Trainer: Mag or fluid or ?

[jh_on_the_cape]

Looking at purchasing a trainer for the first time for this winter.
I have always wanted one, but now wife wants one so there you go.
I did a search but could not find anything here. I did find something on the REI website.
This is just for fitness, not training to 'win', but training to not get too far out of shape in the winter. Ride the bike while watching TV for 30 minutes.

Looking at sale stuff at nashbar. mag or fluid? or??? want to be quiet and store easily for summer and be simple to setup. no rollers for us.

mag for $72
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_553418_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

fluid for $96, worth the extra?
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_556272_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

[DfCas]

Fluid feels better sir I vote fluid.

[Cicli]

Fluid for the sanity.
Cheap mag trainers are loud.

[bikinchris]

Save your sanity. Get a direct drive trainer. Nearly silent.

[eBAUMANN]

fluid or direct drive all the way, don't waste your time/sanity on anything else.

**my kurt is fluid, fyi ;)

[stephenmarklay]

fluid or direct drive all the way, don't waste your time/sanity on anything else.

**my kurt is fluid, fyi ;)

You really should just get a used KK trainer. They were one of if not the best feeling and most durable trainers until all of the new electronic trainers came out.

You can add for $50 a power dongle that will allow power to work with apps like Zwift and Trainer road.

It is what I have (well I have rollers too.)

[LJohnny]

Keep an eye out for a used 1UP USA one. Should be around $150-175 used and it is nearly silent, in fact then only thing you hear is the drivetrain. Resistance has a natural feeling and the freewheel has great momentum. I didn't realize how good it was until I got a Tacx Bushido... Yes, I enjoy the "smart" part of the Bushido, but there is zero momentum on the flywheel. As soon as you stop pedaling it stops.

[efaust_o]

Kurt Kinetic was my choice and worth my hard earned $:beer:

[berserk87]

Fluid, hands down.

[froze]

Fluid is the only way to go.

The Ascent you're considering has high reviews, plus Nashbar has a lifetime warranty on all that they sell. This is how they word that warranty: "We stand behind every product we sell. If an item does not meet your expectations, simply return it. We guarantee your money back for a full year. After one year, we’ll provide an exchange, repair, or store credit to ensure you have the product that meets your needs."

[Peter P.]

Fluid is my first choice; Kurt Kinetic is the absolute winner when it comes to leak-free/trouble-free.

I bought a used Blackburn Mag Trackstand for my sister. It was about 90% as good as the Kurt Kinetic, for 1/3 the price. I bought my Kurt Kinetic on eBay for $165, shipped.

Buy USED if you can. People are always unloading them when they can't stand indoor training. I see you're on the Cape. I checked Craigslist, and there are some good deals in the Cranston/Providence RI area right now.

Blackburn, $40! (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5856073730.html)

Someone here suggested a 1-Up. Here (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5854953563.html) ya' go. $40.

Here's (http://providence.craigslist.org/bop/5861772051.html) a cheap fluid trainer.

[oldpotatoe]

Looking at purchasing a trainer for the first time for this winter.
I have always wanted one, but now wife wants one so there you go.
I did a search but could not find anything here. I did find something on the REI website.
This is just for fitness, not training to 'win', but training to not get too far out of shape in the winter. Ride the bike while watching TV for 30 minutes.

Looking at sale stuff at nashbar. mag or fluid? or??? want to be quiet and store easily for summer and be simple to setup. no rollers for us.

mag for $72
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_553418_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

fluid for $96, worth the extra?
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10053_10052_556272_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

Get rollers..'teaches' you to ride straighter, more rounded pedal stroke and makes the time go by WAY faster..Rollers..ahhh, read 'no rollers for us'..get rollers anyway.

[Cicli]

I have a Kurt and added the Inride with Trainer road. The trainer road makes an hour or two ride seem to go by much faster and I get a ton more out of it.
I picked up a new Kurt at Play it again for 150 and the inride was another 100. So far, its great.

[Ronsonic]

Fluid is my first choice; Kurt Kinetic is the absolute winner when it comes to leak-free/trouble-free.

I bought a used Blackburn Mag Trackstand for my sister. It was about 90% as good as the Kurt Kinetic, for 1/3 the price. I bought my Kurt Kinetic on eBay for $165, shipped.

Buy USED if you can. People are always unloading them when they can't stand indoor training. I see you're on the Cape. I checked Craigslist, and there are some good deals in the Cranston/Providence RI area right now.

Blackburn, $40! (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5856073730.html)

Someone here suggested a 1-Up. Here (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5854953563.html) ya' go. $40.

Here's (http://providence.craigslist.org/bop/5861772051.html) a cheap fluid trainer.

I've had the Blackburn Mag trainer for a few years, it works very well. I don't use it much because that's how I am, but when I get off my butt and work out it does the job pretty damn well.

[froze]

Fluid is my first choice; Kurt Kinetic is the absolute winner when it comes to leak-free/trouble-free.

I bought a used Blackburn Mag Trackstand for my sister. It was about 90% as good as the Kurt Kinetic, for 1/3 the price. I bought my Kurt Kinetic on eBay for $165, shipped.

Buy USED if you can. People are always unloading them when they can't stand indoor training. I see you're on the Cape. I checked Craigslist, and there are some good deals in the Cranston/Providence RI area right now.

Blackburn, $40! (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5856073730.html)

Someone here suggested a 1-Up. Here (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5854953563.html) ya' go. $40.

Here's (http://providence.craigslist.org/bop/5861772051.html) a cheap fluid trainer.


In regards to your comments about leaking, that is such old information, when I say old I'm talking over 13 years old information. I have a Cycleops Fluid2 trainer that is 12 or 13 years old and no leaks, and all fluid trainers are trouble free because there are no moving parts to wear out. In fact the best trainer for the money is the Cycleops Fluid2...usually, right now the Kurt Kinetic is on sale on Amazon for the same price as the Cycleops Fluid2. Don't misinterpret what I've said, I did not say that the Kurt was a bad trainer, in fact it's one of the best, just as is the Cycleops. But I don't think the OP wants to spend that much money so recommending him either the Kurt or the Cycleops will fall on deaf ears, he wants a far less expensive one and the one he is considering isn't not a bad choice.

[Gummee]

Fluid is the only way to go.

The Ascent you're considering has high reviews, plus Nashbar has a lifetime warranty on all that they sell. This is how they word that warranty: "We stand behind every product we sell. If an item does not meet your expectations, simply return it. We guarantee your money back for a full year. After one year, we’ll provide an exchange, repair, or store credit to ensure you have the product that meets your needs."

Tackx used to make/makes PBS's trainers. I didn't look at the link, but PBS owns Nashbar...

I've got a fan trainer I'm borrowing from the shop for CX warmups. Light. LOUD! at speed. I'm looking at the Feedback trainer as a race warmup trainer and a Kickr or Elite smart trainer for the house (both are too heavy to take with)

M

[froze]

Wind trainers are great considering the cost, however they're very loud which makes them difficult to use in a house, and if you live in an apartment neighbors can hear it especially those living below you, then if you watch TV or listen to music you have to turn up the volume and again that will bother neighbors.

I think those trainers sold by Nashbar (and other companies like Nashbar/Performance) are just generic trainers that get several different decals slapped on them for sale, doesn't mean they're a terrible machine because if you look at the Nashbar site they have plenty of reviews and most are highly favorable, so if you want a decent trainer to get started on without paying a lot of money I would get it.

By the way the 1Up that another posted listed is a very high quality trainer and it's the only one built in America, if the thing works $40 is a steal.

[fourflys]

resurrecting this a bit...

I see a few folks recommend the Kurts... there is a Road 1.0 on my local CL for $200, figure I can get it for a little less...

Thoughts? use it with Zwift or other programs?

Thanks

[R3awak3n]

$200 for the kurt is fine, not amazing but not bad either.

works fine with zwift through the virtual power, of course better with a power meter but when zwift first came out all I used was a kurt and was fine. Then when I got a power meter it got more accurate. Now I have a kickr :P

[jh_on_the_cape]

I bought the ascent fluid unit new shipped for less than 100 on crashbar.
I have used it a few times successfully. I considered a used kurt unit but did not see the advantage given the hassle of finding something used.

[stephenmarklay]

$200 for the kurt is fine, not amazing but not bad either.

works fine with zwift through the virtual power, of course better with a power meter but when zwift first came out all I used was a kurt and was fine. Then when I got a power meter it got more accurate. Now I have a kickr :P

The add on power module that allows for calibration is very accurate according to DC rainmaker. The downside is no control/Erg.

I still train on it anyway.

[fourflys]

The add on power module that allows for calibration is very accurate according to DC rainmaker. The downside is no control/Erg.

I still train on it anyway.

did I see in another thread that you use it on zwift?

[NHAero]

That's a screamin' deal on a great trainer!

Quote: Someone here suggested a 1-Up. Here (http://providence.craigslist.org/bik/5854953563.html) ya' go. $40.

[Peter P.]

Relative to a new Kurt Kinetic at $349, $200 is not a bad deal for something that will likely never wear out. Version 1.0 isn't all that different from the current iterations to warrant going for the Kinetic du jour.

If you're patient however, and wait until the spring, you'll see trainers on craigslist going for a song.

Either way I think you'll get a fair shake.

[fourflys]

it turns out I found another road machine with wheel riser and mat for $140... says it was used twice... I think I'll go for that one! ;)

[carpediemracing]

FYI I've had a few CycleOps Fluids leak on me, including a 2. I decided against warrantying two of them back in the day (I figured one warranty was appropriate for one person, not three) but now I think I'm going to get two replacement ones and sell them off. I think one leaked about 8? 9? years ago, and then the second one I had (which I got under warranty previously) leaked in early 2015.

I'm on a KK now, one I got used.

Ironically the KK is on the last leaked Fluid2's frame. This is because I like the Fluid2 frame design better, with its quick release axle clamp. KK and CycleOps resistance units, on a roller-driven trainer set up, are interchangeable. There's some agreement between the two so the frames are meant to be interchangeable/same, it's not a un/happy coincidence.

[earlfoss]

I have had a Cycleops Fluid2 forever and it has worked without a problem. I train a ton on the thing too, so it's definitely getting used.

If I got the notion to upgrade, I'd be looking at the Kurt Kinetic ones. They have a heavier flywheel. My only complaint about my Fluid2 is that the lighter flywheel doesn't hold inertia quite as well.