True Trainer vs. Inside Ride Rollers

[Chris]

I want to get some new rollers. I'd also like to not need my trainer anymore as well. That means that I need some rollers that are stable and that you can generate some hard efforts on. These two seem to be the top options out there. I know there have been some earlier discussions, but now that a little more time has gone by, is there a general consensus about which would be better for all around training needs?

[Xyzzy]

I'm biased, but I really like the TruTrainer.

It just reeks quality.

Can you achieve a similar workout on a different roller? Probably.

Can you drive a Yugo to Waffle House? Probably.

Me? I drive a Mercedes.

(Well, not literally. I'm talking about the rollers. IRL I drive a 10 year old Tercel, which is why I can afford the TruTrainer.)

[johnmdesigner]

There have been several discussions about both on this forum.
I bought the Tru Trainers and they are beautifully engineered and finished. I rode on a set of Kreitlers for years.
Their weight makes them very stable. I like the flywheel concept - not only do they give you a great workout they also make it easier to mount/dismount as the rollers keep spinning (unlike the Kreitlers that stop almost immediately).
They also fold in the traditional manner (a must for an apartment dweller). I believe the Inside Ride rollers do not fold.

John

[ewwhite]

Detailed photos of my set of TruTrainer Rollers:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewwhite/sets/72157594326566493/

The only disadvantage is that they're heavy and not quite suitable for transport to races. I'm sure people do, but I have a small set of traveling rollers for warmup.

[Xyzzy]

Detailed photos of my set of TruTrainer Rollers:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewwhite/268641540/in/set-72157594326566493/

It looks like the rear roller is not tightened in straight. Otherwise, nice pics. I've never seen the platform before. (I bought mine in the cheapest configuration possible.)


Edit: I suggested to TruTrainer to put on threaded dealios like those old dropout screws, or maybe something like they do on the rear axles on motocross bikes, to line up the rear roller. Or maybe even just mark the side with index marks. Of course, the front and middle are pre-drilled so no problem there. I use an item of known width to set each side up equally, otherwise it is very easy to have the belt tension (which I like to run high as suggested in the manual) pull the right side of the roller forward.

[BdaGhisallo]

I have both sets of rollers and they are quite different in how they ride. If you want a high resistance workout but can't stand the "bike doesn't move 'cause it's clamped to a trainer" feeling, then the Inside Ride rollers (IRs) are the ones. If you want a ride that embodies the traditional roller workout, with a smooth ride and lots of high cadence pedalling, the the Tru Trainers (TTs) are it. The flywheel on the TTs is very nice and does go some way to simulate the ride on the road. However, I find that to get really high power on the TTs, I have to put it in a big gear and really get the wheel speed way up, and that I find a little unnerving at times. The TTs are very stable and I have never felt like I would come off of them. The quality of the TTs is second to none also. They are brilliantly designed and very well made. The ready made platform for them makes mounting and dismounting very easy, especially if you will put these on a tiled floor - no more skating on the tile with your cleats. You can get very stable footing on the platform to steady yourself.

OTOH, I find the resistance on the IRs is greater, and they have the option of four settings on a mag resistance unit attached to the back roller. The ride is nowhere near as nice as the IRs. However, I like them for resistance riding as you can generate high power without having to get the wheel speed uncomfortably high. They do have a flywheel of sorts, but it is laughably ineffective compared to the one on the TTs. As soon as you stop pedalling, the flywheel gives you about 2.8 seconds of additional roller drum spin! The e-motion concept that IR touts is okay if you are a real roller novice. It might help someone get the hang of rollers a little quicker. I wasn't able to test that theory since I have been a longtime roller rider and had no problem.

Having said all that, I find I ride the TTs 95% of the time. Most of the time when I hit the rollers it is to work on my pedalling or for an easy recovery spin when I can't be bothered to get all the gear on to go outside for a mere twenty minutes. These days I only use the IRs in the winter when the weather is really crap to the point where I haven't made it out in a few days and I want to give the legs a good burn.

I bought the IRs before the TTs came out. If they were both out there when I made my initial purchase, the TTs would have been the one. The TTs are, far and away, the best rollers I have ever used. I was a long time Kreitler user, both dyno-lyte and challenger, and the TTs are orders of magnitude better. The frame is solid and straight, without any tendency to warp and bend out of alignment, something that couldn't be said for the Kreitlers I had.

It really depends on what you want them for but I would go for the TTs unless you want really, really high power roller workouts.

One other thing is that the TTs are a lot quieter. When the e-motion kicks in on the IRs, they can make quite a racket. Also my IRs have a drum speed where they seem to reach a resonant frequency and they make a very loud racket. If I speed up or slow down the noise abates a good bit. Larry at IR offered to sort it out, but it wasn't enough of a problem for me to justify shipping heavy rollers back and forth from Bermuda to CO. The TTs have no such problems and they are smooth and quiet at all speeds.

I hope this helps.

Also check the big roller test at FGF:

http://www.fixedgearfever.com/modules.php?name=Roller_Tests

If you search the archives you will find some comments I made on the two some while back. I might have mentioned something then that doesn't come to mind now.

Geoff

[ewwhite]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewwhite/268641540/in/set-72157594326566493/

It looks like the rear roller is not tightened in straight. Otherwise, nice pics. I've never seen the platform before. (I bought mine in the cheapest configuration possible.)


It's just the photo. The rollers are straight.

[terrytnt]

I received my TT 3 months ago for Christmas. EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING said about these rollers is TRUE!!! I thought long and hard about which rollers, IR, Kreitlers and TT. (you may want to look back at all the threads over the past 2-4 months... there's some really insightful comments.)

What I love about these rollers is smoothness, flywheel resistance and reasonable good road feel, the shear beauty of how these things look and something that's NOT been said. The owners of TT are a class act. I had several questions for Ross (one of the two owners) and he was quite helpful. In fact, he even talked me out of getting the 'quick release flywheel' option because based on my needs and the input of many customers he said it just wasn't worth the additional $50 (and I would have paid in a blink).

Anyway, I use these rollers at least 3x per week, for at least one hour... and I absolutely love them.

you can't go wrong!!!

[mcteague]

If someone were to give me a pair of rollers I would select the TTs. I ended up buying the Kreitler Poly-Lytes for about $250. I agree the TruTrainer is a better product but, in the end, I could not justify the difference. The Kreitlers are still the great set of rollers they always were and indoor training still sucks but at least I didn't have to spend nearly a grand to be tortured.

Tim McTeague

[Peter P.]

When I first considered getting rollers and saw the e-motions, I wanted them real bad. The concept of being able to get out of the saddle and sprint with abandon was the clincher. Just being able to get out of the saddle at all to relieve the crotch pressure so typical of riding rollers was a true benefit. That, and the fact they have a resistance unit seemed to make them the ideal all-around trainer.

But, they aren't foldable, and I needed something to carry about 200 yards to my apartment complex exercise room. I'd already been borrowing a pair of Kreitler alloys (4.5" drums) and while they're smooth, simple, quiet, and light, there's little resistance so even this wimp was soon running out of gears. I'd considered the Dyno Lyte version.

Then I learned of the TruTrainer through the fixedgearfever.com roller comparison. The flywheel effect along with the foldability feature was enough to say these would be a good alternative to my lust of the e-motions.

You don't have to worry about flimsy frames with the TruTrainer. I step on the rails all the time and they are rock solid. The powder coated finish has been durable the 4 months I've had them, and the grippy surface on the rails has not worn out one bit.

The offset rollers definitely alleviate the crotch discomfort of "regular" rollers, although I wouldn't ride the drops exclusively for an hour. This is a feature the e-motions don't have, and I think it's a valuable one. One common complaint about rollers is crotch discomfort. Even if you do develop some crotch discomfort, riding out of the saddle is wicked easy, either on the hoods or in the drops, for as long as you want. You can't do all-out sprints like on the e-motions but think of climbing out of the saddle and you get the idea. Since the emotions don't have the offset roller feature, I imagine you'll have to take advantage of the ease of out of the saddle riding feature more often to alleviate any problems. On the TruTrainers I can do 20-25 minutes without standing.

The flywheel feature enables you to disregard the need to have some support nearby to start or stop. I merely put the bike in a low gear and turn the pedals with one leg a few revs to get some momentum, while the other leg is posted on the frame. Inertia takes over and I simply lift the posted leg and clip in; there's PLENTY of time if I don't clip in right away, just like rolling away from a stoplight. Stopping is just the reverse. TTs will spin for 15-30 seconds once you stop pedalling. Just clip out and post a foot on the rails.

If you buy the flywheel release option, it's like having TWO sets of rollers-a "resistance" pair like Kreitler Dyno Lytes for power workouts, and a free spinning pair for leg speed work like standard Kreitlers. If you look at it that way, the price becomes more of a bargain. In my opinion, unless you're a track rider you could probably forego this option and save some coin. You can easily get a spin workout in by simply riding a lower gear. In 4 months I've never tried the Flywheel Disconnect feature and don't anticipate ever doing so.

I did purchase the platform but I don't use it at present because I have to carry the TTs some distance to work out. It has a high quality glossy finish, doesn't flex, has a grippy surface, and is very convenient to use, but I don't think it's really necessary. More money can be saved here.

I also purchased the folding option. It's quick, and the tubular handle provides a place to wrap the excess roller belt. I don't, however, find it useful to CARRY them. The spring loaded handle has popped out once or twice when I bumped something, and the folded rollers are a bit too tall to carry with an extended arm. Instead, I tie the roller frame together with a piece of rope and grasp them by the rail between the two rear rollers, on the side opposite the flywheel belt. This provides the best balance at my left side.

Another plus to the TTs is all the materials used in their construction are rust proof. Sweat will do a number on things, and the TT engineers chose their materials well. I wipe down my rollers after a workout using a damp rag, and here's a point where the TTs have it over the e-motions: The smooth profile and lack of protruding surfaces makes this easy and quick, maybe a minute. With all the pieces with which the e-motions are constructed, wiping them off would certainly be time consuming.

Since you're also interested in doing away with your trainer and committing to one device, I can personally say the TruTrainer will do it all. While in my hunt for a trainer, be it rollers or stationary, I bought a fluid trainer. Without the need to balance, the fluid trainer offered NO upper body stimulation whatsoever, and the lack of need to balance left a certain dimension out of my workout. I think with the TruTrainer you can easily put your trainer in the closet and not look back.

[Chris]

Thans for all of the feedback guys. The one thing I love about this forum is how people take the time to respond in such thoughtful ways. Looks like its the TTs for me.

[Too Tall]

Fair and balanced ;) I just sold my Inside Ride rollers to purchase a custom set that are one inch longer to accomodate the Spectrum's longer wheelbase which rest exactly on the max length setting and am looking for even better hands free riding.

What is lost in this review of the two is the bio-feedback and variable wattage settings on the I.R. unit. After a good warm up with no resistance (which is basically a normal road feel) I add a touch of resistance and work on smooth power around the clock. If I am not even with power the unit will surge forward and back giving me an instant clue where I need to wake up my legs. I use an SRM on the trainer and I am able to ride in recovery <200 watts OR a big gear at 90+ rpms at 320-350 watts without changing the resistance setting.

We have covered in prev. threads how excellent the unit is in allowing you to fluidly get in and out of the saddle...even do it in a lazy manner OR GO FOR IT without having to use special precautions usual to using traditional fixed rollers that have no moveable carriage.

This is not a matter of one is better than the other. Both are quite different and very very well done.

[Bud_E]

I'm thinking about popping for the TruTrainers based on what I've read in this forum just to add variety to using the resistance trainer. I've never tried rollers but I have average bike handling skills so I assume I'll be able to get the hang of it.

My main concern about rollers is: When I finally get comfortable riding them, will I be able to do some things like:
- Watch TV while I'm riding.
- Use the remote to change channels, etc.
- Grab the water bottle for a drink.

Also, with the TruTrainers does the resistance level get reasonably high without having the wheel spinning scary fast ( i.e. not having to get into too high of a gear ? )

Sorry if this has already been answered but I couldn't find the answer searching the forum.

[11.4]

I've been a big fan of the TruTrainers since they came out. My issues with the InsideRides:

1. Only newbies need all the safety features.
2. The side rollers help with a little bit of swerving, but if you lose it, they just trip you and knock you over.
3. Construction isn't as good.
4. The resistance unit is like all other resistance units -- not as smooth (and not within a mile of the TruTrainers with the flywheel).
5. More to go wrong.

Go to a track, where people really give rollers a workout, and I've yet to see a single pair of IR's among 8 or 9 tracks I've raced at this year.

A local rider has a pair of IRs and I basically invite anyone considering rollers to try my TT's, his IR's, and a pair of Kreitler alloys I have around. Of 8 riders who've done this, one went with IR's and now is trying to sell them. One went with Kreitlers solely on price. Everyone else went with TT's.

TT now has a Traveler model that skips the flywheel and basically works just like a Kreitler at close to a Kreitler price, just far better made. It's definitely a Kreitler Killer. If you don't want the flywheel, check it out. I use rollers extensively as part of my track training -- a good 100 miles a week (hey, I've got a job and weather to deal with) -- and I can handle it on TT's.

Don't think. Just go to www.trutrainer.com and have your credit card handy. Best single thing you can get to improve your cycling. I'm a huge fan of an SRM, but pragmatically speaking, riding these rollers an hour every evening during the winter will make you a better rider than an SRM.

[Too Tall]

True Trainer needs to send me a set for evaluation ;) hmmm.

True Trainer claims it is easy to get in and out of the saddle (product website words). Easy in and out of the saddle is why e-motion is the muttsnuts + the bio-feedback (when that matters).

So talk to me about the True Trainer flywheel effect more and why jumping in and out of the saddle would be less sketchy on the TT rollers than traditional rollers? FWIIW my opinion of the Inside Ride front and rear wheel bumpers is NOT to make it easier to get in and out of the saddle...infact I'd like to see that feature removed it is not required and if you ARE hitting these when standing / sitting you really need to work on technique...same opinion of the side / roller skate wheels...they are window dressing and not required.

The REAL genius of Inside Ride rollers is the moving carriage that allows me to make no change in my normal road standing / sitting style when riding rollers vs traditional rollers where I must use a modified technique. There are times I like traditional rollers however when I want to stand/sit/rock and be active over the bike Inside Ride has no equal...so far ;)

Yep I agree, they are NOT something I'd ever take to the track. They are strictly for the home gym.

[Avispa]

...Easy in and out of the saddle is why e-motion is the muttsnuts + the bio-feedback (when that matters)...

But expanding on what TT said, FYI all, check out these rollers:
http://www.insideride.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=36

Haven't used them myself, but they seem to be nice!

When I win the lottery, I am getting a Super Trainer... :D :D

..A..

[11.4]

True Trainer claims it is easy to get in and out of the saddle (product website words). Easy in and out of the saddle is why e-motion is the muttsnuts + the bio-feedback (when that matters).

So talk to me about the True Trainer flywheel effect more and why jumping in and out of the saddle would be less sketchy on the TT rollers than traditional rollers?

One thing TruTrainer does is to space the rear drums farther apart, while also setting them higher than the front roller. This increases resistance just a tad, the higher position ensures that you are sitting perfectly level on the bike, but the big thing is that the greater spacing means it's almost impossible to ride out of them (fore or aft). With the flywheel engaged, I can do full-on jumps maxing at 155 rpm and 1460 watts on a track frame and not be in danger of coming off the rollers. The flywheel is so smooth that it lets you build up the watts and to indulge in whatever activities you want on the bike without getting rough or unpredictable. (I definitely recommend the $50 flywheel release option so you can take off the flywheel drag and run these just like Kreitlers for warmup or high-cadence drills. Riding with significant drag allows plenty of bad habits to creep in, which you are better off eliminating in high-cadence drills.)

Also, you have to appreciate the smoothness. I am bouncing on Kreitler alloy 4.5 inch rollers at 140 rpm simply because the rollers themselves are oscillating, while I can ride without the flywheel at 170 rpm on TT's and feel smooth. I've been on the IR's enough and very honestly, the smaller rollers and the sliding design don't help with maximum wattage output, and the adjustable resistance unit really deteriorates the smoothness of the ride. Not to say that it's bad, but it just doesn't measure up to the TT.

I think the key thing in comparison to the IRs with regard to the "safety" rollers is that the slightly greater spacing of the rear TT drums prevents a tendency to pop forward (or backward). You simply don't come out on the TT's. That being said, the last thing you should be doing is rolling backwards off the rollers anyway -- doesn't say a lot for your forward speed in a race. And the actions that will bounce you forward on rollers are actions that will make you squirrelly in a sprint -- the message being that you want rollers to improve your habits, not entrain bad ones. The IR rear drums are actually pretty close together so it's easier to pop forward off them -- I've never done it but in theory I can see how it could happen, compared to the TT's. Once again, however, it's not really the rollers causing you to pop forward, but one's own riding flaws. If you've been into the warm-up rooms in a Japanese keirin track, they have these big oversize rollers that riders hit well over 200 rpm on. Their very formalized training regimens really emphasize this kind of smoothness.

[Too Tall]

...."With the flywheel engaged, I can do full-on jumps maxing at 155 rpm and 1460 watts on a track frame and not be in danger of coming off the rollers."

That's what I was looking for. Thanks.

Anyone in the DC metro area have a set of the True Trainer rollers?

[Waldo]

But expanding on what TT said, FYI all,

Check out these rollers:

http://www.insideride.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=36

Haven't try them myself, but they seem to be nice!

When I win the lottery, I am getting a Super Trainer... :D :D

..A..

I checked out the web page. Their promo says: "Imagine laying down 1000+ watts without being locked down to a rigid trainer or sketchy rollers." For me laying down 1000 watts ANYWHERE would require lots of imagination. In my dreams!

[flydhest]

vlad,
That's from the e-motion rollers that TooTall is talking about, I think. I'm the recipient of the set that were too short for him. It's true, I've put out more than 1000 watts on that set. OK, so it was very briefly and I wanted to vomit afterward, but the rollers were rock solid. 11.4's commentary makes me think that the others could be even better, but I'm only using mine for intervals during the week or weekend days when I can't ride outside, so they're just fine.

[Peter P.]

Bud-E:

"My main concern about rollers is: When I finally get comfortable riding them, will I be able to do some things like:
- Watch TV while I'm riding.
- Use the remote to change channels, etc.
- Grab the water bottle for a drink.

Also, with the TruTrainers does the resistance level get reasonably high without having the wheel spinning scary fast ( i.e. not having to get into too high of a gear ? )"

I have a TruTrainer.

Yes; you can watch TV while riding rollers. It DOES take more awareness so you don't ride off the rollers versus a resistance trainer, so don't think you can daydream on rollers. If you do fall off, you don't launch like a jet off a carrier and you'll have plenty of time to unclip and put a foot down.

Yes; you can ride one-handed to use the remote. Same goes for grabbing your waterbottle. IT'S JUST LIKE RIDING ON THE ROAD. With the internal flywheel, the road-like feeling is uncanny.

Yes; the resistance level gets high enough to do power workouts. You definitely will not be winding out top gear for minutes. Check the power curves on the TT web site, and compare them to the power curves on the Kurt Kinetic web site, a trainer which very closely mimics real life wind resistance and you'll see they're very close up to 25mph, which is probably all any of us will ever need.

[Peter P.]

Too Tall:

True Trainer claims it is easy to get in and out of the saddle (product website words). Easy in and out of the saddle is why e-motion is the muttsnuts + the bio-feedback (when that matters).

It's true; riding out of the saddle on TT's is easier than on standard rollers because of the "back resistance" as I call it, from the flywheel. If you were to do a side by side comparison with regular rollers, you'd notice the difference immediately. And where this back resistance offers it's greatest benefit, in my opinion, is when just plain riding rollers. Your crotch WILL feel pressure you'll want to relieve, or you WILL want to stand up just to stretch a bit; I'm good for about 20 minutes. If you can't do this, then riding rollers will get somewhat uncomfortable. Sure, I can ride out of the saddle on 4.5" Kreitlers but my pedal stroke and balance are nothing like what it is on the road-it's awkward but doable. With TT's it's as natural as riding down the road.

So talk to me about the True Trainer flywheel effect more and why jumping in and out of the saddle would be less sketchy on the TT rollers than traditional rollers? FWIIW my opinion of the Inside Ride front and rear wheel bumpers is NOT to make it easier to get in and out of the saddle...infact I'd like to see that feature removed it is not required and if you ARE hitting these when standing / sitting you really need to work on technique...same opinion of the side / roller skate wheels...they are window dressing and not required.

I think the Inside Ride design is a great design and I would have chosen them over the TT's but I needed a foldable set of rollers. The IR video of the cyclist sprinting like a maniac had me sold. I can't sprint that violently on my TT's but I don't think it's that necessary. Also, the TT design which keeps the bike level versus the IR design (and all other brands) is a worthwhile feature to keep the crotch from going numb. That flywheel effect is just like accelerating the mass of a bike and rider down the road-there's that wind-up to speed and the subsequent inertia. It's a goof to be able to execute a sprint on TT's and coast to recover, which you usually NEED or would like to do after a sprint, anyway. I wouldn't knock the IR design and I think they're great in their own right.

The REAL genius of Inside Ride rollers is the moving carriage that allows me to make no change in my normal road standing / sitting style when riding rollers vs traditional rollers where I must use a modified technique. There are times I like traditional rollers however when I want to stand/sit/rock and be active over the bike Inside Ride has no equal...so far ;)

That "moving carriage" is probably the equivalent to the TT flywheel; they both absorb the uneven energy application of the cyclist to the rollers which I believe we ALL exhibit. With the TT's, there's absolutely NO MODIFIED TECHNIQUE with riding out of the saddle; they are just a joy to ride. And for those times you want the traditional roller feel, if you purchase the flywheel disengagement option, you can have that too.

One last mention, the TT flywheel also provides a resistance benefit so you won't wind these out easily; you can actually work on power with these rollers.

[Chris]

Can you do an easy recovery ride without the flywheel disconnected just by riding in a low gear? I am finally sold on the Tru Trainer Rollers and whether or not to get the disconnect option on the flywheel is my only question.

[djg]

Bud-E:


Yes; you can ride one-handed to use the remote. Same goes for grabbing your waterbottle. IT'S JUST LIKE RIDING ON THE ROAD. With the internal flywheel, the road-like feeling is uncanny.



Common guys ... I'm sure these are great and maybe I'd see all sorts of benefits if I were to try them, but surely you can take one hand off the bars on a standard set of kreitlers -- it's not that hard on my poly-lytes and I don't have any special skills or talent.

[11.4]

Can you do an easy recovery ride without the flywheel disconnected just by riding in a low gear? I am finally sold on the Tru Trainer Rollers and whether or not to get the disconnect option on the flywheel is my only question.

I'd suggest you definitely get it. It's not expensive but it lets you do a warmup or a recovery day spin rather than having to work hard. Plus low-resistance high-cadence riding is part of building your cadence -- if you can only build up with resistance, you won't get as far.

[Peter P.]

Can you do an easy recovery ride without the flywheel disconnected just by riding in a low gear? I am finally sold on the Tru Trainer Rollers and whether or not to get the disconnect option on the flywheel is my only question.

Certainly, you can spin in the small ring and it feels just like a road ride on your road bike-the gear you pick will provide the resistance. So for instance, if you toodle along on a recovery day in a 39x17 and just enjoy the sights without raising a sweat or your heartrate but maintain a cadence of 80-90, you can do it on the TruTrainer, and even coast!

I personally don't think it's worth getting the flywheel disconnect-I purchased it thinking it would be good to "have all the options" but in the year I've owned my TruTrainer, I've never disconnected the flywheel.

[Peter P.]

Common guys ... I'm sure these are great and maybe I'd see all sorts of benefits if I were to try them, but surely you can take one hand off the bars on a standard set of kreitlers -- it's not that hard on my poly-lytes and I don't have any special skills or talent.

Yes; you're right, in regards to riding one-handed, TruTrainer and Kreitler are practically the same. It does feel DIFFERENT on the TruTrainer due to the flywheel effect. The only way to describe it is, it's more realistic. You can coast while doing one-handed activities (that doesn't sound right!) or, if your cadence/speed drops while reaching for the remote, which I'll bet it does while engaging in any activity, the bike just rolls along like on the road. With the Kreitlers you're rapidly slowing to a stop. It's not the deciding factor if choosing between Kreitler and TruTrainer, but it sure is pleasant and after all, aren't we all looking for a REALISTIC trainer experience?

[djg]

Yes; you're right, in regards to riding one-handed, TruTrainer and Kreitler are practically the same. It does feel DIFFERENT on the TruTrainer due to the flywheel effect. The only way to describe it is, it's more realistic. You can coast while doing one-handed activities (that doesn't sound right!) or, if your cadence/speed drops while reaching for the remote, which I'll bet it does while engaging in any activity, the bike just rolls along like on the road. With the Kreitlers you're rapidly slowing to a stop. It's not the deciding factor if choosing between Kreitler and TruTrainer, but it sure is pleasant and after all, aren't we all looking for a REALISTIC trainer experience?

No, that makes sense. I'm not criticizing anyone's purchase of the trutrainer rollers, whether it's for better training options or just because they seem nicer for folks who have a long winter indoors (or even folks who live in California and just happen to like them). If they feel better they just do, and if it's easier to coast while you reach for a towel or fiddle with the mp3 player then that's a plus and I don't mean to suggest it's the only one. I haven't tried them, but folks seem to think they're great. I just thought that for folks who are on the fence and haven't tried either unit, it's at least worth knowing that you can get good quality rollers for 250 or so from kreitler, and they're easy to move around, and easy enough to ride once one knows how to ride rollers (and that includes taking a hand off the bars for water).

[dirtdigger88]

whats wrong with regular old fashion rollers

Jason

[Martin Manning]

Nothing. Mine are cheap aluminum Minoura's with a mag resistance unit. They fold in three and slip into a shoulder-able bag. Way less boring than a trainer stand, easier on my butt and my bike. I would argue that the lack of any added flywheel inertia forces you to pedal smoothly (you can't rest either), less stored energy if you come off, and no safety bumpers means you have to learn to ride straight. With practice you can ride no hands, change your shirt, etc. It's like riding on the road... a 14"-wide road.

MPM

[Peter P.]

I hope I'm not coming across all "snotty" with my praise for the TruTrainer.

Kreitlers are the ORIGINAL, and for what they do they are ABSOLUTELY the best deal going.

You can pick a roller diameter to meet your resistance needs.

They are bulletproof.

They are smooth as glass and quiet as a cemetery.

They are easily portable. This is the main gripe I have with my TruTrainer, which I have to cart down 4 flights of stairs and through 4 doors when I workout, then reverse the process to head home. The TruTrainer weight (35 vs. Kreitler's 18lbs.) is the price I had to pay to get the flywheel's benefits.

No question about it; if the price of the TruTrainer scares you then don't be ashamed to buy a pair of Kreitlers. You can't do wrong by them.

[11.4]

I hope I'm not coming across all "snotty" with my praise for the TruTrainer.

Kreitlers are the ORIGINAL, and for what they do they are ABSOLUTELY the best deal going.

You can pick a roller diameter to meet your resistance needs.

They are bulletproof.

They are smooth as glass and quiet as a cemetery.

They are easily portable. This is the main gripe I have with my TruTrainer, which I have to cart down 4 flights of stairs and through 4 doors when I workout, then reverse the process to head home. The TruTrainer weight (35 vs. Kreitler's 18lbs.) is the price I had to pay to get the flywheel's benefits.

No question about it; if the price of the TruTrainer scares you then don't be ashamed to buy a pair of Kreitlers. You can't do wrong by them.

If you think you're coming across snotty about TruTrainers, then a bunch of us are. They are in a class with the bikes we talk about all the time.

As for the weight, check out the new TruTrainer Traveler. You get Kreitler weight with TruTrainer quality. They will have perforated rails in the next few weeks so they're even lighter and easier to handle.

[Martin Manning]

Peter P./11.4,

My point is that if someone wants to get the benefits of riding rollers, he/she doesn't need to spend that much, and maybe the balance/pedaling smoothness aspect of roller training is better served without added inertia.

Kreitler certainly didn't invent rollers. The ones I saw in the early 70's were made by Cinelli, and I'm sure that the concept is much older than that.

BTW, do you guys realize you have now turned the roller-snob dial up to 11, and added a weight-wienie factor? I am not "afraid" of spending the money for one of these products, I just don't see enough added benefit to justify the cost. It doesn't bother me a bit to put an $8K bike on a $0.2K set of rollers, and I don't think the bike will be insulted either.

MPM

PS- 11.4, what's your interest here... do you work for or represent TT in some way?

[11.4]

Peter P./11.4,

My point is that if someone wants to get the benefits of riding rollers, he/she doesn't need to spend that much, and maybe the balance/pedaling smoothness aspect of roller training is better served without added inertia.

Yes, and that's why I've pointed out that they make a non-flywheel version to get a non-resistance ride like the Kreitler but done better. I also advocate getting the flywheel release because non-resistance high-cadence training is important and one should be able to do that as well.

Kreitler certainly didn't invent rollers. The ones I saw in the early 70's were made by Cinelli, and I'm sure that the concept is much older than that.

Certainly. I have owned a couple pair of Cinellis. They got sold instantly as soon as Kreitlers came along and I never looked back. Kreitlers have pretty much held their price for year with very limited increases, so from that standpoint they are a great deal. They also have a new Kompact version which is much more efficient to travel with than the prior one but is limited to 38" minimum wheelbase (what with aero seat tubes these days on track and TT/tri frames and even road frames, wheelbases are shrinking and may not fit on those rollers -- most of mine don't). Great product if it fits. I'm not sure of your point (did anyone say that Kreitler invented rollers?) but I'd just point out that people adopted better products when they came along and may do so here as well.

BTW, do you guys realize you have now turned the roller-snob dial up to 11, and added a weight-wienie factor? I am not "afraid" of spending the money for one of these products, I just don't see enough added benefit to justify the cost. It doesn't bother me a bit to put an $8K bike on a $0.2K set of rollers, and I don't think the bike will be insulted either.

Not a snob issue. We're talking about spending thousands on bikes and for many of us, a lot of our training is on rollers. If we had a quieter, smoother, better made, more versatile, more enjoyable pair of wheels, I suspect most forumites would shell out $800 for a pair of them. So for those of us who spend a lot of time on rollers, why not? It's only personal preference. We're not twisting your arm. The OP wanted info on two roller brands so these comments are simply on-topic.

PS- 11.4, what's your interest here... do you work for or represent TT in some way?

No, not at all. I bought from TT early on, I use them a lot, and I appreciate the quality. I can actually measure the benefit of riding them since both my primary track bike and road bike have SRMs (or does that make this a bigger snob issue?).

FWIW, most people make their affiliations pretty clear on this forum. I would have done so as well. It isn't really necessary to ask except to be inflammatory. Thanks.

[shanerpvt]

11.4, thank you for your input. I learn as much from you as I do from anyone else on this forum or any other place for that matter. I think we are very lucky to have someone as knowledgeable as you willing to give a honest opinion.

keep on rollin,
shaner

[Bud_E]

+1

I find that product opinions on this forum are genuine and well-informed ( even though there may be disagreement ). Sometimes I sense that some of the reviews on roadbikereview.com and the like may be shills, but I've never had that feeling over here. I really appreciate the input from 11.4, Peter P. and the others on this topic. IMHO.

[Martin Manning]

No, not at all. I bought from TT early on, I use them a lot, and I appreciate the quality. I can actually measure the benefit of riding them since both my primary track bike and road bike have SRMs (or does that make this a bigger snob issue?).

FWIW, most people make their affiliations pretty clear on this forum. I would have done so as well. It isn't really necessary to ask except to be inflammatory. Thanks.

Not trying to be inflamatory, but since you were plugging a new feature that is aparently not yet available I just had to wonder...

Now, are you saying you can measure the benefits of one set of rollers over another?

MPM

[flydhest]

whats wrong with regular old fashion rollers

Jason

dirt,
nuttin', I think the point is that the e-motion or the TruTrainers can do other things that are pretty nifty. I still think time on regular old rollers is good for people.

[paczki]

I have Kreitlers and they smooth you out just fine, as do any rollers. I just bought old school's inside ride rollers because I wanted the benefit of rollers but not have to concentrate as intensely as I do on the Kreitlers. I find it mentally taxing after a half an hour, and godawful after 45 minutes ( I really hate falling). I'd like something where I can continually monitor my pedal stroke but not have the monitoring be the continuous fear of careening into the wall. I'd like also to get a serious workout. Seems perfect. But rollers of any sort will certainly do the trick if you're not a mental weakling like me!

This has been a very edifying thread! Thank you.

[Too Tall]

dirt,
nuttin', I think the point is that the e-motion or the TruTrainers can do other things that are pretty nifty. I still think time on regular old rollers is good for people.
Where would I fit into that equation? Just looking for some inclusion my man. ;)

[paczki]

Where would I fit into that equation? Just looking for some inclusion my man. ;)

Are you going to have some custom tandem rollers made? I'd pay to see that.

[Too Tall]

Are you going to have some custom tandem rollers made? I'd pay to see that.
It takes two to tango.

[Chris]

Just pulled the trigger on a pair of true trainer rollers. I will let everyone know how they are.

[BdaGhisallo]

Chris,

You will enjoy them tremendously.

[manet]

Where would I fit into that equation? Just looking for some inclusion my man. ;)

duck your head and walk in ...