Over the past 30 years, roller trainers have undergone a similar development to the bikes they are designed to simulate. At the beginning of the 1980s, cyclists were still sitting on hard plastic saddles on Kettler exercise bikes. After an hour at the latest, the first boil would appear. If you wanted to be more comfortable, you could put your entire bike on a free roller, which required a lot of balance.
If you want to work on your form at home today, you have a wide choice from inexpensive beginners to high-tech entertainment trainers. Computer-assisted programmes, sophisticated braking systems and training videos are already included in the cheaper roller trainers. The main aim is to give the biker the most realistic riding experience possible. This makes training more effective and prevents boredom, the worst enemy when training at home. We tested six rollers. Our candidates had to prove themselves in five criteria: Ride feel, volume, handling, braking power and entertainment.
The test results of these models can be found below as a PDF download:
Cycleops Super Magneto
Elite Real Axiom
Lemond Revolution
Rose Xtreme VX-2E
TACX Bushido
TACX Vortex
CORRECTION: An error crept into BIKE 12/2011.
The Cycleops Super Magneto wheel is the only one that can accommodate 29-inch wheels. More
Info on: www.sportimport.de
