So while I've been averaging around 250km a week here, it is getting to the point where the heat is getting a bit much. It is starting to touch 120F by mid-day - even by 9-9:30am, it gets *really* hot. So I have been thinking of taking my training indoors - onto a trainer. Plan is to do 2-3 hours outdoors in the morning, get indoors by 9 and do another 1-1.5 hours on the trainer.

The only trainer I have used so far is a cheap Minoura Rim Drive unit (RDA-80 or something like that), which felt terrible to ride - the resistance was always too strong and it didnt feel anything close to riding a bike.

I was thinking of a Tacx Fortius unit, but to be honest, that's a bit much right now - so I am thinking of getting a cheaper unit. The only LBS in this country carries only Tacx, so the Kurt Kinetic (the CAAD9 of trainers) is out.

So, my questions:

1/ Is the Minoura Rim Drive typical of all trainers or are fluid trainers more akin to the "real thing"?

2/ Any recommendations on Tacx models - something equivalent to the Kurt Kinetic?

3/ Any tips for staying interested while on trainers? I know people use DVDs, etc- any recommendations which work with regular trainers? Preferably geared towards improving TT performance (see sig).

Thanks,
V.