Originally Posted by BikeInMN
One vote for the 3 inch Kreitler rollers.
Why go with a 4.5 inch and purchase the fairly expensive headwind unit when you can get a similar workout with the mid-sized 3 inch model.
As for wattage at speed, with 110 psi in the tires, my Powertap registers around 200 watts at around 24 mph on the 3 inch Kreitlers. Bumping it up to 30+ mph, the effort rises to 300+ watts needed to sustain the speed. Plenty of resistance IMO to practice your balance and spin.
Not knowing what your age or fitness level is, are you able to ride at say 20mph at a reasonable cadence (85-95) in a 39-15 gear for an 1-1½ hours?
I have no way of knowing wattage.
My concern is that I don't want the 3" to be too difficult to get a 1-1½ hour workout and the 4.5" to be way too easy to spin out. I agree with you, I'm not trying to get a headwind unit. I hear they're loud. If I get hot, I'll use a fan.
I wish the LBS's had one or two set up for trying out.