Bicycle rollers are a type of bicycle trainer that make it possible to ride a bicycle indoors without moving forward. However, unlike other types of bicycle trainers, rollers do not attach to the bicycle frame, and the rider must maintain balance on the rollers while training. Bicycle rollers normally consist of three cylinders, drums, or "rollers" (two for the rear wheel and one for the front), on top of which the bicycle rides. A belt connects the middle roller to the front roller, causing the front wheel of the bicycle to spin when the bicycle is pedaled. The spacing of bicycle rollers can usually be adjusted to match the bicycle's wheelbase. Generally, the front roller is adjusted to be slightly ahead of the hub of the front wheel.
Bicycle rollers are nearly as old as the bicycle itself. Mile-a-minute Murphy is pictured riding on them as early as 1901. [1]
Balancing the bicycle without riding off the rollers is an extra challenge for the rider and requires much more balance and attention than bicycle trainers. Some cyclists find that this increased attention to balance enhances their workout, while other cyclists simply prefer the more stable trainers. Rollers are also used by bicycle racers to finely tune their balance, a skill needed for drafting and the close quarters of a peloton during races. [ citation needed ]
Novice cyclists often start by placing the bicycle rollers in a hallway or door frame where there is a nearby wall for support in the case of a fall. Removing any sharp and dangerous objects from the area is a must and a helmet is often worn, even though the user might be indoors. Beginners quickly discover that it is easier to maintain one's balance by focusing on a point a few yards ahead rather than looking directly down at the front wheel. In addition, it is easier to stay on the rollers in a higher gear when the wheels are spinning faster. Also, the user has no forward momentum while on bicycle rollers, which drastically reduces the possibility of injury in the event of a loss of balance or a fall.
The rollers themselves may be made from wood, [2] aluminum alloy, [3] or plastic. [4] Aluminum alloy is usually a better choice because plastic rollers tend to bend and become misshapen from their regular cylindrical shape after use. Some rollers also have a concave cylinder shape (parabolic) to help keep the rider in the center of the rollers. [2] [4] [5]
The frame may be made from welded steel or extruded aluminum. The frame may fold in the middle for storage or transport. [2]
Rollers are available in different widths (from 10" to 18") and diameters (from 4.5" to 2.25" for higher resistance). [6] Some bicycle rollers use two front drums or cylinders instead of just one.
Resistance may be added by having the spinning rollers driving some additional mechanism such as a fan. [7] Some rollers have an internal flywheel on the back cylinder. This mimics real-world resistance to continuous acceleration and makes it possible to coast for up to 30 seconds. [8]
It is possible to remove the front wheel and mount the front fork in a stand (usually sold separately) to duplicate the stability of other bicycle trainers.
Some rollers place the roller frame inside an external track so they can move (slide) fore and aft - which allow for simulating extreme pedalling off the saddle, as if climbing a hill. Strong elastic bands or springs are attached to each corner of the frame and pull and hold the roller frame in the tracks. A bicycle on the road can move fore and aft relative to the rider, and these rollers attempt to duplicate this effect. [9]
Rollers may also be used for roller races (or goldsprints if fork stands are used). Two or more bikes are placed on rollers side by side, with the rollers connected to a timing system. Timing systems either use modern electronics and digital projection, or a large analog clock with a hand for every rider representing their distance traveled. Roller racing was popular in 1950s Britain, often preceding films at the cinema or taking place in between dances at dance halls. [10] The British Schools Cycling Association carries on the tradition of true roller racing without fork stands and maintains the BSCA National Competition Roller Records [11]
In 1993, the Century Road Club Association of New York City retired their vintage rollers and mechanical dial for Kreitler Rollers and a computer system that could clock up to six racers at a time. [12] Elsewhere in America, every winter a USA Cycling sanctioned event called the Iowa Roller Race Series defines roller racing champions. [13] [14] The series uses Kreitler Rollers and a DOS program Roller Fusion, which was commissioned in the 1990s by the late Al Kreitler. In honor of Al Kreitler, the promoter of the Iowa Roller Race Series, Greg Harper, organized the 2011 Al Kreitler Memorial Killer 2-Mile Roller Races. [15] (To clarify, Al Kreitler was not killed; his dog was named "Killer.") [16]
A bicycle, also called a bike or cycle, is a human-powered or motor-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A bicycle rider is called a cyclist, or bicyclist.
The tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement, not the number of riders. Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the mid 1880s. Tandems can reach higher speeds than the same riders on single bicycles, and tandem bicycle racing exists. As with bicycles for single riders, there are many variations that have been developed over the years.
A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain. These typically include a suspension fork, large knobby tires, more durable wheels, more powerful brakes, straight, extra wide handlebars to improve balance and comfort over rough terrain, lower gear-ratios for climbing steep grades and sometimes rear suspension to really smooth out the trail.
A bicycle brake reduces the speed of a bicycle or prevents it from moving. The three main types are: rim brakes, disc brakes, and drum brakes.
The penny-farthing, also known as a high wheel, high wheeler or ordinary, was the first machine to be called a "bicycle". It was popular in the 1870s and 1880s, with its large front wheel providing high speeds and comfort.
A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, onto which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles: a main triangle and a paired rear triangle. This is known as the diamond frame. Frames are required to be strong, stiff and light, which they do by combining different materials and shapes.
The Cannondale Bicycle Corporation is an American division of Canadian conglomerate Dorel Industries that supplies bicycles. It is headquartered in Wilton, Connecticut with manufacturing and assembly facilities in Taiwan.
A racing bicycle, also known as a road bike, and once popularly known as a ten speed, is a bicycle designed for competitive road cycling, a sport governed by and according to the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The UCI rules were altered in 1934 to exclude recumbent bicycles.
A track bicycle or track bike is a bicycle optimized for racing at a velodrome or outdoor track. Unlike road bicycles, the track bike is a fixed-gear bicycle; thus, it has only a single gear ratio and has neither a freewheel nor brakes. Tires are narrow and inflated to high pressure to reduce rolling resistance.
A bicycle fork is the part of a bicycle that holds the front wheel.
Colnago Ernesto & C. S.r.l. or Colnago is a manufacturer of high-end road-racing bicycles founded by Ernesto Colnago near Milano in Cambiago, Italy. It remained a family-controlled firm until May 4, 2020, when it was announced that the UAE-based investment company, Chimera Investments LLC had acquired majority of the Colnago stakes from Ernesto Colnago, although the headquarter will remain located in Italy since the acquisition. Instead of following his family's farming business, Ernesto Colnago chose to work in the cycle trade, apprenticing first with Gloria Bicycles at 13, subsequently taking up road racing. After a bad crash ended his racing career, he began subcontracting for Gloria, opened his own shop in 1954, building his first frames the same year. While building frames, he remained much in demand as a racing mechanic. He was second mechanic on the Nivea team Giro d'Italia under Faliero Masi in 1955, eventually being employed as head mechanic for the Molteni team of Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx in 1963.
This is a glossary of terms and jargon used in cycling, mountain biking, and cycle sport.
A bicycle trainer is a piece of equipment that makes it possible to ride a bicycle while it remains stationary. They are commonly used to warm up before races, or when riding conditions outside are not favorable.
Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics is the science of the motion of bicycles and motorcycles and their components, due to the forces acting on them. Dynamics falls under a branch of physics known as classical mechanics. Bike motions of interest include balancing, steering, braking, accelerating, suspension activation, and vibration. The study of these motions began in the late 19th century and continues today.
A motorcycle fork connects a motorcycle's front wheel and axle to its frame, typically via a yoke, also known as a triple clamp, which consists of an upper yoke joined to a lower yoke via a steering stem, a shaft that runs through the steering head, creating the steering axis. Most forks incorporate the front suspension and front brake, and allow the front wheel to rotate about the steering axis so that the bike may be steered. Most handlebars attach to the top clamp in various ways, while clip-on handlebars clamp to the fork tubes, either just above or just below the upper triple clamp.
A Goldsprint is a bicycle rollers racing and social event. Riders on stationary bikes compete against each other in front of spectators.
Cross-country (XC) cycling is a discipline of mountain biking. Cross-country cycling became an Olympic sport in 1996 and is the only form of mountain biking practiced at the Olympics.
A motorcycle frame is a motorcycle's core structure. It supports the engine, provides a location for the steering and rear suspension, and supports the rider and any passenger or luggage. Also attached to the frame are the fuel tank and battery. At the front of the frame is found the steering head tube that holds the pivoting front fork, while at the rear there is a pivot point for the swingarm suspension motion. Some motorcycles include the engine as a load-bearing stressed member; while some other bikes do not use a single frame, but instead have a front and a rear subframe attached to the engine.
Motorcycle components and systems for a motorcycle are engineered, manufactured, and assembled in order to produce motorcycle models with the desired performance, aesthetics, and cost. The key components of modern motorcycles are presented below.
|accessdate=
(help)