Reader's Rides

Tacx Antares T1000 Professional Cycle Rollers

Training with your bike running freely on a set of rollers rather than logged into a static turbo trainer, has gained popularity since the rise of our Olympic track teams, for whom bike handling to very narrow margins is essential. You needn't be aiming for a team pursuit medal to make use of these though. Training on rollers will improve your bike handling, give you a far smoother, more efficient pedal stroke, and crucially, demands concentration that prevents the boredom that sets in far quicker on a turbo trainer or static bike.

The TacxAntares feel like a well built set, with a solid feeling frame on rubber feet, and slightly dished rollers that will be easier on a beginner as they create a very small amount of force back to the centre if you start to drift.

Assembly took about 5 minutes and only needs the two allen keys (supplied) to bolt the 3 rollers into the frame.

As we figured most people reading this would be more interested whether training on rollers is for them at all rather than between a choice of different models, the following is a review by a first-time user. We'll be back with a long term review in the spring.

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The first couple of attempts were much more skittery than I imagined and I was worried I'd bitten off more than I could chew, but I forced myself to relax a bit and on the 3rd attempt I was able to put in a constant 20 minute session.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/43505002

A few tips and observations:

1. Definitely start off in a doorway unless you have some incredibly tall and heavy dining chairs. You need to be able to stick your elbows or shoulders out  when you first start.
2. The resistance didn't seem to be as much as I expected. In top gear on a compact it said I was doing 43kmh a only about 75rpm and I felt pretty comfortable, physically, I normally trundle along at about 30kmh on the flat at the same perceived exertion. It's like a very very slight downhill (less than 1%) or the smoothest road you ever rode. I'm wondering if there's a way to increase the resistance as a one-off tweak, not a resistance unit.
3. Mentally it does you in completely. I set up a film to watch on the laptop. I have no idea what it's about still. I do know every millimetre of the wall above it though.
4. Time still flies by compared to the turbo. I bought them because the turbo is just feck boring and I was worried about the serious vibrations it was causing now I have a nice shiny carbon bike rather than one made of pig iron. I can definitely see 60 minute+ winter sessions as a realistic goal. I'll  keep the turbo for shorter high intensity intervals.
5. It gives smooth a whole new meaning. As well as working on a nice circular stroke, making a constant tone on the rollers, I noticed that there was a slight forward-backward movement with each downstroke that I had to eliminate as it felt like I'd shoot backwards off the rollers if I didn't.
6. By the end of the 20 minutes I could move my hands about on the bars, just managed to get some sweat off my nose, but anything more ambitious and I was all over the place. Drinking water is going to be an issue for a while.
7. Achieving high cadence seems harder, I thought my natural cadence was about 80-85 but about 10 less on the rollers felt about right, although I was in a higher gear than I'd ride on the flat.
8. They're noisier than I thought they'd be, about the same as a really good turbo.
9. Just like the turbo, a floor fan, something to cover the headset and something to focus on like a video for longer rides are all useful
10. They're quicker to set up and no faffing about swopping out flat-ended skewers.
11. These have the parabolic cylinders, I'm wondering how much harder cylindrical ones must be, and thinking quite a lot, I'd be interested to hear form someone who has ridden both.
12. I logged the ride on my Garmin 705. You can barely look down at the figures while it's going, but one look is all it takes, you have to ride so consistently you really notice if the cadence or power wavers.

Potential upgrades, none necessary but when you're on a roll....

• Sweat cover
• Bluetooth earphones
• Floor mat (or just a large beach towel)
• Front wheel stand & resistance unit so I can bin the turbo fitting my tri-bars and tri-bar mounted water bottle
• Floor fan

Overall these are a great entry level model, easy to get used to but not so stable you'll get bored quickly. If you're wanting to rach up quality miles rather than lung-bursting intensity over the winter, these are definitely the way to go.