Turbo trainers, rollers or static?

Atari Boy

As the weather is becoming less and less favourable I am thinking about getting a turbo trainer.
I see there are two types, the roller kind or the static type.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each type, the roller type looks a little harder to use at first, put possible more realistic and therefore less boring.

Advice and feedback welcome.

Captainlip

Atari Boy wrote:

the roller type looks a little harder to use at first, but possible more realistic and therefore less boring.

answered your own question

cougie

I prefer the static trainers. You can do hard intervals on them without worrying about losing control and you can ramp the resistance up higher to simulate hills.
And theyre smaller than rollers if space is an issue.

Charlyfarly

Users, especially new ones, seem to spend more time trying to stay on rollers than concentrating on a hard workout. If turbo's are good enough for Sky then they are good enough for me.

BowtomePhil

Love my turbo(well not in a sexual way)

Pross

Rollers are good for developing pedalling technique and for warming up before races but for actual training I would opt for a turbo trainer for the reasons given above.

Sprool

just going through the same decisions myself.
Turbos are boring
Turbos are less realistic
Turbos need different wheel/tyre
Turbos are better for building up power

Rollers take some craft to master and keep you focused, less boring
Rollers improve your pedal technique and balance
Rollers are good for long stamina less resistance training
You just plonk your bike on them and off you go, no faffing to get them set up

Lightning

Turbo for training, in my opinion. If you don't care about that and just want to get on the bike, rollers I guess as they feel more "natural". A jacket would be better though (assuming we're just talking about cold and rain and not ice, etc).

Atari Boy

Thanks for the comments.

The main reason of indoor training is to open up time of day and all weather riding.
I like the idea of trying rollers, although my coordination will challenged.

woody0010

Had to reply as I was in the same position a few months back and thought I would share my own experience.

I choose a set of Rollers as I got a good deal via ebay. I decided against a TT as to me it would be boring and my mind wouldn't focus on the workout so I wouldn't be putting all my effort in.

When I first got the roller I positioned it between a door way, the first couple of times you use it you will wobble a bit but I had it so my shoulders would hit the door frame and I wouldn't fall.

After that I've been fine on them. I either put a film on the TV or watch some thing from www.thesufferfest.com

Go for it thought. Since ive been using it my riding positioning on the bike has improved as has my leg strength.

jm2012

I would go with the turbo so I can watch TV at the same time and not have to concentrate on keeping the bike on the rollers etc, however I've not got one yet. It would probably also make intervals easier if you ever did them, which I plan to never ever do.

Snailpace-Bob

This seems to be a common dilema.
My solution was to buy a spinner bike. I know its not the same as riding my own bike but as a training tool its perfect. Its set up to fit me and using an i pod or spinning workout on the tv / tinternet I can concentrate on working as hard as I possibly can without worrying about falling off rollers or wear and tear on the bike.

Sprool

i got some elite parabolics coming shortly and I'm going to build myself one of these to sit it on:
http://youtu.be/StcY7bG1xzs

BowtomePhil

To be honest even with the concentration needed for rollers, they would still be boring.

I put some music on on my turbo and time flies. I do what I do when out in the country, put the world to rights in my mind, work out what I have to buy for xmas etc. So far I need no will power to get on the turbo, I actually enjoy it, enjoy sweating and losing weight.

Pross

Sprool wrote:

just going through the same decisions myself.
Turbos are boring Yes, but you can relieve this with a bit of structure and by using something like Sufferfest
Turbos are less realistic Disagree. Yes, rollers make you balance as if riding 'properly' but the resistance on a turbo is more realistic. In reality neither are remotely realistic
Turbos need different wheel/tyre No they don't, I've never used a different tyre on a turbo. It's a good idea to prevent tyre wear and reduce noise but definitely not essential
Turbos are better for building up power Riding intensity builds power, a turbo may help due to offering higher resistance

Rollers take some craft to master and keep you focused, less boring Yes, sort of but still boring
Rollers improve your pedal technique and balance agreed
Rollers are good for long stamina less resistance training Don't get this
You just plonk your bike on them and off you go, no faffing to get them set up Maybe but it really only takes seconds to put a bike on a trainer

othello

Charlyfarly wrote:

Users, especially new ones, seem to spend more time trying to stay on rollers than concentrating on a hard workout. If turbo's are good enough for Sky then they are good enough for me.

I've always wondered about Sky using the turbos on a technical side.

Looking at pictures they *seem* to be running race wheels, which means race tyres. They will have the resistance set fairly high, as the point of them is to get a good warm-up/down. So aren't they mangling the tyres each time?

sev112

OK - i am a really stoopid noob - why do turbo trainers wear a tyre that a roller does not - are turbos riding against a non-roller on the rear wheel ?
PS - What does one need to do to connect to a turbo -?

Monty Dog

Most turbos have a roller than presses against the tyre whereas rollers simply rely on the weight of the rider - turbos do tend to wear tyres, so don't use your expensive, lightweight race tubs.
Most turbos require you to fit a modified rear wheel QR that holds the bike more securely - that's it. A heart rate monitor helps your to measure the intensity of the session.
Rollers are more about technique and balance and are great for warming-up but few have the ability to increase the load and therefore harder to replicate the intensity of a turbo.
Getting the most out of indoor training is about intensity, not duration. A properly structured 60 minutes session means you need to go hard because you're not working against the wind and terrain - after that I get bored. 2x20minute threshold sessions are about as tolerable as I can bear or 20 x 2 minute intervals with 30s @ 95%, 90s recovery.

sev112

Must admit i can see a potential here. being in my mid 40s, the reason i have relatively recently come to cycling is to get some exercise that doesnt damage my knees or back like lots of running in my teens and 20s did. And whilst i'd been looking at snazzy race bikes for a year or so, i'd stuck with the clunky mountain bike in the garage. until i went on holiday with the family this summer and then looked at the photos. i've had my road bike for 4 weeks now. Mid weeks are getting harder to get out with darkness coming on, but already my trousers dont fit any more and i am am beginning to recognise the stomach in the mirror from something i had in my 30s and am working towards the 20s !

So a garage trainer that i can just keep my ageing decrepit knees turning and my coagulating heart beating for half an hour doesnt sound a bad idea. I'm never going to be a racer, or do more than the very occasional 50 miler.

Thanks for the info - appreciate it

kayakerchris

I find I can do a flat out session happily on the turbo as I know that I can collapse at the end without falling off. For pedalling technique I have just bought on cycle to work a heavy steel fixie. The difference in pedalling technique is brilliant

Sprool

I'm loving my rollers, just 2 days in now and managing a couple of 30 - 40 minute sessions a day, it doesnt take long to get the balance, I'm pretty stable now for a full session without having to grab the door frame. It is really helping my pedalling technique, i'm already a lot more stable and relaxed at high cadence. I dont get the chance to get bored as i have to really focus all the time as it feels a bit like i'm cycling across ice. Pedalling slowly is a challenge for the more boring low impact work, and keeping a high cadence going in top gear is giving me enough resistance to help with the strength and stamina.

Snailpace-Bob

kayakerchris wrote:

I find I can do a flat out session happily on the turbo as I know that I can collapse at the end without falling off. For pedalling technique I have just bought on cycle to work a heavy steel fixie. The difference in pedalling technique is brilliant

I warm up on my spinner bike pedalling with one leg for 5 mins then switching to the other leg. The fixed gearing and weight of the fly wheel have worked wonders for my technique. Its supposed to develope muscle memory so that you can concentrate on the important things like not dying. Which is how I feel after every session, I push myself as far as I can go. My goal is to keep improving my technique and all round fitness levels so that Im stronger and faster on the road.