Rollers - Recommendations

hardyp
hardyp Posts: 86
edited November 2013 in Training, fitness and health
Looking for something to use for indoor training as with young kids can be difficult to get out for long periods and with the crap british weather now upon us. Boredom is the one thing that worries me which is why I'm considering rollers as they are hopefully a bit more realistic and require a bit more concentration. Been having a look and thinking of getting the Elite arion AL13. Mainly for the aluminium rollers as they seem to be alot more quieter. A bit more than I wanted to spend but hopefully might find some second hand or find some reduced. Anybody recommend a better cheaper alternative.

I've also got ant+ cadence and heart rate monitors for my cycle computer. Is there any software out there that I can hook up to these to add to the experience? Ideally with video images?

Comments

  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    highly recommend the Cycleops Alu rollers - superb. Dont know of any software that can do much with just cadence and HR as most use power.
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    You can hook up to trainer road...
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • DaveL
    DaveL Posts: 188
    I've got a set of elite Arion mag, I'm very pleased with them, and use them way more than the turbo, and VR trainer I had. If I was going to buy another set of rollers, I would buy the ones you are looking at.

    Another vote for TrainerRoad as well.

    Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Dave
    Strava
  • hardyp
    hardyp Posts: 86
    DaveL wrote:
    I've got a set of elite Arion mag, I'm very pleased with them, and use them way more than the turbo, and VR trainer I had. If I was going to buy another set of rollers, I would buy the ones you are looking at.

    Another vote for TrainerRoad as well.

    Good luck with whatever you decide.

    Dave

    What VR trainer did you have?
  • DaveL
    DaveL Posts: 188
    Taxc flow multilayer with a steering frame, the concept and the techy side of it was amazing, it just didn't feel like riding a bike (turbo trainers aren't for me).

    Dave
    Strava
  • bahzob
    bahzob Posts: 2,195
    Bigpikle wrote:
    highly recommend the Cycleops Alu rollers - superb. Dont know of any software that can do much with just cadence and HR as most use power.

    Seconded. I had a cheap set of Tacx ones before and they were hopeless.

    With rollers you really need to have a resistance unit if you want to do harder level workouts. The Tacx one simply couldn't stand the strain and wore out after a couple of months.

    The Cycleops ones have a magnetic system which is contactless. No matter how hard you ride them I am pretty sure you will wear out long before they do.
    Martin S. Newbury RC
  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    Been thinking of getting rollers to use with track bike.

    I love my cycleops turbo so hearing that about the rollers...
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • mamba80
    mamba80 Posts: 5,032
    i ve the Elite Arion, with plastic rollers and they are bullet proof, not loud at all.
    The resistance unit is a sort of an air brake, so will never wear out, but you do not get anything like the levels of resistance that u do with a turbo - so use both :)
  • bigpikle
    bigpikle Posts: 1,690
    its another reason the Cycleops are a good bet - they have smaller diameter drums so offer more resistance than the typically bigger roller plastic units. You can also get the resistance unit if needed or minor tweaks in tyre pressure will quickly change the resistance.

    Not sure Trainer Road yet works with rollers (unless you have a PM already) as I dont remember seeing any power curves for them published, but I may have missed it.
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
  • Omar Little
    Omar Little Posts: 2,010
    Sportcrafters are decent - they make the Cycleops one so its just a case of a different colour / branding but a bit cheaper.
  • Garryboy
    Garryboy Posts: 344
    Another vote for the cycleops alu rollers, love mine.
    I also got the progressive resistance roller (sportscrafter brand, but they are the same).
    Works well and feels similar to resistance on a fluid trainer, gives a good workout & its on Trainerroad!
  • elderone
    elderone Posts: 1,410
    I have tacx Antares and they do exactly what they are meant to do.It has no resistance setting as such but to be fair I can work myself in to a sweaty heap just by using the bikes gears.
    As for wearing out in a Cpl of months, then they would be straight back for replacement under warrentee so not an issue.Mine cost a tad under £150 and I think that's more than enough for my purse.
    To be fair I am a relative newbie and not a racer so only fair to add the above suits my needs and may not suits every ones.
    Dulce et decorum est Pro patria mori
  • FatTed
    FatTed Posts: 1,205
    I keep falling off mine!
  • hardyp
    hardyp Posts: 86
    FatTed wrote:
    I keep falling off mine!

    That is one thing that is putting me off slightly which is why I was favouring the Elite AL13 for the parabollic shape to help in that department. Do they really make a difference?

    Also like the sound of the sportscrafter resistance model as the resistance increases with speed to make it a bit more realistic. This sounds different to the way the cycleops resistance works if I'm correct? Also seems to work out cheaper to buy the standard model and upgrade to the resistance roller separately plus you have a spare roller if one gives up the ghost.

    Decisions, Decisions :? :? :?
  • vortice
    vortice Posts: 244
    I have the Elite Arion Al13s and I don't think the parabolic aspect of the rollers assists that much with stability, though I might be wrong having not ridden cylindrical ones. I've only just got my rollers but my initial impressions are that if you want to do serious training using software like trainer road then you will need a turbo as well as the resistance aspects of rollers are pretty limited.

    Does anyone use trainer road and exclusively rollers in their training?
  • chaymck
    chaymck Posts: 157
    The sportcrafters are identical to Cyclops rollers (apart from colour). Life time guarantee also. I had a wonky roller and they sent me a set from the USA for free. The resistance unit adds a extra bit of interest- you can do hard intervals with it (90% Mhr). The resistance unit is also mapped for trainer road- but I've not used it with it.
  • hardyp
    hardyp Posts: 86
    chaymck wrote:
    The sportcrafters are identical to Cyclops rollers (apart from colour). Life time guarantee also. I had a wonky roller and they sent me a set from the USA for free. The resistance unit adds a extra bit of interest- you can do hard intervals with it (90% Mhr). The resistance unit is also mapped for trainer road- but I've not used it with it.

    Are the resistance mechanisms different? Isn't the sportscrafter progressive so the faster you go the more resistance builds up making it more life like where as the cyclops just has 3 set settings or have I misunderstood.
  • Garryboy
    Garryboy Posts: 344
    hardyp wrote:
    chaymck wrote:
    The sportcrafters are identical to Cyclops rollers (apart from colour). Life time guarantee also. I had a wonky roller and they sent me a set from the USA for free. The resistance unit adds a extra bit of interest- you can do hard intervals with it (90% Mhr). The resistance unit is also mapped for trainer road- but I've not used it with it.

    Are the resistance mechanisms different? Isn't the sportscrafter progressive so the faster you go the more resistance builds up making it more life like where as the cyclops just has 3 set settings or have I misunderstood.

    The cycleops ones usually come with a magnetic resistance bar, which you fit to the roller frame so its close to the rear roller. It has 6 settings, the hardest one has the magnetic bar v close to the roller (therefore slowing it down).

    The new sportcrafter rollers (ZRO is the model I think) come with a progressive resistance roller on the back. Ive no idea exactly how it works, but yes the faster you go, the harder it gets (something to do with magnets inside the roller). It has a red cap on one end, which you install to the right to have resistance or left to switch resistance off.

    I have the cyclops ones with magnetic bar, but I also bought the Sportcrafter progressive roller (you can buy it on its
    own). I much prefer the progressive roller as it allows a broad range of workouts from high cdence spinning to low cadence climbing type resistance work. As above, you can also use it on Trainerroad (although i think it under etimates power output especially i you weigh +75kg)

    Will post some rides from TR.
  • Garryboy
    Garryboy Posts: 344
    TR ride on rollers with no resistance
    http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/ride ... ee-Ride-45
  • Garryboy
    Garryboy Posts: 344
    TR ride on rollers with progressive resistance
    http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/ride ... ee-Ride-45
  • GJTheunisse
    GJTheunisse Posts: 18
    Without wanting to hijack this thread, does anyone use a mat under their rollers? I have recently moved house and now have to find a way for my cycleops alu rollers not to mark an expensive wooden floor. I have seen the cycleops training mat but looking through old threads on here, I saw someone mention that this mat cannot be used with rollers. Anyone got any advice?
  • ju5t1n
    ju5t1n Posts: 2,028
    Vortice wrote:
    I have the Elite Arion Al13s and I don't think the parabolic aspect of the rollers assists that much with stability...
    It doesn’t particularly – but what it does do it let you know when you’re straying near to the edge of the drums - so gives you an opportunity to correct your line before it’s too late.

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