Rollers

Mastering the rollers is probably essential if you want to race on the track at any level, and a useful tool for training.

so any experienced roller users got tips on them? I just got some, and seem to be resting my hip on the doorway rather a lot, not yet got the balance sorted.

is it better to use track gearing, or does it not matter? I've been on my road gear of 69GI, but was wondering if the greater gyroscopic effect of greater wheel speed for a given cadence would be more stable?

Look ahead, not down and relax your upper body.

Ride a bigger gear if you want more resistance and/or let some air out of your tyres

Mastering the rollers is probably essential if you want to race on the track at any level, and a useful tool for training.

Why is that Rob?

at a race meet you don't always get track time for warm up/warm down, and so most people get on the rollers.

it is also a good training aid for balance, smooth pedaling and the muscles associated with that

It'll take a little to get used to them, the key is to relax and not overcompensate if the bike wanders to the side. I use both my track bike with 50 x 15 and my road bike 53 x all 9 depending. And like RPM says at a track meet you'll need them to warm up/ cool down between events cause other races will be on the track.

at a track meet you'll need them to warm up/ cool down between events cause other races will be on the track.

Thats where I went wrong at the track day... :)

any reccos for a cheap new set? the tacxz antares seem pretty good value?

its all about being strong in the core yet relaxed, when you really get the hang of it you should be able to sprint flat out seated.

try doing 60's at a really high rpm on a little gear or low resistance tyres, not flat out but just trying to relax and feel being smooth

puts rollers on shopping list cuz RPM just upped the stakes

well I can't let go of the door frame yet, but I can get up to a decent cadence and all that.

I do have very poor balance in general though, which stems from an old injury (I have no feeling in my left hip) and I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to balance properly on them..

the rollers I've borrowed are some cheap tacx things, plastic rollers. there's quite a bit of resistance. I'm guessing that proper metal drums spin better and are easier to ride.

so can anyone recommend a set of rollers?

Depends on your price range I guess. I probably have the same set as RPM (cheap Tacx), which while they provide more resistance, they aren't as nice to ride as metal drum competition rollers.

I gave myself a good go at the rollers today. now I can balance on them OK. not indefinitely, but for most of the time.

should be nailed with a bit more practice

Just sit as upright as possible and relax your arms. Bizarrely I learnt to ride them no handed, clinging onto a table before I could with my hands on the bars, so get your weight back.

After that you've gotta master getting onto them without holding on to anything and my mythical favorite... riding up alongside them, trackstanding, and bunnyhoppping on. I don't know who gave me the idea, has anyone seen that done?

Mind the china.

JC, you are not a normal human being.

After that you've gotta master getting onto them without holding on to anything and my mythical favorite... riding up alongside them, trackstanding, and bunnyhoppping on.

no I haven't!

I notice even the pros tend to set up next to a railing so they have something to hold.

*bunnyhopping *on would end in tears for all, I predict.

go on, ya poofter, give it a fucking go.

Saw rollers being used for warm up/cool down at Peckham BMX regional yesterday.

that's a first, isn't it

but a very good idea. we used to warm up at hayes in the paddocks, by holding the railings and pedaling backwards!

... riding up alongside them, trackstanding, and bunnyhoppping on. I don't know who gave me the idea, has anyone seen that done?

No but the promo vidie for Tacx rollers on their site shows two riders warming up at some indoor velodrome, then bunnyhopping off and straight onto the track (with no helmets...Dave would go nuts!)

here it is:

http://www.tacxantares.com/en_antaresclip.html

on the track without helmets!

can you imagine what DC would say!

He'd say, "RPM, you're just repeating what Winston said 6 minutes ago."

No but the promo vidie for Tacx rollers on their site shows two riders warming up at some indoor velodrome, then bunnyhopping off and straight onto the track (with no helmets...Dave would go nuts!)

Dave would never've let it go that far. They'd be booted out for warming up too close to the track edge.

That whole video seemed to imply those two just wanted to get off their crappy rollers and ride the track with the real cyclists, and the no helmets thing is a bit of a weird choice too.

I also remembered another of my roller imaginations. A double-wide set, with two riders on, trying to spin each other off. A spin to the death. Like something from an old kung fu movie.