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Been wondering about a set of rollers for a while. I had a turbo years ago and hated it - I just found it too monotonous and boring ( I didn't get into the virtual stuff).
So a set of rollers and pop the track bike on them in the kitchen ? Seems cheapish at £80 for tacx Antares ones, and no faff as bike sits inside already. I guess I'd need a vibration mat, but otherwise just a few seconds to set up.
Just wondering if others find rollers more fun/engaging than turbo, or am i at high risk of buying an £80 dust gatherer ?
Last winter I used trainer road. This winter I've bought a decent head torch and go out running.
Much nicer being out
Mine gathered dust after one winter of unimaginable tediousness riding on them.
Thanks, reaffirming my suspicions so far ! Too icy this morning to ride, might save my cash and go for a swim session after lunch !
I've got a decent turbo and rollers. I use the turbo 99% of the time.
However... my turbo is more or less a permanent set-up in the garage with TV, chromecast and a bike already on it. I do Sufferfest structured sessions and longer steadier stuff watching Netflix.
The rollers are a mild pain as the only place to use them where I can hold something to assist getting on or off is at an angle to the TV screen. Which is slightly annoying.
In your situation where you want to set-up/take-down quickly and easily rollers might be better. They do need a bit more concentration so a slightly less "boring" to just sit on and ride but I'd still want something to entertain me - music, podcasts, TV.
mine are gathering dust in attic yours for £50 if your local to Reading
I use them for half hour sessions when times tight or weather's bad. I like Sam's tip about adding a towel under a roller to add resistance. I think it was Nick Craig who said if he only had 30mins to train, then he'd go for a run.
Lungman - thanks but Glasgow based
I had cheapest Tacx version for maybe seven years but ruined them by leaving them in agains outer shed wall for summer - plastic rollers are easily ruined by sun and they become wobbly and annoing to ride.
Bit too boring for long rides but quite OK for shorter periods, e.g. you go for a run and then ride 15-30mins on rollers.
Rollers are fun but I couldn't work as hard on them as I can on a std turbo, think I'd fall off once I got really maxed out.
Definitely a bit more engaging than the turbo.
THat said, if I didn't hate running then I'd do that for my training at this time of year instead.
Rollers with trainer road here. I do sessions at lunchtime at the back of my car in the car park so the seconds saved in setting up over the turbo seems like a worthwhile saving. I also find it less boring and it forces you to ride smooth. Don't think I'd use a track bike tho as you won't get the range of watts
I used roller earlier in the year when I had to to some training in my lunch time. I found them much more fun than the turbo and was able to go at a reasonable workout on them- doing three minute intervals on them. I would not use the turbo again and would get the rollers out every time, in fact I may even go on them this evening. Mine fit under the sofa and involve less faff than the turbo.
Bluetooth headphones help a lot
Hmmm, still pondering, some decent food for thought, cheers.
All my sessions are done on rollers with TrainerRoad feedback. Brilliant training tool, great fun to use, improves technique as well as fitness, plenty of resistance to perform intervals on.
Highly recommend.
I've got both & don't use the rollers for training much, as I put my winter road bike on the turbo for that usually.
I use them every road or cx race for warming up though, as it means I haven't got to clamp the backend of a race bike down & I haven't got to take any more wheels to races than I need.
Get off the road and ride. Ice doesn't matter. Not monotonous like rollers (or road 😛 ). Winter doesn't stop riding and this is Singletrack after all so ride some 😉
Do like the occasional session on the rollers, and they are good for warming up at races. Can't switch off and do the hours on the rollers watching Netflix in the same way I can on the turbo (though sure some can), so they don't get much use this time of year. If I had to keep one it'd be the turbo.