Back when I was racing for the Isle of Wight team, we used to have these funky little fold-up rollers to warm-up on. They were a bit basic: you removed the front wheel, and clipped the fork to a strut, then the back wheel sat on two mini rollers.
They were a bit basic, but they were a lot easier to transport than normal rollers. They certainly did the job, even if your back wheel did occasionally stray off the rollers...
I have never seen those little "flip-out rollers" for sale anywhere, though. Then last year, Feedback Sports released the
Omnium Warm-up Trainer. Instantly, it appealed. The Omnium looked like a set of "flip-out rollers", upgraded.
Portability and practicality
So, why would you buy an
Omnium trainer rather than a set of traditional style rollers like the
Tacx Antares, or a turbo trainer? The main reason is almost certainly going to be the portability and practicality offered by the Feedback Sports Omnium.
With the rollers on the Omnium around a third the width of those on normal set-ups, and the folded down length of the unit also only around two-thirds, you have a dramatically smaller unit to transport to races and events.
Then there is also the weight factor. Feedback Sports are known for their beautiful red anodised aluminium tubes, such as those found on the Sprint Workstand and Pro Truing Stand. Aluminium is great because it does not rust, but it is also super light - the Feedback Omnium rollers only weigh 6.4 kilograms - that is a damn sight lighter than a turbo trainer.
Thanks to its compact pack-size, and minimal weight; the portability and practicality of the Omnium rollers is second to none. You even get a smart carrying tote bag included in the package.
Reassuringly stable
The second reason you might choose the
Feedback Sports Omnium rollers over traditional rollers, is the reassuring stability that the 'supported rollers' design provides.
Rollers are widely recognised as a better tool than turbo trainers for warm-ups, cool-downs, and recovery sessions; this is because they encourage softer pedalling, and a higher cadence. However, many people are deterred by the wobbly factor... you don't want to crash off, especially before the race has even begun.
The Feedback Sports Omnium removes the 'wobble risk'; the front fork holds the bike stable on the tripod. Like on a turbo, you would have a real job to fall off these, even if you were completely spent after a race.
Internal Progressive Resistance
The third reason you might choose the Feedback Sports Omnium over a traditional set of rollers, is that it features inbuilt progressive resistance, within the roller units themselves. This is something that certainly isn't true for most sets of cycle rollers.
The Omnium trainer uses Internal Progressive Resistance (IPR); a magnetic system that delivers a progressively higher resistance, the harder you pedal. It is actually very similar to the concept found in most fluid based turbo trainers, with the result being a great road-like feel.
It also means that you have the ability to use the trainer for everything from minimal effort recovery sessions, right through to interval sprints.
Built to last
The final reason you would do well to consider the Feedback Sports Omnium, over many other sets of cycling rollers, is its superb build quality. Much like
other Feedback Sports products that I have reviewed, the
Omnium trainer is a long-term investment: in a quality, durable product, which is a pleasure to use throughout its lengthy lifespan.
There are no plastic struts or rollers to creak, or break. There are no elastic bands to snap. The Omnium operates smoothly and silently; suggesting that even the cartridge bearings at the heart of these rollers, are a component built to last.
Overall
Overall, the
Feedback Sports Omnium Trainer has impressed. Those little "flip-out rollers" we had on the Isle of Wight team met a requirement, for a portable set of warm-up rollers; yet it was an idea that didn't seem to have been developed by the main cycle trainer brands.
Feedback Sports have taken the simple concept, and much like with their workstands, they have aced it.
The Omnium trainer has a design and functionality that make it superb for warm-ups, cool-downs and even proper indoor training sessions.
It is also a design that has been executed to a build quality level good enough that you might even be watching your grandson or granddaughter warming up on the same Omnium rollers, in countless years' time.
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The Feedback Sports Omnium is an impressive bit of kit: both to look at, and to use |
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The strut extends with ease, to the desired length. You can use it with Road, MTB or CX bikes |
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With its adjustable wheelbase, the Feedback Sports Omnium can be used on a wide range of bike sizes and wheel sizes |
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The bike mounts to the Feedback Omnium Trainer within minutes, and there are no tools required |
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'Internal Progressive Resistance' is provided by the superb aluminium rollers on the Feedback Sports Omnium |
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Secure mounting for the fork on the Feedback Sports Omnium Rollers |
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Once you've finished with the Feedback Sports Omnium Trainer, it's a simple job to pack away and stow |
That's a gorgeous bike, by the way. They look good together. :)
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