Rollers vs turbo trainers: which is better?

We seek to answer the greatest question known to (indoor) cycling kind...

- Michelle

A couple of years ago I decided that I was allergic to turbo trainers. The deadening ride feel rendered flashbacks of churning away through muddy fields in cyclo-cross races, but without the fun, and I repeatedly found myself hitting a physical or mental wall before actually hitting ‘pause’ during an interval.

Before throwing in the towel and forgetting all about my power zones, I decided to give the same sessions a go on my rollers. Surprisingly, I could finish the sets without entering a state of emotional and physical turmoil.

Technology has since progressed. Turbo trainers now feature-heavy flywheels which create more inertia which in turn creates a more realistic ride feel. As a result, I now flit between the turbo trainer and rollers, depending upon the session.

However, not everyone has the option of choosing between the two as the session dictates, so which is best?

The argument for rollers

Rollers consist of three drums upon which you place your bike. The second and third are connected via a belt (a big rubber band), so once you start pedalling, the rollers move beneath both your front and rear wheel, keeping you upright.

Learning to use the rollers takes a bit of practice – most people start by positioning themselves between a door frame. In time, you’ll find you grow in confidence, and can test yourself with tasks like grabbing a bottle from the cage or riding no-handed.

Traditionally, rollers have been very simplistic; you can pick up a set from about £150 but the resistance levels are limited, meaning that efforts far above 120/150 per cent of FTP can be difficult to sustain. Most pairs of rollers don’t have any form of connectivity to be used with training apps.