Concrete and Rebar: Rollers

[redir]

So I am looking at eMotion vs TruTrainer reviews all over the place as I want to get some rollers for this winter, smart rollers.

I like the flywheel that TruTrainer has. I have ridden them in indoor competitions before but I have never ridden the eMotion ones. The flywheel gives an incredible real road feel to riding rollers but it's still tricky to get up and sprint. Seems like the eMotion ones have that locked down but they don't have the flywheel.

That got me to thinking. It got me to thinking about my current rollers. If I fill the rear roller with concrete and rebar and or ball bearings or something like that do you think that would mimic the TruTrainer flywheel?

We can also make this a TruTrainer vs eMotion thread too. I'd love to hear from your personal experience on either one of these.

Regards.

[stien]

Some rollers have an "accessory" side for a belt driven fan (headwind maybe?), perhaps you could rig up a flywheel in that manner.

[thwart]

We can also make this a TruTrainer vs eMotion thread too. I'd love to hear from your personal experience on either one of these.



Has already been discussed here a time or two. Fellow Paceliner 11.4, who knows his stuff, likes the TruTrainer rollers. I've got 11 yrs and more than 500 hrs on my set of eMotion rollers (in an unheated garage), and I love 'em.

So... Shimano vs Campy, or at least a bit like that.

[dsimon]

What about This or thaT

[FlashUNC]

So I am looking at eMotion vs TruTrainer reviews all over the place as I want to get some rollers for this winter, smart rollers.

I like the flywheel that TruTrainer has. I have ridden them in indoor competitions before but I have never ridden the eMotion ones. The flywheel gives an incredible real road feel to riding rollers but it's still tricky to get up and sprint. Seems like the eMotion ones have that locked down but they don't have the flywheel.

That got me to thinking. It got me to thinking about my current rollers. If I fill the rear roller with concrete and rebar and or ball bearings or something like that do you think that would mimic the TruTrainer flywheel?

We can also make this a TruTrainer vs eMotion thread too. I'd love to hear from your personal experience on either one of these.

Regards.

Please post photos of this construction project and a test ride video.

[redir]

Please post photos of this construction project and a test ride video.

I will do if I decide to do it.

Yeah I figured this would be a Ford Vs Chevy kind of thing. They both have pluses as far as I can tell with no minuses.

[Blown Reek]

Why would you put rebar in the concrete?

[redir]

Why would you put rebar in the concrete?

Make it heavier.

[mt2u77]

Filling it with concrete and rebar seems like it would be difficult to balance-- could cause vibration/shaking issues. Plus, it's relatively permanent and difficult to try. I don't know what the inside of an eMotion roller looks like, but it seems if the bearings are sealed off you could just fill it with sand to try it out. If it doesn't work, clean it out and you're back to normal.

However, I think there's more to this than just adding inertia to your rollers, otherwise why would TruTrainer go to the trouble of adding an internal flywheel when they could have just made the roller heavier. The flywheel smooths out/dampens the loading and unloading, in addition to simply adding inertia.

I'd be more inclined to try to mod the Tru-trainer frame to add the eMotion features if you must.

[redir]

Filling it with concrete and rebar seems like it would be difficult to balance-- could cause vibration/shaking issues. Plus, it's relatively permanent and difficult to try. I don't know what the inside of an eMotion roller looks like, but it seems if the bearings are sealed off you could just fill it with sand to try it out. If it doesn't work, clean it out and you're back to normal.

However, I think there's more to this than just adding inertia to your rollers, otherwise why would TruTrainer go to the trouble of adding an internal flywheel when they could have just made the roller heavier. The flywheel smooths out/dampens the loading and unloading, in addition to simply adding inertia.

I'd be more inclined to try to mod the Tru-trainer frame to add the eMotion features if you must.

Ah ok I was assuming that the TruTRainer worked by getting a heavy cylinder up to speed and storing the energy in that for coasting but I think you are suggesting that there is more to it then that.

Good idea on the sand.

[Blue Jays]

I just wanna' know if the nice TruTrainer "accessory step / platform" can work on the InsideRide smartrollers! :banana:

[redir]

I just wanna' know if the nice TruTrainer "accessory step / platform" can work on the InsideRide smartrollers! :banana:

That I have been thinking about too.

[berserk87]

Here's another polite request for a posted video if you end up making this. I am interested in how it would turn out.

[Peter P.]

Filling it with concrete and rebar seems like it would be difficult to balance-- ...

Exactly my thought. Don't even think of trying it or you'll be eating the cost of one roller.

The reason for having the internal flywheel is so they can offer the option of disconnecting it, when you choose to rider TruTrainer's as standard rollers.

I have TruTrainer rollers. One benefit they have over the eMotions is they hold the wheels level to the ground. It feels more comfortable and natural riding in the drops. On standard rollers, where the rear wheel sits slightly lower than the front, I tend to use the tops of the bars more, otherwise I feel undue pressure in the private parts area.

I don't worry about the inability to sprint. That's such a minor quibble to me as not all rollers can be all things to all people.

[Nomadmax]

Thankfully, at this stage of my life I've learned the cheapest way to do something is buy/do it once. I have some good equipment that I've long forgot how much I paid for it.

[foo_fighter]

I once filled a plastic roller with sand. It added a lot of inertia but had too much resistance so it wouldn't stay spun up. I removed the sand pretty quickly. Sport Crafters sells a heavier roller up grade for their rollers.

[Mikej]

What about the old folded up towel under the roller?

[Mike Bryant]

Fill it with BBs.
I have no idea if that would accomplish anything desirable or not, but am curious of the results.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[merckx]

In the 80s when I was racing a lot, and riding the turbo in the winter months, I built a specific rear wheel for indoor training. I laced an aero tub rim to an old hub, and then filled the inside of the rim with lead buckshot. Then I glued a tub to the rim and away I went. When I stopped pedaling, the wheel would roll out for a long time. It completely changed the dynamic of turbo training.

[speedevil]

The Insideride rollers I picked up have a magnetic resistance that you can adjust. Can't adjust while you're riding, but I suspect that could be done with a lawn mower type throttle cable. Might look into that as riding season winds down.

The Insideride rollers are very well made and work quite well. It's nice to ride different bikes on the rollers and not have to "install" the bike each time - just set it on the rollers and go.

[redir]

I once filled a plastic roller with sand. It added a lot of inertia but had too much resistance so it wouldn't stay spun up. I removed the sand pretty quickly. Sport Crafters sells a heavier roller up grade for their rollers.

Ok so it's already been done. No sense in reinventing the wheel. I was looking at the sports crafters, have you tried them?

In the 80s when I was racing a lot, and riding the turbo in the winter months, I built a specific rear wheel for indoor training. I laced an aero tub rim to an old hub, and then filled the inside of the rim with lead buckshot. Then I glued a tub to the rim and away I went. When I stopped pedaling, the wheel would roll out for a long time. It completely changed the dynamic of turbo training.

Haha! Brilliant!

[chismog]

In the 80s when I was racing a lot, and riding the turbo in the winter months, I built a specific rear wheel for indoor training. I laced an aero tub rim to an old hub, and then filled the inside of the rim with lead buckshot. Then I glued a tub to the rim and away I went. When I stopped pedaling, the wheel would roll out for a long time. It completely changed the dynamic of turbo training.

Never thought of that. Pretty smart. I bet it works well to counter that instant deceleration you feel on most trainers. THIS seems like the thing to try! Wonder if it's noisy?

[foo_fighter]

I haven't tried the sport craft rollers..since I have a set of TruTrainers now.

BTW, there is another method, which is to use something like the Stac Zero Wheel weights:
https://www.staczero.com/upgrade

Also maybe fill your tube with water.

Lastly, speaking of roller upgrades, this rotating fork idea seems kind of cool:
https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2019/08/insideride-smartpower-floating-fork-rollers.html
Could probably be built with a fork mount on a lazy-susan bearing.

Ok so it's already been done. No sense in reinventing the wheel. I was looking at the sports crafters, have you tried them?



Haha! Brilliant!