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IB15: Minoura Rolls in With Hybrid Rollers and Elite Smartens Up Their Turbo Direct Drive Trainer

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WD-40 IB15-12

Though many see a trainer as…. well, a trainer, the offerings from Minoura and Elite are at the far end of the spectrum in this category of sweat inducing torture devices. Everyone has a different reason for liking particular features of a trainer and here are two that stand out from the rest.

Roll on through the break and see if any of these make you want to sweat…..

Minoura

WD-40 IB15-9

As we enter into Fall, the temps start dropping as fast as the sun so many start to weigh out the amount and quality of our ride times and dreadfully start thinking about dusting off the old trainer. There have been many advancements in trainers in recent years and each brand has their own take on how to increase ease your pain.

Minoura, though lesser known in today’s world of trainers has actually been around a while and brings their unique “Hybrid Trainer,” the FG-540. Taking the smoothness and basics of rollers without the dangers that can come with them, their FG540 roller holds the bike stable with a fork mount, giving you the ability to “spin” as if you were on a roller. To set it up, you simply lay it on the ground, place the forks in the front mount, place the rear wheel on the roller, and adjust it to the bike’s wheelbase.

WD-40 IB15-11 WD-40 IB15-10

To add to it, they’ve incorporated a resistance unit into the rollers that is easily adjustable with the bar mounted knob. The entire unit easily disassembles and folds up into a pretty tidy package making it easily transportable. Retail is $399.

Elite

WD-40 IB15-10

Elite trainers, like many things that come out of Italy, are as exotic as they are pricey. Elite’s Turbo Muin trainers are the only direct drive trainers that use both fluid and electronically controlled magnetic resistance. The new Turbo Muin Smart B+ takes their already innovative and QUIET direct drive trainer we covered prior and built in both Bluetooth and Ant+ sensors to work with compatible heart rate monitors. Add in their virtual software, and you can compete with others that also have the “Elite-Software” anywhere in the world. (see video below). 

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lavernius
lavernius
8 years ago

So Minoura took the design idea from the fellow who’s licensing his design to Feedback and made it way less portable. Their fork mount is way nicer, but still, bad form Minoura.

adam
adam
8 years ago

The rollers idea is nice, but it gives no benefits of rollers (besides maybe not burning up tires). Someone needs to take that rear design and add a fork mount like the elite Kinetic trainer that can rotate so at least it will feel like rollers feel, and teach balance.

MarcK
MarcK
8 years ago

That Hybrid Roller thing is a broken/bent fork waiting to happen.

JB
JB
7 years ago
Reply to  MarcK

Because riding your bike on a stationary trainer is so much harder that riding your bike on the road. Not.

Ronin
Ronin
8 years ago

I have some Minoura rollers, I use them every time I go out to warm up. They sit on the garage floor most of the time, but they also slide down smaller. In a word excellent.

Elite on the other hand, I have their digital qubo turbo trainer. Not that well made, which you will find out if ever you start getting hyper and doing more than an Hour or so. The computer that came with it was useless. I bought an iPad Air and dongle just so I could use it with elites app, which you have to pay for per year and isn’t cheap.

Not sure where a turbo/roller would fit in. Not quick to set up and it doesn’t look all that stable.

dwoo
dwoo
8 years ago

Minoura’s website says the FG540 retail price is $399.99 US.

Bill
Bill
8 years ago

I wish they would stop calling these things “rollers”. These are not rollers. They do not teach you better bike control. The point of rollers is to gain a better and smoother pedal stroke and gain more bike control. Mounting the front wheel in a fork mount means it is no longer required to actually ride your bike. Save the setup hassle and just get a trainer.

Mikey
Mikey
8 years ago

People here seem to forget that the most important feature of that Minoura trainer is to fold down in a tidy package e.g. for travelling. This is what it’s better at than regular rollers or trainers. I’d think of it as a compact trainer, not rollers. Would have been nice to see a pic of it folded down.

Cameron Hird
Cameron Hird
8 years ago

Hi.

I love the front fork mount. Where can i get it?

Cameron

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