Rollers or Turbo trainer???
Tombird1
Posts: 63
Looking into getting something to train on this winter when the weathers really censored . Could someone explain the pro's/cons of Rollers/Turbo's. Rollers look like more fun but presumably can only give low intensity training due to lack of resistance (I can't afford the ones with resistance).
Any advice much appreciated.
Any advice much appreciated.
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They take more getting used to (practice somewhere with some handholds or walls, like a hallway, because you'll fall off a couple of times) but ultimatley are way more fun and actually add something to your bike handling. As s_p says, you can get more resistance on a turbo, but it's quite possible to get a good resistance on rollers if you shift up the gears. They're also less stressful to the bike and don't strip rubber off the rear tyre.
Of the two, I'd get rollers unless you're dead set on massive, 'eyeballs out' interval sessions. If you're intending to train for serious alpine style climbing a turbo might just have the edge too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNSBFAjDq4E
With the aperture for the headwind fan opened right up, the limiting factor becomes tyre slip on the roller. That doesn't happen to me very often on the open road, regardless of inclination, so you can be sure there is plenty of resistance there if you want it! I normally train with it about 1/4 open, so it is not too much harder than riding on the regular road.
Bianchi Via Nirone
Manchester Wheelers
Next is the how-to-balance-on-them-whilst-on-the-TT-bike-on-aerobars phase : that really does tend to concentrate the mind...
Took me about 3 or 4 mins to get going without leaning on anything. After a 30min session I was sweating profusely! Mine might not have resistance but it's still quite a workout!
You also notice how much more focused your riding is as you try to balance yourself - core muscles feel worked as do different leg muscles where you have to focus on a smooth technique to ensure you stay as still as possible.
I loved it!
Twitter
My ride
amazing vid - I think about this when I'm on the rollers sometimes
Sorry for the minor thread hijack.
HI there.
Andy - I do a lot of longer intervals on the rollers on the aerobars. Just relax and grip lightly! My thinking is that riding the aerobars on the rollers makes you smoother and more efficient. After a couple of winters of this I now have very little (if any) upper body movement while on the aerobars.
Billios - unless you've got a resistance unit attached I find it hard to do short intervals on the rollers (I use the turbo instead). Longer intervals (e.g. 2 x 20mins) are ideal for the rollers.
Cheers, Andy
http://www.stirlingtri.co.uk
Last Winter I had to go back to the narrow doorway to try it, went well for upto 15 or 20 minutes until my concentration waned and I'd end-up having to elbow or shoulder myself back off the doorframe.
This year I'm doing it in the garage, with parked bikes on one side and a lawnmower and woodpile on the other. Too painful, I'm gonna have to stay on the rollers !
Definitely felt it improved me last Winter, made the whole pedalling thing smoother.
I started-out pedalling-squares, stamping on the pedals and making the front wheel zigzag from side to side on the front roller.
Not obvious on the road but very obvious on rollers, feedback instant and so very easy to correct.
Assuming a flat course, I prefer to spin rather than grind on the TT bike, so making it all smooth and efficient at a high cadence has to be the way to go, then out at the weekend on the roadbike to find some hills.
I've never had a problem like this from cycling on the road. I've only really used a turbo seriously recently.
I know it's not a joint problem, but the muscles around my lower back and hips locking up.
Has anyone else got experience of this? If so, have they had a better experince on rollers?
If one follows the workout DVDs from Spinervals, you push a LOT harder than you ever could on a roller, to the point that it would not be safe on a roller.
I've got both, but I find it's only a matter of time before you crash on a roller if you put any real time and effort on one.
The rollers are great for getting technique issues sorted and cadence rate up, but I really don't find them good for any form of intensity training. The resistance unit enables me to not spin out in my biggest gears, but there is not enough flywheel effect from the rollers to make it feel nice when you wind the resistance right up.
The turbo gets about 75% of my indoor training time, and all of that tends to be my high intensity intervals etc. I like to do my lower intensity/recovery rides on the rollers.
This is what I call a workout - everyone is different - I have a standard set of rollers
Start off with 10 min warm up just riding chatting to the missus or the kids.
then go into 53/25 and work it as hard as I can in that gear and after 1 min I drop to the next gear for 1 min. I do this for each gear for 1 min till I have reached 53/12 at full pace so its 10mins aprox at max effort in each gear dropping down from 25 to 12
Once I have hit peak at the final 1 min I just drop to spinning again in 53/25 for 5 mins and then I do 4 x 3min intervals @ 70 - 80% Effort in 53/12 with 1 min breaks
I then spin for 5 mins and repeat the first block of 1 min in each gear and then spin down till I feel like my legs are ok.
I try ride every day but only like above once a week - usually on a friday night as my week usually consists of this
Sunday 70 - 80mile Hard Club Ride @ 18 - 19mph
Monday 45 - 60mins on rollers @ mild effort just to ease the leggies
Tuesday Rest (I might sneak on the rollers for a little spin)
Wed 70 - 90mile Training ride @ 17 - 19mph
Thurs 45 -60mins on rollers @ mild effort just to ease the leggies
Friday is the workout above
Saturday - Rest (no sneaking allowed because Sunday will be hard - bye bye leggies)