Training & Nutrition - The differance between Cycle-ops & a nashbar or performance brand trainer?

I'm asking about the fluid trainers. Cycle-Ops, while being one of the best fluid trainers on the market is pretty expensive.

So I ask is the fluid trainers found in Nasbar and Performance Bike just as good while at a lot lower cost? Or does the lower cost also mean lower quality?

Or should I splurge and buy the Cycle-Ops Fluid II because it is the better one?

Thanks.

Hi,
I recently got a Kurt Kinetics trainer. Seems pretty good but my previous experience with them is nil plus zero. There are a bunch of trainer review at mtbreview.com and the Kinetics website has a couple I think.

I'm not an expert... I've got a Performance TravelTrac Millenium, Fluid, Variable resistance, and it's the only trainer I've spent any time on. I have no major complaints. The resistance unit is spring loaded, so you can't adjust the pressure against the rear tire. I reduce tire pressure to prevent the rear tire slipping, which works okay. The resistance unit and frame support is good, I put about 1500 "miles" on mine last winter, everything from easy spinning to anaerobic intervals. I'm not sure the variable resistance is necessary. For major changes in resistance, I changed gears. I used the variable resistance for fine tuning. No bells or whistles, but a good product.

FWIW, the Performance trainers are rebranded Elites.
http://www.elite-it.com/jsp/c-Prodotti.jsp?ID=15%20f

Questions have been posted a number of times, there some good input.... search the T&N forum (that's Training & Nutrition, before Koffee busts me ;) ) over the last year or so.

I have a cellar full of inexpensive trainers, some from nashbar, some from performance, all purchased when I was new at this. They are all very noisy and crude, the resistance is inconsistent and unpredictable. Just over Two years ago I bought a Cyclops fluid 2+, I have logged over 10,000 miles in my basement on this thing, it's quiet, it's consistent and feels about as close to the road as I think you can get. It gives a smooth steady workout and never has any issues. It's easy to clip the bike in and go. I built up a trainer road bike that doesen't have a front wheel, I use a fork stand to support the front of the bike, I geared the bike high with 2 step gearing, It saves my good bikes from the stresses of the trainer. I feel you can't go wrong with this one, it's money well spent if you want to keep up your conditioning when the weather goes south.

I have a Fluid 2, and if I'm not on rollers I'm on that.
The Kirk Kenetic is also very good unit.
I don't know about the nashbar and performance units but
on mine I don't have to set resistance, the unit is variable resistance and feels more "road like"

Marty

I blew up the resistance unit on my cycle-ops fluid 2. I'm assuming my manliness just beat the poor thing until it just gave up. ;) Actually I'm thinking it was just a manufacturing defect or something. The point of the post is to say that it was replaced "no questions asked". I packed up the RU and sent it off to cycl-ops and a week later a new one showed up on the doorstep. So I just wanted to say that if standing behind their product is an issue in the old trainer debate, my vote is for cycle-ops. :thumbup: