Originally Posted by
wookv
My questions:
(1) Can I get a good workout in ~30mins on rollers? (I think the answer is yes, just checking)
yes
(2) more importantly, any recommendations of Rollers that are <$300? (Kreitlers cost an arm, I don't need the best, just durable for a few years)
The cheap nashbar and performance ones are fine. Sometimes you can get them on sale for <$100, and the folding ones from performance are reasonably compact for travel if you take them apart. I've seen a lot of elite riders on all kinds of cheap rollers, and the people with the expensive ones really like theirs, but everyone with cheap ones seems to be pretty happy with them, too. I've always owned cheap ones (performance or tacx), and have occasionally ridden kreitlers, and I'm perfectly happy with the cheap ones.
(3) What size Roller drums should I start with?
I'd go for large (3-4") larger is lower resistance, and you can always add resistance but it's a lot harder to reduce it from whatever the rollers are normally.
(4) Are they really noisy? (I'm using this at 6am, living in a townhouse with a roommate, can't be too noisy)
Depends on the floor. Upstairs on a wood floor will be very noisy. On a concrete floor (or something with concrete under it) should be pretty quiet.
Be aware that they can wear your rear tire pretty fast (sometimes you'll notice a pile of rubber dust under the rollers) so don't ride expensive tires on them for winter training.