Trainer: Mag or fluid or ?
 

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/st...2_553418_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

fluid for $96, worth the extra?
http://www.nashbar.com/webapp/wcs/st...2_556272_-1___[Ljava.lang.String;@84470306

Fluid feels better sir I vote fluid.

Fluid for the sanity.
Cheap mag trainers are loud.

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

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.)

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.

Fluid
 

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

Fluid, hands down.

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."

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!

Someone here suggested a 1-Up. Here ya' go. $40.

Here's a cheap fluid trainer.

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.

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.

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.

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.