Bicycle rollers help you lose weight by exercising

Bicycle rollers help you lose weight by exercising

I never realized how much fun losing weight could be until I started using them. I admit that I tend to go “bear” in the winter months; in other words, I usually like to sleep a lot and just act lazy. The summer months, however, are completely different. I'll go on long bike rides trying to tune out the world's problems.

A friend of mine recently recommended a device that allows me to ride a bike indoors, and he added that "it's not the stationary type of bike you might be thinking of." OK, I was intrigued to say the least, so I looked into what “rollers” were and found that they could be used as a new twist for me to lose weight through exercise.

Roles 101

So I did a bit of research into what rollers were and to be honest they really looked pretty simple. There are different types, but they all do the same thing. The device comes with 3 drums (usually made of PVC or aluminum), two of which your rear tire sits between and the third is used to drive your front wheel. The rear drums (i.e. rollers) are attached to the front one via some kind of strap.

What are you doing with them?

The idea with rollers is that by pedaling you propel your rear tire, which is in contact with the rear rollers, which are in contact with the front rollers, which in turn rotate your front tire. Believe me, it's more complicated to explain than actually just using them. Because your front tire is spinning, you are now in control of your bike and can literally ride as if you were on the road.

Hard at first

The hardest part of using rollers is actually getting on your bike and then starting pedaling. There are hundreds of videos online showing “new” scooter users trying to get started and initially find their balance. They make great videos because they usually involve a crash; funny, but not that dangerous. When you come off your rollers, your tires stop immediately and the rider tends to just fall over (unlike the road - ouch!).

Pretend you're on the move

If you can ride a bike, then you can ride these. My suggestion to start is to place them between a door or next to something you can grab for balance purposes. Get on your bike and sit on it while holding yourself upright using the wall (or whatever else you use for balance). Place your feet on the pedals and place one of your hands on the front bars while supporting yourself with the other. Now the fun begins.

Start turning the pedals slowly, focusing on keeping your front wheel as straight as possible.

The faster you pedal, the easier it becomes to keep your balance (not unlike on the road). Now slowly take your other hand off the wall and place it on the bars. You ride a scooter now.

While driving, try to keep your attention forward and try not to look down too much. I've found that looking forward gives you much better balance than constantly looking at how your wheels are doing. As your balance improves, experiment with shifting gears and see how speed while driving affects your balance. If you get really good, you can even get up from your seat and try pedaling as if you were going uphill.

Your cycling skills will improve tremendously

If you regularly ride your bike scooters in the winter, you'll be amazed at how much easier it is to actually ride on the road. Aside from being fun, riding these is also a great way to lose weight. I know it worked wonders for me.

Inspired by Kevin G Shaw