Please help me choose,Rollers or t/trainer?

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Chris-H

Über Member
Location
Bedford
The wife is going to buy me a turbo trainer for my birthday and has asked which sort i want etc.While i've been thinking about it the thought of rollers keeps cropping up.
The budget is around the £150 mark and i've found rollers and turbo trainers for that sort of money but in all honesty i know nothing about either.
I really need some good advice regarding which to go for and the pro's and cons of both.I dont want to make the wrong decision and spend the winter regretting it.Also the budget really cant stretch beyond £150 as i'm also getting a hybrid too.
Many thanks.
 

MattHB

Proud Daddy
I'm looking at turbo's and rollers too... Pro's and con's for each it seems.

I'm leaning towards rollers at the mo because I like the fact that I can work on my pedalling stroke better on them, and they're a little more interesting.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
turbo for me, mag one too so it adjusts at the push of a button.

Rollers seem to be good for stabiliser muscles (if that's the word) but a turbo allows you to multi task a little...like zone out and watch a dvd. or take a drink, or gel bar as you ride.
 
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Chris-H

Chris-H

Über Member
Location
Bedford
Looking like it might be a turbo then.
The one i'm looking at is a magnetic one with handlebar adjuster,any good?
 
The one i'm looking at is a magnetic one with handlebar adjuster,any good?

Mag turbos are generally ok - I use a Minoura V130 with mag resistance, although I tend to just leave it on the same setting and vary effort with the gears...
 

tigger

Über Member
I've got one of these FWIW. Very happy with it, easy to adjust resistance, could be quieter otherwise bob on for me. I paid a lot less about 2 years ago so worth shopping around.

If you want to lose weight with one, its worth investing in a heart rate monitor and doing 1 hr + sessions at 60-70% max bpm. This is where your body still uses fat as the principle source. Nice and easy and you can watch the TV dead comfortably. Watch your diet and the weight will drop off. I've lost 5 stone in 2 1/2 years. You can also mix in some short high intensity sessions too for improved anaerobic fitness

http://www.cycleops.com/en/products...ypage_images.tpl&product_id=167&category_id=3
 
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Chris-H

Chris-H

Über Member
Location
Bedford
I've got one of these FWIW. Very happy with it, easy to adjust resistance, could be quieter otherwise bob on for me. I paid a lot less about 2 years ago so worth shopping around.

If you want to lose weight with one, its worth investing in a heart rate monitor and doing 1 hr + sessions at 60-70% max bpm. This is where your body still uses fat as the principle source. Nice and easy and you can watch the TV dead comfortably. Watch your diet and the weight will drop off. I've lost 5 stone in 2 1/2 years. You can also mix in some short high intensity sessions too for improved anaerobic fitness

http://www.cycleops.com/en/products...ypage_images.tpl&product_id=167&category_id=3
Sounding good,i'm planning on insulating and plastering out one of my brick sheds,replacing the door and window with upvc ones and turning it into a training room with 42" tv on the wall for watching training dvd's so a turbo is looking like my best choice then :thumbsup:
 
If you want to lose weight with one, its worth investing in a heart rate monitor and doing 1 hr + sessions at 60-70% max bpm. This is where your body still uses fat as the principle source. Nice and easy and you can watch the TV dead comfortably. Watch your diet and the weight will drop off. I've lost 5 stone in 2 1/2 years. You can also mix in some short high intensity sessions too for improved anaerobic fitness

You would probably have lost weight quicker than half a pound a week if you upped the intensity a bit. Riding at 70% HR on a turbo is a waste of time, IMO.
 

amaferanga

Veteran
Location
Bolton
If you're only buying one of them then it has to be turbo. Not a great deal of variability in what you can do with rollers. And I'd recommend a fluid trainer, in particular the Cycleops Fluid 2.
 
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Chris-H

Chris-H

Über Member
Location
Bedford
If you're only buying one of them then it has to be turbo. Not a great deal of variability in what you can do with rollers. And I'd recommend a fluid trainer, in particular the Cycleops Fluid 2.
Cheers mate,whats the difference between magnetic and fluid? I really dont have a clue about these.
 
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