Training & Nutrition - Indoor trainers on a budget?

Hi;
Cash flow is a little tight, but I'd like to get an indoor trainer for the upcoming cold winter months in NY.

I have a Specialized Sequoia road bike, and a Trek Series 6 mountain bike.
I would like to be able to put either bike on the trainer (depending on my mood).

Can someone recommend a trainer for about 200.00?

BTW...I can get the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer for FREE, with my Amex points. Is that trainer any good?

Thanks

I have one of these, which I really like:

http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=6000123&subcategory=60001087&brand=&sku=18824&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=Shop%20by%20Subcat%3A%20Trainers%20and%20Rollers

Can someone recommend a trainer for about 200.00?

BTW...I can get the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer for FREE, with my Amex points. Is that trainer any good?


I've been looking for a trainer as well for the winter. It seems three are consistently mentioned around here:

Kurt Kinetic trainers
1upUSA traners
CycleOps Fluid 2 trainers

The Kurt Kinetic often seems to get great comments from here and about the Internet and is the one I am leaning towards. However, if you are on a budget and can get a CycleOps Fluid 2 for free via Amex points, I would probably go that route. It seems to get enough happy folks with it that it would be a good choice. Again, I only base my comments on what I have picked up from around here and other places on the net as I research my choice for a trainer.

Good luck!

If you can get the CycloOps Fluid 2 for free I would go for it. I've heard pretty good reviews about it.

The CycloOps Fluid 2 is pretty common - a lot of bike shops have them for bike fittings. I've never owned one, but I've used them enough that I'd take one for a good deal like that!

I'd pick up a used Kurt Kinetics trainer on Ebay. You should be able to get one for $200 or less and it's quite likely it won't have had heavy use (because it's crushingly boring to ride indoors!).

I got a Cycle Ops Fluid 2, much better than the KK, to me it mirrors very well cycling resistance like when on the road.

Some say the Cycle Ops leaks etc have never had any leaks on mine, runs very smooth, resistance is gradual, very quiet so do not worry about training in the middle of the night if you have to.

I had a KK and returned it the next day, I may not be an elite cyclist, but the resistance on a KK was ridiculously hard, soft, inconsistent, etc.

One thing I did as many say the culprit is heat build-uo that tends to burn the seals, so I bought a cheap small tornado fan and placed it on the side of the unit. I did it as a preventive measure only, if I remember well it has a 5 year warranty.