Minoura Action Advantage Rollers Trainer

Minoura Action Advantage Rollers Trainer Review

Minoura Action Advantage Rollers Trainer Feature

• Action advantage roller trainer with 80-Millimeter diameter alloy roller drums for natural resistance
• Lightweight, foldable alloy frame is very portable and offers great stability
• Adjustable frame compatible with 24-Inch/650c to 27-Inch/700c wheels
• Foot step, front guard, and additional magnetic resistance unit available but sold separately
• 1 Year warranty covers roller drum, 5 Year warranty covers frame

Offering both strength, skill, and endurance training for cyclists, the Action Advantage Roller Trainer from Minoura features smaller 80-millimeter diameter rollers for natural resistance. Equipped with a high-quality yet lightweight alloy metal frame and rollers, the Action Advantage offers the a blend of durability and portability. The sturdy frame folds easily in two for storage and weighing just over 10 pounds is easy to take to the race with you. The Action Advantage is compatible with the foot-step and front-guard accessories (sold separately) and can be mounted with an additional magnetic resistance unit to offer 7 training levels (also sold separately). Backed by a 1-year warranty for the roller drum and a 5-year warranty for the frame, the Action Advantage Roller Trainer is a great choice for cyclists looking for a portable and versatile training system with the durability for long term use.

With 80-millimeter diameter roller drums, the Action Advantage simulates roughly the resistance level of a headwind on a flat road.

Natural Resistance and Optional Adjustable Resistance:
With 80-millimeter diameter roller drums, the Action Advantage Roller Trainer achieves natural pedal resistance, roughly equivalent to the simulation of head wind on a flat road. The smaller 80-millimeter diameter also closes the distance gap between bike and the floor for a safer feel when riding. Recognizing that some riders may want more resistance to meet their training goals, an additional "Mag" magnetic resistance unit (sold separately) can be installed on the Action Advance frame. The Mag unit offers 7 levels of resistance operated by a manual unit. The unit is driven by a V-belt and does not have a remote shifting device to reduce the potential danger caused by the long cable that could be caught in the crank arm or wheel while riding.

Adjustable and Foldable Alloy Frame:
The Action Advance Roller Trainer has a simple, fold-in-two frame design for easy storage. Constructed with light and strong alloy metal, the lightweight frame is easy to transport yet exceptionally stable when in use with a bike. In addition, the frame's alloy material is rust resistant to protect it from sweat produced during the workout. To accommodate your bike as perfectly as possible, the frame's front roller has 5 adjustable positions and the rear roller has 2 adjustable positions. The Action Advantage can be used with wheel sizes from: 24-inch/650c to 27-inch/700c wheels. The exact compatible wheelbase size is from 95 to 109 centimeters (+/-10 millimeters).

Metal Alloy Versus Plastic Roller Drums:
Minoura chooses to use metal roller drums instead of the plastic common to other brands for several key reasons: (1) Metal drums create less static electricity making it more comfortable to use the rollers in winter when the air is drier. (2) Metal drums retain their trueness within a range of 0.05 to 0.1 millimeters for drastically reduced vibration. Plastic drums cannot keep proper trueness and create perceptible vibration when in use. (3) The standard cylindrical metal drums are found by Minoura to perform better than their conical plastic counterparts. (4) Metal drums have a harder surface that cannot be marred by the bike tires when brakes are unintentionally applied.

Specifications:

• Resistance Adjustability: 7 levels, non-remote with purchase of the Mag unit (sold separately
• Compatible bike wheel sizes: 24-inch/650c to 27-inch/700c
• Roller drum size: 8 by 36 centimeters
• Dimensions (diameter by width): 131 by 49 centimeters
• Wheelbase adjustability: 97 to 109 centimeters
• Net weight: 10.14 pounds / 4.6 kilograms
• Maximum load (including bike weight): 264.6 pounds / 120 kilograms

Benefits of Using a Roller Trainer:
The biggest benefit of using the roller trainer is the natural riding feel that it offers. Unlike a stationary bike, when you use the roller you must steer a little to maintain your balance on the freely spinning roller drums. Because steering adjustments change very quickly on rollers, you need to keep a correct riding position--sitting on the saddle center properly and holding the handlebars softly. The roller trainer encourages you to develop the an improvedposition for riding on actual road--where you achieve your maximum performance with minimum power.

The roller trainer is focused on developing your total riding skill for increased speed rather than on building up muscles, as you would on a stationary resistance trainer. The roller trainer helps you learn the correct riding position and a more effective pedaling technique for a faster and more powerful performance when you are on the road. Once you master riding on rollers, you will be able to ride on the road more smoothly, safely, and with greater speed.

How to Use the Roller Trainer:
Position your roller trainer close enough to a wall or hand rail so that you can touch the wall easily from the bike. When you first get on bike you can support your body by holding the wall or handrail. The bike's gear position should be in the middle setting, not too light and not too heavy. Apply your main weight to the center of the saddle. Adjust your hip position to sit in the exact center of the saddle. If your hip position is off the center, you won't be able to ride rollers correctly. Hold the bike's handlebars gently--if you use a drop-bar, hold the top-bar just next to the stem--if you use a flat-bar, hold the metal part of the handlebar. This positioning helps you maintain your balance and symmetry. Do not look down--looking down will interfere with your sense of balance. Raise up your head to look 6 to 10 feet ahead. Begin pedaling while gently supporting your body by holding the wall. If you are confident with your balance you can let go of the wall and increase your speed. If you are not so confident, pedal slowly and concentrate on keeping the bike vertical. Gradually reduce the amount of weight that you are holding against the wall and concentrate on keeping the bike vertical. When you achieve stability try to remove your hand from the wall and promptly grab the handlebar. Do not apply any unnecessary force to the handlebar. Try to keep your speed at 12 miles per hour or faster. Try to change your pedaling style from just pushing down to "spinning" the pedal. To stop on rollers, do not apply any brake, just stop pedaling to reduce the speed. Just before you lose balance when the bike is almost stopped, reach your arm to the wall for support.

Safety Guidelines:

• Beginners should be supported by a skilled helper. Using the rollers along a wall or handrail increases rider safety.
• Do not apply any force to handlebar, and sit in the center of the saddle.
• Dancing on rollers is not recommended.
• Set the front roller in the correct position to fit your bike's wheelbase perfectly. If the front roller is in wrong position, you may fall off.
• Do not apply brake at all times on rollers. You will lose balance and fall off suddenly. To stop training, just stop pedaling and wait until the speed is reduced.
• Check the tire air pressure before use. Roller drum compresses the tire much harder than ground, so if the air pressure is low, the tire will be deformed and may be damaged.
• To avoid injury, never touch the spinning wheel, roller, or belt when in use. Keep children and pets away from rollers during sessions.
• On rollers, the front wheel also spins. Do not hang a towel on the top-tube or handlebar to avoid accidents.
• Do not stand on the roller drums.

What's in the Box?
Action Advantage Roller Trainer, instruction manual, warranty policy card Trainer