Road Cycling - (Minoura) trainers

I know there are a few past trainer threads but I couldn't find much info in the ones that I found in searching. (nor could I find much info in searching the web in general)

Has anyone here had experience with any basic, cheap trainers? In particular, the Minoura 500 or 850? I'm really thinking of getting a trainer, but I have no idea how useful/reliable the cheap ones are. (are they hard to balance... do they break after a year... etc...) Would anyone recommend going for a cheap trainer, or should I hold out until I can afford something like a fluid trainer (cycle-ops)?

I have a Minoura rim driven trainer..Not sure of the model number...Cheap..What is cheap..? Original price was about $225. Got it on sale end of spring for about $170..Seems a solid unit...Had it like two years. Does not get much use in sunny California..I expect it to last many years..Solid construction.. I like the rim driven aspects of it..
Question I ask, is a trainer really as effective as a real ride..My HRM says the pulse is decently elevated..
I would recommend the Minoura..Would get it again..

cheap is less than $150

I'm not sure about model numbers but I had a Minoura mag trainer for a few years. It got pretty noisy at high RPMs and it just didn't feel right. In January I got a CycleOps and it is so much better. As a result I ride my trainer 2-3 times on weekday evenings since I get home after dark. With the Minoura I was lucky if I rode it twice a month. These criticisms are probably not specific to Minoura, more likely cheap magnetic trainers on the whole. And I don't know what specific models you are looking at. But based on my experience, I'd say wait to get a fluid trainer.

The sales rep. sold me about rim driven trainers..Less stress on tires.. Supposedly tires have short lives on fluid trainers? I have no reason to think I don't get a decent work out on my rim driven trainer. On sale, $169 is close to $150...
The rim driven unit seems less noisy..At the store I bought the trainers, they had various models on the floor ready for someone to take a test ride.

I dont care aboot tire wear... my tires suck anyway ;)

Buy a cheap tire and forget about the wear issues...

I'm in the makret and took a ride on a CycleOps fluid and an Elite fluid which were both pretty nice. They were both about $250 if I remember correctly. But, the Elite seemed quieter.

Although, they're stil more $$$ than $150. So I guess I have answered nothing of your question and should just shut up.

PJ

I dont care aboot tire wear... my tires suck anyway ;)
The question I have about a trainer.. Is the work out on any trainer equal to a real ride...? Anyone think the fluid trainer gives a better work out than a rim driven unit.?
Not sure, someone suggested trainers are hard on a bikes' frame..? Any truth to that? If so, would a fluid trainer put more pressure on a bikes' frame than other systems..?

I could see where a trainer could put some stress on the frame. Since the rear is locked in, you will be twisting a bit, especially when you stand up and hammer. I don't see that one type could stress your frame more than others.

I wouldn't worry about it really though unless your frame is made out of glass. :D

You could always go with rollers to avoid frame stress. I would be afraid that I would come off and crash into the TV at full speed though.

I use a 1up trainer (it is not fluid, mag, or cheap). And let me tell you, that thing is an a$$ whoopin' in a box. It puts me about 1 gear lower than on the street. It is like always being on a very slight incline. I like it that way, so when I get on the road it seems easier.

Pretty much all the same. Every brand has a model to compete with others.

Look at the folwing brands: Tacx, Elite, CycleOps

thanks for the info everyone
I ordered one