How do smaller (compact) rollers compare to full size?

Due to spatial constraints in my apartment, I’m considering getting a Blackburn Raceday Portable Trainer. It seems more compact and it can be easily stored. From what I’ve read though, it seems like there’s about a ~600watt max on it, so not great for sprints. My question is, is this something I should be concerned about? Will I need to practice sprinting indoors? I know 600watts is a lot so I know I won’t be getting close during regular training but I’m curious what the training is like and if I should have something more versatile?

Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

Oops, thought these were traditional rollers… I think these are good for space challenged riders but there are better options out there if you can afford the space

1 Like

There are a few threads on the forum about the Feedback Sport Omnium(which looks identical to the Blackburn). I’ve not read them, but probably a good place to start:

2 Likes

I own the Feedback sport Omnium rollers. If memory serves correctly Feedback Sports purchased the design for the Raceday trainer from Blackburn, tweaked it some and then started selling it as the Omnium.

I love my Omnium trainer. I bought it because I used to set up my bike and trainer at the gym across the street from my office and the portability was really nice to have. I now train in the mornings at home before I head to the office but my bike is set up on the Omnium and not on the Kinetic Roadmachine that I also own. The biggest reason for this is that I find it’s much more comfortable to ride when the rear wheel is slightly free. For whatever reason this leaves me with less knee pain.

I have also read that the max wattage on the Omnium is 600 watts, but I have hit higher numbers on that trainer. Just the other week I hit 700 watts while doing West Vidette -1. My current FTP is north of 300 and I don’t ever run out of resistance on this trainer.

Clever Training was the best price I found on an Omnium. I can’t recommend it highly enough, I’m on mine 5 days a week most weeks.

Regarding the post of mine that was tagged above where I asked about the vibration I was experiencing, it turned out that this was a tire issue. Once I put a new rear tire on my bike everything smoothed out nicely.

2 Likes

Thank you all so much for your quick responses! Any others out there, keep’em coming!

1 Like

I ran compact Kreitler rollers for a while. I found that they took up just as much space, if not more, than my Kickr Core. Just food for thought.

I have the Feedback Sports Omnium trainer as well. Started on it with TR last Feb. I’m also spatially constrained living in a one bedroom condo so I put up and breakdown my setup every time I workout in the living room. Never had a problem as its pretty easy to do. Just made sure to use a paint pen to mark how far I had to lock out the rear rollers to my rear tire so there’s no adjusting the rollers after putting the bike on. Feel is pretty smooth though I can’t compare to anything else as this was my first indoor trainer. Been using Conti GP4000 tires and they’re still looking good despite being used both indoors and a handful of outdoor rides. Just made sure to clean them before putting them back on the trainer. Can’t comment on sprints as my FTP is a low 208 so, yeah, I’m not in any danger of going past that 600 watt ceiling anytime soon.

Any experience with the Kreitler headwind unit? I forgot I have a set of Kreitler rollers that need a new belt. I’ve heard mixed reviews of the add on fan/resistance unit. The price is right but it seems dated

I have the Feedback Sports Omnium Overdrive.
The resistance combined with the low inertia means getting the balance between cadence and force is very difficult it isn’t as smooth when compared to the Kinetic Roadmachine Smart II which I upgrade to.

I own the omnium and a set of tacx rollers. The omnium is not like a set of rollers - they are more like a trainer than you’d guess. You don’t have to work at all on stay on… You can easily zone out. I can’t zone out on real rollers.

The omnium has very little inertia. You stop pedaling, you stop. They are good for intervals. I have also used the lemond Revolution and a set of the dumb tacx satori - both of those feel much more realistic than the omnium. The omnium has a lot resistance. I can’t push it to it’s max. It isn’t rough feeling, but it isn’t smooth either.

I take the omnium any time I go anywhere for more than a few days. It travels really easily and it’s a nice benefit that it comes with adapters for thru axle.

I’m using the omnium as my primary trainer right now. I don’t own a power meter, but on zwift forums I read that the estimated power and the measured power from a power meter are a very close match.

Feel free to ask me any questions - I have a lot of time on the omnium.

Did not use the Headwind, just a flywheel. Rollers are great for skill and balance practice but I will never do hard intervals on them again.