Turbo v Rollers

zico10 · 17-12-2014 11:12am #1

I have a turbo already. It's a pretty basic one and over the last few months I've been thinking of upgrading to a LeMond or similar. I travel up and down from Dublin a bit, so it would be useful to have two. This is not the main reason, but it is a factor. Whatever I buy, I'll use, so value for money is not really going to be an issue.
Recently I've been thinking would there any benefit to getting a set of rollers instead. Would there?
I'm thinking the rollers would be useful for short recovery spins or in brick session where I'm not looking for max power outputs.
I'm aware a set of rollers will not replace a turbo, but does anybody have both and how much use do you get out of the rollers? Do you find there is any advantages to having both?
Just out of curiosity; what's the longest anybody who has a set of rollers spent on them? I'd imagine the likelihood of falling increases the longer you stay on.

mossym · 17-12-2014 11:16am

can't speak to rollers, but if it helpe

lemond no longer shipping to europe, impossible to find, they're not making any more i believe and stock is virtually non existant

discovered this while looking for one a few weeks back. instead went for an elite turbo muin, direct drive like the lemond, but fluid rather than fan so very very quiet.

RacoonQueen · 17-12-2014 11:19am

mossym wrote: »

can't speak to rollers, but if it helpe

lemond no longer shipping to europe, impossible to find, they're not making any more i believe and stock is virtually non existant

discovered this while looking for one a few weeks back. instead went for an elite turbo muin, direct drive like the lemond, but fluid rather than fan so very very quiet.

This what you got?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-turbo-muin-fluid-direct-drive-trainer/

Was actually just thinking of rollers myself recently...don't think I'd survive on them though...

kchsligo · 17-12-2014 11:21am

It'll be interesting seeing what people say here...

A mate of mine regularly does two hour sessions on his rollers but I've never really managed any more than an hour or so. Seriously thinking of investing in a turbo to see if i'll go for longer but then again I just do not like training indoors that much so probably won't...

mossym · 17-12-2014 11:23am

yup, that's the one. not from wiggle though. some of the german sites bike24, 4thebike doing slightly better pricing.

need to add a cassette to it as well. after that though no messing around with tyres and wheels. my tri bike is mounted on it and ready to go whenever.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi · 17-12-2014 11:50am

Hey Zico,

I have both, rollers are fine for recovery, HC intervals or for warm up at races. Beyond that i would stick with the turbo. I think 40mins is the max i have spent on them and i have them in a spare office beside me at work, they only get used if the weather is bad and i want to get a quick 30/40mins in. Not really good for any real quality work. You will fall off, i did. After a few times using them though they are handy to use and you will feel more comfortable on them.

I have the wahoo kickr, pricey for what it is but i rate it highly. The power readings are very accurate, within 1% + or - against my SRMs and are very quite with no fuss. I heard the LeMonds are also good but extremly loud hence why i avoided them. Pop down to B2r as they might have a wahoo there you could try. Not sure if its your thing but you can do VR rides, ride IM courses and the like if you need to do long turbos.

mossym · 17-12-2014 11:51am

B2R are also doing the muin i mentioned, they're stocking it as a replacement for the lemond

joey100 · 17-12-2014 12:57pm

I have a Lemond turbo, worth noting that it is very very loud. I use it in the garage of the house and can still be heard in some rooms. Depending on your living arrangements it might not be suitable! like Mossy said elite do a version similar and there is a new one by Jet black that cycle superstore are doing. After using a direct drive turbo I don't think I'd go back to a resistance based one, feels more realistic.

pgibbo · 17-12-2014 1:07pm

I've been told that if you can do a couple of hours in the aero position on your TT bike on rollers it's indicative that you are holding your position well and will stand to you come race season. Any thoughts on that?

Are you looking for a good turbo zico or one that give power too? Just curious if the likes of the wahoo might be OTT for your needs?

Mossy, does that turbo you got have a power output?

BTH · 17-12-2014 1:49pm

I have both, rollers only really used for easy sessions or recovery session, probably only used 2/3 times a month. Just doesn't give the same resistance. Handy for those winter long spins though, you can break up the monotony of a long indoor bike. Hour turbo, hour rollers, hour turbo was my long spin on Saturday.

mossym · 17-12-2014 2:17pm

pgibbo wrote: »

Are you looking for a good turbo zico or one that give power too? Just curious if the likes of the wahoo might be OTT for your needs?

Mossy, does that turbo you got have a power output?

no direct power output on that one, you can get a speed sensor for it alright. not a big deal for me as have the pm anyway

the Real version of it adds on the VR racing, and the power measurement., at a significant premium. considered it, wasn't for me. this is the fancy verison
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-real-turbo-muin-fluid-direct-drive-trainer/
my version
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/elite-turbo-muin-fluid-direct-drive-trainer/

BennyMul · 17-12-2014 3:52pm

I have both,
Use the turbo so high end work, and rollers for recovery up to 1/2IM level intervals, have done 3+ hours on them and on the TT,
as JB said at the start you realise how much you move all over the place however after a session of two its grand,

zico10 · 18-12-2014 8:40am

pgibbo wrote: »

I've been told that if you can do a couple of hours in the aero position on your TT bike on rollers it's indicative that you are holding your position well and will stand to you come race season. Any thoughts on that?

I imagine it'll more than do this. A couple of hours in the aero position on the turbo, or out on the road has the same effect. Imagine with the bike moving under you on rollers that it will develop your handling skills while aero as well.

pgibbo wrote: »

Are you looking for a good turbo zico or one that give power too? Just curious if the likes of the wahoo might be OTT for your needs?

Still not 100% what I'm looking for just yet. Someone is very generously giving me $520 to spend in an Irish bike shop next year, there's a lot of ways I could spend it.

Ryath · 18-12-2014 10:11am

Do you not need a new zipp? Unless you really want a high end turbo I'd go with the rollers there are models with resistance if you want but I reckon a basic set would do just to mix up your training. (I'm also curious to try them;)) Meant to be good to smooth pedaling technique/bike handling and also works the core. Nothing wrong with your cyclops fluid the cassete driven turbos are nice but come at serious premium. I'd sooner put that money to a powermeter, wheels or a bike.

Did you ever look at trainer road? http://www.trainerroad.com/ Hundred's of workouts and gives you a great way of tracking your progress with virtual power.
I found it very good last winter you have a ANT usb stick now with the 910xt you just need your garmin cadence/speed sensor back! It eats batteries though and I always found it fiddly. Think I'm going to pick up the new garmin accelerometer one.

Dawehead · 18-12-2014 11:46am

A problem with rollers is you can't switch off mentally & just ride them, as you fall off!

BennyMul · 18-12-2014 11:50am

Dawehead wrote: »

A problem with rollers is you can't switch off mentally & just ride them, as you fall off!

Of course you can switch off, after a while you forget and they are p1$$ easy
you simple learn to ride in a straight line,

Turbo v Rollers

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