Bicycle thread

[Chisenhallw]

Originally Posted by Wadester

Here's how you do it:

I would bust my butt about 15 seconds into that.


I'd rather ride outside! And seeing as how I don't live in Minnesota or Wisconsin or Alaska, I can!

A good day of cycling is when you work a course for the first time in six-ish weeks, and you pass fellow pedalists going up the gnarliest hill on the course. 18.6 miles pedaled, 15.6 mph average, time 1:11:10, max speed 34.3 mph.

I'm not gonna be olympic-eligible anytime soon, but I felt pretty good about it.

[zouch]

Originally Posted by Crocodile Tears

So I picked up a set of nashbar PVC parabolic rollers for use during the icy winters here, which of course caused a heat wave melting the snow, but thats besides the point.

Never did ride rollers before, and man do I have to say these things are a real sonovabitch. I can get up using the wall for a support, but to just do a freestanding start is nearly impossible. Any tips? I will say once you get moving they are much better than any resistance trainer ive used, and wear you out trying to maintain speed to help your stability.

The nashbar units appear to be of decent quality, though the rollers scuff easilly. For $150, I cant complain and would reccomend them for anyone tired of dodging snowflakes. I havent even massively ate shit off them yet (although it sure felt like I was trying for the first day)

i usually set a chair up (back towards me) nearby just to have something for reference when i'm getting on and off, but with a little practice you'll find you're using it less and less.

don't worry about the discoloration on the rollers; that's just proof that you're using them. i have a set of old alloy-drummed Kreitlers (because Kreitlers last for-freakin'-ever, and have a headwind fan for wind resistance that blows the wind back *at* you), and they're polished clean-looking in the center while the rest is considerably dingier looking.

practice riding low gears and just spinning easy initially; riding faster will make it easier to keep your balance, but you'll also find that your mistakes get amplified quicker as well.
key is staying loose on the bars; rollers teach you that you're steering from your saddle, not your handlebars, as doing something wrong at the bars on rollers will quickly put you off the side.

one of the best things about roller'ing is that it teaches what *not* to do, and how to not fight yourself or waste energy. there's a reason Time Trialists and mega-milers spend time on rollers; spend a little time on them yourself, and you'll understand. (try doing a short ride after spending some time on your rollers, and you'll really appreciate it; it feels like you're on a rail that you couldn't get knocked off of.)

but mostly, just practice doing it easy for a while until you relax on them. you'll find that as you relax, it gets easier.
don't forget to have fun!

[Omi]

I miss my rollers, never should have sold them.

I took a quick, cold ride into town to stock up on supplies (booze) today. Although I didn't have any trouble with the snow and ice, studded tires would be nice at times like this when my mountain bike with tire chains is overkill.

[ImaPoser]

Holy crap! a January ride in full summer gear and conditions?

Yes, I was slow.

[Crocodile Tears]

Originally Posted by ImaPoser

Holy crap! a January ride in full summer gear and conditions?

Yes, I was slow.

I had the specialized, bandit, and KLX out today around Toledo. 60 degrees ?

I'm slow too. Well except for the B12S

[fullmonte]

It took 52 minutes and 9.25 miles of mud to get the bike this grungy, but at 70 degrees I'll take it.



It took well over an hour with the garden hose and air compressor to get my kit clean afterwards.

Worth every minute.

[BobbySands]

If you have never ridden rollers at all and you're nervous about falling, find yourself a doorway. Most rollers will fit in the doorway and you want to place the rollers so that your elbows, rather than your bars, are near the doorframe. If you feel yourself getting wonky or you fear you'll tip, just use your elbow to gently guide yourself back into position.

I have used this technique with every person to whom I have ever sold new rollers, and it works every time. Then you can move to a wall, and use the other fellows suggestion of placing a chair, just in back of the bars, so you can grab hold and help yourself getting started and stopping.

Once you're a pro-- and if you ride enough you will be, but to ride rollers that much you almost need your head done in-- you can ride in the middle of the basement or the spare bedroom or what have you.

I have no trouble riding rollers but it is a workout, the drag of the tires, the friction of even the nicest rollers and the friction of the belt make an easy gear a bit of an effort and you have to pedal a certain speed or the bike will lack enough gyroscopic force to sit upright, so, unless you have paid for a set with a flywheel, there's no breaks.

A very short gear will make you pedal your arse off to keep upright, a very tall gear will let you get away with a stomper's cadence. I prefer small ring, one gear down from the middle (of a 10 speed) when I'm going, but I start a couple clicks up the cog and finish the same way. Doesn't take much effort but it will still keep your pulse up and you can listen to the sound of the tires to see how round you are. When I get tired I can hear the whoosh, whoosh of some very square strokes. Oddly enough the first place I feel sore is the back of my knees from concentrating so fully on trying to pedal circles and bringing my leg back, up and around. Almost never feel any burn in my quads. But you will also wear yourself out a bit with trying to keep a light grip on the bar. Isolating your hands from your lower body is the key, but having a quiet upper body means you need to hold your core without using your hands as much.

I usually ride for 30 minutes or so, and I put a video on so I have something to watch besides the clock. Look ahead-- if you're not watching anything look about 2 metres ahead of your front wheel and focus on relaxed, round strokes.

My only warnings are these:
I have ridden off the rollers countless times, sometimes ending up in a heap, sometimes doing alright. I get caught in my thoughts or the video or the music and ride straight off the side. The bike will come to a screeching halt. If you are set next to a wall you can sort of cheat that side and your arm should hit before you ride off. 20 years ago I put pieces of tape on the outside 7cm or so of my drums so that when I was riding near the edge I could feel the thump thump thump thump warning.

You need a fan on, but you will still drip sweat. Don't do this over carpet or the Mrs. will likely lose her mind. Also, they make a sort of sweat catching thong that goes from your bars to your seat post to keep from corroding your stem, your headset and fixing hardware into a big lump. Either grease all that very well or get a sweat catcher.

I also have a mat I put down on the carpet. Saves replacing it.

NOTHING is as slippery as cleats and a cleaned (likely waxed) tiled floor. Take care. If you hop off to fill your water bottle up in the kitchen you might end up on your arse. Polished (well-trodden) concrete is nearly as slippery.

I keep the bike in the study here with the computers so I'll take a few snaps:

Here's the mat, I think it was cycle ops or something.




Here's the sweat catcher. Same brand maybe?





You can see the evidence of the last ride-off. These tires are miserable anyway, I have a set of DT Swiss wheels with Dura-Ace hubs that I use for the road. I'm a big guy and these wispy little Vuelta rims don't seem like they'll last long. No pot holes on the rollers, though.




This is the gear I ended up in to spin down.

[BobbySands]

Even Eddy Merckx had to start holding the cupboard.

[Gummee!]

Rollers are good for aerobic conditioning and perfecting your spin.

Trainers are good for making you stronger, but they promote bad technique.

Optimally, you need both.

I'm headed over to my riding buddy's place noon-ish. Hopefully the fog'll be burned off by then. After losing Fri to headache and puking all day, I'm not sure how the legs are going to feel.

Belgian cross champs are on now. You haven't missed too much if you go to cyclingfans.com and finish out the race.

M

[Gummee!]

Now THAT was a race! Went from the gun.

I won't tell y'all who won in case someone's downloaded the Belgian champs and is gonna watch it later. (www.cyclingtorrents.nl)

M

[Omi]

Originally Posted by Crocodile Tears

I had the specialized, bandit, and KLX out today around Toledo. 60 degrees ?

I'm slow too. Well except for the B12S

Damn, it's 7 degrees and snowing here today. I'm trying to motivate myself to get on the bike or xc skis for an hour or two, but it's just so cold!

[zouch]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

Rollers are good for aerobic conditioning and perfecting your spin.

Trainers are good for making you stronger, but they promote bad technique.

Optimally, you need both.

M

that's why i use Kreitlers with a headwind resistance fan; resistance is variable by adjusting the size of the fans air input.

(i wouldn't use a plain old trainer; aside from the reason you listed, i find them terminally boring.)

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by ducnut

If it's the right size, yes! However, it overlaps what you already have.

I know. Next weekend I'm getting a test ride at Santos on a Niner RDO to see if it's significantly better than my Superfly 100. If it is, I'll just sell the Superfly's frame and put all the remaining parts on the RDO frame.

[Weirdo]

The only thing that gets me through time and suffering on the trainer:

http://www.thesufferfest.com

[Gummee!]

40ish miles on the road. Had to really twist my buddy's arm to get him out the door. Despite the weather guessers saying 70 and sunny it was high 50s and foggy/drizzly.

Saw a few people out, bit not many!

Who else got in a ride today?

M