Indoor trainer - Rollers or Turbo

colm_gti

Looking into a means to train indoors over the winter months for the inevitable deterioration in weather (if that's possible?), unless of course we're rewarded following the 'summer' we've had...

Anyway, what is the better option for training indoors? A set of rollers (like the tacx antares with the fork brace), or a turbo trainer?

Plastik

colm_gti wrote: »

Looking into a means to train indoors over the winter months for the inevitable deterioration in weather (if that's possible?), unless of course we're rewarded following the 'summer' we've had...

Anyway, what is the better option for training indoors? A set of rollers (like the tacx antares with the fork brace), or a turbo trainer?

Not quite the answer to your question, but this Philips LED light gets much, much more use than my turbo in the winter months. http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/article/philips-led-bike-light-set/aid:409750

smacl

Don't know how it compares to rollers, but I went for a tacx vr turbo purely to make the indoor training a bit less monotonous. Outside of the virtual reality, which is great, the software is good at capturing and exporting stats i.e. power, cadence, speed etc., such that you can track performance over the same circuit. I find that I get a tougher work out on the turbo than the road for shorter spins (e.g. 1 hour), as I'm always watching the power figure and pushing harder as a result.

That said, I don't race, so it's purely for fun and a bit fitness for me.

Max_Charger

Rollers: Will help you smooth your pedel stroke to stop you from bouncing on them at higher speeds, but cant set resistance so not as good a workout and boring as f*ck.
Turbo: Can set resistance to get better workout but also boring as f*ck.
That's the advice I got last week at the lbs when I asked the same question. Taxc Satori turbo trainer ordered because of it.

Bechermann

Ordered one of these the other day, great value if you do decide to go for a turbo!
http://www.bike24.com/1.php?content=8;navigation=1;product=1791;page=4;menu=1000,5,69;mid=18

Raam

I got an older version of this one.
http://www.tacx.com/en/producten/ergotrainers/flow/index.dot

I use me Garmin as the HR, for timing the workout and setting the workout goals, which in my case is HR. That trainer does some stats: time, speed, power and it lets you change the resistance from the display unit. The power is off compared to a power meter which I got a loan of but it's useful as a number chaser for a workout for motivation purposes. I wouldn't be claiming that I can actually hit the numbers which it had me at though.

doozerie

Raam wrote: »

The power is off compared to a power meter which I got a loan of

Out of curiosity, did you use it with a power meter more than once and if so was the Flow off by similar amount each time? I have the same turbo trainer and I've read some reports that say it tends to be off by a consistent amount, which would be useful, but I've never had an actual power meter against which to compare it myself.

Raam

doozerie wrote: »

Out of curiosity, did you use it with a power meter more than once and if so was the Flow off by similar amount each time? I have the same turbo trainer and I've read some reports that say it tends to be off by a consistent amount, which would be useful, but I've never had an actual power meter against which to compare it myself.

At low power, it would match, but when I started putting in the effort the Tacx was registering anywhere from 20 to 30 watts more. Possibly the difference was even greater but I can't remember exactly. I think it varied a bit but I only tested it a few times and then I had to give the power meter back.

Pieterblurb

I changed to rollers last year. I got some elite rollers with a resistance built in. The resistance levels are not as high as with a turbo trainer, but I think the feeling is much more realistic and the risk of falling off makes it more fun (?). With a bit of practice I can now cycle out of the saddle.

DirkVoodoo

doozerie wrote: »

Out of curiosity, did you use it with a power meter more than once and if so was the Flow off by similar amount each time? I have the same turbo trainer and I've read some reports that say it tends to be off by a consistent amount, which would be useful, but I've never had an actual power meter against which to compare it myself.

It varies with a few things, you have to calibrate it each time, but even changing tyre pressure could upset it. It's really only useful, as Raam says, for measuring whether you are improving or not. Hoping to use it as a way of working out your FTP, no chance!

Google, there is a review out there somewhere where a guy does some comparisons.

insinkerator

I have a turbo trainer, the tacx flow, and use it with the sufferfest videos. They give an excellent workout imo, and for what it's worth, by the time I finish up a session on my turbo, I'm generally hanging off the bike with balance being beyond the realms of possibility.

billyhead

insinkerator wrote: »

I have a turbo trainer, the tacx flow, and use it with the sufferfest videos. They give an excellent workout imo, and for what it's worth, by the time I finish up a session on my turbo, I'm generally hanging off the bike with balance being beyond the realms of possibility.

Can you get teh sufferfest dvds in an Irish shop online or instore. Also where would you suggest the best place would be to get the Tacx Flow at a reasonable price?

lennymc

google sufferfest - they are a download only afaik.