Not "dumbed down". I would say.... "better". Better in that they 'flow' a bit with your movements, and allow shifting-around/standing/speeding-up with less attention to "riding roller skills"
My setup:
- 10 year-old (or so) Nashbar or Performance folding roller
- Six of these (6x$3)
http://www.harborfreight.com/2-inch-...ter-41513.html 
- Two skateboard wheels ($4 for a skatebaord at thrift store)
- Two bungee cords
- wood lying around the garage (sheet of plywood, a couple of 1x2s and a short piece of 2x4)
- Handfull of screws/nuts/bolts
I told myself I'd replace those red hooks with something like an eye-bolt. I was playing around with this to get the tension right. once I had it where I wanted, I stopped building, and just use it.
The 2x4 is just something to hold the hoos in. You can see the 1x2's fitted next to the rollers, to ensure it only moves forward an back.
I'm sure in time, the rollers will indent the cheap plywood base. When that happens to the point where I care, I'll glue some laminante floor scraps to the plywood.
The results for me = more time I can spend on the rollers, and greater variety of effort that I'm willing to put in on the rollers.