Originally Posted by
RoderWrench
I wanted to get on Zwift before the winter. Of course I wanted a smart trainer, but didn't have 1k laying around for a Kickr, so I got the Performance Comp Fluid for $99 (it lists for $199 but it's almost always on sale for $99-$129). Spending a bunch for a "premium" dumb trainer to get on the Island just didn't make sense.
That's what I thought until I bought a Kurt with the "pro" +12 pound flywheel upgrade (18.25 total) and returned my Performance trainer.
It has much higher inertial load so it feels better, more like riding on the road. Indoor power is higher (likely less limited by dead spots pedaling) which should produce better training impact on outdoor performance.
Kurt on left, performance on right. "Pro" flywheel on top of standard.
The Kurt is more stable, mounting mechanism with quick release faster, resistance varies less for virtual power, and it's leak-proof.
The CycleOps Fluid 2 is also a bit light, with just 2.75 pounds of flywheel weight.