TimothyH

@bianchi10, @Carbonfiberboy and @UnfilteredDregs... This is exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for. Can't tell you guys how much I appreciate the fact that you took the time to type out your responses. It means more to me than you know.

Great feedback on the SportCrafters warranty and I did not know that the rollers could be reversed.

I'm starting to lean toward the SportCrafters but the TACX Galaxia seems nice given the price. Either way, I'm probably not going to get a bargain basement set. I'd go used first if that was the case.


-Tim-

PepeM

When I was looking the Sportcrafters seemed like the best option to me too, apart from the Inside Ride ones of course.

Doge

That is where I see trainers being used. For our purposed resistance makes things less fruitful. I specifically purchased rollers to not have much resistance. Resistance was/is done in the gym and climbing hills.

Purpose not to have resistance.
Spinning out after a workout.
Spinning out before a workout / race.
Getting cadence.
Getting rpms in your legs.
To some degree handling / smoothness.

Doge

You need to tell us what you want them for.
That may depend on where you live and what other options you have.

I am a firm believer bike walks/low resistance is better for you than high resistance - most days. And to really get the resistance you need, rollers are not the thing. But if you don't have good riding, training gym, or trainer options and you want one device for everything, sure - get resistance. But also be in a position to turn it off and spin and relax/recover. For that reason going smaller than 3.5" just provides too much grind when you want to chill.

PepeM

Btw, Planet-X sells a Sportscrafters lookalike that is usually a fair bit cheaper, although once you add shipping not so much. You might want to check it out.

UnfilteredDregs

I don't need a trainer for resistance, the cool thing about the Sportcrafters is basically below 15mph the resistance isn't engaged, it ramps from there. So...what I do before and after my workout is drop to a gear where I can spin for warm up/ cool down.

Personally I find the body core work rollers require to be a huge plus, and they pay off in spades for handling and smoothness IMO.

The only disadvantage is not being able to get out of the saddle...that's why the E-Motion are so attractive.

Carbonfiberboy 

One gears down. As I said, resistance is proportional to speed on these rigs. Even at my advanced age, I can pedal for 40' in zone 2 at over 110 rpm. I use my 39 X 27 for that. I used to pedal a steady 117 in my 42 X 23 but that was a few years ago . . . I do my recovery roller rides in zone 1 at ~90 cadence on them, though in lower gears now than I used to use. What's not to like, other than aging?

TimothyH

I understand and really appreciate this. Resistance isn't the primary function of rollers. I get it, and I do have access to an amazing gym only .5 miles from my home if I chose to take advantage of it. Atlanta is relatively mild compared to where some of you guys live and it is very hilly here.

Thinking out loud...

It is just bikes right now - no trainer, no rollers - and like everyone else, would like to get something to supplement riding during the winter months. Aerobic fitness, form, cadence, weight, health, cholesterol, etc., the basics. I'm not looking to qualify for the Olympics. Time is something I value as well and so versatility matters to me.

Time is something I value as well and so versatility matters. Is it really that far of a reach to want resistance when we are already talking about products which list for $400 and above? I don't know and that's why I'm posting here, to get feedback from guys like you to help figure it out. It means a lot to me.

Just trying to figure out where the best value is and when I look at the price of trainers I see rollers with resistance as a good value. The responses by @UnfilteredDregs and @Carbonfiberboy were very provocative in that regard and the fact that I ride fixed gear is part of the equation.

Again, really appreciate responses from everyone, especially those who challenge my assumptions.


-Tim-

TimothyH

Just add that this is very attractive to me.


-Tim-

Carbonfiberboy 

For fixed gear, the Sportscrafters really make a lot of sense because they give you, in effect, 3 gears. You can choose the type of workout you want.

Doge

I started riding in my kitchen about 1980. Kreitlers. I had the fan, but didn't use it. We were doing testing for things to stabilize rollers. I live in SoCal so rollers were for low resistance. At the time roller competitions were a thing - a small thing, but they existed.

I got my kid on them about age 10. I'd dump him on the side of the road before a race to warm up. At that time he couldn't dismount without help #meandad.

Portability was a nice feature too. Took the train to Wi for nationals in 2013 and he got his riding in. I've posted this numerous times. Also - not the same as the road, but you CAN stand on rollers.

UnfilteredDregs

You sure can, but not in any form or method that relates to actual riding...to do so results in one shooting the bike backwards out from under them...

Although there is another brand I can't recall at the moment that purports to being able to handle out of the saddle efforts, besides the E-Motion...

TimothyH

Those video's are great!

Back in college I walked into the student union one evening to find guys riding rollers up on the tables. They had paid some fee to compete and the gig was that they had to down a shot every few minutes. Last man riding won the money. This was 1983-ish.

Sorry, no videos.


-Tim-

Doge

There are no rollers that you can do max effort on unless they are strapped down. But...not the purpose of rollers.

79pmooney

I've got to second Doge. Rollers are for teaching your body really good pedaling style and habits. Also improving efficiency and energy conservation (by teaching your muscles to relax at the portions of the stroke when they aren't working. You can ride years thinking you are pedaling smoothly and efficiently but your first roller ride is likely to be a big eye-opener. What is thought to be smooth on the road is often unridable on rollers.) Another plus if you race - other riders will appreciate your smoother riding style. You become more welcome in breaks. Quality riders start hanging around. Better riders around you, fewer crashes you see. It's all good.

Ben

B. Carfree

Not disagreeing, wind resistance on rollers is noisy and is kind of a kludge. That said, my son-in-law gave me an extra set of rollers that happened to have a wind resistance unit, and it's kind of handy. It's not so loud that I can't hear what's coming in my ear-buds and the breeze keeps the size of the puddles down to small pond size.

woodcraft

These guys look pretty max.

UnfilteredDregs

Out of the saddle is what I'm talking about. I get upwards of 140rpm in the saddle.

UnfilteredDregs

Found them...Trutrainer rollers...You can ride out of the saddle rather naturally on these:

UnfilteredDregs

Another thing on the rollers...do the slow race..3-8 mph...really gets you in tune. I'm at the point where I can take my hands off the bars for a good while. It's more in your head than anything else.

Doge

Power way under max. Max power - they ride off.

allen254

i just got some from performance bike today and i like them a lot it was a good one hour work out i can get me into the 175 bpm on the rollers and its decent work out. there is some resistance to them but nothing like a real ride, just enough for a work out. i use them really only to burn fat and not gain weight. and also to try to hold high efforts for longer, you wont really gain muscle or at least not like when your out really riding.

the tacx galaxia is a good one cause it allows for movement and you can sprint on them if i had the money i would have gone the tacx galaxia for the movement that it allows for a better smoother experience . but if you dont care about the movement part ant rollers will do really.

sour

I've got two sets of rollers. The first was purchased in 1993 and is a plastic drum fold up performance set. They were loud and had a hop, but where effective for my needs. For as long as I have owned these, I always thought about replacing with nice (expensive) rollers. In the end, I bought a set of reduced radius aluminum Nashbar rollers 3 years ago when on sale for $100 delivered. The new rollers are smoother and quieter but do the exact same thing as the older set.

I probably average about 20 hrs/yr on the rollers. I prefer, and spend more time on, the fluid trainers over the rollers as I can read while riding. The rollers are nice for working on balance and smooth cadence and for impressing friends with stupid human tricks.

Square Wheels

I agree, I didn't find them easy at all. I went with the "nice ones". I got thrown off a few times, banged up my knee pretty good the last time, then the rollers sat unused in my basement for over a year.

I built this and now I love riding them. My wife even rides them now.

I only hold on when I find myself not paying attention and riding hard into the side. This rarely happens.

Not sure why the image won't show, I can't upload it, only post a link.

https://ctreeves.smugmug.com/Bike/Ne...ls/i-ZHkwR7M/A

TimothyH

Ah, the InsideRide. Tell me more please.

What do you like about them? What don't you like? What options do you have?

I ask because there is a set near me on Criagslist... https://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/bop/5911694508.html


-Tim-