# Rollers: Kreitler v E-Motion v Rocking Rollers ?



## Lagavulin12 (Sep 3, 2009)

Any thoughts on how these compare? I'm currently using my nearly 40 year old Cinelli's that I bought used from my coach a while back. These things are extremely loud and, lacking a belt, I'm using an old rim band.

Are the E-Motions really an improvement over traditional stationary rollers like Kreitler or Cinelli? AND, worth $300 more? If so, then any thoughts on E-Motion v Rocking Rollers (or, as I suspect, is Rocking Rollers just reselling old e-motions for the same price as new e-motions)?

Thanks,


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## Guest (Oct 23, 2009)

I use Kreitlers and don't see any reason I would want one of the models with rails, bumpers or wheels.


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## tyro (May 15, 2005)

I've got a Kurt trainer and E-motion rollers. They are both great tools when the weather is bad out or it is dark. When I get tired of one, I rotate. I've never ridden standard rollers, but the E-motions are very nice.


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## wetpaint (Oct 12, 2008)

With e-motion rollers, you can sprint, stand up, put out 800+ watts. The bumpers and floating design make them very stable, I've purposely tried to jump off the rollers and I can't do it. I've never even needed to use the two highest tension settings either.


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## StillRiding (Sep 16, 2006)

The selling point for both E-Motion and Rock & Rollers is that it's hard to fall off of them. However, the purpose of riding rollers is to get exercise, not to thrill at avoiding catastrophe.

Any rollers, if you ride them long enough, will be hard to fall off of. Any rollers are capable of giving you all the exercise you'll need. Save your money and get a good set of Kreitlers. No bells and whistles required.


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## wetpaint (Oct 12, 2008)

Having ridden normal rollers extensively and now e-motions, there is no comparision. With e-motions you can stand up and sprint and now worry about rocking off the front or back like normal rollers.


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## ctracer01 (Jan 5, 2006)

buy a set of kreitlers. if you decide you want e-motions, it's a simple DIY project. I'm working on mine now, but you can search "homemade emotions" and a link will pop up off of bikeforums.net.


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## evs (Feb 18, 2004)

*I have Kreitlers*

4.5" Challenger rollers and they give me a great workout indoors during the winter months. I've had them for about 10 years now. I like the chance that you can fall off the side. It keeps you alert, like you should be on the road. It's not a catastrophe if you fall off the side. It keeps you focused. I work up a good sweat using the gears on my bike and trying to keep a quick cadence. I really like em'  They really help develop a good balance when transferred to the road. 
I have not tried the emotions yet. They look pretty cool though.


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## Guest (Oct 25, 2009)

wetpaint said:


> Having ridden normal rollers extensively and now e-motions, there is no comparision. With e-motions you can stand up and sprint and now worry about rocking off the front or back like normal rollers.



There is absolutely no reason you can't stand up on Kreitlers, if you are coming off of them, you're doing it wrong.


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## teffisk (Mar 24, 2006)

I Kreitler rollers but I have ridden the emotion rollers. There is no comparison. They feel so much more natural and fun to ride. The fact that you can do so much more not only makes it more interesting but you get a better work out because it is so much more capable. Rollers are the best for developing really good handling skills but you dont lose any of that with the emotions. They are the best thing I've ever ridden. i really want a set. Get em.


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

I am in the market for rollers or the rock n roll trainer, If I by rollers it will be the Kreitler 3.0 alloy, but if you can only aford one, what would be the best option, is the R&R kind of trainer roller in one, the R&R has constant resistance, would the Kreitler 3.0 have enough resistance for all aplications,


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2009)

fatstratblond said:


> I am in the market for rollers or the rock n roll trainer, If I by rollers it will be the Kreitler 3.0 alloy, but if you can only aford one, what would be the best option, is the R&R kind of trainer roller in one, the R&R has constant resistance, would the Kreitler 3.0 have enough resistance for all aplications,



Take a look at the chart Kreitler has on their website, it is an approximation of the resistance you can expect from the various drums based on your weight. My guess is 3's probably would, and certainly would with the headwind fan (with the fan the 4.5's would provide plenty as well).


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

I have no idea about watts, But I am going to do a follow up e-mail to Kreitler,


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Reviews*

There are some reviews at this website for your reading.
http://www.fixedgearfever.com/modules.php?name=Roller_Tests

My recommendation is get yourself a set of 3 inch Kreitler rollers and take the extra money you would spend on the rollers with "features" and buy a fluid trainer. Then you can choose what work out suits your particular training session goal for the day.



StillRiding said:


> Any rollers, *if you ride them long enough, will be hard to fall off of.* Any rollers are capable of giving you all the exercise you'll need. Save your money and get a good set of Kreitlers. No bells and whistles required.


Plus 1


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2009)

fatstratblond said:


> I have no idea about watts, But I am going to do a follow up e-mail to Kreitler,



I probably should have mentioned that, it makes that chart pretty useless.


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## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

kytyree said:


> There is absolutely no reason you can't stand up on Kreitlers, if you are coming off of them, you're doing it wrong.



I must be doing something wrong then.
I have been riding rollers for some 20 years and cannot sprint on them.
I can stand, ride with no hands (for a few seconds) but cannot sprint.

I see no reason not to get what you want. I have 3" Kreitlers and really like them.

How do you sprint?


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## Guest (Oct 26, 2009)

pigpen said:


> I must be doing something wrong then.
> I have been riding rollers for some 20 years and cannot sprint on them.
> I can stand, ride with no hands (for a few seconds) but cannot sprint.
> 
> ...



Maybe my sprint is just so poor that I don't have much to lose! 

I don't think I really do anything special, get out of the saddle and wind out the gear. Compared to me sprinting outside I come within about 5-10% of my peak. I've thought before that that 5-10% is from having to focus more on my control due to the rollers but I've also considered that my form may be a little better on them and that due to maintaining my weight distribution better I might be a little more aero (I tend to not get quite as upright on the rollers). All that's just me thinking though, I don't have anything to support it.


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## flyingheel (Aug 30, 2008)

I bought a pair of eMotions last winter and they are the best investment I have made over the year. They are the closest I have come to a real road feel both in handling and in power output to generate a specific speed. My power output on flat roads in no wind is nearly identical to the power output on the eMotion rollers with no added resistance (there are 3 settings). The mag unit type resistance is the smoothest I have come across even including fluid resistance trainers. Before I got these, I would have rather trained outside in 20 degree weather in the middle of January than put in an hour or more on the trainer.

In regards to sprinting on them...I guess you could and I have seen videos of people doing it, but its still a very controlled sprint and not one in which someone is full on sprinting like they would on the road. Regardless of how smooth you are, you are still riding in a 30 inch space and with the ntural sway of a bike and the drift associated with nearly all sprints I doubt people are doing sprint repeats on thease at power levels that are near what they produce outside on the road. Most of my preseason training are with intervals to build FTP (2x20 or 2x30) with an occassional shorter (1 min or so and VO2 max) intervals. They do handle 700-800 watts very smoothly.

I rode regular rollers and trainers years ago....I doubt I would ever go back.


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

No worries Kytyree, Kreitler got back to me, and sugested the 4.5 with the fan, they thought it would cover all aplications, because of the wide range it has, I would prefer rollers over the R&R if the resistance works, I will have to check them out one day,


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## StillRiding (Sep 16, 2006)

fatstratblond said:


> No worries Kytyree, Kreitler got back to me, and sugested the 4.5 with the fan, they thought it would cover all aplications, because of the wide range it has, I would prefer rollers over the R&R if the resistance works, I will have to check them out one day,


Kreitler may just want to sell you a fan. The 3.0 rollers can give you all the resistance you'll need without the complication and expense of the mechanical fan hookup. To keep cool, get a cheap electric fan with a remote. Walmart has some good ones for $25 vs. the Kreitler for $168. Go here: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4756123


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## Guest (Oct 27, 2009)

fatstratblond said:


> No worries Kytyree, Kreitler got back to me, and sugested the 4.5 with the fan, they thought it would cover all aplications, because of the wide range it has, I would prefer rollers over the R&R if the resistance works, I will have to check them out one day,



I would tend to agree with that, I haven't had the 3's but I used to have ones smaller than that, and while they had more than enough resistance they were a bit much for just getting on and doing an easy recovery ride which I tend to use my rollers for once in awhile.


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## Keeping up with Junior (Feb 27, 2003)

*Three*

Buy the 3.0 without a fan.



StillRiding said:


> The 3.0 rollers can give you all the resistance you'll need without the complication and expense of the mechanical fan hookup.


One of the nice things about rollers is their simplicity. I have ridden 4.5 inch rollers and 3.0 inch rollers. The 4.5 simply do not have enough resisitance by themselves. The 3.0 inch rollers have plenty of range. On the 3.0 I am in the big ring nearly all the time and rarely end up in my 12t or 13t cog except for short, sprint efforts. If you need a really easy spin you can always put it in your small chainring which will be plenty easy for a light spin. Should you later find that the 3.0 does not give your monster quads the workout you need then add a fan at a later time.


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

I already have a fan, just have to save up a few bucks for the rollers


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## fatcitywicked (Oct 19, 2004)

I have kreitler 3.0 rollers with 2 fly wheel attachments. It's the closest thing to riding outside that i've ever tried. The flywheels adequately simulate coasting when you stop pedaling and require a lot umph when accelerating which alot of trainers and rollers do not do well.


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## fatstratblond (Sep 3, 2009)

thanks for that info, Fatcitywicked


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## Lagavulin12 (Sep 3, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I've been sitting back and enjoying the discussion. Was ready to order some Krietlers until I read teffisk's post. Leaning back towards the Kreitlers though. I've never really been very indecisive until just recently with rollers and a new bike... Oh well.

Thanks,


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## gormleyflyer2002 (Sep 12, 2005)

FWIW ..... I have the e-motion rollers and a fluid trainer. The fluid is hasn't spun a mile since i got the e-motion. I'm not sure which has better training benefits, spin more on the rollers and feel like i pedal squares on the trainer. 

if you not the kind of guy to take either to a race for warm up..(mobile)....get the rollers.


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## Guest (Oct 29, 2009)

I used to have a trainer to take to races since it takes up less space in the car but I got to where I disliked it so much compared to my rollers that I sold it.


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