i have Kreitlers with killer headwind fan for resistance and i can do all my workouts on them except for sprinting.. i wouldn't mind trying a pair of e-motion rollers, but my wife would kill me if she saw yet another a big cycling purchase like that come through the door any time soon... especially when i sold her on the higher cost of the Kreitlers because 'they will last forever' but the e-motions look pretty cool and you can apparently even sprint on them.
anyway, it takes time to get really comfortable on them.. it's kind weird to explain.. they seem impossible to ride and then all of a sudden you are just doing it (this happens in one night usually). after you get up and going... it then takes some time to get really comfortable. so good to start early in the off season so you aren't going to impair your serious training as you're getting comfortable.
smaller diameters rollers give lots of resistance if you don't have a dedicated resistance unit but are also harder to ride.
some tips in no particular order:
1) i use a large tool box that is as high as the rollers that i place between the rails and between the front and rear rollers so that when i get on and off i'm not stepping down 4 inches to the ground
2) smaller diameters rollers give lots of resistance if you don't have a dedicated resistance unit but are also harder to ride for longer periods of time
3) this is for all indoor training.. get the biggest baddest fan you can get your hands on.. this is the biggest contributing factor for staying on the bike longer and doing higher quality workouts
4) use a wall to lean against to start
5) use a bigger gear to start at first.. it is easier to get going in a bigger gear
6) ensure that the bike is level i.e. if you measure from the ground up to the axle of front and rear wheels it should be the same height.. some roller have adjustments for this and some you're going to need to prop up
7) try not to look at the wheel or down look straight ahead.. might even want to put a line on a box in front of the bike to ensure your in the center of the rollers
8) when you finish a workout, do some play on the rollers to get comfortable.. try stuff like.. steering to the edge of the rollers and then back to the centre, ride really slow and then speed up, try riding standing up (this will save your back and butt for longer rider.. need to at least be able to do that), try taking hands off bars (this is after lots of time on there) to ride no hands.. may want to master one hand then try this... when learning i found it's better to do two hand at the same time and just keep them close rather than doing one then the other because you're off balance when doing it one at a time and i found this makes it harder to get it and learn.
i have been riding them for many years and they just seem more natural and i can stay on them longer without becoming brain dead than a trainer.. and they also help you to maintain your bike handling skills while riding inside. i can ride standing, and with no hands, can start in the middle of the room.. i.e. not wall to start etc.. after a while you just get comfortable and can basically do anything you can do outside..
the biggest thing to get is that you get all worried and forget that.. hey, all i have to do is put my foot down and everything will be ok.. seems simple but in the panic of thinking you're going to fall you forget.. all i have to do is put my foot down. and also it's ingrained into your brain that falling is a painful proposition, but inside you might lose a little pride of someone is watching but.. there's no road rash when you fall inside...
