Cycleops Rollers????

Smalltom

Hi folks,
Anyone out there have these ones with the resistance and if so what are your thoughts? Thinking of investing. Thanks as usual .

hueylewis

I have them, but without the resistance unit. Cycling on them is very smooth and not too loud--when you get up to speed it's kind of a low humming whirr. They are sturdy and well built, so they should last a very long time. I'd normally pedal in the toughest gear for a decent workout, which is roughly akin to sustaining a fast pace on flat terrain. You probably would need the resistance unit if you're interested in replicating a scenario (headwind or a climb) that would require more physical effort, but I can't specifically recommend it as I've never used it. Even without extra resistance, and even with plenty of cool air in the winter months, you will get hot and sweat a lot after a short period of time, so be prepared for that if you haven't used rollers before. Might be worth getting one of those sweat catcher things for the top tube.

Ryder

Second that......have them without the resistance unit and do fine using gears.

Often thought about getting the resistance unit (80e add on from amazon) but there is sufficient resistance as is to do 10 minute intervals. If you want the extra resistance to do shorter power or sprinting intervals then you may be better off getting a turbo as its easy to drift off with fatigue

Other than that, theyre quiet, well made and still running well for me after 4 years. Biggest plus for me with rollers is that they can be used outside

Smalltom

Cheers lads. I already have a tacx booster turbo trainer but wanted a set of rollers for those recovery rides etc as a change from turbo when the weather is too crap (or I'm too much of a wus). Basically I can get the cycleops with the resistance 2nd (actually 3rd) hand but was wondering if I would be better off getting a new set of tacx, sport crafters overdrive pro (planet x uk website) or elite arion mag. The big thing I guess is the parabolic type ones stop or help stop you cycling off the sides. Gotta add I've never used rollers but my bike handling etc is pretty good. Any thoughts?

Dave1442397

You can add cheap resistance by using rare earth magnets - http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/669900-quiet-cheap-effective-diy-magnetic-resistance-metal-rollers.html

I like the parabolic rollers, but my friend solved the cycling off the sides issue by adding a skateboard/rollerblade wheel to each siide of the frame facing in towards the front wheel. If the wheel heads for the edge of the roller, it just spins the skateboard wheel and he can ease the bike back on center.

hueylewis

Smalltom wrote: »

Cheers lads. I already have a tacx booster turbo trainer but wanted a set of rollers for those recovery rides etc as a change from turbo when the weather is too crap (or I'm too much of a wus). Basically I can get the cycleops with the resistance 2nd (actually 3rd) hand but was wondering if I would be better off getting a new set of tacx, sport crafters overdrive pro (planet x uk website) or elite arion mag. The big thing I guess is the parabolic type ones stop or help stop you cycling off the sides. Gotta add I've never used rollers but my bike handling etc is pretty good. Any thoughts?

I think you should be fine with the cycleops. The width is enough to forgive you for deviating from a straight line, and working to maintain that straight line can only improve your handling/steadiness even further. I'd recommend setting them up next to something you can grab onto in an emergency, and also consider having some sort of platform on the other side to bridge the gap between your foot and the ground. Everyone has a bit of difficulty the first time they use rollers; after five minutes on mine I was ready to give up and return them, and after ten minutes I had figured them out and found my balance. That's not to say I was an expert, and still had a couple of accidents after that! :pac: A few pointers I'd suggest:

• don't lean too much, keep the bike upright when pedalling and resting
• keep pedalling, don't try to freewheel
• when stopped/resting but still on the rollers, keep the front wheel pointed straight ahead or it might try to turn perpendicular to the bike and fall in behind the front roller
• to build confidence and find your balance, it can help to focus on the ground a few meters ahead of you, as though you're trying to cycle towards that point.
• be careful not to over-correct if you find yourself heading towards the sides
• be careful changing between hoods/drops/tops - at least for me it wasn't as straightforward as it is on the road! Same goes for taking one hand off to reach for a bottle or to grab onto something.

All of these things will become apparent after only a little bit of time on them, but they might be handy to know before.

Ryder

Smalltom wrote: »

Cheers lads. I already have a tacx booster turbo trainer but wanted a set of rollers for those recovery rides etc as a change from turbo when the weather is too crap (or I'm too much of a wus). Basically I can get the cycleops with the resistance 2nd (actually 3rd) hand but was wondering if I would be better off getting a new set of tacx, sport crafters overdrive pro (planet x uk website) or elite arion mag. The big thing I guess is the parabolic type ones stop or help stop you cycling off the sides. Gotta add I've never used rollers but my bike handling etc is pretty good. Any thoughts?

I got a trial of the tack parabolic rollers before buying the cyclops and they are the only ones that I managed to cycle off (not paying attention). Cyclops are better IMO and I dont think the shape of the parabolic ones really makes a big difference