Bicycling Australia
Rollers are a bit like a headset or a front hub. They are relatively simple mechanically, and so long as they work properly there should be little reason for concern or criticism from the owner. The Minoura MOZ-Roller does what it’s designed to do, namely ‘roll’. There are plenty of rollers on the market, from fairly low tech, low dollar units with literally no features, up to boutique European made connoisseur rollers that seem to fold up into a shoebox. The MOZ-Rollers are a relatively affordable training investment for a serious cyclist at $399, although there are several cheaper options on the market that offer the user no lesser ability to train or warm up.
Unboxing the MOZ-Roller was a significantly more exciting experience than when I opened my own personal rollers. The finish is classy and the rollers look exciting (for want of a better word) in glossy white and red. Red goes faster, and the Minoura units look like they are designed to be trained on, not left in the corner and used as towel rack as many well-intentioned training aids inevitably are.
In use the MOZ-Roller immediately felt smooth, smooth enough that they felt faster than my personal generic unit, although I doubt if this was actually the case. Certainly the roller drums have a gliding feel against the tire and the bearings will seemingly roll forever if you give the free spinning end barrel a good turn to try it out.
Other than the nice feel, it was immediately obvious to me that the Moz-Roller is less noisy than other rollers I have used. This won’t be a concern for everyone, but if you want to use your rollers in a house with other inhabitants, or live in an apartment building, then this is definitely a strong point for the MOZ-Roller. Apparently Minoura put blocks of Styrofoam in each barrel to help absorb noise. Using these rollers on top of a dense cushioning matt or the like would make for an increasingly sociable set up.
The closet apartment-dweller in me also noted that the MOZ-Roller folds in three, which affords a more compact storage size than rollers that fold in half only. The hinges on the MOZ-Roller are plastic, which could cause concern for some, but the hinge has been designed so that it bares no load when in use, so long-term durability should not be affected. When unfolded the alloy frame of the MOZ-Roller is solid and noise free, as well as being quite lightweight. The middle-third of the frame is raised when in use (see image, I wont try and explain in words!), which creates a step of sorts for dismounting. Regardless of how comfortable I feel on rollers, I’d never knock back a foot-friendly step for when I get off.
The light weight and foldability of this unit also make it well suited to travel, and I see this as the third ticked box for the MOZ-Roller over a basic generic roller. Minoura offer an accessory travel bag for the MOZ-Roller, and although the unit isn’t shoebox sized when folded it is small enough that you could comfortably sling the bag over your shoulder and get through the airport without worrying about excess baggage charges or walking with a limp for a week afterwards.
The MOZ-Roller is a nifty little unit. It’s easy to fold and perfectly stable when unfolded for use. It’s light to carry about for those on the go, but relatively quiet for those at using it at home. As a set-and-forget roller for everyday use it’s a good piece of kit too.
Distributor: Bikesportz www.bikesportz.com.au
Price: $399
