Roller Questions?

Bicycle related chatter & discussion
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Philip
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Postby Philip » 21 May 2012, 15:18

What are the pros and cons of rollers vs trainers? Are the rollers with resistance worth the extra money? and can you get up to anaerobic levels on them?

To background these questions, I have an idea for a series of photographs, which if I go ahead with require me to buy, beg, borrow or steal some rollers. Then endeavour to enlist some willing participants. For now though I am still figuring the logistics.

Thanks in advance for any help.

patn
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Postby patn » 21 May 2012, 16:25

I'm far from an expert, but here is my take...

If you do a flat out efforts on rollers, say fastest RPM you can sustain for 10s, or fastest
for 30s, or for 60s, you will definitely be working anaerobically, no doubt. Perhaps initially one
might be limited by their technique, but after some practice spinning you can go very
hard on the rollers.

But rollers have a technique/balance component that a trainer doesn't. You can
certainly hurt yourself more on a trainer cause you don't have to worry about falling off.
You can close your eyes and hammer away for whatever intervals you want. I'd be off the
rollers in a second if I did that. If you want to really smash yourself (or take photos of
other people smashing themselves) Id do it on a trainer (and supply a spew bucket).

I've never tried rollers with resistance, but I suspect if you are trying to do high force
work like power at low rpm then you would be better off with a trainer with a big fly wheel.
My mate has a kurt kinetic with the big flywheel and its awesome.

Your welcome to borrow my rollers anytime. Also, there are heaps of them at Tempe...

wallman
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Postby wallman » 21 May 2012, 16:37

and can you get up to anaerobic levels on them?
Depends on the rollers. From memory Kreitler have a guide on their website for expected power ranges on their three models. I can get to VO2 max intensity on my cheap Torpedo 7 rollers but I'm in 53/13 to do so.

timyone
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Postby timyone » 21 May 2012, 18:44

Do you ride track? I am no expert, but are rollers more often used by track cyclists? In saying that, they are good for your smoothness, and would be worth becoming fluent at.

Trainers seem to waist tyres, but are good for adjusting tension (though I don't know any thing about these tension changing rollers, we just have rollers that roll). You can change gears on the bike to make it a bit harder if you ride a road bike on your rollers, but I don't know if they really get as hard as you can on a trainer.

It depends on what you want out of your training on them though too I guess? what do you want to do on them?

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Philip
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Postby Philip » 21 May 2012, 19:50

Thanks Guys, as Pat (excuse me if that is not your name, these online names just make my already hopeless grasp of names impossible), anyway as Pat guessed I hope to take pictures of people "smashing it". In fact really close up, gritty portraits of riders at 'heart rate max'. I hadn't thought of needing a bucket, thanks for the tip. I want to set up in my studio so I can have control of the lighting and background. My thoughts were that a trainer would probably be easier but possibly a bit to static. Whereas rollers might give me a bit more unpredictability and dynamism.

I imagined I'd get more use and pleasure out of rollers so I wanted to know they would work for both my pictures and eventually my training. So if I could take you up on the loan of your rollers Pat, I'd be very grateful. That way I could at least test my ideas before outlaying any money.

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jbcow
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Postby jbcow » 21 May 2012, 22:08

Just a thing to be aware of - rollers are set to the wheel base of a bike. so a tall person would find the roller setup of a short person's bike to be unstable and vice versa.

Sent from my GT-P7300 using Tapatalk 2

rhys
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Postby rhys » 22 May 2012, 06:15

If you want, you can drive next to me up any hill and take photos. I hit max hr with unparalleled ease. Provided you have a car that can go this slowly.

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Philip
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Postby Philip » 22 May 2012, 08:07

If you want, you can drive next to me up any hill and take photos. I hit max hr with unparalleled ease. Provided you have a car that can go this slowly.
Will I need a car? I could just walk backwards up the hill while shooting. ;)

rhys
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Postby rhys » 22 May 2012, 17:11

Will I need a car? I could just walk backwards up the hill while shooting. ;)
I'd almost be upset, but you probably wouldn't need a car :)

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Julio
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Postby Julio » 22 May 2012, 20:34

I use my TT bike on the rollers all the time, helps me get a fluid pedal stroke whilst in the tuck. If you need someone to be your sweat model I will put my hand up.


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