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The world of cycling and bicycles in general has undergone significant changes in recent years. Especially in terms of technological advances, design and performance of bicycles, as well as training rollers – regardless of the type they are. One of the most advanced and sophisticated that we can find today -especially if your idea is to train at home- is the direct drive trainer. These, in turn, are usually smart rollers, as we explain in this article. Thinking of buying a roller for your bike? We explain how direct drive rollers work and their features. Let’s get to it!
How direct drive rollers work
The variety of rollers on the market is very wide – depending on the performance they offer and the brands that manufacture them. These can be roller rollers, magnetic rollers, fluid rollers and direct drive rollers. The direct-drive bicycle roller is one of the most popular rollers available today and one of the most modern. It is distinguished from the rest by its magnetic resistance and the way it works. Note that in order to use it, it is necessary to remove the rear wheel of the bicycle and attach the chain to the sprocket set -the bicycle and its transmission are coupled to a fixing system that, in most cases, includes adapters to fit all types of axles and bicycles-. Obviously, this offers the most realistic indoor cycling or indoor cycling experience, and they are also capable of achieving simulations with incline -as if you were climbing a slope with your bike-.
What the direct drive roller is for
- You save time in training (since you don’t need to organize routes, set GPS and check the weather).
- You can make use of them when the storm prevents you from cycling outside.
- They provide great stability and resistance.
- They help you improve your performance and personal bests.
- It offers a very similar experience to road cycling.
Features of direct drive bike trainer
We have already seen that direct drive rollers have a lot of advantages. All this is possible thanks to their special features, which make them stand out from other bicycle rollers. These are as follows:
Magnetic resistance coupled directly to the bicycle
Direct drive rollers usually have a magnetic resistance. However, the main difference with traditional types of magnetic bicycle rollers is that direct drive rollers allow the bicycle and its drive system to be attached to the mechanism.
They offer the most realistic cycling simulation experience
Magnetic roller resistance has the advantage that it can be configured with simulators to provide a very realistic experience – automatically adjusting itself to simulate the effort being exerted on the ground. Intelligent direct drive rollers are compatible with leading simulators such as ZWIFT, BKOOL, ROUVY, TRAINERROAD and others. That is, we can configure them to work automatically while we are cycling on our virtual road. Of course, they have connectivity that is usually USB, ANT + and Bluetooth FTMS.
Very accurate data of our training
Another of the most outstanding qualities of direct drive rollers is that they offer us a very approximate estimation of the data in watts (with a margin of error of less than 5%), which will allow us to know at all times if we have improved our performance or personal bests.
They are the quietest on the market
Unlike other models, these rollers allow us to train at home very quietly. This is so because the only thing you hear is the sound of the chain and your own pedaling.
No wear and tear on the bike’s casing
There is a problem with most of the traditional magnetic and fluid rollers, and that is that the rear cover of the bicycle tends to wear out -which is why it is usually necessary to have a specific flat type cover to use while working with them-. With this type of roller, this problem is eliminated by removing the rear wheel.
Great compatibility with wheels and cassettes
Smart rollers tend to offer great compatibility with different inch wheels and cassettes of all types. As indicated above, they are devices that in many cases include adapters for attachment to the bicycle’s drivetrain.
Which direct drive roller to buy?
The ZDrive direct drive roller is a state-of-the-art simulator that includes the best features in the industry. It has the best technological quality and a simulation of up to 20% inclination, among many other particularities. In addition, it is a direct drive roller that has a great compatibility with wheels from 26″ to 29″ and with Shimano and SRAM 8V and 12V cassettes. Not to mention that it offers a maximum power output of 2,000 watts at 40 km/h and a margin of error in data interpretation of less than 2%.
