Roller trainers let you use your normal outdoor bike indoors. Simply they are rollers on which you ride, although the technology can get pretty sophisticated and there are some pretty impressive roller trainers on the market.
Here we review 3 of the best roller trainers currently around in 2016. These vary in price and specifications so that they will appeal to as many cyclists as possible.
Check out these top 3 roller trainers and see if they are for you.
Best Low Priced Roller Trainer
The Elite Arion Parabolic Rollers is one of the lower priced roller trainers on the market however that does not mean it is any less in quality. The Elite Arion Parabolic Rollers average at around £150 but I have seen them for as low as £122 in places. This roller trainer acts as the perfect in-between during the winter months when it is too cold to cycle outside but you don't want to use your indoor bike.
The Elite Arion Parabolic Rollers offers a more challenging workout then the traditional indoor bike as it takes a lot of core strength to be able to stay balanced on the roller trainers.
As well as offering a more challenging workout, the Elite Arion Parabolic Rollers can also help you work on getting a smoother pedalling technique. The raised edges of the Elite Arion Parabolic roller trainer helps to keep your bike in line and the rollers can quickly adjust to the speed at which you're pedalling. The rollers aren't as large as some of the other roller trainers on the market but they do give a feel of riding on a real road which is amazing. The even better news is that the Elite Arion Parabolic weighs just 7.3 kg so can easily be folded for storage.
See where to buy and best prices here.
Best Mid-Range Roller Trainer
The CycleOps Aluminium Rollers with Resistance Unit adds a resistant unit to the traditional aluminium rollers to give this roller a lot more versatility. If you already have a standard CycleOps Aluminium Roller though then you can buy the magnetic resistance unit separately to upgrade.
These very sophisticated roller trainers works very well with its simple design to create a smooth ride. The CycleOps Aluminium Rollers with Resistance Unit is made up of three aluminium cylinders which are connected by two folding runners. While the design seems simple enough, it actually offers six levels of resistance for different levels of strength cycling.
Because this roller trainer has six levels of resistance, it is a great choice of roller trainer for almost all cyclists no matter what their of level of expertise is. You can get the CycleOps Aluminium Rollers with Resistance Unit for an average of £290 but I have seen them for as low as £189 so make sure just to shop around for the best deal.
See where to buy and best prices here.
Best High End Roller Trainer
One of the more expensive roller trainers on the market is the Elite Real E-motion Rollers. The Elite Real E-motion Rollers are the most sophisticated roller trainers currently on the market. The average price for it is £1300 however I have seen them for as low as 780 which is a huge drop so there are definitely bargains to be had.
What sets the Elite E-motion rollers apart from other roller trainers is that it has small rollers on either side of the drum at the front of the trainer as well as parabolic ends on each of the rollers. Both of these features help to nudge you back to the centre of the trainer if you wobble. This roller trainer will allow you to do some stand-up cycling without losing balance which most other roller trainers cannot offer.
See where to buy and current best prices here.
Summary
Roller trainers are seen as the most natural and realistic way to cycle indoors. They do not constrain your bikes back wheel like traditional turbo trainers do and rely on core strength to maintain a good riding position.
The 3 roller trainers covered here are up there with the best you can buy in 2016. They vary in price from around £120 up to £1000 and this price difference is reflected in the features and specifications of the different rollers. All trainers reviewed here are high quality and recommended.
