Why You Can Win With Bike Rollers

Bike Rollers are one of the more established ways to do indoor cycle training. They may have been around a while, but now many experts regard them as a very up-to-date and beneficial tool.

At first sight, it is a challenging prospect that faces you when you pick up your bike and place it between the sets of rollers. Most have the same basic layout - a metal frame with three cylinders, two to place your rear wheel on, and one at the front to locate the front wheel on - which you adjust to suit your bike length. The front roller and the front roller of the back pair are generally connected by a rubber transmission belt which causes the front wheel to spin as you pedal the back wheel.

Because the rear wheel is not fixed to the frame, your bike will slide freely as you ride, simulating the sensation of rapid road riding. Now the issue is clearly that of keeping yourself stable, without the benefit of using the forward movement of a road to reassure you. Well, the simple way used when starting out with rollers is to fit the frame inside a door frame in the house - which is the perfect width to give you a refuge to put your arms when learning to balance - or next to a solid wall, to allow you to lean on it when mounting and getting going.

It is also important not to turn the handlebars or lean too much - keep the bars straight and balance by making slight and gentle corrections. Sounds dramatic, but doing the basics right will let you get on with enjoying your new rollers.

So where you win, and why professionals can find this almost addictive once they get going, is that the core balance that you develop, just to keep going smoothly, is invaluable when riding on the road. You become far better at controlling your bike, whether fumbling for an energy gel at high speed, or diving through a narrow gap, and your confidence and success start to really grow.

The other way you win with bike rollers is developing a super smooth pedaling stroke. The rollers encourage an even and efficient way of pedaling, otherwise things aren't so stable. So this efficient delivery of the pedal force makes you a far more effective rider, with economy of effort.

One drawback of basic rollers is lack of high resistance, as compared with static trainers. So the leading makers have come up with the magnetic resistance attachment, and the more advanced models have a wind resistance fitting, which gives you the feeling of riding outdoors, and needs a greater effort to pedal as well.

The reason for embracing rollers is to develop your form, balance, technique and cadence, which have to become good in order to make smooth progress. So it will be hard work at the start, but you will be amazed by the results, and the sense of achievement when it all comes together.

Find out more about the many kinds of Bike Rollers, and which one will improve your cycling fitness and technique the most.