first roller ride

[kenyonchris]

I finally took the leap into rollers. I wanted to buy the eMotion rollers, but finally decided on the CycleOps with resistance, as I had a terrible time finding the Kreitlers...I could have ordered them but I am a "hands on girl"....and the guys at the shop all laughed at me when I mentioned the eMotion...their point was if you are going to ride rollers, stay away from training wheels. So I bought the CycleOps with resistance. $350.
It is cold and windy and gross out, so I unfolded them and stuck them in the hallway where I had a wall on my right. If I rode off the front, I risked zooming down the hallway and into the bathroom, but it was what I had. I put Gray's Anatomy on the TV, and pedaled away.
OK, first of all, it was a great workout. I did 40 minutes with moderate resistance on the set, on the big chainring/small cog of my 53/39 crankset. It took me about 15 minutes to get the hang of it. I found out that every little movement causes the front end to go one way, the back the other. Being stiff did NOT help, staying loose and supple helped correct sway. Even moving my head, at first, caused me to lose my line just a little, and that was disaterous on the rollers. I didn't go headfirst into the bathtub, but I did grab the wall a few times. I WAS clipped in.
So I didn't see much of Gray's Anatomy, because most of the time I stared at the morter line in my tile to keep myself straight. But I did manage to pedal steadily with very little sway.
I'll use the trainer for standing and sprint work, but to improve my cardio, my technique, and pedal stroke, the rollers are the way to go.

[Karma007]

Perfect timing for this! I have Cycle Ops rollers w/out resistance coming my way later this week, and after promising DH there will be no injuries I'm a little nervous.

[OakLeaf]

Yay!

I'm almost thinking about getting back onto rollers myself...

Just to re-state, if you do ride off rollers you won't go "zooming" anywhere. You have no forward momentum. It's more like tipping over from a FTU, except that you'll burn a hole in your carpet and/or put a flat spot in your tire. Just like FTUs, getting hurt from falling off rollers is not impossible, but bruises to the ego are usually the worst you'll have.

[kenyonchris]

Yay!

I'm almost thinking about getting back onto rollers myself...

Just to re-state, if you do ride off rollers you won't go "zooming" anywhere. You have no forward momentum. It's more like tipping over from a FTU, except that you'll burn a hole in your carpet and/or put a flat spot in your tire. Just like FTUs, getting hurt from falling off rollers is not impossible, but bruises to the ego are usually the worst you'll have.

LOL, that is, if you "stop" pedaling when you roll off the front! I manage to make everything into a disaster movie.

[arielmoon]

Before my broken pelvis, I loved my rollers but now when I use them my left sit bone gets mighty sore. I think I must sit heavier when on the rollers than when actually riding cause there has not been a problem any other time. Kinda weird.

[DebW]

Chris, I'm curious why you were riding the big chainring/small cog combination. Don't you want a high cadence and SMOOTH pedaling on rollers, not a big gear and low rpm? I've got an old set of Kreitlers, but no belt for it (broke two).

[kenyonchris]

Chris, I'm curious why you were riding the big chainring/small cog combination. Don't you want a high cadence and SMOOTH pedaling on rollers, not a big gear and low rpm? I've got an old set of Kreitlers, but no belt for it (broke two).

Probably. I feel like I pedal better with more resistance. I kept my cadence at 75-80 rpm. I did shift around a little bit, but since I was still in fear of domestic chaos with a tragic roller fall, it was up and down a few cogs on the big chainring. I need to experiment with what gear/resistance level I am going to benefit most from, but I am sure you are 100 percent right. Nevertheless, I got a really good workout, saw an improvement in my form, and had fun. I will try a smaller gear next time. Its funny, I very seldom shift off my big chainring, I stick there for all but the worst hills. I am sure I am underutilizing my gears, though.
Happy to have all suggestions, I have to hang with my boyfriend, who rides road/track/crit .... he trains with me, drafting along behind, then sprinting out, then coming back to draft. I am officially a domestique! He is incredibly light and strong.

[7rider]

Just to re-state, if you do ride off rollers you won't go "zooming" anywhere. You have no forward momentum. It's more like tipping over from a FTU, except that you'll burn a hole in your carpet and/or put a flat spot in your tire.

Having ridden off my DH's rollers once, I can attest to this as true!
(except, I'm not sure what a FTU is....)

[Aquila]

FTU = failure to unclip, I think?

When I took a skydiving lesson, they hung each of us in a harness to practice stuff.

So when I think about learning to ride rollers, I think the only safe-ish way for me would be to have a harness hung from the ceiling to hold me up, just in case... I'm thinking it wouldn't look very stylish or be very comfortable.

[PamNY]

LOL, that is, if you "stop" pedaling when you roll off the front! I manage to make everything into a disaster movie.

Oh, thank you (not) for that image. I have been debating getting rollers and that is exactly the kind of thing I'd do.

[IFjane]

LOL Aquila & Chris - me too! Disaster movie is exactly what would happen with me, only no one would rent the DVD, much less pop popcorn!

I have had a trainer for years but have resisted getting rollers because I am afraid of the permanent damage I will do to both my house and myself!

[kenyonchris]

Roller ride number 2...
I tried an easier gear/resistance today, which, for me, made it much harder. 45 minutes, the first 30 of which were seriously hard. Easy spin the last 15. And when I looked at my computer, I had only pedaled 8 miles!! That is crazy! I would have more than doubled that on the road (of course, I would have also had downhills, wind, etc. to help). Ugh.

[HillSlugger]

So I didn't see much of Gray's Anatomy, because most of the time I stared at the morter line in my tile to keep myself straight.

I've found I need to have the TV dead center in front of me so that looking at it keeps me straight and centered on the rollers.

[Karma007]

Okay, I just went 2 miles in my hallway, unclipped. I need elbow pads from my elbows hitting the walls...It was fun though!

[kenyonchris]

Okay, I just went 2 miles in my hallway, unclipped. I need elbow pads from my elbows hitting the walls...It was fun though!

I have worked my sorry way up to 9 miles, and at the end am dripping sweat (8 yr old comment..."boy, I have never seen anyone sweat so much and live!") and feel like I have run a marathon.