by Deborah Proctor
Focal Flame Photography had the honor of creating a media library of commercial photographs for SportCrafters, a Granger, IN-based cycling products company dedicated to designing and manufacturing trainers and bike accessories. While creating images to support the product launch of the Omniumbike trainer, we were fascinated to learn more about the Omnium and the flexibility that it offers to cyclists.
If you are among the relatively small percentage of cyclists who use roller trainers, you already know what "rollers" can do to improve technique, power, efficiency, and handling skills. You might even wish you could take your trainer on the road with you for warm-ups before every race.
If you are a novice or intermediate cyclist though, just racing for the thrill on weekends, you may wonder, "What is so important about a pre-race warm up?"
Sarah Houser, marketing manager at SportCrafters, one of the premier manufacturers of cycling,trike, and hand cycle trainers and accessories, explains, "Taking the time to warm up before a race and achieving, in that warm up, the maximum effort you will put out during the race are critical to your body's performance, especially for cyclocross, criterium, mountain, and road racing. When you have to be ready to rocket out of the start, you can't waste time easing your way into the race."
In an article on the importance of a good warm up and how to attain it, Bicycling Magazine, suggests pre-race warm ups as a way for older athletes to keep up with or gain a competitive advantage over younger racers. Read the article here.
The people at SportCrafters know competitive racing and the importance of a good warm up. That is why they created the "Omnium," the first folding race warm up trainer that you can take with you to any race, anywhere. Despite its super compact size, it offers the advantages of a much larger warm up trainer, yet packs into a TSA friendly carry-on.
What are the advantages of the Omnium over other roller trainers?
- Less wear on the tires compared to rear-clamp trainers. The rear wheel only design and smooth SportsCrafter drums mean you can leave your race wheels on when using the Omnium.
- No risk of chain alignment issues, since there is no need to remove the rear wheel or skewer to use the Omnium.
- You get the same power profile as a fluid stationary trainer. The faster you pedal the Omnium, the more resistance you feel, so you can get the full benefit of varying the intensity of your workout even on race day.
- Bike shops can use it to test any type of bike — road, mountain, time trial — the Omnium is so highly compatible that bike shops use it to help customers try out a variety of different bicycles.
- Lightweight and portable. The Omnium folds up to a very small, easy to take with you size. Pack it in your backpack or carry-on and take it on business trips, vacations, or when traveling to races.
- The Omnium meets FAA regulations for carry-on size luggage, so you can take it with you to races across the country or around the world.
Houser reveals that the name, "Omnium," comes from the Latin "omni" which means "all" — "because it is a trainer that is suitable for all bikes, all seasons, and all purposes." She adds, "The Omnium is so small when folded, it is convenient to store, pack, and carry, even on an airplane, and thus perfect for the competitive athlete who travels."
If you would like to try out the Omnium, it will be on display at Interbike, an annual, by-invitation-only "everything biking" event for the cycling industry. If you did not receive an invitation, don't worry — you will soon see the Omnium at a SportCrafters dealer near you. For more information, visitSportCrafters.com .
Do you train with rollers? How would you use a SportCrafters Omnium to improve your technique? Share your thoughts!