# Kreitler rollers - 4.5" vs. 3"



## dmulyava (Feb 21, 2007)

Hi guys,

I'm looking to purchase a set of rollers to complement my trainer.
I have the opportunity to buy the 4.5" model for a great price - but am concerned that there wouldn't be enough resistance OR that it wouldn't work my technique as well as the 3" model.
I'd probably be picking up the Headwind Fan, regardless of which model I buy.

A lower price is great.. but more important is having a product that I can use for years to come.

Any feedback?


----------



## Guest (Feb 8, 2009)

If you type the word Roller into the search function and restrict the search to the Racing and Training forum, you will get at least 200 hits, many of which have covered this question.


----------



## Guest (Feb 8, 2009)

dmulyava said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I'm looking to purchase a set of rollers to complement my trainer.
> I have the opportunity to buy the 4.5" model for a great price - but am concerned that there wouldn't be enough resistance OR that it wouldn't work my technique as well as the 3" model.
> ...



If you are going to pick up the headwind fan the 4.5's will be fine. There is a spread sheet on Kreitler's website that shows the power range that combo would cover. Of course resistance varies greatly according to rider plus bike weight, tires, tire pressure and so on. But with 4.5's and a headwind fan (I have the all alloy version) I can do everything from spin along at almost no resistance up to efforts of a 1000W. And to be honest the only reason I think that is high as I have ever gotten on them is that is the limit of my ability to stay on board.

You will get different opinions, and I have never had the 3" version, I did have the ones smaller than that and I have 4.5's now. I think the 4.5's with the headwind are the most versatile.


----------



## unit (Jun 11, 2008)

Yet another opinion...

I have ridden 4.5s, the 3s, and the 2.25s extensively. Personally, I never touch my 4.5s anymore (probably have not pulled them out in 8 months). I ride my 2.25s exclusively.

Why? I like the simplicity of not having to drag out and setup the fan (I just unfold the rollers and hop on). These rollers allow me to cover everything from recovery to hard tempo as long as I am on training tires and not racing tires.

If you have a dedicated room and plan to leave them set up all the time, none of this will matter, but if you have a family that requires you to put your stuff away...it is something to think about.


----------



## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

I rode some Tacx 4.5's for almost 20 years. It came with a mag resistence thing that broke in the first couple of years. Last year I bought some 3" Krietlers and what a differnence. At first they were much harder (effort wise). Now they don't seem that hard. I think they are probably the closest to riding on the road (flat road that is) than any size drums.


----------



## BeeCharmer (Apr 30, 2003)

+1 on the Kreitler 3" rollers. I have the headwind unit and the weighted wheel on the back as well and they are harder than riding outside with the wind unit off. Our family puts hundreds of miles on them every season and they are very well made as well.


----------

