Turbo Trainer or Rollers?

[XG332]

As my birthday is coming up and im being asked what i want, thought id get some cycling bits.

Ive been looking at TTs and rollers for a while, but which should i go for?
What are the differences and advantages ect?

oliver

[Jimbo.]

XG332 said:

As my birthday is coming up and im being asked what i want, thought id get some cycling bits.

Ive been looking at TTs and rollers for a while, but which should i go for?
What are the differences and advantages ect?

oliver

Depends what you want! One isn't better than the other: they're just...different.

Rollers are less faff to set-up: Plonk bike on top. Done. Slightly more convenient for race warm-up or cool down.
Turbos are more faff: (potential change QR or wheel), clamp bike in, lock resistance unit, prop-up front wheel. But with practice, it's no big deal.

Rollers with a significant range of resistance are few and few between, even less with bar-mounted adjustment.
Turbos with bar-mounted adjustment are plentiful, and offer a wider range of resistance.

There're less choice to begin with, with rollers, and more with turbos.

Rollers require you to concentrate on staying upright, therefore one less thing to stave off boredom. This has the potential to improve your bike handling and the muscles that you use for it.
Turbos hold the bike upright, so less to do and less practice at bike handling, and said same muscles. However, turbos let you mash away, be it cadence or strength or both, without fear of falling off.

re. the last 2 points, the guys I know who use rollers religiously over turbos have v. good bike handling, and can sprint in a beautifully straight line. Look at riders who've used a turbo all winter - myself included, I fear - and that's most definately not the case! It's like a pack of triathletes!

Both can be boring, but use some training aides (Sufferfest, TrainerRoad etc), focus your attention on something (technique, strength, utterly destroying yourself etc) and they're quite good fun. And they both keep the legs turning, right?!

Personally I have a turbo: I had nowhere to use rollers (wall/doorframe to lean against!) and wanted a good range of resistance. £140 for a Tacx Satori...sorted

[BadgerBenji]

I love my rollers, it's more involving than a turbo, and you just plonk the bike on top, and away you go, no clamping nothing, just ride.

As mentioned above great for bike handling, one of my little warm down things to play with, is to pedal to a stop, hold it just briefly and then get going again, and repeat. Sounds an odd thing to do but I think it helps when riding off road, when the back is spinning or stalled and you can then just pedal away in the direction you want.

[bakerstreet]

It's also worth mentioning that a specific tyre is required for rollers. Not required for rollers.

I was hoping to manage with my standard tyres, but I think the turbo hasn't helped any of the cracks and cuts in the rear tyre.

As others have said, turbo work cam get boring. I tend do do hour long sessions and put myself in front of the tv with a suitable programme. I find America's biggest looser is good inspiration!

Worth getting a fluid turbo trainer as they are quieter. Mine is the elite crono and it's been fine. Quiet enough to watch tv and it doesn't disturb mrs bakerstreet watching the tv. She occasionally shouts at me to go faster if I'm doing intervals.

I'm about to splash out on £70 on new tyres. Not sure what I'm going to do with the turbo. Going to probably end up splashing out on a new rear wheel and using the old tyre for turbo work

[moles]

I got an elite chrono gel and the rear road tyre is fine never gets hot and the tyre is stone cold in this weather (Garage use)