Forkstand for Rollers

[kbone]

I saw in an older thread that someone was suggesting a Kreitler Forkstand for someone who was having problems riding rollers. I was considering getting the forkstand but was wondering: Just how bad is a forkstand for the fork?

It seems to me that there would be a lot of stress added to the fork that would not occur during normal riding conditions. Is this stress enough to worry about?

As a side note, it's a 98 F1 fork. Not sure if the age of the fork is a consideration or not...

Thanks in advance,
Kevin

[chrisroph]

Forkstands for rollers are the equivelant of a "chick car." Keep practicing, or ride the trainer.

[terrytnt]

Agree... like any new skill in life, practice makes perfect. Stay focused, be determined and in no time you'll be adept at rollers!

[djg]

I don't really see the problem for the fork, although it kills half of what the rollers are good for. I guess if I didn't want to really ride the rollers all the time (that is, all the time that I'm training indoors), I'd just get an inexpensive trainer to have on the side. In fact, I've got a trainer on the side, but I rarely use it these days.

As have been said above, practice will help a very great deal with the rollers--even if it feels darn near impossible in the beginning, repetition and calm should lead to a pretty steep learning curve.

[kbone]

Thanks for the responses...

I want to learn to ride the rollers better but in the mean time it is hard to get a good workout while leaning aginst the wall :rolleyes:

The thought was to spend a few extra bucks on a forkstand to use while getting through the learning curve. I just didn't want to mess up the fork while doing so.

[stevep]

look straight ahead when you ride the rollers. easier.
dont look down.

[Skrawny]

Take your time to learn to ride the rollers.
On my first session (in a perfect narrow hallway) i stayed off the wall for a max of 15 mins. Built up time in subsequent sessions.
i bought a fork mount but have not used it (going to start now that i broke my thumb :crap: )

Do a seach for rollers here, a lot of good advice has been given.

I'm interested too, however; nobody thinks that the fork mt puts undue stress on the fork?

-s

[11.4]

Rollers are kinda like learning to ride a bike in the first place -- sooner or later you have to get rid of the training wheels or you won't improve. Leaning against a wall, or bracing yourself on something, or holding onto a rail, is such a situation. One can pretty much guarantee that you won't ride rollers better if you're depending for balance on contact with anything besides your bike.

A lot of the problem is about fear of falling, or of what happens if you ride sideways off the rollers (I can't say I've ever actually seen anybody ride off the front -- or back -- of the rollers). So I just encourage new rollers riders to set up next to a barre (waist-high rail) at a gym or at the velodrome, start riding, and then intentionally just ride off the rollers as if you were riding your road bike around a pothole in the road. You'll find that you don't have much momentum so you don't actually go anywhere, that you have plenty of time to get a foot down, and that while it may feel weird to be 5-6 inches higher while you're on the rollers, you'll suddenly feel like you're stabler again. Just put on some old wheels, and try it out. But otherwise, just practice on standard rollers -- no parabolic drums, no side rollers, no fork stands, etc.

[Marron]

I just "taught" my wife how to ride rollers and she found it very helpful to switch her usual pedals out for flats. The added security of being able to dab instantly with sneakers that had good traction on the roller rails and the floor gave her more confidence to try the limits of her balance. She ended up preferring a set of CylceOps rollers with smaller drums that are mounted much closer to the ground over my Kreilers. I also spotted her initially, which is not something available to everyone, but that enabled her to just ride and not worry too much about falling the first time she was on.

Our freakish weather here in Seattle has me spending more time on my "stupid roller tricks" and I find that the same issues apply as when just learning; the fear of falling leads to more falls than the actual riding. As long as you relax and trust your balance you will generally stay on. When you tense up, grab for the bars or try to veer back to center you generally make things worse.

[BoulderGeek]

When I learned to ride rollers, I had no fear of falling.

That fear came only after the experience of falling from rollers, clipped in with toe straps and slotted cleats. I now move all sharp furniture, glassware and animals far from my fall radius.

IMHO, forkstand+rollers = sacrilege

Get on the rollers, point forward, and spin the cranks like you mean it.

Or, to be more succinct: what 11.4 said.

[terrytnt]

I also am new to rollers (check out previous Trutrainer Rollers threads for some great advice), and totally agree with what everyone has said. This is really a mental thing... once you realize you're NOT going to ride off into furniture or the TV and that you can quickly dismount... you've pretty much mastered it.

When I learned several weeks back, another trick was to create a platform adjacent to the rollers so there was little to no step down. Though I rarely used it, again it create a change in mental state... instilling a degree of confidence.

Now, I'm riding almost every night 35-45 minutes... not falling once. Roller really teach you balance and control... yes it requires more concentration but makes you a much better rider. I'm using the TT Rollers with have significant flywheel resistance providing a more real-like road feel. Not as easy to ride without hands (think because of the flywheel action on the front wheel) but much easier to stand/ sprint (which is more important to me).

My advice, DON"T invest in the fork stands, because very soon you won't be using them.

my 2 cents...

[William]

I know people think I'm whack, but this works when starting out.

Put a straight edge out (2x4, yardstick, line of shoes etc...) in front of you, a few feet away from the front roller. Line it up dead center facing away from you. This gives you a point of reference for the center of the rollers without having to constantly look down. Pretty soon you'll get the hang of it and you won't need it at all.



William

[11.4]

No, stresses of regular riding on rollers aren't likely to hurt your fork. However, falling with a fork stand is actually more damaging to the bike and potentially more damaging to you as well. Don't think that the fork stand keeps you from crashing. A little weight off center on your bike and your rear wheel will still move sideways until it goes off the rear rollers, and the stand definitely doesn't let you sprint out of the saddle or anything like that (unless you knew how to do that anyway). The roller industry, such as it is, is full of gimmicks to sell rollers to those who have never ridden them seriously before -- stands, steps, fork stands, parabolic rollers, side rollers, front rollers, holy rollers, you name it. I don't know any good rider who rides anything but a classic pair of rollers -- the only variances are in drum diameter or use of the new TruTrainer rollers (which are basically classic rollers in concept, very often done with the flywheel disengaged). Go to a track meet and you see riders mounting rollers while holding onto a collapsible tent frame, a rider on another pair of rollers a couple feet away, whatever. Rollers are improving your balance and stability, so you have to let them challenge you a bit at first. Otherwise, why get them?

A couple comments to add to those above: First, dogs. There are apocryphal stories about dogs missing noses due to being in the room with you when you get on your rollers, but my only experience has been when dogs want to come and lick you or jump on you. One is annoying (dogs love the sweat and won't stop) and the other is basically annoying and good training for getting bumped while racing. Second, kids and family members. They seem to think that rollers are completely stable and that they can hold onto your handlebars while they squeeze past you in a doorway or behind a sofa. A little privacy usually helps.

[Skrawny]

my cat was trying to figure out how to get under my BB for a nap!
-s

[vaxn8r]

1) Rollers with a forkstand won't hurt the bike or fork but why not just use a trainer? I don't know about standing up and cranking on the bars though.

2) Rollers using a forkstand won't help you learn to ride rollers.

3) Use a wall to help you start but don't lean on it. Look straight ahead and go for it. Don't ever look down...until you're confident anyway.

4) When you fall it doesn't hurt and you just fall off sideways as if you were standing there straddling the bike and fell. Make sure you won't hit anything though.

[terrytnt]

Ditto to previous comment. Use a wall on one side and 6 feet of open space on the other. If you fall, you simply fall sideways, nothing else happens. Look straight ahead, use a line marker and begin with short segments on the bike (10-15). Do it every day, you'll be amazed how quick to improve.

[flydhest]

The statement that you won't have forward momentum and won't go anywhere only applies if you're being tentative. I and others I know during youthful stupidity, came off rollers while cranking and didn't stop the pedal stroke immediately. A good buddy put a bit of a ding in some drywall in his college apartment.

Anyway, if you're even a touch reasonable, it won't be too big a deal. Rollers are great. The first time you get out of the saddle or ride no-hands, you'll feel like a king.

[ergott]

Don't forget a fan guys. It isn't mentioned much, but you must have a fan on you on a trainer or rollers. I have a pedestal fan in front of me at about bar height pointing up. Staring ahead like others mentioned is the key. Then the fun starts when you go to wipe our brow with a towel and cover your eyes for the first time or try to look behind you over your shoulder (you should eventually be able to do both).

[William]

Ditto on the fan.

One of the first times I tried out of the saddle sprinting on my rollers I came off and put a 3 - 4" burn mark in the carpet. I was ripping and didn't end up across the room. Just a few inches and then grabbed the doorway to prevent falling over. Mrs. William was none too happy with me. :butt:




William