Can anyone here drink while on rollers?
andyeb
Posts: 407
Been using rollers for a couple of months, have noticed a huge improvement in my pedal stroke and feel fairly comfortable riding on them - I'm now able to relax my arms and upper body and drive through my core and hips to stabilise the bike. I don't have to look forward any more and can keep my balance when looking at the back wheel to check sideways play and hence improve my pedal stroke. I can spin up to 120 RPM without feeling like I'm going to leap off the front of the rollers (vs. a much more lumpy 190 RPM on the turbo).
However, despite plenty of roller practice sessions, I still haven't managed to master drinking from a bottle while riding on them - as soon as I reach for the bottle (whether it's in a bottle cage, or even on the table beside me), I loose my balance and have to give up and take avoiding action.
This is limiting the length of my workouts and in some instances even causing dehydration headaches - I'm a heavy drinker and normally sip every few minutes when on the turbo. I've tried stopping every 20 minutes for a big drink, but this isn't proving adequate and breaks my rhythm.
Ultimately, my goal is to match this feat of cooking an omlette while on rollers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFvomdhW2Y
...however drinking would be a good, and rather more practical, starting point.
So - can anyone else here drink while riding rollers? Any tips on how to get to that point?
I've thought about using my MTB hydration pack, but don't really want weight on my back pulling my riding position out of shape and contributing further to getting too hot and sweaty, despite using a fan.
thanks,
Andrew
However, despite plenty of roller practice sessions, I still haven't managed to master drinking from a bottle while riding on them - as soon as I reach for the bottle (whether it's in a bottle cage, or even on the table beside me), I loose my balance and have to give up and take avoiding action.
This is limiting the length of my workouts and in some instances even causing dehydration headaches - I'm a heavy drinker and normally sip every few minutes when on the turbo. I've tried stopping every 20 minutes for a big drink, but this isn't proving adequate and breaks my rhythm.
Ultimately, my goal is to match this feat of cooking an omlette while on rollers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybFvomdhW2Y
...however drinking would be a good, and rather more practical, starting point.
So - can anyone else here drink while riding rollers? Any tips on how to get to that point?
I've thought about using my MTB hydration pack, but don't really want weight on my back pulling my riding position out of shape and contributing further to getting too hot and sweaty, despite using a fan.
thanks,
Andrew
0
Posts
Simple answer to your question is yes; it is possible to drink whilst on the rollers (and ride no handed to practice taking off a jacket, etc). To start with I too found it very diffcult/impossible to reach for the bottle without leaping off the side of the rollers. I started from my most comfortable position on the bike (on the hoods) and taught myself to be able to ride one handed whilst holding a steady pace. I also used the original learning environment of having a doorway to lean against if it went wrong. From there I practiced leaning down to touch the bottle without actually grabbing it. Once comfortable with that, I then started taking the bottle out. The hardest part I found was actually putting the bottle back without missing the cage. I still have to focus on the task but I can now get a drink from pretty much any of the normal cycle positions (drops, tops or hoods) without an excursion into the furniture.
As a result of being able to move my body around the bike whilst 'in motion' it also improved my confidence in shifting my weight and I can now ride for reasonable periods on the rollers with no hands on the bars. Just takes time to get comfortable at holding a steady candence and accepting that you may leave the rollers whilst you are learning.
Try peddling out of the saddle and see what happens then! Still yet to get a few turns in before I either go off the back or the front!
Use a bottle that doesnt have a close off valve like a Camelbak may help.
Comfortable one handed?
Best actually to keep looking forward anyways despite wanting to glance downwards.
Trying to reach for something whilst on the rollers is the bit that can really go wrong as you know.
You are probably 95% there so just keep at it.
I also wondered about the no-hands thing - as the young lady in the above video seems to make it look so easy. I can loosen my grip on the handlebars to the point my hands are just resting there and stay relaxed, but any further and I start loosing my balance and have to put a major power burst down to keep my balance.
So I think the step-by-step approach of getting to the point of being able to touch the bottle, then slightly dislodge it, then remove it, but stop to replace etc. Also thinking that practising with an empty bottle might be easier than even a half full one, which is what I've tried to date.
So far (and I'm probably tempting fate by saying this), I've not come off the rollers at all, but still always have a wall to my right hand side, as I need it to get started. I reckon I've probably spent a total of about 10 hours on the rollers so far.
Always wonder how people manage to get started without having something to hold on to. All my googling on the subject just turns up entry-level getting started guides, rather than showing how to get going on rollers unaided.
Any further ideas or suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks again for all the advice and suggestions so far.
It's all down to practicing and spending more time on the rollers.
I'll get my coat
Ski to live
Find it's much easier on the hoods. Still a long way from being able to ride no-handed though.
So you've all convinced me it is in fact possible to drink on rollers and I'm confident I'll get there with some more practice.
This took a bit to get there but well worth it.
I nudged the front roller slightly so that the front hub is only just behind the centre line of the roller... gives just a touch more stability when all the bodyweight is on the front end.
Agreed - I was expecting that rollers would be more bearable from a saddle comfort point of view than the turbo. But the reverse has actually proved true - at the moment I'm very limited on the amount I can move around on the saddle and being able to even un-weight myself on the saddle would be an improvement in workouts like 2x20m etc.
I was able to do this by first learning to completely un-weight my backside on the saddle and getting steady/comfortable doing this for 30 second intervals, then gradually raising the amount I am out of the saddle until I'm up to full height.
The tricky part is standing up and sitting back down. Dropping two gears also helps. I have a hunch it might be easier if I added the optional resistance unit to my rollers.
Although I like how rollers seem to improve technique, the many difficulties they create have had me thinking about switching back to a regular trainer. I can't justify the price of the "floating" rollers (like this one) that apparently make it easier to ride out of the saddle.
I felt more stress in my thighs while riding out of the saddle but not knees particularly.
Maybe take a look at cleat setup and/or bike fit in general?
Okay, i'm not getting the core stability and balance benefits, there are plenty of exercises to improve these attributes such as balancing and doing exercises on a fit ball as well as the 'plank'.
You can eat, drink, operate the TV remote, scratch, wipe the sweat off...
Despite the 'T' bar, it has improved my pedalling no end and I would never ever contemplate getting another one of those god forbidden torture device again - a Turbo trainer.
http://youtu.be/ybFvomdhW2Y
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
Yah - I linked to that in the original post. Some way to go yet...
Mine are homemade, heavy and take a bit more turning than commercial ones in that they have some resistance. Whilst I can drink no problem (from a cup), change channels on the tv, and stand (pointless becuase the back wheel then slips), I can't do 'no hands' unless I'm holding onto something else. The something else being the shed roof spars.
The older I get, the better I was.
You actually built some like the GCN guys using rolling pins...? :-)
I do like my Arion rollers... if use my race tubs then it is an almost silent training experience.
No not with rolling pins
This is my youngest having a go on them outside (photo cropped to remove faces).
The older I get, the better I was.
Yeah, right.
Has anyone seen a video of how it's done? Searching online just gets you lots of beginner tutorial videos with help on how to get started when leaning on something.
Needs a bit of practise.
I was going to get rollers and use them on my roof terrace ( 5 floors )...A mate talked me out of it as I might fly off the building. Got a Tacx virtual trainer instead.
My kitchen sink and the laundry rack will testify to that. It sure does censored up your rhythm stopping dead at that speed.
i just push down hard in big ring middle of cassette and then just start pedalling, with one foot clipped in the other jut pushing down on the pedal, clip in once up to speed, you just need to be confident in your balance.
The trick seems to be to start with the bike in the middle of the rollers, leaning slightly towards the side where you have your foot down. Then as you push down with your other leg, steer the bike towards the side where you have your foot down, so that it becomes upright underneath you. This seems to help with achieving balance.
It also seems to help to practice the starts - just get the hang of doing a big push with one leg and balancing while coasting for as long as possible.