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Rollers or trainer

Do you have a roller or indoor trainer?

  • I have one but wish I had the other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    32
  • Poll closed .

Half-Fast Mike

Lanterne Rouge-et-vert
May 22, 2007
4,644
3,700
For the first time, I'm thinking seriously about buying an indoor trainer or rollers. The poll is just from morbid curiosity. I've done some research. But I'm keen to get your insights and experiences on both types of machine, the advantages and disadvantages, and any recommendations for brands and models to consider or avoid.
 
i got rollers just so i didn't have to mess around with taking wheels out and to work on a smoother spin. Don't miss the trainer I had years ago. Is noise a factor in your palatial abode?
 
Don't miss the trainer I had years ago. Is noise a factor in your palatial abode?
Noise is not a problem. I'm in my own house :), next to an expressway :(. Space might be a problem - likely that activities will be out on the patio/bike parking or on upstairs balcony once I get 'round to building it.
 
I will have to get an indoor machine this winter due to impending babysitting duties and I will be getting a trainer. From my research this seems to get consistently the highest ratings and is what I will get.
http://www.kurtkinetic.com/road-machine-p-198-l-en.html

As for the reasons why, then to preface my reply I have to say I`ve never tried rollers (I have a very old and loud trainer back in the UK. Did I say LOUD!). When I am on the trainer, my main focus is on the CD`s I am playing or the sport/football I am watching, or sometimes the newspaper/mag I am reading to relieve the boredom, or to have another swig of drink, or something to eat, or towel myself down. Everything I have read about rollers mentions the need to keep focusing on what you are doing - riding - and the need to keep applying steering input, whereas I like the fact that on the turbo, none of this is required and I can switch off from it. On the road, I never pay attention to the time unless I have to be back by a set time. In contrast, on the trainer, all I notice is the time - have I only done 5 mins?...etc, so on the trainer my aim is to reduce the tediousness of what I am doing and the trainer gives me more scope for that (my understanding).

Now I have the powertap, when I get round to ordering the trainer, my focus will be on set intervals and again my understanding is that a turbo is best for this kind of work, especially for sets done above FTP.
 
One more thing, as the Kurt Kinetic has a pre-set power curve you can buy a computer for it ($50) which will give you an accurate power reading, so you can train with power if you like. I think it is even possible to work out power readings yourself, if you want something to occupy the time when riding!
 
Thanks for the comments so far.

I'm leaning towards rollers. And I'm attracted by the Tacx Antares T1000, mainly because it seems wayyy cheaper than comparable Minoura etc. models.

Anyone tried this brand, and/or compared it with others?

A second-hand set of rollers would probably be fine, but there seem to be relatively few on the Yahoo! auctions. (Either people hang onto them or they trash them...?)
 
I used to say trainer... but now I say rollers. Without a doubt.

I have the Tacx Antares T100. Bought them off Mike on this site last year. I really enjoyed using them this winter.

The only problem is that the bearings went on each drum. Starting with the middle one. Then the back one. Then the front one. Sounds like a plane taking off if you leave them too long...

I used the rollers almost every day over the winter so perhaps it's the price you pay. If you use them less frequently, you may get 2 or 3 seasons use out of them I guess.

You can replace them with standard bearings here in Japan (probably of better quality) for about 1000 yen ea (so 6000 yen for the lot).

Andy

www.jyonnobitime.com/time
 
Cheap trainer from Performance

I used to have one and use it on rainy days and winter days. It was a low cost version and made a good bit of noise. That did not bother me much, but caused me to have to turn up the TV volume very high to hear it over the trainer. It worked fine.

I did not like all the set up involved and that is what really made me get rid of it. I had to pull the rear skewer and put an old one in. Then get the bike into the trainer. After all that I needed to set up a fan to help cool me down, but it was still a sweat fest in the house and all over the floor/rug. After all that trouble, the ride was boring. I'd rather be outside, to hell with the cold or rain, beats riding for an hour and going no where. Just my 2 cents worth.

If I was to get another, probably would get rollers as it looks easier to set up and use. Not much help for you other than stating the obvious.
 
I thought I remember reading that with rollers, you can not use them for more than a short period of time without going numb or something. For those of you with them, is it an issue? They require 100% focus too, I thought. For these reasons, I was thinking of getting a trainer - more for when it is dark and I don't want to be going too fast and getting hit.
 
...for when it is dark and I don't want to be going too fast and getting hit.
It would be tragically funny to be involved in an RTA while riding a trainer. Almost as bad as when I crashed my motorbike into my own car. (Let the insurance guy sort that out!)

Well I have ordered the Tacx Galexia rollers from Wiggle. Not in stock today, but should be here shortly. Now I will have no excuse... dammit what have I done?
 
Bloody hell Mike this is serious stuff..... you may need to hand in your Half-Fast members card!
 
This is kind of timely, as I'm thinking of getting something stationary this winter too (same reason as Sikochi......) and also leaning toward rollers.

One thing I've come across on cursory research is that it might pay to, er, pay more, just because they're moving parts put under a fair amount stress so quality matters(?)

Be curious to know what you go with in the end; I'm leaning to something barebones feature-wise (don't need electronic plugins etc), but reasonable quality. Noise is not an issue, but obviously all things being equal quieter is nicer.

To those with rollers, do you find you can use them in the non-winter months (I'm thinking large pools of sweat all over the tatami here...)
 
sweat is an issue with both. I lay a towel under the roller to catch it all.
 
so you are planning on taking some corners while on the rollers.... .that's something even I would'nt recommend.
 
Then I saw this and thought - maybe not such a good idea for a roller trainer if it tensions the steering. Any advice or experiences?

buy it, there isn't that much tension on the bars. Wear a towel around your head and you'll be good to go, watch that you put something on the floor as well.Helps keep noise down and mops up sweat.
 
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