Turbo trainer Vs Rollers

webbhost

Hey people.

What would advantages and disadvantages be of a turbo trainer vs rollers for use indoors?

What kind of noise does each one let out? I'm on first floor so any vibrations as such would resonate through the roof and be heard in dining room below. Also what possible dangers are there for each ? (ya get the idea lol)

Thanks

yogi

Hi Webbhost,

I have both a Turbo Trainer and a set of rollers and they both create a lot of noise through vibation. I do use them on an old bit of thick carpet but usually under an awning outside, unless I want to deliberately annoy the neighbours - they do a lot of DIY.

A mate of mine used to use rollers in a flat and the whole house used to vibrate!

Having said that they are quite old. I bought the rollers for 5 quid at a car boot sale, the guy selling them said, 'Do you know what they are?' - ere....yeah.

Personally I think the Turbo is better for doing intervals - you can vary the resitance and you don't have to worry about falling off!

However I love using the rollers for recovery sessions. It feels much more like 'you're riding the bike', you have to concentrate on balance (a lot at first) and it promotes a smooth pedalling action, because if you don't, you'll be off.

I'm currently in the process of writing an article on turbo training complete with pics for our club's website so have a look in a few days to see my set-up.

Looking at the weather for the coming week, I could be on the turbo quite a bit.

AntLockyer

As it was me that started you on this path

The turbo is good because of the resistance and the ability to train hard quickly. The rollers are great because of the natural improvement of suplesse and balance.

You can work on your pedaling jsut as well on a turbo though by doing one foot drills and can practice getting your cadence higher without bouncing off the rollers.

webbhost

I'm guessing it would be a very bad idea to clip in whilst on rollers lmao...

Thanks for the information... sounds like they both have their advantages...

Just out of interest im guessing it would be very bad if a roller "jammed", or you went to 1 side too much LoL... anyone ever done this yet?

AntLockyer

:oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops:

Ste_S

AntLockyer wrote:

As it was me that started you on this path

The turbo is good because of the resistance and the ability to train hard quickly. The rollers are great because of the natural improvement of suplesse and balance.

You can work on your pedaling jsut as well on a turbo though by doing one foot drills and can practice getting your cadence higher without bouncing off the rollers.

You can still do intervals on rollers. I have no problems getting up to 90-95% MHR, and can do 130+ rpm leg spin intervals.

I'm not a roller expert either, only had my set since Christmas

Mike Willcox

webbhost wrote:

I'm guessing it would be a very bad idea to clip in whilst on rollers lmao...

Thanks for the information... sounds like they both have their advantages...

Just out of interest im guessing it would be very bad if a roller "jammed", or you went to 1 side too much LoL... anyone ever done this yet?

Yes, frequently (not jammed rollers though, never heard of this)

Coming off the rollers is par for the course. Best to position something either side of the rollers like armchairs (backs pointing inwards) until you get your confidence, Riding with one hand, changing gears, and using aero bars are things to graduate towards. Some even ride with no hands and do one legged drills.

It doesn't make you ride any faster but builds bike handling skills.

McBain_v1

I thought that some rollers were shaped to make riding off the edges a bit harder :?:

Having seen a lot of the track riders warming up on rollers at the Manchester Revolution 19 on Saturday I have to say that they looked like a good training aid. However, the professionalism of the riders on them probably played a large part in that :oops:

Mike Willcox

McBain_v1 wrote:

I thought that some rollers were shaped to make riding off the edges a bit harder :?:

Having seen a lot of the track riders warming up on rollers at the Manchester Revolution 19 on Saturday I have to say that they looked like a good training aid. However, the professionalism of the riders on them probably played a large part in that :oops:

What you mean like the wall of death?

Thanks for making my day I haven't laughed so much in ages.

popette

McBain_v1 wrote:

I thought that some rollers were shaped to make riding off the edges a bit harder :?:

Having seen a lot of the track riders warming up on rollers at the Manchester Revolution 19 on Saturday I have to say that they looked like a good training aid. However, the professionalism of the riders on them probably played a large part in that :oops:

McBain, the pros made it look so easy didn't they? A world apart from watching my husband try them out for the first time - first of all, how the hell do you get on them? I had to lend him my reebok step so he could climb on. Then he clung on for dear life as the wheel wobbled around. It looked bloody hard when Mr Popette was doing it. I've not tried them yet - I'm still turboing.

Alex_Simmons/RST

McBain_v1 wrote:

I thought that some rollers were shaped to make riding off the edges a bit harder :?:

Those rollers with the lip on each end are pretty ineffective for preventing such things. I suspect the little horizontal wheels on the e-motion rollers are probably better but really, once you get going and have a few practice sessions (and as long as the roller is set up correctly for your bike's wheelbase), you don't need it.

A heavier deep section front wheel can sometimes make it easier to use.

There's no magic, just a bit of practice.

sloboy

I've got the Elite rollers with the little parabolic slopes and the end of the rollers.

I don't suppose those slopes would physically stop you riding off the ends, but what I do find is that, on the occasions I fall asleep and drift, you get a warning that something's about to happen - i.e. hitting the edge of the slope gives you the wake up call and disaster is averted.

yogi

I must admit that when you first use rollers the overwhelming emotion is.....................pure fear! I actually put them away for 2 months after first using them. Keep at it and you soon get the hang of it. Like I said you have to pedal smooth.

As for a lip on the edge of the rollers - that's cheating.

Good to see good entertainment being given.

andrewgturnbull

Alex_Simmons/RST wrote:

McBain_v1 wrote:

I thought that some rollers were shaped to make riding off the edges a bit harder :?:

Those rollers with the lip on each end are pretty ineffective for preventing such things. I suspect the little horizontal wheels on the e-motion rollers are probably better but really, once you get going and have a few practice sessions (and as long as the roller is set up correctly for your bike's wheelbase), you don't need it.

A heavier deep section front wheel can sometimes make it easier to use.

There's no magic, just a bit of practice.

Hi there.

The horizontal bumper wheels on the e-magic are fantastic!

I tried sprinting full-on out of the saddle on a set of the rollers and the front wheel was bouncing from one bumper to the other and back again like it was pinball - still didn't manage to fall off.

It would be fairly straightforward to retro-fit these to a standard set of rollers - they're just horizontally mounted skateboard (or inline skate) wheels screwed into the top of the roller frame.

Cheers, Andy

ps No footage of sprinting, but here's some transition practice:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=driJSVzg0cY

jonginge

Watched the vid and a few others and finally saw this:
Merckx on rollers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7K4O7YTLQQ&NR=1

popette

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7UFwHWS ... re=related
Shouldn't laugh but I did. He did well to unclip in time poor lamb.

Mog Uk

JonGinge wrote:

Watched the vid and a few others and finally saw this:
Merckx on rollers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7K4O7YTLQQ&NR=1

Holy cow, wonder what sort of RPM he was pushing out towards the end, looked like it was on fast forward >> ......

Mog Uk

popette wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7UFwHWSnGM&feature=related
Shouldn't laugh but I did. He did well to unclip in time poor lamb.

Classic, just genuienly laughed out loud in the office at that..... excellent...

yogi

You'll notice that even the great Merckx does it next to a wall - sensible man.

Did enjoy the other guy's effort. Another good pointer is to start on the tops with your hand close to stem.

Thanks for the laughs.

Mike Willcox

The turbo is better for doing the quality work regarding intervals because you can focus 100% on the effort.

Re active recovery the rollers are better because you can let the legs spin whilst improving pedalling technique and bike handling skills.

If you can afford it then use both.

John C.

webbhost wrote:

I'm guessing it would be a very bad idea to clip in whilst on rollers lmao...

Thanks for the information... sounds like they both have their advantages...

Just out of interest im guessing it would be very bad if a roller "jammed", or you went to 1 side too much LoL... anyone ever done this yet?

I always clip in , when I'm flat out the last thing I want is my foot to slip off the pedle.

andy_wrx

There's a video on YouTube of a bloke doing no-handed one-leg drills on rollers :shock:
(b*st*rd! )

Yes you can do intervals, and one-leg drills, and recovery on rollers
What you can't do is work against a heavy resistance to mimic high-gear hill-climbs (although Tacx sell a bolt-on resistance unit [T1350 I think], as do Kreitler [another belt drives a fan, giving resistance and a cooling breeze).

Initially they're rather alarming, so start-off in a doorway or narrow corridor so if you start going off sideways you can push yourself back with your elbows or shoulders.
It took a little while for me to get used to them, then one-legged drills were just difficult dealing with the dead-spots rather than balancing, and it's easy enough down on tribars just a bit exciting getting down there and back up again.
Hands-free however, I have yet to manage !

They're always worth a laugh, after you've got reasonably proficient yourself, to invite a mate or to round to have a go :twisted:

andy_wrx

John C. wrote:

webbhost wrote:

I'm guessing it would be a very bad idea to clip in whilst on rollers lmao...

I always clip in , when I'm flat out the last thing I want is my foot to slip off the pedle.

Absolutely !

And try doing one-leg drills without being clipped-in : the idea is to round-off the dead-spots, not encourage 'pedalling squares'