Rollers, which one do you suggest?

Triathlon Forum
1

anyone have a “the best” suggestion for rollers, Tom D do you sell good ones?

If I ride the rollers a lot do you think I’ll have mad skills?

2

I guess I’ll be the first. I have some old Taxc, the thing I like is that I also have two fans that are hooked up to the rollers, thus making them rollers/windtrainer. With both fans on the resistance is quite challenging, I can maintain about 8-10 km/h less than on the road.

Yes, rollers will improve your bike handling skills, but they will also improve your pedal stroke. You’re gonna be nice and smooth on that bike.

3

I like the big foamy ones. That way when I sleep with them in my hair I don’t get a headache.

4

thanks for the suggestion on the foam rollers, if I grow my hair and want curls I’ll get the foam ones, no one wants a headache, especially when your sleeping. After you take the foam ones out of your hair can you ride your bike on them? does the grease make them slippery? do I use a hair elastic between the drums?

5

I second the Tacx - I just gave a pair away b/c I moved and got a Kurt. They are fine but quite loud when you’re on them.

I don’t really care about how smooth my pedal stroke is since that has likely very little bearing on endurance performance, but rollers are great for another reason: they improve your line, whereas the trainer will worsen it.

Last winter, I rode exclusively on rollers, had a nice and tight line on the road, no handling issues. This year, entirely trainer, I looked like a triathlete! :wink:

6

I wouldn’t settle for any less the Krietler. I am still using the pair I purchased approx 25 years ago and still in good shape. Yes you pay more at the start, but you won’t be disappointed.

bob

7

thanks for the suggestion on the foam rollers, if I grow my hair and want curls I’ll get the foam ones, no one wants a headache, especially when your sleeping. After you take the foam ones out of your hair can you ride your bike on them? does the grease make them slippery? do I use a hair elastic between the drums?

I’m too chicken to ride on them so I use a fluid trainer for that. I do use them for a helmet, though. The hair elastic would work well, you can vary the resistance by varying the thickness and number of the elastics.

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8

Have to second the Kreitlers. I bought a set second hand a couple of years ago and they are fantastic. I haven’t been on my fluid trainer since I got them. I only recently added the headwind unit to increase resistance. There’s really nothing like rollers to smooth out your pedaling stroke.

9

I have an older set of the Tacx rollers, with the fans between the rear wheel rollers. I think they have redesigned them with the fans behind the rear rollers. I had problems with breaking the fans when I would come off of the rollers, and replaced them with some fans from Performance which mount behind the rollers. I had problems with the hubs coming loose from the pvc drums of the Tacx rollers. If you are big, this could be a problem.

I now have Kreitler Challenger rollers, the aluminum drum with plastic hubs, and the headwind fan. These are excellent, I highly recommend them.

10

Kreitlers. Flat out they are the best on the market. Bullet proof, last forever, spin smoothly and can be easily serviced if there is ever a problem. I’ve been on the same set for 7 years and have only had to replace the belt. We sell a lot of them in my shop.

SportCrafters www.sportcrafters.com would be a good, cheaper alternative and are well made. SportCrafters actually manufacture the rollers for CycleOps who just repaint them and add more $ to the price. They are very smooth but the frame is better on the Kreitlers and there are more options.

Kreitlers are the industry standard. Don’t get rollers with plastic drums as they will warp over time. Plastic end caps are fine as they can be replaced cheaply if something happens.

You won’t get mad skills just by riding rollers but will improve your balance and pedalling technique. Mad skills on rollers would include the ability to start without using a wall, ride no handed, ride with a single leg, ride no handed with one leg, and ride a fixed gear backwards. You start learning how to ride them in a door frame with your elbows to balance though.