Roller Advice

Bazzowmb
Bazzowmb Posts: 227
edited October 2011 in Training, fitness and health
Very recently purchased my first set of rollers (Tacx Antares) and am getting to grips with riding them relatively quickly.

I'm chuffed with the purchase but have noticed a couple of things:

1) I am already able to push my 50/12 top gear ratio at a high cadence for 5 minute bursts, and;

2) The back tyre seems to be leaving very small black deposits on the rearmost roller.

Does anyone know if you can get some form of resistance kit for these rollers which I've seen mentioned in some reviews?

And is this my back tyre rapidly wearing out? Would stainless steel rollers be kinder to my tyres?

Many thanks from the roller novice,

Comments

  • Rodrego Hernandez
    Rodrego Hernandez Posts: 1,436
    Use a turbo for resistance.

    Try pedalling 53/15 for 20 mins as fast as you can - you'll learn to pedal properly doing this.
  • doubleoseven
    doubleoseven Posts: 36
    I have never tried it.....but i have read that some people put a towel under one of the rear rollers to add resistance.It's not scientific and no ideas if it really does work.....

    My tyres also deposited rubber onto the rollers.I needed new tyres anyway, so i purchased some cheap (£10/tyre) puncture resistance tyres that are quite tough and no rubber deposits so far. My old tyres were quite old and at the end of their life, so that probably didn't help.
  • Tom Dean
    Tom Dean Posts: 1,723
    Reducing your tyre pressure will increase the resistance.
  • mattoo
    mattoo Posts: 27
    Think you can buy a training tyre for use with rollers/turbos.
  • Bazzowmb
    Bazzowmb Posts: 227
    Thanks for the info guys, thinking of getting a cheap rear wheel and put an old tyre on it just for roller sessions.
  • Tom Dean
    Tom Dean Posts: 1,723
    Bazzowmb wrote:
    Thanks for the info guys, thinking of getting a cheap rear wheel and put an old tyre on it just for roller sessions.

    They cost of another wheel, cassette and tyre will be way more than what the extra tyre wear would be.

    Does your rear tyre look worn? I have a set of wheels & tyres that I only use on the rollers and they don't seem to wear at all.
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    +1 to what Tom said:

    I reckon rollers are much easier on tyre wear than turbos (or even the road.)

    Less tyre pressure = more resistance. Maybe not massive amounts but enough to make your 5 mins at full pelt more of a workout.

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