The Great Indoors

The developments in equipment for indoor cycle training in recent years have seemed to me to be revolutionary, in more than one meaning of the word.

I bought, in the 1980's, what was then quite a sophisticated set of training rollers but by current standards would be regarded as just one step further than, say, stabilisers fitted to a child's bike.

By rollers, I mean a lightweight aluminium frame in to which were bolted three rotating drums which ran on nylon bearings. There were two at one end, which I will call by its technical name of "the back" and a single at the other end or "the front". A rubber band was looped between grooves to synchronise the movement of the single and inner of the pair.

A bike when positioned with the back wheel on the two back and front wheel on the single front cylinders could be pedalled in a carefree manner as though out on the open road itself.

That all sounds very good and a definite training advantage for an enthusiastic and dedicated cyclist not otherwise able to venture outside due to inclement weather, lack of time or a sudden loss of the aforementioned enthusiasm and dedication.

However, positioning and pedalling demanded a further requirement and that was being able to balance perfectly on the bike on top of the rolling road. To get to that stage it was necessary to manhandle the bike close and parallel to the contraption and at the same time clamber up onto a kitchen chair before the final lift of bike to make contact with the rollers and a swing of the leg to mount the saddle. Briefly, there would be no restraint or friction between the constituent parts until a panicky and erratic lunge to pull on the brake levers gave some stability and an opportunity to start pedalling and attain some momentum and balance at last.

The kitchen chair could be an obstruction if remaining close to right or left leg when pedalling began but it was essential not to disturb its position as any later attempt to dismount depended on it. There was not always a family member on hand to help with this part of the operation.

At last the training could begin with alternate fast and slow efforts, a few mad minutes and then relax and repeat. Indoor cycling does generate considerable latent heat from the physical effort of the rider and the kinetic energy developed by rubber tyres on nylon bearings.

Sweat pours out of every pore and orifice, causing a stinging sensation in the eyes and saturating clothing. It can be an unpleasant feeling for footwear to slowly fill with perspiration and there is always that lurking fear that the salt content from bodily extrusion will eventually rot away the bike frame and components, hopefully not when being ridden.

I soon discovered another hazard which was an inevitable side-effect of using my rollers.

The bearings, being man made, acted as a static electricity generator and after only a few minutes of rotation a considerable charge could be stored up. This was released through contact with another human being or an earthed item. The first time it happened to me resulted in a loud craaaaack and spark onto my tongue in the act of taking a drink of water from a cup. I was so startled that I just fell off in a tangle of limbs, bike parts, upturned kitchen chair and to the soundtrack of slowing spinning rollers and hysterical laughter from those who witnessed it.

That piece of fitness equipment, extreme danger aside, lasted from about twenty years before the elastic band snapped and I could not find a replacement.

Only last week I got around to buying the current equivalent training aid, a 21st Century miracle of engineering design and application compared to its positively Medieval predecessor.

There is no balancing required as the bike is firmly held by the rear axle and the front wheel simply sits in a moulded free-standing unit. The kitchen chair is redundant other than for seating in a kitchen as it is easy to just cock-a-leg over the crossbar and ease up onto the saddle. Pedalling can begin on a rock-solid bicycle with no thoughts of personal danger which is mighty comforting.

It is a pleasure to train indoors and I look forward to another two decades, at least, of effort without any forward or lateral motion whatsoever.