Roller Trainers for Recumbents

[landon2]

I ride a Burley Hepcat. I've been considering getting a set of rollers for training when I can't
ride. Has anyone had any experience with rollers and recumbents. My LBS says rollers aren't really
any good for training. There more for perfecting your pedalling technique. Is this true? I would
think that rollers would be a great way to train. Comments?

 

[Clark Werner]

I have one for my RANS V2, it gets hot and wet in FL. It works very well. The one I use can be seen
at: www.1upusa.com/bike_trainer.html Good luck Clark In article
<[email protected]>, landon2 @attbi.com says...
> I ride a Burley Hepcat. I've been considering getting a set of rollers for training when I can't
> ride. Has anyone had any experience with rollers and recumbents. My LBS says rollers aren't really
> any good for training. There more for perfecting your pedalling technique. Is this true? I would
> think that rollers would be a great way to train. Comments?

 

[Frank P. Patter]

[email protected] wrote:
> I ride a Burley Hepcat. I've been considering getting a set of rollers for training when I can't
> ride. Has anyone had any experience with rollers and recumbents. My LBS says rollers aren't really
> any good for training. There more for perfecting your pedalling technique. Is this true? I would
> think that rollers would be a great way to train. Comments?
Landon Having used rollers for many years for upright training, I found them very good for
developing smoothness of spin, steady line for pack or pace line riding and general conditioning.
All for flat riding. Was never able to ride my HHR for any significant time without holding on to
something. However, I recently purchased a Tracx trainer and am very pleased with it. Its computer
allows for hill training and musc more diversity. Frank

 

[Pj]

[email protected] wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I ride a Burley Hepcat. I've been considering getting a set of rollers for training when I can't
> ride. Has anyone had any experience with rollers and recumbents. My LBS says rollers aren't really
> any good for training. There more for perfecting your pedalling technique. Is this true? I would
> think that rollers would be a great way to train. Comment

I have used rollers for less than a year and really like them...for me much better than other indoor
trainers, as they come closer to a real riding experience because you actually have to balance. I
would ask your LBS if they have ever used rollers, if they have, I would doubt they would make this
comment, but I have heard it frequently. To make rollers more difficult you merely shift to a higher
gear and you can make it as difficult as you like. I can do one leg training exercises on them,
intervals, etc....and yes they do quickly train you to smooth out your pedal stroke.

Pat Mc

 

[Freewheeling]

On Sat, 19 Jul 2003 16:42:39 GMT, [email protected] wrote:

>My LBS says rollers aren't really any good for training. There more for perfecting your pedalling
>technique. Is this true? I would think that rollers would be a great way to train. Comments?

I use a set of Kreitler rollers, and the difficulty depends on what gear you use, the diameter of
the rollers, and whether you use a resistance attachment (like the "Killer Kool Headwind Fan" for
the Kreitlers, named after Mr. Kreitler's dog, Killer). Just to be save I generally set up the
rollers in a closet doorway, but I can generally pedal for 40 minutes or so without touching
anything for stabilization. When I first started using rollers with my V-Rex I'd "bounce off" as
soon as the cadence got above 60 rpm, but eventually got past that. It my have been because I
started using 65 mm cranks instead of 70s. It was some sort of feedback thing, I think, and either I
smoothed out my pedal stroke or the shorter crank arms broke the feedback amplification. I can now
pedal at well over 150 rpm without bouncing. I have the Challenger rollers, but Kreitler has smaller
diameter rollers if you don't want to get a resistance fan and want to stay in smaller gears.
Without an extension, though, the V-Rex is about the longest wheelbase you can use with Kreitlers.

--Scott

--Scott [email protected]

 

[Freewheeling]

On Mon, 28 Jul 2003 14:15:24 -0400, Freewheeling <[email protected]> wrote:

>I have the Challenger rollers, but Kreitler has smaller diameter rollers if you don't want to get a
>resistance fan and want to stay in smaller gears.

By the way, you can get a fork stand designed for MTBs if you have a 20 inch front wheel and don't
want to do so much balancing. That converts it into a trainer, but you'll almost have to get a
resistance unit if you want to use it that way. Resistance with just the rollers under the rear
wheel is pretty light.

--Scott [email protected]