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From: Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: Cool thing I did today
Date: Mon, 24 Mar 2025 13:03:48 -0400
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On 3/24/2025 8:18 AM, zen cycle wrote:
> On 3/23/2025 5:18 PM, AMuzi wrote:
>> On 3/23/2025 3:15 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>> On 3/22/2025 11:40 PM, zen cycle wrote:
>>>>
>>>> People that don't have good innate balance will have a difficult 
>>>> time riding rollers. I'm one of those people. It took me several 
>>>> months to keep the bike up, and I that was after setting them up in 
>>>> a door frame so I had something to lean on and pull the bike back. I 
>>>> can ride unloaded rollers somewhat effortlessly now (40 years later) 
>>>> but still can't ride no-handed, can't sprint, and have a really hard 
>>>> time trying to ride the TT bike while in the aerobars.
>>>
>>> I don't know, but I wonder if very tiny adjustments to the roller 
>>> wheelbase might make a difference. I always adjusted ours to put the 
>>> front roller exactly under the bike's front axle. Does anybody know 
>>> if having it a few millimeters forward or backward have any benefit?
>>>
>>
>> Since we describe geometry, especially trail, using the normal front 
>> wheel contact directly under hub axle, that will necessarily change 
>> handling (+/- trail and +/- axle height as well).
>>
>> No harm in experimenting I suppose.
>>
> 
> Been there, done that...
> 
> The roller axles need to be placed under the wheel axles. A little mis- 
> alignment is ok, but getting the front wheel too far back or forward 
> makes the rollers almost unrideable. Most rollers don't give that kind 
> of adjustment resolution though. MY ancient Minouras only allow in one 
> inch increments.

Yes, I was visualizing experimenting with millimeters. I'm aware of 
rollers that don't allow such tiny adjustments, and ISTM that means the 
common opinion is that tiny adjustments aren't important, i.e. won't 
help. I made my own rollers (back when I had access to a fantastic 
machine shop and a huge collection of extruded aluminum shapes) and I 
did make mine infinitely adjustable. But honestly, they are never used 
them any more. My wife always used them more than I did!

I found one site that recommended putting the front roller a bit in 
front of the bike's front axle. Second photo at
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/skills/sportives-ridesmart/article/izn20141126-How-to-ride-the-rollers-0

-- 
- Frank Krygowski