I started using aluminum rollers to ride indoors this winter and noticed streaks left on the tires. I've also seen tires specifically advertised for use with rollers.
I'm wondering whether using the rollers will tear up or degrade a high quality road tire in any way?
It's generally a good idea to use a trainer tire for a trainer, because the tire wears down significantly faster (plus they get hotter, make more noise, etc).
Rollers don't cause as much tire wear as a trainer does, but they aren't exactly the road. Many people use their regular road tires on them without any adverse effects. Some people experience increased wear (on the back, usually).
If you're really worried though, just buy some cheap 15 dollar tires and put them on your wheels. On a trainer, they wont last as long as a trainer tire but they will save your good tires. On rollers, you generally have less wear, but still, you're going to save your original tires (since they aren't being used).
There is a difference in that rollers don't generate much heat when you ride them whereas many trainers do. The heat is what helps strip the tires and degrades the rubber on your tread.
If your tire has any amount of tread, absolutely. I know you said a road tire, but some of them still have tread. The trainer also has a tendency to square off the tire.
I prefer to use a trainer tire because they are often a little quieter, but also I don't like the idea of my front and rear tires wearing at significantly different rates over the year.
UPDATE: I confused roller with trainer (trainers do have rollers...), so the differential wear shouldn't apply much. I imagine the squaring off would still though, as would wear due to having treads. They might be quieter, though you wouldn't have quite as much contact as with a trainer.
