Fifty Plus (50+) - Trainer Questions

OK, I'm quite certain I want to get a trainer and have narrowed it down to either Cycleops or Kurt Kinetics. (I like the one piece frame designs) However, I know nothing about trainers, haven't even seen one in real life.

I like the Kurt design with no "O" ring into the fluid compartment and a little bigger drive roller, (less wear on tire?)

Questions: (I searched the forums but they don't specifically address these questions)

1. Is the fluid option (most expensive) the best one to get?
2. Besides the fluid, which is next best, wind or magnetic resistance?
3. Do you really need a trainer tire, why?
4. Does a fitted skewer come with each trainer?
5. Can you increase the tension to where you can stand on the pedals?
6. How do you increase tension? by shifting to higher gear?

Thanks!...knotty

OK, I'm quite certain I want to get a trainer and have narrowed it down to either Cycleops or Kurt Kinetics. (I like the one piece frame designs) However, I know nothing about trainers, haven't even seen one in real life.

I like the Kurt design with no "O" ring into the fluid compartment and a little bigger drive roller, (less wear on tire?)

Questions: (I searched the forums but they don't specifically address these questions)

1. Is the fluid option (most expensive) the best one to get?
2. Besides the fluid, which is next best, wind or magnetic resistance?
3. Do you really need a trainer tire, why?
4. Does a fitted skewer come with each trainer?
5. Can you increase the tension to where you can stand on the pedals?
6. How do you increase tension? by shifting to higher gear?

Thanks!...knotty

1. I think fluid is best. I like that it has a resistance curve that is based on fluid dynamics rather than magnetics, and mimics the air resistance curve one experiences on the road. Wind trainers also have this feature, but they are noisier.
2. Here it's a noise v. cost comparison: winds are noisier and cheaper.
3. No, you don't really need a trainer tire. You might wear out a road tire on the trainer, but just use an old one or a cheap one.
4. Yes a skewer comes with both the Kurt and the Cyclops
5. I haven't tried any standing trainer riding.
6. With a fluid or a wind, you increase pedalling resistance by shifting to a higher gear, just like real riding.

1) Yes, yes, and yes. It's quieter and more realistic.
2) Magnetic. Wind is extremely noisy. The best magnetic would be the Cycleops Magneto, an hybrid between magnetic and fluid.
3) No, but I would advise it. I have a spare wheel and I finish my old front tires on the trainer.
4) ???. I think most come with one as some skewer (such as Mavic Ksyrium) usually don't fit.
5) On a magnetic you have a tension adjuster, on a fluid you use your gears as on the road.
6) see 5).

I highly recommend the Kurt Kinetic.

Since your rear wheel is sitting higher than normal, don't forget to get the block to put under the front wheel to keep you level.
Trainers with different resistance settings can usually be changed remotely to change the resistance, otherwise, you shift gears to increase resistance.
I think standing on the trainer puts too much stress on your bicycle.

Thanks for all the replies, I'll use them in making the decision, I think it'll be the Kurt at this point. Best price I've seen so far is $291 for the 2008 model and free shipping. $274 for 2007 model.

It's funny, the one trainer tire costs more than both the tires I have on the road bike...LOL

knotty

3) No, but I would advise it. I have a spare wheel and I finish my old front tires on the trainer.

What I meant was I recommend using a different tire than the one you are currently using on the road especially if you are using high-end, expensive ones. I didn't mean you need a special type of tire. That also means that you have a spare wheel for the trainer because changing the tire from your regular wheel before using the trainer wouldn't be very practical.
Otherwise just use your regular wheel with the tire you currently have on it, it will get spent quicker than on the road but not that much quicker (probable 20 to 30% quicker).

Yeah, I understood, I have a old MTB I'm using on the rollers at the moment and will use that for the Trainer too. Luckily, I have extra wheels and lots of narrow, old slick tires for it.

Thanks...knotty

Related to this but also funny. In Dick's Sporting Goods and saw a CycleOps climbing block thing. Plastic riser for the front wheel. Asked the kid how much it was? $200!!! he said. Normally sells for about $15. Asked him if it would turn me into Lance Armstrong for $200. His boss corrected him that for $200 you got the block + a trainer.

Look at the 1up USA trainer. It is also a great trainer.

I think standing on the trainer puts too much stress on your bicycle.

Really? Because when I do my intervals I shift into the big chainring and get close to the smallest in the back, and stand up, otherwise I don't get my heart rate up enough to complete the interval. I notice more torquing when standing so I'm more careful about moving side-to-side than I am on the road.

We have a Cycle-Ops mag trainer. We went for economical, so we can toss it into the truck to take to races, TTs, etc. It's noisy, to be sure, so I crank up the volume of my iPod.

I use it when I lack time to get on the road, or when it's rainy and cold. It's not my favorite way to train but it's better than falling behind in my program.

Look at the 1up USA trainer. It is also a great trainer.

I've got one of those and I really like it.

Really? Because when I do my intervals I shift into the big chainring and get close to the smallest in the back, and stand up, otherwise I don't get my heart rate up enough to complete the interval. I notice more torquing when standing so I'm more careful about moving side-to-side than I am on the road.


That was what I was told before. It's the side to side stress on the bike frame that is bad. Your bike isn't locked in when standing and riding on the road. You're being careful about it, so you must have thought about this.

Does anyone have experience with a rim-drive trainer? I was wondering if these things wreaked havoc with a wheel's true.

Does anyone have experience with a rim-drive trainer? I was wondering if these things wreaked havoc with a wheel's true.

I think these are made for Mountain bikes. They shouldn't mess with truing as the bike is still held at the skewer.

They have pressure on both sides of the rim, where the brakes ride. It shouldn't affect the wheel anymore than a brake would.

I ordered a Cycleops Magneto trainer. Thought I'd go the cheaper route since the Magneto version has progressive resistance also. It sounded like a had playing cards stuck in the spokes. Returned it and got a Fluid2. Much quiiter and smoother.

A satisified KurtKinetics user here... well, as satisfied as I can be with riding a trainer vs. a real ride.
I've had mine for about a year and a half.

I use my Kaitai as my trainer bike and, yes, I do shift it was, way up and stand on it.
I am very careful about my side-to-side but as long as you keep you motion as up-and-down as possible (and it's pretty possible) I don't think it's much of an issue. Then, when I stand on this thing in its tallest gear, I break down long before it does... it's a pretty tough workout.

Still, an hour on the trainer is about the most I can stand.

I depend on my trainer. It is either that or nothing in this area at this time of the year. I cannot be out of condition.
The Cycle-Ops FL2 trainer has done fine for me. It resembles real road conditions quite well. I train at least two hours per day typically at 17 MPH. I stand up in the biggest gear for two miles out of six miles but have done five miles in a stretch standing. About 50 RPM.

I use ordinary tires on the trainer and they do wear but not enough for me to worry.

A skewer came with the trainer.

Adding too much tension will make the training more difficult. I set it as low as possible. Standing up is no problem but I agree that rocking side to side must be minimized. I have done 22 MPH and that is hard on the bike. I can see that.

The Cycle-Ops has no Watts meter. That is something I wish I had. I rely on my HRM instead.