Rollers - recommendations and advice appreciated

Lard Armstrong

I am looking for a pair of rollers (I already have.a turbo trainer). Budget, under two hundred quid.

I would appreciate any recommendations, advice and feedback on your experiences.

Cheers.

Skippy2309

i got tacx antares rollers, they are really good.

Advice is dont look down :P when you do you fly all over the place and risk falling off (done that once - it aint fun)

de_sisti

Lardy,

If you've got deep pockets then these are about
the easiest set of rollers to ride on.

hopper1

I have CycleOps rollers. Well constructed, alloy rollers.

simon t

are alloy rollers better?

solboy

Do rollers actualy help with fitness? Just wondered because i didnt think you could adjust the resistance. I had a turbo trainer once and it did my head in but rollers are more appealing to me.

Eddy S

@ Lard Armstrong, simont and solboy.

I really hate repeating myself but folks seem to hate using the forum search function so...

Eddy S wrote:

The "best" rollers are ones with aluminium drums (for the quality of the ride and noise level) and with a resistance unit (to make them a total and useful training device).

Minoura (the standard model is good but no resistance unit - unfortunately their model with resistance isn’t imported), JetBlack (but again no resistance unit available) CycleOps, Kreitler and Inside-Ride Emotion (although there is now no UK importer and they cost a fortune to ship from the US) all fit the bill.

I've got Minouras for track warm-up duty and E-Motions for training. I've stopped using my plastic drum rollers.

doubleoseven

I have the magnetic resistance Cycle Ops rollers.( you can get the cheaper oner without the mag resistance and buy the resistor at a later date) They are simple yet sturdy, seem well build and fold up nicely so they take up very little room. There is a small noticeable difference with the settings, but i would have to do a test to find out for definite, ie keep my HR/Speed/cadence at a certain rate and change the settings to see if my HR goes up/down, speed goes up/down etc. I know that some people put a folded towel under the rear rollers to increase friction also, though i have never tried that.

I have read and viewed you tube horrors of people falling off....I put an old Reebok Step on one side and my flat topped tool box on the other side so that there is no "step down" to the floor-due to you being at a greater height.Should your front wheel come off the roller you simply stop, haven't had the back wheel come off yet!
I started off having put on my son's BMX pedals but soon switched to clipless. IMO clipless are easier due to the fact you can pedal one footed? legged?? whereas with flats you have to get both feet on the pedals right away.( in fact some training sessions recommend some one footed spins to build up your weaker leg)

One word of caution, my wife-a non cyclis-t reckoned it looked easy, so jumped on, a bruised wrist, face, cut leg and a large dent in her shin later...if in doubt learn in a doorway first!

rollers are a bit like riding on ice, as long as you dont make any sudden handlebar movements you're fine. I can comfortably stand up and sprint for a few seconds....

Hope this is of some help

skyd0g

1. Learn with the rollers in a doorway or at least with something to steady yourself for the first few attempts.

2. You need to be in a relatively high gear to generate the speed necessary to stay stable on the rollers.

3. DON'T brake hard if the doorbell goes... ...you will be spat off backwards in a rather ungainly fashion. (I believe!) :oops:

Velonutter

@ Eddy S

I have some resistant rollers the Elite Varion: -

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... elID=31918

Most of my mates that have used them find them harder on the normal setting than say the Tacx. The quality of build is excellent and I'm impressed with them.

I tend to alternate between Rollers and the turbo, the rollers I feel makes you a smoother rider, whereas the turbo seems to build up the muscles better.

At the end of the day when it is cold wet and icy outside they have become my friend!

spasypaddy

i have those elites, and would be willing to sell them as i rarely use them and a turbo would be more beneficial to me...