Drainers
Hey everyone, I'm pretty much a newb to serious cycling. I have never trained on the bike in winter and therefore don't have a trainer. I'm looking to buy a trainer and looking for any recommendations people may have. I'm on a budget so the computrainer is out of the question. Internet research has led me to a decision between the Cycleops Fluid 2 or the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. Any comments, suggestions, or recommendations would be most helpful. Any models I may have overlooked? Thanks for any help.
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Comments
Pete
Save any extra/over $$$ and put it into a power meter fund.
Personally, I'd by the CycleOps Fluid 2 (my SO and I each have one and love it) and save up for a 'real' power meter.
Then last year I got a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine.
The KK wins...no contest. Not even close. Not on the same planet.
Seriously.
I have a KK and no problems with it going in to my 3rd OS. I live up in the great white north and will be on the trainer from now until March.
Gordon
Go ahead with the trainer (used should be fine) and pocket the cash towards a power meter that you can put on the bike...so that you can use it either on the trainer or on the road. It sucks how much they cost, but there may be a price break coming if/when the new vector stuff comes out. We can dream anyway.
Mostly it is quieter and smoother.
Yes, yes, I know the Fluid2 isn't that noisy. But the KK is quieter.
The smoothness is the main thing. The power curve feels really authentic. And it doesn't seem to change even a bit as the unit warms up (that happens with the Fluid2 and it is annoying). I also have the larger flywheel accessory and that is awesome...the coastdown is incredible.
I would also say that KK customer service is incredible. I bought the trainer in a store but I bought the accessory flywheel from an Amazon marketplace seller. The marketplace seller shipped a flywheel that was not in the KK packaging and looked like it "fell of the back of a truck", eBay-style. The marketplace seller insisted that he was authorized by KK to sell the flywheels, so I sent an email to KK. KK got back to me immediately saying the seller was authorized to sell the flywheel with a trainer but not individually, and that they'd send me a new flywheel in the packaging the next day (which they did).
The two annoying things about the KK vs. the Fluid2 are:
(1) the power curve is such that the KK shows lower mph for any given power output compared with the Fluid 2. That is irrelevant of course, but psychologically I think it matters a little bit
(2) My fluid 2 has a handle to "lock in" the bike and then another handle to bring the roller into contact with the wheel. These are pre-set so you never have to adjust them. On the KK you need to screw in the bike each time and tighten the roller to bring it up to contact the wheel each time. Sort of annoying since my workouts on the trainer are all about ROI and thus convienence things are highly prized.
But look, overall the key thing is the feel of the ride. And on that dimension the KK wins big time. Easy as that!
Cheers!
Doug, I have an older version of the KK power computer (same thing, just different case). You're welcome to it for free, don't spend extra money on it. Just PM me your address. Like was said, save the money for a Powertap fund.
Mike, the package I ordered came with a computer but thanks so much for the offer, that was really nice of you.