[Closed] Use of Rollers

I use them as I'm sure they are supposed to improve your pedalling form, and in my mind a smoother pedal stroke can only make you a more efficient rider.

I think they're also supposed to help core strength but I don't feel like I'm really having to work very hard for balance, even if I'm deliberately doing high revs in a ridiculously low gear (lower wheel speed should result in worse stability?).

I've been using them in lieu of the turbo at the moment as I'm supposed to be sticking to low intensity stuff during rehab for back surgery, so would rather focus on technique rather than just twiddling away on the turbo with no resistance.

I use mine for zone 2 work. I've found low gear, high cadence is a bunch easier on he rollers. Stick a film on, switch your brain off, ignore the fact your bum is going numb.

quite new to rollers, but how on earth can you watch a film without falling off them. I end up being so focused on staying on the bl##dy things that im almost developing tunnel vision. Also i think mine have an overdrive drum, so they are hard work, can;t really spin along on them. For a similar speed on the turbo, my heart rate is at least 10bpm higher.

For me, rollers have improved my pedalling technique and balance (funny that).

I cannot create the same power output on them (I have basic rollers) so switch between rollers and a turbo.

Rollers will smooth out your pedalling form if your a newb; you just cant chuck yourself around on rollers. And rollers are indeed much less boring than a dumb turbo trainer .. although once you have mastered rollers they too become boring very quickly.

Zwift is where its at though.

Good to practice riding in a really straight line on them out two tape lines six inches apart on the front one. Also for added laughs practice riding as slowly as you can on them.

Re training get a speed sensor for your wahoo and do four ten minute intervals with a 5 min rest holding as high a constant speed as you can. If you fail, abort the interval and pick a speed you can do. Make a note of the speed you can maintain each time.

Not gonna help your top end I'd have thought, sorry.

Zwift is where its at though.

One day, Ant. One day. Just need some money.

Re training get a speed sensor for your wahoo and do four ten minute intervals with a 5 min rest holding as high a constant speed as you can. If you fail, abort the interval and pick a speed you can do. Make a note of the speed you can maintain each time.

@molgrips, I was thinking about this today. As you know, I use a Wahoo Elemnt and was thinking about getting their cadence sensor (as opposed to a speed sensor). In terms of data, would that give me what I need to do at least some ride (and comparative) analysis? Ideally, I would get the heart rate monitor as well, but I can only afford one piece at a time right now.

Ive just sold mine. They were fun, and probably one of those things everyone should do at some point to learn a new skill. Like owning a BMX, you can't not learn something new from it.

They do force you to ride in a certain way. Pedaling smoothly and keeping your upper body still. And I think it does help on the road, you can hold your position better without having to constantly talk to yourself about it.

Intervals? Mine had magnetic resistance, I couldn't go
flat out in the top setting for very long so its certainly high enough for all except sprinting. The limitation was more that you couldn't mash the pedals and pull on the bars like you can on the road or turbo. Also you cant exhaust yourself in the same way. Some turbo sessions leave me on the brink of collapsing, on the rollers id have to stop a few intervals before that because even if my legs could do it I wouldnt be able to keep it upright.

Having a cadence sensor won't let you track performance that we'll really cos at some point you'll want to change gear...!

What you really want is a power meter, and this will let you do Zwift as well as help you train outside, but since in rollers your power is proportional to speed you can use speed as a proxy for tracking performance gains. It means nothing on its own though, just as a relative indicator.

Yep, speed as a proxy for power I think, that's all I've ever used. So long as you keep the basics consistent e.g. tyre pressure/how much you tighten resistance element if it's a dumb turbo) then it's pretty good, I know what sort of speeds I should be capable of for e.g. a sweetspot workout on my dumb fluid trainer, so it's just a case of working to improve those speeds.

There are inaccuracies of course, I still haven't quite got my head around how much (if at all) the resistance drops as tyres/rollers/fluid warms up, but I'm erring towards just increasing speed 0.5km/h every interval etc. Will never be Team Sky precise but more than enough for my amateur efforts!

Buuut... cadence sensor is handy also for e.g. doing the BC 20 minute warm-up on rollers, which is all same gear/different cadences. Sure you can't get a bundle price for speed and cadence?

As you know, I use a Wahoo Elemnt and was thinking about getting their cadence sensor (as opposed to a speed sensor).

I use a Wahoo Elemnt with a Garmin speed/cadence sensor, the 'old' style combined one that sits on the chainstay with one magnet on the crank arm and one on a spoke. Just so you know you don't have to use a Wahoo-specific sensor, any Ant+ sensor will work.

Rollers were traditionally favoured by track riders for warm up and developing the ability to ride at high cadence, because many track events require the ability to jump, or generate very high rpm quickly using a single, relatively low gear. They are still the preferred tool for most trackies, I think.
For more general cycling, turbo trainers offer a greater range of resistance, so are probably more useful training aids, especially with the advent of the smart trainer. I don't think there is much evidence that pedalling technique makes any difference to how effectively you cycle. I remember reading some research on this a while back and I'm pretty sure the conclusion was that you just need to push the pedals round and generate as many watts as you can, but it doesn't really matter how you do that!

Hey Saxon rider, I think I have an old garmin speed/cadence sensor in my garage. Yours in exchange for a donation to your local food bank. Drop me a PM if you’re interested.

I use mine for race warm ups, just easier to transport around than messing with the smart trainer and pairing different devices.

I used to think they were better for form but tbh you can do form drills just as effectively on a turbo.

Good for tyre sealant coverage too on new tubeless set ups.

Rollers were traditionally favoured by track riders for warm up and developing the ability to ride at high cadence, because turbo trainers didn’t exist. 😉

Sure you can’t get a bundle price for speed and cadence?

Just get the £12 ones off ebay/amazon they seem to work just as well IME as the expensive ones.

Although if you're just looking at speed you don't need all that, just get a £5 cycle computer.

Rollers were traditionally favoured by track riders for warm up and developing the ability to ride at high cadence, because turbo trainers didn’t exist.

That's true, but newer technology doesn't seem to have made much of a dent in their preference for old school rollers.