Having recently returned a Turbo Trainer back to a friend I am wanting buying one for myself and i’m not 100% sure which one to go for, so i’m looking for some advice on which one to get as i know there are quite a few out there, i don’t mind paying a little as i’m looking to up my training and do want one that will give me the data that i need to improve.

I would also like peoples thoughts on Rollers and which are better or are they both as beneficial as each other and again which set of rollers are the ones to buy?

Or perhaps i should get a Watt bike?! If only i could afford one!!

Also i do get out and ride and do both Mountain bike and road bike, so if people are thinking why not just get out more on the bike then they should know am trying managing my time better since becoming a Dad and think a turbo or rollers will help with that!

Thanks for your help..

Rollers all the way, here. I’m sure some turbo lovers will come along in a bit.

However, at this time of year, you’d be forgiven for hoping to get out on your bike, for your exercise.

I picked up some cycleops rollers last year and used them hard during this winter.
recommend.

I used to have Tax satori turbo, was a great bit of kit but i struggled to make my self use it so ive sold it now

Fancy a tacx fortius?

Mantastic YGM

Rollers are great, much more ‘real’ feel. Have to concentrate a lot more so the time passes quicker.

And they’re great for improving pedal movement/fluidity and improving leg speed, turbos can have the opposite effect I think. If you want a turbo ill happily sell you one!

And with rollers can you get ones that give you all the Data that you need to improve as a cyclist?

Being swayed mor towards the rollers…but what turbo do you have for sale?

And with rollers can you get ones that give you all the Data that you need to improve as a cyclist?

What, a brain and a computer/hrm? Don’t be fooled into loads of functions and features, riding hard is what matters!

I have rollers at the mo for leg speedwork and for just riding on instead of the road and a turbo for high intensity efforts but I don’t like the turbo feel much still, doesn’t feel like your going fast even with high efforts, so I’m going to get some of the Cycleops resistance rollers. win/win for me.

I used to have a Cateye cyclosimulator and that thing was great, super smooth flywheel, wind noise so you felt like you were going quick for the effort. brilliant, shame they stopped making them.

I got a turbo shortly followed by a set of rollers, exactly for the times when the kids are in bed and I can’t get out of the house.

The turbo is an Elite mag unit and then I went for the Cyclops rollers with resistance unit. Whilst it doesn’t offer the same resistance as the turbo, its still enough to do high cadence interval sessions if you want.

The rollers have kept me amused for much longer than the turbo. If you haven’t been on them before, then there’s an element of almost having to learn to ride again. Its very twitchy and engages your concentration a bit more.

But if you’re talking about ‘data’ then maybe you’re looking at turbos with PC connection? I don’t know if pricier rollers do that.

I keep going back to the rollers, but for now the turbo just sits there unused.

Oh, and budget for a fan, cos even in a cold garage or shed, you’ll sweat like its 40degrees outside.

Rollers FTW!

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=XuqU8aZTjVo[/video]

😉

Get a cheap turbo and spend money on data collection on the bike. Then you can gather the data when out on the road too.

Thanks for the Info so far guys…

Anybody else have any more thoughts on OP?

Looking for Recommendations of which Turbo or rollers to purchase?

Mine are Jet Blacks. Seem well made with ally rollers. They are not conical, which i think is a good thing once you learn to ride ’em a bit.

Because of the ally rollers, they have a small dia, so they are really suprisingly resistive, especially if you leave UK winter spec tyres on your bike, although it sounds like an entire US infantry division is coming up the road when you use them like that 😉

I bought the Cyclops rollers with resistance unit and they are excellent. The ones that Planet-X have just started selling look suspiciously similar too…

mtbtomo i think i would have to agree they do look very much a like!!

Both have their own unique benefits over the other.
Rollers are def less boring – turbo can smash you legs much quicker.

PlanetX do good alu rollers. Alu rollers are smoother than the cheaper plastic ones.
I would not get a turbo with built in computer. Better to use your own bike specific computer.

I own both turbo & rollers.

And with rollers can you get ones that give you all the Data that you need to improve as a cyclist?

Yes of course. My data comes from the Garmin and a power crank. Son1 has just spent an hour on the turbo with a PowerCal measuring average power and heart rate. For average values, the PowerCal is fine.

I prefer rollers, but either are better than not riding and neither are better than the road. I too have both.

But the data isn’t generated by a computer in the rollers though, as it would be with some more expensive turbos? Garmin and power cranks are fitted to the bike and could be used regardless of turbo or rollers.

I bought the Cyclops rollers with resistance unit and they are excellent. The ones that Planet-X have just started selling look suspiciously similar too…

Sportscraft make Cycleops rollers, that’s probably why the look the same!