Dalai

Wanted! Anyone got a lead on a used set of ZZZing 8" lightweight rollers?

ZZZing Rollers Product 2



I plan on flying interstate to quite a few races this year (mostly National CX Series races through this winter) but also to the National Masters Track Championships which will be interstate again next year. Therefore I am on the lookout for a light trainer or set of rollers that I can easily pack.

Some of the available options I have found so far are:

- The new SportCrafters Omnium at 6.21kg. Pricey and possibly not yet available in Australia? https://www.sportcrafters.com/products/omnium-trainer
- Although not many trainers have a listed weight, the Minoura D60-R trainer does and is only 5.5kg with room to modify to lighten some more. B60D | MINOURA JAPAN
- Another available option may be buying a set of Kreitler Hot Dog rollers (plastic end cap version lighter?) and getting an alloy frame custom made locally? Though not sure what the 10" wide 3" diameter Kreitler drums weigh on their own...

But after a little while searching I was referred to the 8" ZZZing roller which weighs under 4kg! Unfortunately the guy who made these is now retired so I need to find a used set!

gtrob

wow even the 12in is only 10lbs and they look to pack up pretty tiny. No idea where to buy one though


On a side note, how 'reliable' is it to have rollers available at the track? Im thinking UCI events that 95% of people are flying into, is everyone really shipping rollers?

carleton

Those narrow rollers require a lot of concentration...from me, at least. Maybe I never got used to them. But, I'd prefer a normal mag trainer to a set of narrow rollers. When I'm cooling down after a race, the last thing I want to do is have to concentrate to stay on some narrow rollers.

What do roadies or TT guys use when they travel?

Dalai

I have posted this question now in half a dozen forums including the road racing section here and other than the Omnium I was suggested to perhaps just rent from a LBS. Though I don't know of any bike shops at least here in Australia that do that... I could contact clubs in the city I am traveling to and see if I can borrow a set from someone, but I like being self sufficient.

gtrob

For a TT/RR I personally like to warm up on the roads around. Ive even done loops around a parking lot. Others prefer a trainer, but is not much of an option when you travel. I rarely see rollers at a TT warm up, but see lots of trainers.

Im looking to travel for racing a bit more this summer, particularly track, so interested in hear what people do since warming up for track has less options. Im one of those people that has no problem asking to use someone's rollers though (or not asking )

carleton

I've seen people at track events use their road bike to warmup by riding through the neighborhood. But, traveling to a track event with a road bike is more drama than taking a trainer.

I've heard of people taking normal mag trainers and rollers on to airplanes and putting them in overhead bins, but I've never done it myself.

I don't think there is an obvious answer here. I know it sucks to go to a big event and be subject to madness on the track when 50 people are doing various efforts of god-knows-what. I've seen it all:

- People cruising at 15mph in the sprinters lane 2-abreast chatting
- People on road bikes
- People going 40mph weaving through traffic yelling
- I even witnessed one coach at a National event on the track explaining with "Stick and Stay" means to one of his athletes (also on the track) who had never been on the track before...but she was competing that week.
- The 30 person paceline train.
- The simultaneous 10 person paceline train.

Paying a few extra dollars to travel with rollers or a trainer doesn't sound like a bad idea

JMR

I have put the word out when travelling to track races before... I have always been lucky enough to have someone loan me a set of rollers for a couple of days.

Just last week a lovely chap loaned me a set of rollers while in Melbourne for Nationals!

When I went to Townsville last year, I called a couple of the local shops and asked if I could rent a set... the second shop I called were happy to loan me a set at no cost.

For me, they are just too bulky to carry... and like Carleton said, I'd hate to by trying to stay on those mini rollers after doing a Kilo!

JMR

brawlo

Bike Rollers | Bike Trainers | Huge Online Discounts - Velogear

Something like this would mean you could ditch the front roller thus saving possibly 1kg or more in weight. Cycleops also do a fork brace for their rollers but their framing is steel. If you wanted to go all machinist on it, you could get the rear rollers cut down and the crossbar for the fork stand cut down to narrow the whole setup and it would be very similar in size to the omnium trainer.

If you have something to hold on to, you could even cut the rollers right down to just the back 2 and plant your back wheel down on them. Very unconventional, but I see lots of juniors at track events with their parents holding onto their handlebars while they have their rear wheel up on the rollers. Similar concept. It all depend how desperate you are to save on size/weight.

slindell

Minoura seems to do the lightest trainers and rollers with some of the older model a bit lighter somewhere around 5 kg, but nt sure about the durability or how smooth.
Minoura Action Advance Rollers (100029925) at CambriaBike.com

Dalai

I always use a trainer for warming up at TT's, but then I've always driven including interstate for these races.

Didn't realize you could still buy the Minoura Action Advance Rollers. They are very popular down under but didn't think they were available anymore... Will also keep my eyes peeled for a set of these locally.

Quinn8it

Dalai-
Ive struggled with this same issue for years.. I've tried a bunch of solutions and this is my take on what I've tried:

ROLLERS:
* Kreitler "Hot Dog" with 3" drums. These are really light and portable. very well built and solid. They also pack up very well. I do most of my roller work in training on 4.5" drums and these create more resistance, which is not great for spinning.. they also do not create enough resistance for a 30-sec hard lactic effort before a kilo.. so they end up doing everything poorly. I developed a system of wedging a hand towel under the roller to create resistance.. not an amazing system- and i once rode off the side and popped both tires on my race wheels 10-min before my Team Sprint at Masters Nats..

*Kreitler "Hot Dog" 4.5" drums. The big drums barely fit on the orange travel frame, and actually took inserting some washers inside the foot caps to create ground clearance. I use these for pre-training warm up in the parking lot at the track- since I'm always tight on time. these are great, with great feel.. but still have the limited resistance issues..

either of these rollers will pack up in a "non oversize" bag to be checked on a plane.. i found a great backpack/roller bag..


The "Hammer Racing" guys from Colorado have a system where they have a mate apply pressure to a folded towel with their foot.. sitting in a chair behind them when they do their lactic effort.. looks like it works..

*Kurt Kinetic Mag-Trainer. I bought this sight unseen after popping my tires on the rollers. When it arrived i wish i had known how heavy it was.. this is a great trainer with an excellent adjustable mag resistance. works great for using a fixed gear bike and being able to dial in your effort. there is a little wheel slip- but i tend to roll into my warm-up effort, so it was fine. the frame holds the bike about as stable as I've seen.. which is still not rock solid.
for Travel you could use the KK Travel bag, not much else would fit in the bag and it would be the cost of a normal checked bag..

* Elite Mag Trainer. This is a much lighter adjustable mag trainer. The tire contact point is rubber, which protects your race tires. the frame is decent, wobbly like most trainers.. the best thing about this trainer was that i was able to get it packed into a regulation suitcase with room to pack clothes.. some foam from Home Depot cut to size- and the entire other half of the suitcase was left..


honestly none of them are perfect options..
if i was traveling to a sprint/keirin tournament, i would just bring the 3" Hot Dog rollers..
but when I'm doing a kilo, i need to be able to blow myself up 20min before i race- so i have to bring the Adjustable Mag.. and for that i choose the Elite..

rensho3

Nice options Quinn. I also use a suit case for my mag trainer when I have to fly, and there is enough room left to pack clothing around it; the tools etc have to go in a separate bag. One thing to note, if you are going to England for Master's Worlds, they have a program that lets you rent a trainer or rollers as part of the registration process, so no need to bring one.

Dalai

I've had an eBay alert in place since posting this topic with no success.

Just saw a mention of https://www.roodol.com folding rollers. 4.5kg for the Compact set with 63mm drums and 6kg for the Track set with 90mm drums.

Looks good. Not quite as light as the ZZZing rollers, but are wider...

carleton

Wow. That's a very interesting minimal design where the rollers seem to lay on the track and the drums are a few mm above the ground.

And the price (209€ / $235) is very reasonable, too. If these perform well, I can see them being a hit.

Source of pics: Blog - RooDol Official Shop

Dalai

Wouldn't consider them for daily use, but it looks like one of the better current options for traveling.

I was curious about postage, but their online shop didn't update the price and add shipping. Note the price you posted includes 21% VAT. Guessing the postage will most likely balanced out by shipping outside Europe. I I might make enquiries, but other life matters are taking priority from racing at the moment so although keen to try probably won't just yet.

MarkWW

Take a look at these. Very portable and decently light: https://www.feedbacksports.com/shop/omnium-portable-trainer/

Dalai

Thanks. Though mentioned those in my first post.