I have been using rollers in the off season and some during the in season when I’m not able to ride outside or just don’t have time for a long ride for the last couple of years. I purchased an inexpensive pair of rollers from Performancebike just to give them a try and have never looked back, stationer trainers are just to boring and you don’t dare fall asleep on rollers. The pair I purchase were the ones with plastic drums and now I’m looking to upgrade to a new pair. For the people that have experience with both plastic and aluminum do the aluminum with smaller drums give a much nicer smoother ride?
The smaller the drum the harder the resistance. The Kreitler with the little tiny rollin pin size drums are quite hard. I’ve ridden lots of rollers, I don’t find a difference in same sized alu vs plastic drums, but I think the plastic ones are easier to ride since they have more “grip” on them then smooth polished alu. Right now I have a set of kreitler “hot dog” models (the drums are like 12" wide) and I have no doubt they will last forever… Keith
I like the Dynomytes…nice system…there is a new one out there with like a channel in the roller to keep you centered…may be neat.
Right now I have a set of kreitler “hot dog” models (the drums are like 12" wide) and I have no doubt they will last forever… Keith
The Hot Dog drums are only 10" wide! I have the Dynomites and they certainly do keep your attention - especially when your inner/middle ear is retaining water as a result of some alergin, you are sweating up a storm, and your headset is not adjusted properly (too tight)! Normally I can ride the rollers with no hands when on my road bike (not with TT bike) but last month I managed to either roll off the edge or slip on sweat 4 times during a 1-hour jam and all for the above listed reasons!
Michael
I have a set of the performance rollers also, and the “ride” doesn’t seem to be as smooth as some aluminum rollers I’ve tried.
Performance has a set of rollers with curved/raised sides which are suppose to guide you back toward the center should you go astray. Seems like a good idea, but don’t know how well it works, and I wouldn’t want to be the crash test dummy.
If you’re sold on rollers, just get the Kreitlers and you’ll never look back.