rollers vs. trainer

I have same fluid trainer.

I work hard on the trainer in winter to improve my power. I need to be able to 100% focus on going hard and hitting my watt goals for my intervals. Rollers wouldn't allow me to do that and just spending time riding indoors is sort of waste of time. I am using winter to improve and get faster.

This will be my 5th indoor winter. I do ride outside often though when it is 20 or above. First two years just used trainer and did time. In '06 I bought power meter and I learned how to train smart in the winter and actually improved. Now I know winter trainer rides are very very challenging but oh so good for me.

I just got the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine about 2 weeks ago, I paid $270 including the shipping. Love it so far. It is very quiet imo. I watch TV at a reasonable level, talk to my wife, etc. I love the feel of it so far also, feels very much like riding on a very flat course. If I want to up the intensity, I simply shift gears.  I can certainly see myself surviving the longer workouts in my upcoming schedule on it.

Though I've never had to opportunity to ride on rollers.

Get both if you can.  They both have their uses and benefits.  You can certainly ride hard on rollers (if you can push 300+ watts then just get the small diameter ones) and I do threshold workouts on my rollers without a problem.  However I wouldn't want to do tests on my rollers where I'm cross-eyed and just staring at a clock that's running backwards.  I just don't want to have to pay attention to anything but the pain & the clock.

I find riding the rollers more enjoyable.  You'll become much better about riding with a relaxed upper body and being able to hold your line.  There's a learning curve at the beginning, but once you get the hang of it after a few times it's not something terribly difficult to do.  I have them set up square in front of the computer so I just watch movies and stuff.  It's tricky for me to look around while riding them and I've had some funny experiences watching bike races where my body tries to lean into the curve that the people on TV are riding....  But I've never fallen off or even gotten especially close to falling.  Well there was the christmas day I got them and tried to ride them after a little too much celebratory beverages.....

I called up e-Motion and found out the the InsideRide rollers can only handle wheelbases in the range of 36.5 to 42.5 inches (not quite enough for the 43.5 wheelbase of my hybrid bike).

I got myself the emotion rollers, actually got them before I got a bike.(got it brand new for $100 off retail and I had just won the $700 playing poker so I figured lets do it)

I have not really spent any time on them yet, about 3 rides. I learnt very quick that you cannot watch tv like you can with a stand trainers or you find the floor quite quick. I have gone a hour on my 3rd ride and you have to concentrate all the time, so it might get interesting trying to go for 2+ hours.

I think it is a more realistic ride and I have found that even on the small ring just trying to ride normally it really gives me a workout.(I am obv not much of a cyclist having gotten rollers b4 a bike)

If money is not object I would get the emotions if you go with rollers or if I was going to get a stand type trainer I would definately go with a computrainer.

Good luck and don't forget to post about your 1st indoor fall if you go with rollers ;-)

CycleOps Fluid II

x2.   and if you're in an apt, put your bike and trainer on a yoga mat to futher deaden sound for the folks living below you.