Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site auvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!we13!ihnp4!alberta!auvax!martin From: martin@auvax.UUCP (Don Martin) Newsgroups: net.bicycle Subject: rollers Message-ID: <314@auvax.UUCP> Date: Wed, 8-Feb-84 20:57:26 EST Article-I.D.: auvax.314 Posted: Wed Feb 8 20:57:26 1984 Date-Received: Fri, 10-Feb-84 06:19:24 EST Organization: Athabasca U, Edmonton Lines: 33 I recently read that someone indicated the main reason for rollers was not exercise but to improve your riding style. I agree that your riding style will definitely improve (you fall off a lot if it doesn't). And in addition, you can improve your cadence drastically seeing as you have a constant force to push against. I disagree with anyone saying that rollers are not for exercise! I don't know many people (actually I don't know any) who can ride rollers at over 100 RPM for 20 minutes to half an hour and not work up a sweat. Although you do not get the resistance to your pedalling that you get by using a turbo trainer or plain old exercise bike, you can still get a good exercise session. Talking about the turbo trainer and other similar devices, I tryed one a couple of months ago and took an immediate dislike to them for two reasons. Firstly, you loose all `feel' for riding. Riding rollers gives you the advantage of still feeling like your are in control of your bike. Secondly, if any pressure is put on the handle bars while getting on or off it seems that it would be pretty easy to bend your forks. I don't know about you but I don't particularly want to screw up my bike. To get the best workout, I ride my rollers for 20 minutes to half an hour and follow that up with a further 10 to 15 minute workout on a stationary exercise bike with the resistance torqued up. Cheers & keep on rolling Don Martin (auvax!martin) Athabasca University