I just got some so I can train in my apartment (I start school up on Monday and won’t have time to go out on rides.) Well I just tried them out and am having some trouble with them. Any tricks to it or is it more of a “the more time you spend on it, the easier it is” kinda things?
Start in the doorway and look forward not down. Higher gears are better. Faster wheel speed = easier to balance.
Smooth cadence, think circles.
You’ll get it.
I run with Road shoes clipped in.
You will want something to stabilize on while getting on and off, and if you think you might bail. I have mine in the garage and I use a big stand up craftsman tool box for getting on and off. The tool box also lets me keep the Ipod and water at an easy to grab location. If you have hardwood floors, put something down so you don’t slip. Clipless bike shoes on hardwood is really dicey!
Choose a larger gear. It doesn’t seam to make a huge difference in terms of resistance but the faster speed of the actual rollers will make it more stable. I found 50x15 stable and 48x16 not stable…
Try to set them up in a place where you can look ahead. This is hard to do but it will keep you swerving once you get it down.
The reality for me was that I fell a lot! I would get tired, get sloppy and go down! sometimes hard on the concrete floor in the garage! I have gone down next to my car warming up for crits, and in the infield at track events… it happens.
I think most cyclist look at rollers as a way to develop a smooth pedal stroke and fluid riding. It is a decent way to do some training, but it is mostly for skills and warming up…
Good LuckYea I am doing it in my doorwar. The big thing was the looking forward. It does just take some time. Its nice to watch the Tour de France and ride my rollers.
look forward and at a single point, maybe a cross of tape several feet in front of yuo on the floor or wall.
Yea looking forward was the trick. I got the just of it now. Should be riding these things fine in a few days.
Thanks guys.