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The Model H system is the latest
step in our effort to continually improve our product. The Model H
system incorporates several design changes that simplify both setup and
maintenance while preserving the ride performance E-Motion rollers are
know for.
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The New Model "H" E-Motion Rollers
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Model H changes over the Model F include:
- A 3" (76mm) narrower and 6" (150mm) shorter lower frame - providing a more compact footprint.
- Use of closed aluminum tubing instead of
open channel material for the frame. This results in a slimmer
appearance and encloses the undercarriage, protecting the track system.
- The front and rear cross-members have been
replaced by a single center-brace. This form of construction allows the
lower frame to be separated intact from the upper frame, without the
use of tools or any additional component removal, thus greatly
simplifying belt replacement.
- Tool free, fast, and precise rack and pinion adjustment of the front drum position (see image at right).
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The Model "F" E-Motion Rollers
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What makes E-motion rollers different?
Simply put it is the sliding frame. The 3 roller drums are attached to a sliding frame so when the bike moves forward or back, even a small amount, the whole assembly moves with you. It's natural for the bike to shift back and forth when you ride outside and the E-Motion roller simply allows that motion to happen. Even though you are essentially stationary, the bike is not actually locked in place.
OK so it moves...why is that so revolutionary?
We essentially created a little patch of road where you can ride in ways that naturally engage both your body and mind. You won't fixate on what's missing and won't need a distraction as you would on a conventional rollers. Simply put, time flies when you ride them and they make you feel good. For those of you who dread riding a conventional rollers, here's the perfect solution.
How can movement enhance stability?
A bicycle is very easy to ride outdoors because it is free to behave naturally. When you put a bike on conventional rollers, you impose a restriction on natural movement and conventional rollers are difficult to ride because of this restriction. Allowing the bike to move freely on rollers makes riding on them feel natural again.
Why don't other rollers have free-motion?
They can't have it because we invented it and now we have the patent on free-motion. Our ground-breaking work with our Super Trainer treadmills gave us insight into stationary cycling. No other company can match free-motion. You can line up all the world's best trainers and no matter who’s it is, riders will pick the free-motion trainers every time. It's just a better way to ride.
It sounds too good to be true, what's the catch?
Well, you're going to have to steer and balance on your own and if you stop pedaling for very long you will stop and tip over. Additionally, you might have to actually pay attention to what you are doing - but this is all easy stuff. Of course, you do the same thing when you ride outside.
Is it easy to learn?
Yes, its as easy as riding a bike, though it does take some effort to get the hang of riding freely in a small space. We have instructions for new riders.
How long does it take to learn?
If you visit us at our trade show booth, where we have invited hundreds of visitors to get on and ride, two minutes is all it takes to learn. It's a bit longer to learn on your own, but you can reasonably expect it to take from 5 to 20 minutes, even without prior roller experience. That's a very small investment for a lifetime of rewarding indoor cycling.
I'm not that good a cyclist, and think I'd be even worse on rollers. Should I avoid them?
In no way should you feel intimidated by our rollers. In fact, you stand to gain the skills and confidence that will make you a better cyclist. We've seen every imaginable skill level get on and ride with no problem. All it takes is a little desire.
Can you ride off the rollers?
It’s not possible to ride off the drums. You can try as hard as you want and it won’t happen. That doesn't mean you can't tip over however.
Why don't all the pro's train on them?
The same reason you don't see them riding around town when its dark and freezing...they are usually in a warmer climate when they need to train...it's their job. Besides, they probably have never seen our rollers. Professional riders will use trainers for race warm-ups but that's all. And in those cases, they like compact folding trainers because they travel well.
How do you get on and off?
With free-motion you can get on and off just like outside. With one foot on the ground, just give the pedal a spin and as long as the wheels are turning, you can coast and balance long enough to get the other foot up. Of course you will have to practice but it's not hard. Getting off is even easier. Just stick out your foot and lean to that side as you step down onto the floor. See our Mounting/Dismounting video.
Can any bike be ridden on it?
Any bike with a wheelbase between 36.5" (93cm) to 42.5" (108cm) and fairly high pressure tires will work. Small wheels down to 16" (0.4m) diameter also work fine.
What is the wheelbase range of the E-Motion rollers?
36.5" (93cm) to 42.5" (108cm)
Why can't I ride mountain bikes on the E-Motion rollers?
Some can be ridden but it depends on the wheelbase (axle to axle length) of the bike. In general, modern mountain bikes with suspension are too long to fit within the range we can provide for. Also, unless the front suspension is locked while riding, the wheelbase will change as the suspension bobs up and down. This could cause the bike to become unstable.
Will it hurt my bike?
As far as trainers are concerned, E-motion rollers are your bike's best friend. Since there is nothing attached to the bike and it's allowed to move freely, there are no damaging stresses imposed on the bike. Compare that to rigid trainers, which can put severe strain on your frame and eat up tires as well. Rigid trainers are bad for your bike. Some manufacturers of carbon frames will void the warranty if their bikes are used on rigid trainers.
What about tire wear?
Most rollers are easy on tires and ours is too. After long periods of use on the rollers you will notice the tie wear pattern is different than outside because the bike stays pretty much upright and never leans over enough to wear the sides of the tread crown. Though there is no reason to purchase special trainer tires for roller riding, we don't recommend that you use your finest racing tires either. They should be saved for the real thing. Even on smooth rollers, there is some normal tire wear. It is not uncommon to see a light dusting of black tire material on the roller frame...don't worry - the wear factor is less than riding on the road.
What keeps the bike up?
Nothing more than what keeps it up outside...simple steering and balance. That's why even little kids can ride these rollers. Balancing a bike outdoors is all about steering to constantly to keep the front wheel under you. When your speed is low, the steering input is greater and when the speed is higher, your steering inputs become very subtle. On the E-Motion rollers, it's exactly the same. As long as the wheels are rotating, no matter what the speed is, the rider can steer and maintain balance - just like outside riding.
Can you tip over and what happens if you do?
Even though it's impossible to steer off the drum, it's still possible to tip over, but that only happens when you make contact with the side wheel and then fail to steer back to the center of the rollers. It's rare, but it happens when you are not paying attention or watching a video too intently. The key is to always keep the front wheel in your peripheral view so that if you slowly drift to one side, you will notice as you make contact and you will be ready to bring the bike back in line. The good news is that if you do tip, you just need to get your foot out and step down to the floor to prevent a fall. After practicing this dismount technique, you will find it quite easy to catch yourself if you ever tip over unexpectedly. [This is a skill that can be valuable outdoors too!] You will find that experienced riders can get either foot out of their pedals in a flash without having to think about it. It's a survival skill out on the road
Can you watch TV or videos while you ride?
Yes – absolutely!
Can you read while riding?
The short answer is no. It is possible but it's not wise. If you want to read and ride, you need a different kind of trainer.
What are the side wheels for?
They prevent you from steering off the drum (as is possible on conventional rollers) and yet they are remarkably gentle. They allow you to make contact and correct your steering without disrupting the ride at all. They're soft and won't hurt your tires. You'll barely notice when you hit them! We just felt you should not have to pay a penalty for steering too far to one side. See our Banging the side video.
I ride a fluid trainer all winter. Why should I switch?
We can always make the case that our rollers are better for you and your bike but we freely admit that if you love your trainer, you don't need anything from us. The Free-Motion concept is for those who DISLIKE riding traditional trainers and rollers. By our reckoning, that's about 99% of the trainer riding population. We hear from cyclists all over the world and the message is always the same…they despise trainers but they have to ride something. Now there's an alternative.
Will these rollers help or hurt my riding skills?
E-motions are amazingly good at improving your base skills. Part of the inspiration behind our rollers was to improve the notoriously bad habits resulting from indoor cycling. Rigid trainers are an unacceptable substitute for cycling and do almost NOTHING for you. Conventional rollers are an improvement but they won't teach you how to ride better outside. E-motion rollers give you valuable feedback on smoothness, balance, and riding position. Because we don't force you to adopt an "indoor" riding style, what you learn stays with you outside too. After all, we didn't invent real cycling, we just brought it in indoors for the first time.
What kind of resistance unit E-motion rollers use?
We use a magnetic or eddy current resistance unit. After much experimentation we found that it gives the best reliability and the most versatility. It's easily adjustable to get whatever workload you require.
Is the resistance adjustable while you ride?
No (unless you convince someone to standby and do it for you!). You normally choose a resistance range before riding and then use your gearing to vary the effort within that range. It's rare to stop midway and switch settings unless you have very unique requirements for your workout. Even then, not more than once or twice for the whole ride. We have yet to hear from anybody who does not feel this system is well thought out.
Will there be enough resistance for tough workouts?
We can provide high levels of resistance for specific workouts. Where you are limited is when you ride a single-speed or track bike and your only variable is pedal speed. Also, if you want to simulate steep hill intervals with the magnetic resistance unit, you will find that riding easy between the hard efforts can be tricky. You have to switch to a small gear to keep your speed down for recovery, and at 5 to 7 miles per hour (8-11 kph) it gets tougher to ride a straight line...it's too slow.
Can I train with a power meter?
We firmly believe in Power meters and, as it happens, the rollers are perfectly suited for power based workouts. We provide a power estimate chart for reference but if you are seriously using wattage to train with, you should have the meter right on your bike. The combination of our rollers and a power meter is likely the best training tool available to the indoor cyclist.
I don't want a major workout. Are these any good for casual cycling?
We have done our best to provide the option of light cycling however you will still have to pedal nearly constantly to maintain balance. At slow speeds and light pedaling loads, the coasting time is only a few seconds. For competitive and avid recreational cyclists, the rollers can be ridden at low effort. For truly casual cyclists, the same effort may seem a little too high for comfort. Still, we have lots of grandmas and grandpas who love to get on and ride them, if only for a short time. Please contact us if you are unsure about effort levels.
What kind of maintenance can I expect to perform on my rollers?
The only regular maintenance item on the rollers is belt replacement, which we discuss in the support section of the website. There is no simple way to predict when to replace belts however the following notes may be helpful. First, the flywheel belts naturally wear down, creating “belt” dust. This is normal and not a sign of failure. Second, the flywheel belt show cracks. This too is normal. Perhaps the best indicators of for replacing your flywheel belt is belt slippage and/or the flywheel belt losing chunks of material. Replacing either belt requires partial dis-assembly of the rollers so we recommend that you replace both belts at the same time to take advantage of the disassembled rollers.
How should I clean my rollers?
Wipe your rollers clean with a soft cloth - either dry or dampened with a household cleaner such as Formula 409.
Are there upgrades for my rollers?
We are constantly working on improving the design of the rollers. As new parts become available, we make them available to owners of earlier models for a nominal fee. Ask for more info.
How should I store my rollers?
Under the bed or standing up in a closet. Or just tip them sideways and slide them behind the couch. They take less space than the bike you rode in on, pardner!
Why don't I see them written up in magazines?
We have made genuine efforts to get our products in the hands of the popular media but they are not really free to write about our products. They have to carefully consider whether it's in their best interests. Clearly, they have their plates full with all the gear from established makers. By endorsing new products from unknown makers, publications are indirectly hurting their existing core advertisers and that's bad for business.
To get a review in a mainstream magazine or a popular online site is almost impossible for a new company, especially if the product could upstage the old guard. We could always burn money on big ads to get the word out, but frankly we'd rather spend your dollars building and improving our products instead of hyping them. Still, big-time journalists can't continue to ignore new technology without appearing hopelessly out of touch with the cycling enthusiast. If you're reading this, you are much more informed about trainers than the so-called experts and that suits us just fine. From now on, when you pick up your favorite magazine and read yet another glowing review of the newest "olde timey" trainer, you'll get a chuckle.
Why do they cost more than regular rollers?
They cost more to make. The rollers are designed and built in our own facility here in the United States. They also contain many more parts than conventional rollers and are made with stronger alloys in the frame than conventional rollers.
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A Message from Inside Ride
| It's been a long process, but the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted us a patent (No. 7,604,575) for the floating roller design!
Foreign patents are pending.
For those not familiar with patents, this essentially means the US Patent Office has determined that the floating rollers have not been previously known anywhere in the world. When you consider how many people there are on planet Earth, it's a major accomplishment to come up with something truly "new".
The Patent Office checks far and wide for anything and everything that has been built, or even just described, to ride a bike on (you would be surprised how many devices have been thought of...and how few of them actually work ). Patents serve an important function because without them there is no reliable way to buy or sell ideas, or to prevent others from stealing your inventions. Therefore, when it issues, you must protect your patent or you risk losing the ability to defend it.
Keeping this in mind, WE ARE OBLIGATED TO INFORM EVERYONE THAT IT IS NOT LEGAL TO BUILD YOUR OWN SET OF EMOTION ROLLERS WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION. EVEN FOR YOUR PERSONAL USE.
That may sound a little heavy handed, but as the floating rollers have become more popular, we're seeing more homemade rollers showing up on the Internet. That's pretty blatant and leads us to believe that these folks are just having a good time, but are ill-informed about the rules. Just to be clear...it's not that we are worried about losing sales to the D.I.Y. crowd. In fact, home-built rollers have made believers out of many who were at first skeptics, and when they realized the practical limits of homemade rollers, they bought the real thing. Our aim is simply to comply with the requirements set forth by the patent office. Nothing Personal
On a similar topic, we would like to announce that we have licensed, to ELITE of Italy, the rights to manufacture a similar E-motion roller for sale worldwide except USA and Canada. The agreement stipulates that once Elite has brought their roller to market, we will no longer sell our version outside of North America. This arrangement suits us well because we were too busy making rollers for USA and Canada and could barely handle the additional International customers. Besides, the shipping of individual rollers overseas can be expensive. We feel the partnership with Elite will better serve customers outside North America. | | |
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