Rollers anyone?

trmecham

Are there cyclists out there who ride rollers, like rollertrack for example-not stationary trainers, during the winter months? If so, how do you calculate calories burned? On the one hand, balancing and riding on rollers is far more difficult than ordinary cycling, but on the other, there is no wind or resistance other than the bike's gearing. Any thoughts?

jenlazzara

How are rollers different than the stationary bike?

jrusso28

I would use my heart rate monitor to figure out the avg calories burned per hour of riding.
Because every one is different, and everyone's effort on the bike is different, I don't think you can simply use some generic avg with much accuracy.

With that being said, I use an average of 100 calories for every 10 minutes when I absolutely need to estimate.

trmecham

With stationary trainers the rear wheel is locked into a resistance assembly which holds the bicycle upright and the front wheel is motionless. With rollers, the bicycle is place on rotating drums connected by a band and the rider balances by pedaling. Little bit of a learning curve at first.

trmecham

The issue of heart rate is fascinating. Different web sites invariably allow for different methods of calculating calories burned either by heart rate or by time and distance based on activity (i.e. cycling). Either approach gives a vastly different answer. For example, a heart rate based approach gives my caloric expenditure at 85% max for one hour at about 700 calories. The same web site estimates my caloric output based on weight, speed and distance at 995 for 15 miles at 20 mph or greater. Now granted, I've been riding for quite some time, but riding 15 miles on the road is considerably easier than 15 miles on rollers. And in neither case would it take my heart to 85% to get 15 miles in one hour.

jrusso28

I used to have rollers when I was a teenager.
I was really bad at it back then, I could only imagine being worse now that I'm in my 40's.

Still wish I had them again to give it a try, I hate riding a stationary bike, and rollers would definitely be much more fun.

Get yourself a decent heart rate monitor, or simply use a conservative estimate of 100 calories for every 10 minutes.
If your working, chances are youll hit that mark and probably even more.

Happy cycling !

DL121004

I don't use rollers but instead, a trainer. In general, I use 40 Cals/mile as an estimate.

trmecham

Yeah, I got mine about 20 years ago and I couldn't believe how hard they were at first ( I could only go 18 mph for a few minutes tops back then). But I've probably put 30k miles on them since and I have a heart rate monitor. That's the paradox: at 44 years old 30 mph at 150 heart rate (which is admittedly elevated due to the lack of a cooling breeze). Have I burned 350 calories or 1000? By comparison, when I do the elliptical ath the gym with all of its attendant monitors and calculators 500 calories in 30 minutes seems easy by comparison. But 1000 seems excessive.

trmecham

I rode a century last summer with a buddy who had a computer that measured wattage output via a foot pad, and I think he was getting about 65 calories a mile. He was about 6'1 and 185 lbs and 33 years old.

socajam

Just saw your reply. I use a roller, the ones where you have to balance whilst cycling. At first it was very difficult, but after a couple of days I got the hand of it. In fact I lost a lot of weight using the roller, then returned to my old ways. Now I have returned once again to the roller with the hope that I can stick it out. Like you I would like to know how many calories lost using the roller. I have started out at 30 minutes twice per day, with the hope of taking it to 30 mins three times per day. Reading the comments, I am thinking of buying a heart rate monitor and calorie counter.