Categories: Accessories and GearDefining MomentsLook ProRiding Ugly

Look Pro: Rollin’ Dirty

Tommy Simpson goes rollin' in the deep.

When it comes to training, no one loves riding outside and loathes riding inside more than I do. On the other hand, riding outside is dangerous, especially with something like the Tour de Trump running the show. So I’ve been working on my road safety by not riding on the road and riding my rollers instead.

The added benefit of the rollers is that I do it in the early hours of the day, when no one is stirring apart from the odd mouse, so there are no witnesses. No one wants to see a shirtless man crying. Not even a mouse.

The rollers are the quintessential winter training and warm-up device. Merckx rode them. I was going to list other people who rode them but then realized that the list is as complete as it needs to be with just that name on it. I’d never ridden them until last Spring, when Marko sent me his, saying I could have “those diabolical bastards”. I rode them on my road bike until it got light enough to accommodate morning rides outside which was twice. Then I forgot about them until we fell back again a few weeks ago. (Daylight Savings? More like Daylight Shavings.)

With the days getting short and my gut getting wide, I’ve turned once again to the rollers for my morning Spanish Turbo Sessions. Except this Fall, I’ve been riding my Don Walker track bike (which was here until ridden only for the Festum Prophetae Hour) which adds the benefit of an unforgiving fixed wheel to the fun of riding these torture devices.

On the plus side, nothing will give you a more Magnificent Stroke than this heinous combination will. Thirty minutes feels like a lifetime; forty-five like an eternity. I’ll let you know what fifty minutes feels like when I get there. At which point, much like with The Hour, I’ll no doubt climb off, citing road conditions.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

freddy says:

Nov 27 2016 at 2:31 pm

Rollers are great. I have two sets with different diameter drums. It's been the off-season go to for me the past couple winters. Just picked up a Tacx Vortex Smart and finished the free trial on Zwift. Did a group ride on Watopia and Box Hill on the London circuit. I'm sold. The connecton to Strava is also great as, being a social animal, it keeps the motivation up for me. It looks like I'll be in better shape come Spring.
KogaLover says:

Nov 28 2016 at 12:52 am

@Rick

Recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest.

Link please! I also find Turbo boring but am even more bored with the same videos...
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 28 2016 at 2:01 am

@Rick

@BacklashJack

In the last few months, I have finally learned to stop worrying and love the turbotrainer. Like the hour record (which I have no experience with other than watching a few recent ones on the internet and listening to the riders pontificate on the mental challenge) I found them bearable if they’re broken down into smaller intervals. The idea of a 45 minute steady-state workout on a trainer is awful. But, a few 5-10 minute FTP intervals or a series of 30 second sprints spaced between some easy spinning has actually given me some proven results.

Let me repeat- the damn things actually work. I find my stroke is much more magnificent on the road and my sustained suffering increased.

In summary, Rule #10.

I find the turbo trainer incredibly boring. However, recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest. The workouts are typically shorter but much more intense than I would maintain on my own. I use those from a popular cycling site so the instructors seem familiar. These workouts get me on the trainer more often for more intense sessions.

I have not tried rollers and am terrified that I would break something should I do so.

You'd be fine. Just make sure the first time you use them you put them between the wall and the bed (that's what I did). It really only takes a little bit before it is very easy.

And they are so much better in all aspects than the turbo, in my opinion (although I still ride the turbo once in a while, esp if I am going longer than two hours).
Rick says:

Nov 28 2016 at 3:53 pm

@KogaLover

@Rick

Recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest.

Link please! I also find Turbo boring but am even more bored with the same videos…

I love these Train with GCN videos.
Rick says:

Nov 28 2016 at 3:58 pm

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@BacklashJack

In the last few months, I have finally learned to stop worrying and love the turbotrainer. Like the hour record (which I have no experience with other than watching a few recent ones on the internet and listening to the riders pontificate on the mental challenge) I found them bearable if they’re broken down into smaller intervals. The idea of a 45 minute steady-state workout on a trainer is awful. But, a few 5-10 minute FTP intervals or a series of 30 second sprints spaced between some easy spinning has actually given me some proven results.

Let me repeat- the damn things actually work. I find my stroke is much more magnificent on the road and my sustained suffering increased.

In summary, Rule #10.

I find the turbo trainer incredibly boring. However, recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest. The workouts are typically shorter but much more intense than I would maintain on my own. I use those from a popular cycling site so the instructors seem familiar. These workouts get me on the trainer more often for more intense sessions.

I have not tried rollers and am terrified that I would break something should I do so.

You’d be fine. Just make sure the first time you use them you put them between the wall and the bed (that’s what I did). It really only takes a little bit before it is very easy.

And they are so much better in all aspects than the turbo, in my opinion (although I still ride the turbo once in a while, esp if I am going longer than two hours).

Unfortunately I am also confronted with space limitations. I have no place to store rollers. My #1 spends the winter months set up on the trainer in the living room.
Rick says:

Nov 28 2016 at 4:09 pm

@Rick

@KogaLover

@Rick

Recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest.

Link please! I also find Turbo boring but am even more bored with the same videos…

I love these Train with GCN videos.

@KogaLover

@Rick

Recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest.

Link please! I also find Turbo boring but am even more bored with the same videos…

I should have added this to the reply above but I really like the 30 Minute Workout- Indoor Cycling Hill Climb Training. The scenery is from a ride up the Sa Colobra.
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 28 2016 at 11:05 pm

@Rick

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@BacklashJack

In the last few months, I have finally learned to stop worrying and love the turbotrainer. Like the hour record (which I have no experience with other than watching a few recent ones on the internet and listening to the riders pontificate on the mental challenge) I found them bearable if they’re broken down into smaller intervals. The idea of a 45 minute steady-state workout on a trainer is awful. But, a few 5-10 minute FTP intervals or a series of 30 second sprints spaced between some easy spinning has actually given me some proven results.

Let me repeat- the damn things actually work. I find my stroke is much more magnificent on the road and my sustained suffering increased.

In summary, Rule #10.

I find the turbo trainer incredibly boring. However, recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest. The workouts are typically shorter but much more intense than I would maintain on my own. I use those from a popular cycling site so the instructors seem familiar. These workouts get me on the trainer more often for more intense sessions.

I have not tried rollers and am terrified that I would break something should I do so.

You’d be fine. Just make sure the first time you use them you put them between the wall and the bed (that’s what I did). It really only takes a little bit before it is very easy.

And they are so much better in all aspects than the turbo, in my opinion (although I still ride the turbo once in a while, esp if I am going longer than two hours).

Unfortunately I am also confronted with space limitations. I have no place to store rollers. My #1 spends the winter months set up on the trainer in the living room.

It sounds like you have a great set up, which is exactly what I used to do so I only offer the following if you are truly looking to switch over to rollers.

I actually store my rollers under the bed (they fold up easily and nicely into a small unit) and the bike in the garage and then when I want to ride, I pull the rollers out from under the bed and bring the bike inside to ride it. This actually is much more space efficient than having a turbo set up all the time.

Also, a #1 bike on fixed turbo always worries me. Maybe someone with more experience and tech knowledge (that would be almost any one here on the site) can weigh in on whether or not it hurts a bike to be fixed into a turbo for long periods of time. Always makes me worry about the rear triangle with the odd stress of the turbo fixation (depending on the turbo interface with the bike but most hook into the rear triangle).

But, please keep doing what you are if it works for you! Just some alternative thoughts.
KogaLover says:

Nov 29 2016 at 7:27 am

@Rick

I love these Train with GCN videos.

How could I have overlooked these... I watch GCN regularly but focus apparently too much on how to botch-repair chain breaks or flats, besides cornering like a pro or the 10 devious ways to gain the unfair advantage against your competitor...
Ron says:

Nov 29 2016 at 8:54 am

Ha, no one wants to see a shirtless man cry, not even a mouse. That is awesome.

I haven't been on my rollers since I moved 600 miles south in 2011. But, with a 7 month old, and at the suggestion of Buck,...I shall been unfolding mine and rollin' 'em out this winter. "Honey, I'm going out riding for three hours, have fun with the screaming baby," really, really doesn't cut it these days.

Zwift looks pretty cool, just not gonna dip into the Budgetatus these days for the gear needed.
Rick says:

Nov 29 2016 at 8:56 am

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@Buck Rogers

@Rick

@BacklashJack

In the last few months, I have finally learned to stop worrying and love the turbotrainer. Like the hour record (which I have no experience with other than watching a few recent ones on the internet and listening to the riders pontificate on the mental challenge) I found them bearable if they’re broken down into smaller intervals. The idea of a 45 minute steady-state workout on a trainer is awful. But, a few 5-10 minute FTP intervals or a series of 30 second sprints spaced between some easy spinning has actually given me some proven results.

Let me repeat- the damn things actually work. I find my stroke is much more magnificent on the road and my sustained suffering increased.

In summary, Rule #10.

I find the turbo trainer incredibly boring. However, recently I have found some good training videos that keep my interest. The workouts are typically shorter but much more intense than I would maintain on my own. I use those from a popular cycling site so the instructors seem familiar. These workouts get me on the trainer more often for more intense sessions.

I have not tried rollers and am terrified that I would break something should I do so.

You’d be fine. Just make sure the first time you use them you put them between the wall and the bed (that’s what I did). It really only takes a little bit before it is very easy.

And they are so much better in all aspects than the turbo, in my opinion (although I still ride the turbo once in a while, esp if I am going longer than two hours).

Unfortunately I am also confronted with space limitations. I have no place to store rollers. My #1 spends the winter months set up on the trainer in the living room.

It sounds like you have a great set up, which is exactly what I used to do so I only offer the following if you are truly looking to switch over to rollers.

I actually store my rollers under the bed (they fold up easily and nicely into a small unit) and the bike in the garage and then when I want to ride, I pull the rollers out from under the bed and bring the bike inside to ride it. This actually is much more space efficient than having a turbo set up all the time.

Also, a #1 bike on fixed turbo always worries me. Maybe someone with more experience and tech knowledge (that would be almost any one here on the site) can weigh in on whether or not it hurts a bike to be fixed into a turbo for long periods of time. Always makes me worry about the rear triangle with the odd stress of the turbo fixation (depending on the turbo interface with the bike but most hook into the rear triangle).

But, please keep doing what you are if it works for you! Just some alternative thoughts.

Although I am not an engineer, it is unclear how keeping the bike in the trainer would threaten structural integrity. Can someone please let me know if my steed is at risk from doing this? The bike is held upright by fixing the rear skewer to the trainer. The front wheel is in a training block and there is no weight on the bike when I am not training. To my uninformed self, it seems that the trainer in this case simply functions as a stand.