Stationary Bike Trainer

Question: Rollers or stationary bike trainer?

(Posted by: NJB on 2010-12-01 11:55:02)

I have an old set of rollers I was thinking about getting out again for the winter. Then again I was considering buying a Cycleops stationary trainer for my bike. Would you recommend I buy the stationary or stick with the rollers and why? Pros / cons of each welcome from anyone who has used them both. I've used the rollers on and off over the years but have never gotten the hang of it completely to be totally confident I was not going to crash. Always been a little wobbly. The stationary kind will lock me in stability wise so I won't go flying across the room but will it offer the same benefits or be boring after a while? How does variable resistance work with stationary if at all?

Posted by: Bob Marks on 2010-12-01, 12:18:24

The stationary trainer is better for working out while watching TV or reading, it takes a lot more concentration to ride on rollers. The cyclops 2 is a very good trainer the faster you go the more resistance you get. I use a cheap magnetic trainer and I am at the point where I have to use the highest gear and spin at 90 rpm's just to get close to my max heart rate. Some of the trainers have adjustable resistance levels but it still varies with your wheel speed.

Posted by: MtBikr on 2010-12-01, 12:20:24

All trainers with the possible exception of VR trainers get boring after a while. Next everyone who has used roller has a crash story. With Cycleops, I have a Fluid 2 and it is one of the best I've used. Get a few Spinerval or Train-right DVD's and it's not so boring. As far as pro's and con's it a personal choice but I personally don't like rollers as I use my stationary for hard (really hard) work outs that if I were on rollers I'd fall over when done.

Posted by: Mtrlpqbiker on 2010-12-01, 16:23:23

I have both and much prefer rollers. If you want more resistance on rollers, shift to a higher gear. If you want even higher effort, ride with lower pressure in your tires when you start. Rollers teach you to pedal better, how to balance on your bike, and how to control it better. They improve your core strength because you have to make constant changes to keep the bike under you. Trainers are great for improving your strength, but rollers will make you a better rider. I have a set of rollers with a variable resistance unit, the best of both worlds.