I’m a big fan of rollers and have been testing the Minoura ActionRoller Advance for the last couple of months.
My regular set of rollers are circa 1970s, so this set represented an interesting opportunity to experience the feel and design of a more modern design.
The first hurdle to overcome was assembly, which to begin with seemed rather daunting. When opening the delivery box, I was faced with an Ikea-esque set of instructions that brought me out in a light sweat.
However, there was no need for panic, as I took the traditional approach and ignored them, and was still able to put the rollers together fairly easily with the spanner provided.
Lightweight/folding
Once assembled the weight (or lack of) in the design becomes immediately apparent, and the simple folding hinge in the centre of the frame allows you to pack and unpack the rollers and carry them easily. This is probably one of the best features of these rollers in my view, since the shape and awkwardness of some can be a real pain if you are carrying them from car to warm-up venue. Equally, if you want to pack these away easily at home they will take up a lot less space.
Fitting the rollers to your bike concerns four simple settings involving your wheel base. These are clearly marked and obvious even to the non-instruction reader. A point I missed in my casual assembly was that you can set the belt to either stretch around both rollers at the back (which I did) or simply place it around the first roller (to give a lighter ride). Having ridden firstly on the ‘stronger’ setting, I then found the ‘lighter’ option a little too light for the style of ride I wanted when I readjusted it. That said, it provides an additional option, and could prove handy if you’re seeking a light spin, perhaps as a warm down or recovery ride.
Performance/ride
I found these rollers easy to use in a number of ways. The drums are a traditional ‘flat’ design, but smaller in diameter than many (80mm), making them lower to the ground and easier to get on without a step. The publicity blurb claims this increases the resistance slightly, and it certainly feels that way once you get riding.
The rollers are smooth and comfortable, but genuinely give you that ‘road feel’ by not giving you much ‘roll’ for free when you stop pedalling, and making single leg drills quite a challenge. They are fairly quiet too, with a low and comforting buzz rather than a roar, and you feel really safe and stable on them with simple rubber feet keeping you firmly fixed to the ground.
Value/Overview
We felt that at £179.99, these rollers represented good value and may be attractive to the newcomer seeking a simple, but well-designed set to get started. Their stable, steady feel, combined with the excellent portability, makes them suitable for home use and event preparation. Equally, the resistance and ride style is sufficient to give a reasonable workout for more experienced riders, too.
