Turbo or Rollers for a 14 year old

pilot_pete
pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
edited September 2011 in Road beginners
My son, forum member HAllez! wants to keep riding in the winter. Trouble is he won't be able to ride during the week due to darkness before/ after school and I go on my days off, which are often during the week.

So, I mentioned we could get a turbo for him to thrash a few hours out on in the garage. He liked the idea but said what about rollers? Well, having personally never used either I am a bit stumped as to what to advise him.

So, turbo or rollers? Turbo is obviously 'tethered' and he can let his mind wander etc etc, but rollers are presumably a little more like riding a bike on the road and I guess you have to concentrate to keep on them!

Recommandations sought then!

Oh and while I'm on, as I am sure he will read this - big up to him for climbing the Mow Cop Killer Mile tonight, and Gun Hill from yesterday's ToB stage 3!!

PP

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Turbo. A decent session doesn't have to be more than 45 mins or so. So plenty of time for his homework.
  • Speedmenace
    Speedmenace Posts: 97
    being a teenager i think id prefer the rollers, and he can use his same bike and not have to do anything to it
  • merak
    merak Posts: 323
    PowerKraft wrote:
    And need a spare wheel, cassette and tyre for turbo. Normal tyres cant hold that heat and sooner or later they will explode.
    No they won't.

    And you don't need all that stuff - just use the same tyres /wheels as you use on the road. Many people do; I do. Never had a tyre "explode" on a turbo in 20 years.

    To the OP - you can get rollers with resistance and that gives the best of all worlds - he'd have to learn to ride them but at 14 these things come easy. The turbo requires no skill to ride but it does mimic the resistance you get on the road. Turbo for instant gratification - er, sweat; rollers to develop bike handling and pedalling skills; rollers with resistance for both.
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    PowerKraft wrote:
    Rollers is better as you have to work on balance and dont have to change wheel or turbo trainer tyre. On turbo trainer you dont have to balance at all and at the same time read newspaper and 1000..of things at the same time. And need a spare wheel, cassette and tyre for turbo. Normal tyres cant hold that heat and sooner or later they will explode. But on turbo you can have a resistance!

    Simply wrong.

    However, a young lad will probably enjoy the rollers better.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Ive never bothered with turbo tyres either.

    You may get extra wear on road tyres - I've not really noticed mind you - and there may be more noise.
  • fastandfuriousxc
    fastandfuriousxc Posts: 183
    Also a teenager.. I would go for a turbo, easier to watch a DVD, film or TV something whilst riding which as they can get a bit boring is a good thing, especially if it is going to be the primary riding source. I have a Elite fluid with adjustable resistance and is one of the best bike products I have brought. Also easier to do recovery rides and structured interval sessions than going out, safer than cold, icy roads as well!
  • estampida
    estampida Posts: 1,008
    turbo all the way

    smaller, and not cycling in the house at 20 mph is all good, from everyones point of view

    and just a city tyre as any studded or offroad tyres make a real noise / vibration

    and dont spend the cash on the front wheel lifter to get the bike level, a yellow pages or suitable block of wood does the trick
  • pilot_pete
    pilot_pete Posts: 2,120
    Thanks guys, I shall start my search......

    PP
  • chiark
    chiark Posts: 335
    Where are you based? I've got both and you're welcome to try 'em if you're local...
    Synapse Alloy 105 / Rock Lobster Tig Team Sl
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    PowerKraft wrote:
    Rollers is better as you have to work on balance and dont have to change wheel or turbo trainer tyre. On turbo trainer you dont have to balance at all and at the same time read newspaper and 1000..of things at the same time. And need a spare wheel, cassette and tyre for turbo. Normal tyres cant hold that heat and sooner or later they will explode. But on turbo you can have a resistance!

    Absolute rubbish !!!

    I just change the QR as it sits in my Tacx properly (then leave it in all winter). Other than that, I use the same wheel, tyre and cassette. I've been using a turbo in the winter for years and never had an issue with tyres overheating or exploding.

    I prefer a turbo over rollers, simply because I can watch the tv / iplayer etc to relieve the boredom :D
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • Spender45
    Spender45 Posts: 78
    My 14 year old uses the rollers rather than the turbo. He can watch the TV with it on no bother. He also thinks it's cooler to ride the rollers than the turbo as it is seen to be more difficult and therefore gives him more street cred.

    He could get it going within an evening and probably mastered it (no hands etc) within a week.

    PS the use of the word "cooler" and "street cred" are part of his fathers vocabulary and might not really be what a 14 year old would say in 2011. I don't know because mine just grunts most of the time
  • Mark Alexander
    Mark Alexander Posts: 2,277
    cougie wrote:
    Ive never bothered with turbo tyres either.

    You may get extra wear on road tyres - I've not really noticed mind you - and there may be more noise.

    The extra noise could drown out the music?

    Rollers I'd say for 14 yo, less strain on the knees, get leg speed up, balance.
    http://twitter.com/mgalex
    www.ogmorevalleywheelers.co.uk

    10TT 24:36 25TT: 57:59 50TT: 2:08:11, 100TT: 4:30:05 12hr 204.... unfinished business
  • nferrar
    nferrar Posts: 2,511
    I wouldn't have thought cycling itself had much 'street cred' with teenagers let alone the difference between a turbo and rollers mattering :p

    I admit it's been a long time since I used either (although I'll be buying a turbo for this winter) but when I did although the rollers were a bit more fun to use initially it soon wore off and then they got more frustrating than a turbo as it's harder to do structured interval training. If you just want to spin your legs for an hour then rollers are worth looking at I guess. Mind you you still need to be very motivated to use either regularly...
  • merak
    merak Posts: 323
    Mark Alexander wrote:

    The extra noise could drown out the music?
    .
    The extra noise of what?
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Depends what sort of riding he's into. When I go to races where there are kids races too, there are usually lines of cocky looking teens* warming up on rollers. So if he races, or plans to race it might be better to get rollers.






    *I'm only jealous that I can't ride on rollers, and never cycled competitively when I was their age.
  • Spender45
    Spender45 Posts: 78
    "usually lines of cocky looking teens*"

    Yep, street cred with all the other racers. The BC coaches seem to tend to get the youths on rollers. I think it may be to develop their pedalling and bike handling skills and so the youths don't push huge gears against a high resistance turbo.

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