Trainers or Rollers?

goldencleric

Alright lads, which do you all prefer trainers or rollers? thinking of investing some with the light starting to fade and the weather getting worse...

was looking at these two trainer and roller

Planet X

I had a set of rollers in the early 80's and loved them.
You could work up a good sweat and heartbeat.
But now, I'm a fan of getting the mudguards on and heading out in the winter. Variety.


Just about up to the Liam Horner Memorial last winter. The last 100 metres was "all over the road" with wobbles. 23mm. but didn't expect it to be that bad. Half mile down the road it was dry. I flew down the far side of Glencree Valley..................should have seen the patches of ice though!!!!!! Scary gear.



Which you won't get on rollers or a trainer.

See the tracks on the left. Do you cycle on the snow (half inch) and fall into the gutter eventually or go up on the ice? Tried both. Fell off on the snow past that picture. And slithered on the ice going up to the top. Car coming down didn't help.

cipo

Obviously neither of them would be great but with time constructions, weather and darkness......

Rollers for sure!

Anyone who says different hasn't tried both and therefore should nt give an opinion!

Improves riding skills, you actually have to concentrate a bit which stops the boredom of plodding a long on a turbo!!!

Tacx rollers are very good.

markcroninbsc

I use the rollers, actually use is robably the wrong word... I have the rollers.

i think if your still gointa be able get out on the weekend the rollers are probably a better way to go but if not then maybe the turbo.

the rollers are a bit easier than the turbo so i think you get a better work out on the turbo if you can stick the boredom. not so sure about the rollers improving your bike handling and ballance like everyone says... but they can improve your pedaling, ive got 2 gammy legs and i always find after a couple of weeks on the rollers they straighten out a bit.

also if your like me and too poor to have 2 sets of wheels the rollers are a little better (well those trax one are anyway) as they dont wear down a tyre hardly at all so you can use the same wheels on the road and the rollers.

markcroninbsc

Planet X wrote: »

I

haha if thats where i think it is are you about 9 miles up? did you have to sit in the saddle the whole way? i think i prefere me rollers

Lumen

Planet X wrote: »

I'm a fan of getting the mudguards on and heading out in the winter....Fell off on the snow past that picture. And slithered on the ice going up to the top. Car coming down didn't help.

You're really selling it.

Lumen

I haven't used rollers but I like the fact that you can watch TV whilst using a static trainer. I set myself up with a laptop on the kitchen table in front of me, headphones on, and watch downloaded TV programmes for everything up to tempo, then switch to the ipod for the harder intervals.

I don't think this would work well with rollers. You'd need a longer headphone cable, which would be a bit dodgy, or else have the TV on very loud, which in my case would be domestically unacceptable.

High intensity intervals are apparently also harder on rollers, as the resistance tends to be less and the balance more of a problem, but there are rollers with higher resistance units built in, and some free rollers which allow you to get out of the saddle without falling off.

markcroninbsc

yea its a bit harder to get alot of resistance on the rollers. but they're not that loud, ive got a yoga mat thing under mine takes a bit of the sound out of it. 3.99 in tesco, compared to tracx mat for around 50euro

for the resistance tho i just let a bit of air out of the tyres around 75 - 85 psi works for me and theres enough resistance that i cant push along in the big ring for very long.

CheGuedara

Gonna throw in my vote for the turbotrainers too. Handy to be able to hop the bike on something that you can modulate the resistance on when it's too dark or the weather's too bad to train out doors.

Never tried rollers myself - they look interesting, and I can imagine how they might work to train technique but knowing me I'd lose concentration and end up having a crash without ever leaving the apartment....

Billycake

Computrainer is what I went with about two years ago. A bit of a hefty investment but is definitely worth it if you can stump up for it. I have it in the spare bedroom on a laptop.

goldencleric

Have to say the idea of being able to minimise concentration with the trianer is tempting especially since i'd prefer to be listening to eurobeats and forgetting I'm at home ... so will I need some training tires for the trainer then?

ROK ON

What do people here have?
What do people recomend?
What to look for in a trainer, and what to avoid?

Dont want to spend more than €400.

Lumen

ROK ON wrote: »

What do people here have?
What do people recomend?
What to look for in a trainer, and what to avoid?

Dont want to spend more than €400.

Tacx Satori.

goldencleric

cough* hijack cough* :rolleyes:


so back to my tires query

lafors

When I had my bike fit done with bikefittingireland, I was asking Aidan (Hammond) about turbo trainers seeing as the one he had there was super quiet, he said if I was going to get a turbo then make sure I get a fluid one, its worth the extra few quid. All the "cons" of them seem to be stories about leaking but from some research they seem to be a bit over exaggerated. I'm getting one for myself and this is one with good reviews allround....
CycleOps JetFluid Pro
Seeing as your budget is 400, you'd get that, a 3.99 yoga mat from tesco , and a spare wheel/training tyre easy enough.

lafors

goldencleric wrote: »

cough* hijack cough* :rolleyes:


so back to my tires query

Yes....
Conti Ultrasport Home Trainer Tyre
Note it might be cheaper elsewhere.

Lumen

goldencleric wrote: »

cough* hijack cough* :rolleyes: so back to my tires query

Yes, buy a trainer tyre.

goldencleric

Lumen wrote: »

Yes, buy a trainer tyre.

alright no need for the blown gasket Charlie! Apologies for my americanization of the king's ...

crashoveroid

Well for me its rollers the whole way the turbo is way too boring and turbo does not improve handling and balance.

petethedrummer

I know nothing about these but you can get rollers with adjustable resistance.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/CycleOps_Aluminium_Rollers_with_Resistance_Unit/5360034652/
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/CycleOps_Resistance_Unit_for_Aluminium_Rollers/5360034653/

Is the best (or worst) of both worlds?

Signal_ rabbit

I have tried both, I much prefer the rollers for the following reasons:

1) More concentration is needed to stay balanced and therefore time seems to pass quicker than a trainer.
2) A trainer eats rear tyres and requires that you use the wheel skewer that comes with it. With the rollers you just hop on.
3) The bike computer works with the rollers as the front wheel goes round, handy for keeping an eye on speed etc.
4) Vastly improves balance and keeping the upper body more rigid.

Karagesh

Turbo and if I need motivation: http://www.thesufferfest.com/

I don't watch much TV and want to relax if I'm taking in a film.

skidpatches

I got Tacx T1000 Antares at christmas last year, and use them several times a week.

I can watch tv, ride one handed, ride out of the saddle, etc. I use headphones secured to the handlebars and to something to keep the cable away from the front wheel.

And as for not enough resistance... if you can spin 100-120rpm in your highest gear for an hour and it doesn't get your heart rate high enough for a decent workout, then fair play to you.

You might reach a point where you can't get your heart rate into the 90s for intervals, but they should still be good for a tempo session.

After that, if it's too easy, just do single leg drills.

Signal_ rabbit

skidpatches wrote: »

I can watch tv, ride one handed, ride out of the saddle, etc.

Riding no handed on rollers takes a bit of getting used to.

But what about this dude?

petethedrummer

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

But what about this dude?

He's pretty sexy.

Raam

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

But what about this dude?

BTW, that's a lot easier than you might think.

Planet X

markcroninbsc wrote: »

haha if thats where i think it is are you about 9 miles up? did you have to sit in the saddle the whole way? i think i prefere me rollers

Saddle? What's that about?

You learn about balance also.
You probably race?

Now, if you said "5 Miles Out" I'd think about "The Exorcist" ????

snollup

Ok, so do I have this right? If I go for a turbo I should really get a second rear wheel with training tyre and skewer?

Beasty

snollup wrote: »

Ok, so do I have this right? If I go for a turbo I should really get a second rear wheel with training tyre and skewer?

Yes you have it right.

You really must use a trainer tyre, and it would be a lot of hassle if you have to change over tyres every time you put the bike on or take it off the trainer

snollup

But with rollers no need to change tyre?

pmg001

crashoveroid wrote: »

Well for me its rollers the whole way the turbo is way too boring and turbo does not improve handling and balance.

I don't really get why people always make this point. I mean when have you ever lost your balance and just fallen off your bike?
Surely it just improves your balance on the roller?

I've never used a roller by the way:)


With regard to having a spare tyre for the trainer, I don't bother, doesn't seem to be all that bad. Although I don't have top end tyres.

Raam

pmg001 wrote: »

I don't really get why people always make this point. I mean when have you ever lost your balance and just fallen off your bike?
Surely it just improves your balance on the roller?

The rollers can help improve your pedaling form.

Signal_ rabbit

Raam wrote: »

The rollers can help improve your pedaling form.

It takes quite a bit of balance to stay on the rollers, the best way to do this is to keep the upper body still, this also improves ones pedal stroke.

I find that employing this technique out on the road improves my cycling.