting the smallest diameter you can, it's literally the only way to train with rollers, otherwise you will spin out in your 53x11 just trying to do tempo workouts.

UnfilteredDregs

Nah, that's not it, I can do it, but in order to prevent a rearward bike squirt from happening my CG has to be unnaturally too far back on the bike and wheelies on rollers are no fun either.

My bike is too long for me as well, I'm sure that isn't a positive contributing factor...

Hence the design incorporated in Trutrainer's product, they allow for the rear wheel to be seated in such a way to prevent this in conjunction with their apparently superior inertia/momentum gadzoookery within their drums.

UnfilteredDregs

That's correct for "old-school" rollers. That's why the resistance drums available with some products today are great. My rollers resistance drum can kick my ass.

jsutkeepspinnin

i had a set of cycleops rollers with the magnetic resistance, it still wasn't that much resistance. The 2.5 Kreitlers were definitely more resistance than the cycleops rollers, even without an added resistance unit.

Doge

The two Cateye CS-1000 Cyclosimulator we've had are good for 1,400W+ before burning rubber and if you crank the roller really hard, maybe more. For some that is not enough, but it is higher than anything you set a bike on.

I agree with your track bike/hill/real bike needed for max power. But - as I posted - for that I think gym is as good. Hard to beat a stack of weights on a leg press for max effort.

Carbonfiberboy 

It's easy to add more magnetic resistance with magnets: https://www.amazon.com/CMS-Magnetics...dp/B000UEBF00/
Stick one or two of these to the roller frame, close to one of the drive drums.

TimothyH

I just noticed this...

SportCrafters Overdrive Pro Rollers - $349
SportCrafters OverDrive Pro Rollers | Competitive Cyclist

SportCrafters High Inertia Drum - $81.75
SportCrafters High Inertia Drum | Competitive Cyclist


-Tim-

beatlebee 

^this. Easy to add a lot of resistance for a little $.

e30jean

There are also trainers where the rear triangle isn't fixed, the rear tire is pressed against the trainer wheel by your body weight . Like this - wiggle.com | Elite Qubo Power Fluid Trainer | Turbo Trainers

TimothyH

Just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread.

I've orderd the SportCrafters OverDrive Pro roller set today. $349 with two day shipping from Backcountry.

Will probably pick up the cadence drum at some point in the future.

Thanks again all.

bruce19

I just picked up a used set of Kreitler 3" rollers. I already had a set of Performance 4" rollers. As I was doing a side by side comparison I noticed a difference. The band on the performance rollers connects only to the forward one of the two rear rollers, whereas the Kreitleer's connects to the rear roller and runs over the forward one. Just wondering if this has an effect.

woodcraft

It may add a little friction, but I don't think it's intended to be set up that way.

Marcus_Ti

At a guess...someone got a belt that was too long.

bruce19

That someone was the person who sold it to me. She was a former college racer at UC Berkeley or somewhere like that.

woodcraft

Is there a difference in performance, or just how the band runs?

bruce19

I'm not sure I have a basis for comparison. I've only used these rollers once. And, my other rollers were 4" rather than 3". I will say that I thought there was more resistance than I was used to. Because of the belt? Because of the difference in roller diameter? I don't really know.

Doge

"performance" in rollers is a tough one. Lager diameter drums have less resistance than the smaller drums. The resistance comes from the deformation of the tire and the friction of rpm (smaller turns more).

Then there is the quality of the frame and roundness. A sturdy frame is always better - except when it comes to cost and transport. A rounder roller is better. Most bearings are good enough.

So if one was going to do a roller race (as was popular in the 80s) get the biggest roundest drums, ceramic bearings, most elastic belt (don't know which that would be) and a supple, very nicely seated clincher at high pressure on double discs.