[Closed] Turbo or rollers- recommend?

kurt kinetic and a trainerroad subscription.

Both types have their advantages and disadvantages, personally I rate rollers as they offer a better workout by improving pedal stroke and balance as well as just power.

However if you want to just rip it and not worry then a turbo is probably better.

The Kurt ones, as mentioned, are very good, if somewhat large.

hora, I've got an Elite Crono Elastogel that's had about 20 hrs use, along with an elite front wheel block (unused) and a vittoria turbo spdcific tyre.

Look them up. They're very well rated but I genuinely find nothing as soul destroying as sitting on a turbo for hours. I'd much rather go for a run and that's saying something.

As you're local you can have the lot for £80. 🙂

Rollers will improve riding skills, give you "supplesse" and provide the same resistance as a magnetic turbo on about level 3-4 - enough for all but out and out sprint efforts. You can't tinker with bike set up and position on rollers 😉

Cheap turbo first, then nice rollers if you get the indoor bug. Personally I hate riding indoors, but like the consistency of efforts.

[i]Not spend-silly but again not spendthrift[/i]

Do you know what spendthrift means?

I guess it depends on what space you have for your set up.

Rollers take up more space but you can just stick your bike on and go, turbo trainers are noisier.

Have a look at bkool, they get great reviews generally.

I genuinely find nothing as soul destroying as sitting on a turbo for hours

thats where trainerroad works for me. headphones in, follow the power line and zone out.

Rollers, it's like riding on pebbles on Cannock Chase 😆

I've got some Elite Parabolic rollers, they are spot on, the edges are lipped so when you get close to the edge they make a nice little squeek just to warn you, so you have chance to put it right.

The test this month in cycling plus rated the direct drive items, but they are pricey, but very quiet.

Bregante will lookup/mail you

I like my rollers (planet X resistance jobbies), but I do have to admit, I have fitted 2 horizontal roller blade wheels either side of the front roller, just to save those moment where you get distracted and ride off the edge.

kurt kinetic and a trainerroad subscription.

This ^^

I've just got hold of some second hand Taccx rollers and they do require a bit more concentration than a turbo, but I was up and going after about a quarter of an hour slipping all over the hallway. First impression is I think I prefer them more than the turbo as the turbo is, in our house, a faff to set up and I can't ever seem to get into it, the rollers also seem more involving to use. Mrs Kilo is not so keen on the rollers at the moment, I think she feels they are a tad dangerous 🙂

JetBlack rollers from PlanetX. Alu sealed bearing rollers.
Much better than the plastic rollers.

Turbo, fan, laptop, netflix and breaking bad/lillehammer/mad men/band of brothers etc etc. I actualy look forward to base miles on the turbo!

GOT BOTH - TURBO FOR SURE - YOU CAN DO MORE ON IT.

CAN'T REALLY PERFORM HIGH INTENSE INTERVALS ON ROLLERS 30SECS ON 15 OFF ETC.

ROLLERS GOOD FOR STEADY INTERVALS BUT STEADY = BORING AS HELL

I went turbo (a tacx bluemotion, seems nice and reasonably priced) mostly because it's less involved- you can sit and mindlessly spin on a turbo, watch TV, stuff like that if you want and let the legs work while the brain does something else. I gather it's better for orrible intervals too but I've not tried rollers for that

Cheap turbo first, then nice rollers if you get the indoor bug.

This ^^^ and a big fan.

You can get a half decent turbo for 100 quid. I got the planet x rollers when they were a lot less than the current 200 quid (sure there will be a NY turbo deal on the way.)

CAN'T REALLY PERFORM HIGH INTENSE INTERVALS ON ROLLERS 30SECS ON 15 OFF ETC.

You can, but you need to put in a lot of practice. Much easier initially on a turbo.

I use Sportcrafters Progressive Resistance ones (now called Planet X Overdrive I think?). I used a turbo before and much prefer the rollers. The progressive resistance ones are perfect for Sufferfest videos too (and I guess TrainerRoad), just change gear to adjust resistance (as wheel speed defines the level of resistance).

I can do 99.5% of the intervals I could on the turbo, but you have to save the last 0.5% to stop you falling off in a heap! I'm sure my pedalling motion isn't very good but I picked it up straight away and can even ride no handed on them now.

Buy a fat bike and make you own. Be a good DIY project for the dark winter evenings 🙂

You can, but you need to put in a lot of practice. Much easier initially on a turbo.

you can, but you can't give 100% - and 45-50mph on rollers while your breathing out your arse is dam sketchy! haha

if you want steady training they are great - its harder when you want to start interval training at high intensities.

which ever you get the novelty will quickly fade and they will become either instruments of boredom or torture!

I wouldn't be without my turbo - I'd simply struggle to go out and train like I can on the road or trails.

Turbo with sufferfest - sorted

Tacx blue motion at 118 good? Any other good ones round this price?

My turbo sits there as punishment for not riding the long way home. It's a good incentive.

If you are planning on doing focused high intensity work outs then definitely go for the turbo.
To be honest a 45-60 min work out( with a selection of sufferfest vids) works really well and its certainly not boring.
However the moment you get on a turbo without a plan then boredom will set in very quickly
Rollers work well and can be fun but are less well suited to harder work outs IMO

Kurt Kinetic + Trainer road again

Cheap Turbo's are a horrible experience.
A good fluid resistance Turbo trainer with a small range cassette is perfect. I have an 11-21 for turbo use, makes a lot of difference.

I have a Wahoo Kickr that I am using with TraineRoad. Its a great bit of kit, not bored at all on it yet.

For a good informed independent review of a bunch of trainers /trainer types then [url= http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2014/11/2014-winter-trainer-recommendations.html ]DC Rainmaker[/url] is the best read.

I tried a friends Tacx to check I did not hate it, and then bought a Kurt Kinetic. Generally the trainers go up in price as they try to add pseudo power which did not add any value to me as I had a powertap.
I also wanted something that would be pretty repeatable so I did not want one with resistance adjustment.
Think also will go for trainerroad subscription

Hora, I have a Tacx Bluemotion turbo and it seems pretty well made and stable. It's easy to set up. It is however boring as hell - I really hate using it but with limited time to ride these days its better than nowt (although I'll probably start running again in the New Year).

I couldn't use it indoors though - I get too warm in the garage let alone the living room. It is less painful if I take the ipad with me and stick something on to watch. 45 minuts is about my limit at the moment due to boredom.

plus one turbo left setup in front the TV plus fan comfortable quick and no danger of falling off!

It is however boring as hell

45 minuts is about my limit at the moment due to boredom.

Maybe it's seeing it as something you have to do when you can't do what you want to be doing?

See it more as a training tool that complements proper riding. If you have a good turbo setup, a plan to follow, keep things challenging and varied, and measure progression, then it is a lot more enjoyable.

Maybe it's seeing it as something you have to do when you can't do what you want to be doing?

See it more as a training tool that complements proper riding. If you have a good turbo setup, a plan to follow, keep things challenging and varied, and measure progression, then it is a lot more enjoyable.

This +1, I tried to do the "watch a star trek/LOTR/Breaking Bad box set" turbo training and it was soul destroying. Trainer road and sufferfest makes it bearable. At one point I was doing an easy session (dial a sufferfest down to 85%) in the mornings and a propper sufferfest every other day in the evening as I couldn't be bothered to commute. I wouldnn't say it was enjoyable, but it was preferable to playing in traffic on a wet tuesday morning in January.

As for fan's, don't cheap out on a £5 one from argos that would barely keep you cool sat stil in the office, £40 and it's like riding into headwind!
http://www.screwfix.com/p/fe45-h1-18mm-high-velocity-floor-fan-220-240v/54056
[img] http://s7g3.scene7.com/is/image/ae235?$p$&layer=0&size=281,281&layer=1&size=281,281&src=ae235/54056_P [/img]

I've a minoura turbo, cost about £150 and the best I've tried so far. Would like to try rollers as over the winter there's not so much point in doing really hard intervals, more threshold work and I get enough short sharp intervals on the singlespeed or riding round Swinley. And that's kinda the point, unless it was actualy horrible outside or I was injured it was nicer to find a briedlway loop of quiet ish, well surfaced non technical trails that could be done in about an hour and require minimal bike washing afterwards and do that than it was to sit on the trainer.

Has anyone ever had a turbo damage a frame?

Has anyone ever had a turbo damage a frame?

Often see the question asked but I've not seen any evidence that it does. I have an old road bike as a dedicated turbo bike so not really something I worry about. Though I've done a lot of turbo work over the past couple of years and not had any problems.

might get a small range cassette!

sweating is part of the appeal - it adds to the satisfaction of getting through and nailing a hard planned session. (you'll also need somewhere to spit)! haha garage floor is perfect...carpet..not so much!

The one thing I'd add is that you need to be really clear that riding in a turbo is essentially deathly dull unless you're hammering yourself senseless as part of some sort of structured interval session when the pain will take your mind off the tedium - or maybe just occupy the same space in your head.

It is in no way like riding a real bike. Most people struggle with more than an hour at any sort of steady pace, no matter what they're watching on the telly or listening to.

You'll also - as above - benefit from a bloody great big high-powered fan or you'll simply melt in a pool of your own sweat before evaporating.

Finally, even the quiet ones are noisy, particularly once you add in a fan at full blast. Using a dedicated mat helps a little, but don't kid yourself that you'll be quietly spinning away with everyone else in the house completely oblivious to it.

All I'm saying is don't start of with the idea that it's likely to be any sort of fun and you might even be pleasantly surprised.

Oh, my old Tacx whatever it is has survived around eight years now with a decent amount of winter use, in that time it's broken two bolts and there's a groove worn in the roller at the back that doesn't affect function at all. I'd buy another Tacx, but I'm sure there are plenty of other decent options out there.

Personally I'd always rather ride my bike unless I really want to be able to do a set of repeatable, structured intervals, in which case the turbo makes a lot of sense. Can you borrow a turbo - there are an awful lot of unused and unloved ones out there - to see if you actually enjoy it before buying?

@hora, I've got the high resistance version of the bluemotion (not specifically because I need the high resistance, it was just cheap). It seems good to me, I can't really judge but it works and it's miles quieter than the cyclops I used before. It does feel a wee bit less sturdy- it splays a bit when you fit a bike but it doesn't seem to matter

hora, I've heard the tacx bluemotion comes up a little on the small side and is susceptible to side winds 🙂

Has anyone ever had a turbo damage a frame?

Often see the question asked but I've not seen any evidence that it does.

There was a thread on Bikeradar about 12 months ago started by abloke whose cannondale ( CAAD10 possibly) snapped on the chain stay. He returned it under warranty but Cannondale refused the claim as it had been disclosed that it had been used almost exclusively on a turbo.

Edit.

Found it.

So it was only 7 months ago.
It was a CAAD9.
And he had owned it 4 years.

Apart from that - may be worth a read*
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40042&t=12969984

*or not

Interesting thread that. Maybe an even more pertinent question now that manufacturers are producing frames using complicated maths to figure out the optimum carbon layup for riding stresses. I doubt they consider the bike being clamped to a turbo in their sums.

TBH it's partly why I use an old road bike as a dedicated turbo bike, that and being able to have it set up all the time. If you're worried about it just buy any old bike that fits off ebay.

Only used carbon road bike once on turbo, looked down and everything was twisting. Got off quickly, old steel 456 used now. As to rollers v turbo, rollers are great for warm ups and cadence work but I can't get enough watts on them so when need to work I use a turbo (only had one for a month so still a novelty)
It's a wahoo kickr so not relevant re cost issue... But if I can keep going over winter looking forward to next season.

I have a cyclo-ops mag+...with vittoria turbo tyre sat on folded carpet and them foam flooring interlocking kids panels. its in my loft and my wife said she can't really hear it.

Quite a few kickr users on here now, I am mightily tempted.

Kickr and trainerroad, you know it makes sense.

Re the snapped frame- sorry that could have been coincidence or bad clamping/lack of routine re-check and retighten or twisting on/dismount with incompetent clamping.

Bought a Tacx blue T2650 pricematched at Evans for £97 and did 45mins whilst watching Dredd. I honestly don't mind it. When its dark/chucking it down and you feel antsy its spot-on to get a spin-fix IMO.

I bought the Kickr as I thought if I am going to buy a turbo I might as well buy one I will use. I have not been disappointed. With Trainer Road is verging on enjoyable. If if I do swear at it sometimes 🙂