Turbo Trainer or Rollers?

Noel PT
Noel PT Posts: 627
edited February 2009 in Workshop
I am looking at buying either a Turbo or Rollers. I have never invested in one of these and was wondering if anyone had experience on either or both and could give me a bit of feedback. As well as which brand either elite or cycleops?

Any ideas would be great.
www.ttspersonaltraining.co.uk

Comments

  • larmurf
    larmurf Posts: 110
    hi

    Bought a Tacx Flow 1680 about a year ago, recovering from hip op.
    Got a mechanically minded person to set up as I was not too mobile.
    One of the nuts did not fit properly but he got that sorted.

    Has been used sporadically and is not very pleasant as you will sweat
    profusely even in the coldest weather with windows open. I am currently
    considering some sort of cold air fan.

    The machine is adjustable and provides a good range of increasing pressure
    which I have not used to any great extent. Also lot of readings - all I look at
    at are Heart Rate Speed & Time (HRM chest belt not supplied)

    All in all I am glad I got it as It gets me exercising when I can not get
    motivated enough to get out on the roads.

    Got from Chain Reaction outside Belfast, who I can recommend highly
    Mahatma Gandhi was asked by a British journalist what he thought of Western civilisation. "I think it would be a good idea," he replied.
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    Hiya mate - I would have to say rollers all the way. Rollers help build good bike handling skills and upper body strength.
    cartoon.jpg
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    Rollers definitely. I've got some Tacx ones, sorry can't remember the model, but they cost about £100.

    Brilliant training equipment.
  • James_London
    James_London Posts: 530
    Basic rollers don't allow you to go very hard though they're good for balance and pedalling technique. There are some models with resistance which provide more resistance including the new one from Elite, Kreitler and others.

    For a turbo, the Tacx Satori is basic but very sturdy and stable up to about 600W so you can do fairly hard intervals on it.
  • finchy
    finchy Posts: 6,686
    James_London wrote:
    Basic rollers don't allow you to go very hard

    :shock:

    I can go very, very hard on my basic rollers... I've even collapsed a couple of times out of exhaustion.

    I've done 30 minute lactate threshold sessions, hard sprints, power work... I used them all through last winter, and when I started back on my local hills in March, I'd knocked 45 seconds off what was a 4 minute climb.
  • shaw8670
    shaw8670 Posts: 264
    i had a turbo, then went for Tackx rollers, with the additional resistance unit which bolts on nicely. this is much better. The whole lot was about £1220 from Wiggle. I can now ride on the rollers with one hand!
    Greetings from the wet and windy North west

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