Tag: rollers

Crafty Power Rollers

Rollers are an excellent way for cyclists to stay in gear through the long winter. But many roller systems tend to be fairly passive and only offer a little actual resistance. But SportCrafters looks to make riders work a little harder with the new patent-pending power bicycle roller system, which utilizes magnets in the roller drum. All produced is quickly dissipated as well, so there is no worry about the drums getting hot. Additionally, as this is magnetic based there is no friction, no fluid and no fans.

As such there is also less noise than traditional resistance trainers and nothing to wear out, with no calibration or adjustment. And no maintenance. The entire device also offers less weight as well. And should less resistance be desired the user can reverse the drum. This progressive resistance roller drum can be installed on any SportsCrafters, CycleOps Bi-Fold and even older Nashbar bi-fold rollers. Let the good times… roller!

SportCrafters Official Website

Interbike 2012: Elite Rolls Into Wireless Control

Training rollers used by cyclists have remained largely unchanged for years. Set your resistance, hop on, and ride. With most rollers, the resistance unit, whether it was a fan, magnetic unit, or simply the diameter of the roller drums, can not be adjusted while riding. To make the workout harder or easier, changing to the next gear was pretty much to only option while in the saddle. The Italy manufacturer, Elite, has changed all of that with the introduction of their Arion Digital rollers for 2013. Continue reading Interbike 2012: Elite Rolls Into Wireless Control

Elite V-Arion – Rollers with Style!

If you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen they say. But if you can’t stand the cold and wind as you ride or you need to better way to warm up before a competition, it my be time to for your to get some rollers. Bicycle rollers have been around for over 110 years and have stood the test of time simply due to the fact that they work. These offer a very effective way to train or warm up your muscles along with helping you improve your bike handling skills off the road. Rollers are available in all different drum diameters and drum widths, plus any number of different features including a folding frame for easier transportation; parabolic drum ends to aid in keeping you from riding off of the sides; flywheels to simulate the ‘feel’ of the road; and resistance units to make your training that much harder. The Italian manufacturer, Elite, has released a set of rollers that packages parabolic drum ends, a folding frame and a magnetic unit in a very compact and easy to transport or store unit – the V-Arion rollers.

Video and closer look after the jump

Hands On: Rock and Roll Trainer First Impressions

At last month’s Interbike we saw a number of products that were designed to help riders train through the winter season. These trainers came in a many varieties including stationary bikes, rollers and the basic rear-wheel trainer. The latter category has plenty of basic devices, a few even seem quite similar, but one in particular caught our eye at the show – the Kinetic Rock and Roll by Kurt. At first glance this trainer resembles the basic rear-wheel configuration where the back end of the bike is attached by clamps while the rear wheel is allowed to spin freely, rolling against metal drum that is attached to a resistance device, but the Kinetic Rock and Roll has more to offer.

It is a simple device, and has the benefit of being easy to transport, easy to store and easy to set up. Unlike a stationary bike it is compact, and lets users actually ride their own bike. Rear-wheel trainers tend not to offer the road-like feel that rollers provide, but unlike rollers there is virtually no chance of riding off of a rear-wheel trainer. This style of trainer is good in that it allows riders to mount their own bike easily and has the resistance device that rollers often lack, but a rear-wheel trainer does not have the road-like feel of rollers (especially while out of the saddle) or allow the rider to have the opportunity to ‘train’ their bike handling skills while getting a workout. Continue reading Hands On: Rock and Roll Trainer First Impressions

Let’s Rollors

While there is increasing concern of the increasing size of children today, and there is no doubt that childhood obesity is on the rise, the truth is that many outdoor activities have fallen out of vogue. Worse still, old favorites like lawn darts have actually been banned for sale in the United States.

It is true, this type of “nanny state” that tries to protect children, actually has taken some of the fun out of playing on the lawn. But now a new game called “Rollors” could bring a return to the grass. Played with wooden disks that are basically like over-sized hockey pucks, the game promises to get things rolling. Players try to aim at a colored coded goal, thus the game takes traditional yard games and dare we say puts a new spin on it! Let the good times Rollors.

Rollors Official Website

Fitness Journal: Let It Roll With the Tru-Trainer

If you are familiar with cycling, you are probably familiar with the training device called ‘rollers’. Rollers are a very simple training aid consisting of three aluminum or plastic drums which the rider can only maintain their balance while riding. If they cyclist stops pedaling, they fall over. This might sound a bit dangerous and unnerving to learn, but if you can master riding rollers, not only will you get a physical workout, your handling and pedaling efficiency will greatly improve.

Even though there are many manufacturers who make rollers, they have remained virtually unchanged for decades until recently. TruTrainer rollers, manufactured by CycleDyne LLC in Brownsburg, Indiana, claim that their rollers have the closest feel and feedback to actually riding on the road. The secret to their rollers is the drum furthest to the rear is actually a flywheel. The only real visual difference between TruTrainer rollers and others on the market is the second drive belt connecting the two rear rollers. Continue reading Fitness Journal: Let It Roll With the Tru-Trainer