The CycleOps Fluid 2 Trainer is a great mid-range priced indoor bike stand trainer which allows you to workout indoors while the weather outdoors is not so great.

CycleOps is part of the Saris Cycling Group that was started in 2006 and they are specialists in indoor bike trainers and have a great range of products available along with parts and accessories to make your CycleOps trainer more comfortable.

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Features and Specifications

The CycleOps fluid 2 trainer is based on a fluid resistance unit which basically uses a rotor in side a tube filled with silicon fluid to create resistance. A fluid resistance unit gives much smoother and linear resistance compared to a magnetic or wind resistance unit. The trainer provides the “power band technology” allowing for a greater range of resistance that works automatically with the bikes own gears instead of having an additional leaver attached to the unit.

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It also has a cooling mechanism which stops the unit from overheating and increasing the lifespan of the bike stand trainer. The CycleOps Trainer also has a larger flywheel than other trainers to increase the road like feel.

The unit is made of very solid 16 gauge steel and is very stable and firm in use, which cannot be said about some cheaper trainers.

The unit is not assembled when shipped so you will have to take car of assembling it. Fortunately the assembly is easy and can be done in less than 15 minutes.

The adjustment of the rear wheel against the resistance roller is made with a very handy tightening mechanism which will click when you have tightened the adjustment to perfect tightness.

The noise level is quite reasonable, especially when compared to a wind trainer, which can be really loud. This is a big plus if there is a change to disturb others or if you want to for example watch television while exercising.

The resistance is adjusted by changing gears on your bike, the trainer itself does not have resistance adjustment.

The main product features in a nutshell:

• Large flywheel for the road like feel
• Infinite resistance settings
• Increased wattage
• Cooling mechanism to stop overheating

Pros

This is a great looking indoor bike trainer, quite often they are made looking cheap and tacky with bright colors but the bronze design looks very upmarket. I like the curves on the trainer instead of solid straight lines which also make it look a great unit. Other benefits include:

• Quiet operation.
• Smooth and realistic resistance
• Well built with high quality materials
• Durable
• Easy to assemble and use

Cons

My only dislikes are the size of the actual fluid resistance mechanism which makes the unit particularly bulky and heavy as this unit appears does not fold away for storage.

User Feedback

The User feedback is very positive. The general consensus is that this trainer is extremely quiet and the automatic resistance setting is very user friendly. Also the fact you can change the bikes gears allow you really simulate outdoor riding and use the range of indoor cycling videos that are available.

However some of the negatives being identified are its relatively short life span, the fact is vibrates after around 15mph and the resistance settings are quite low so are not great for advanced riders. And there a few comments that the instructions are a bit too simple and makes the unit harder to set up than others. But these reviews are more individualized as opposed to the universal view.

Conclusion

Because of the price and size of the unit I believe this would suit the more advanced cyclists who require speedy resistance changes due to cycling at high speeds. The CycleOps 2 Fluid Trainer comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty according to the manufacturers website.

I give this trainer four out of five stars.

The Kinetic Cyclone Wind Trainer is manufactured by Kurt Kinetic otherwise known as Kinetic by Kurt. Kurt manufacturing started building trainers for a competitor until they went bankrupt and Kurt decided to work on a new precision trainer using wind and fluid resistance. The company was founded back in 1947 by Kurt Kuban and has grown into an international business offering a wide range of products.

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Main features

The Kinetic Cyclone Wind Trainer has a lot of great features, it uses two fans (dual fans) to create a more realistic road cycling feeling with the flywheels allowing a smooth coasting experience. The resistance of this bike trainer is speed sensitive with a resistance range of one to 1000 watts. This trainer also boasts the compatibility of the unit to fit all bikes from 16 to 29” diameter which is a large range for a trainer and not many other units can offer this. This unit only weighs twelve pounds which is very light compared to other similar units.

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On a personal level the color and design of this product is very nice, it looks great and being a wind trainer this doesn’t always happen because of the ugly flywheels. But I have to admit I am very fond of this unit. The 2.2lb flywheels allow the unit to coast extremely smoothly which is a big plus because as a rider its important to be able to coast to drink or refuel without bumpy hefty mechanics. It appears to be a quieter unit which has got to be a positive claiming that the noise only becomes unbearable at 25 miles per hour and when you are cranking 349 watts which is pretty quick, and if this is the case it will be quiet for the most part of my workouts! The only thing I do not like about the product is its general size and it does not appear to fold away, and being so light it leads me to believe it may not be as stable as other units. Having said that, I personally prefer a trainer with fluid resistance such as the Cycleops Fluid 2 Trainer.

Price wise this model sits in the upper end of the range but it certainly gives a lot of bang for the buck. It is of an excellent quality and one of the biggest selling points for this unit is the unlimited lifetime guarantee that comes with every purchase giving the buying satisfaction and confidence they are buying a unit that will last for a very long time.

Who is it best suited for

The Kinetic Cyclone Wind Trainer would be most suited to more advanced riders who do not need an overly stable unit, and due to the high price tag a beginner may not want to spend so much on their first trainer. Customer feedback for this unit is all across the board. The positives from customers are about the easiness of detaching and reattaching the bike and the general look and stability of the trainer. However there are reoccurring negative themes such as the noise from the machine. Even though any wind trainer does produce significantly more noise than fluid trainers it appears to be too loud to bear and others have commented on its lack of resistance.

Rating

I would give this bike trainer 3 out 5 wheels on my rating because it does appear to be noisy and hard to set up with complicated attachments but the ability to cope with a high power output is a big plus for me.

This RAD cycle bike trainer is made by RAD Cycling which prides itself on being the industry leader in innovations for cycling trainers and accessories. The company concentrates on cycle accessories and in particular stationary bike trainers. There are many positive testimonials about RAD products on their website and their products have been featured on American TV show ‘The Doctors’. This particular model uses magnetic resistance with 7 variable settings to simulate different conditions. These settings can be altered from the handlebars with the click of a button. It weighs 18 pounds and is foldable to allow easy storage. This product also comes with a front wheel anti slip pad which is great to level the bike. It fits road or mountain bikes of 26 or 27” or 700cc wheels. It boasts easy set up and quiet operation.

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Positives

What’s great about this trainer is not just the ability to adjust the resistance to 7 settings but the fact you can do this without getting off the bike which allows you to simulate hill training for example. Also if it comes with its own anti slip mat you can be sure that leveling the bike should be an easy task. It also comes with its own quick release system which is a huge bonus.

Negatives

On the downside I really dislike the look of this trainer, I believe it is offered in different colors elsewhere but it looks cheap and I would not want this in a trainer. The only other downside is setting up the cable to your handlebars, beginners may find this hard and get tangled up but seasoned indoor cyclists should find this easy.

What the users say

The RAD cycle bike trainer receives quite negative user feedback overall. Positive themes throughout the feedback are the fact it does have adjustable settings of resistance and the inclusion of the front wheel raiser so you don’t have to fumble around getting a makeshift one. Most users comment on the easiness to set up this trainer. However the negatives are quite significant, most have said that the actual levels of resistance are poor and the highest is very easy and hardly different from the lowest and so is not suitable for advanced riders. It appears that most have found it very loud and a few have commented on inaccurate parts to fit their bikes despite being advertised as suiting the various wheel sizes. Whether these criticisms are a bit picky is up to you but I believe this unit is good for beginners if the resistance settings are not that high but I would be put off as an advanced rider based on the reviews. I give this unit 4 wheels out of 5.

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The Minoura LR760 LiveRide indoor bicycle trainer is made by Minoura who produces high end Japanese cycling accessories. Minoura has over 150 products on Amazon and other stockists include wiggle.com, Evans Cycles and many other chain bicycle stores.

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Description

The Minoura LR760 trainer uses magnetic resistance to provide the resistance for the rider and it specializes in using dual neodymium magnets which give up to 13 different resistance levels. This trainer also comes with a remote shifter to allow the rider to adjust the resistance while staying on the bike whereas some other units require you to demount and adjust at the base.

The unit is super quiet and ultra-smooth This trainer is much quieter than its counterparts. It also boasts the top power of 640W at 25 miles per hour which is fast for an indoor trainer with a high power output. It also is adjustable to allow the user to change the bikes that they are training. Also it has the ability to transfer data vie Bluetooth to compatible devices to track your training.

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The main product features are:

• Remote shifter for increasing magnetic resistance
• Quiet and smooth performance
• 640w at 25mph
• 6lb flywheel for sturdy performance

The LR760 trainer is at the high end of the indoor bike trainer market price wise which means this trainer is definitely suited to the serious rider who will use it almost on a daily basis.

Likes and Dislikes

There is one defining factor that makes this indoor trainer stand out for me which is the trainer’s ability to transmit the information from your training to your device using ANT or Bluetooth. This is a great tool for an advanced rider to track their power output over a long distance, especially when training for a race or competition. Secondly this unit looks great with the black white and red looking very professional and top of the range.

The remote shifter is a great advantage to have on any trainer but having 13 different settings gives a huge range to the level of resistance allowing the user to determine the level of their training. Also the ability to withstand a power output of 640w at a high speed allows a rider to actually use the trainer for performance gains rather than as a hobby.

The main dislike about the Minoura LR760 is the price range which may put off many buyers, mainly because an indoor trainer is usually just for rainy days or bad weather and for this price you would expect to be using it on a more long term basis. But you do get what you pay for.

Another negative is the width of the unit is quite narrow which makes it look and feel slightly like it may tip over which could be a problem for larger riders.

I give this indoor bike trainer a 4 out of 5 stars.

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This indoor bike trainer has a resistance flywheel that uses magnetic resistance to increase the intensity of the cycling. The unit is a bright yellow and looks great and includes many extras as part of the package. This bike trainer has a remote shifter which attaches to the bikes gears to increase the resistance as you churn through the gears. Also when you purchase this trainer it comes with a mounting block for the front wheel to keep the whole bike level – this is a common problem with other trainers. The unit is also foldable which allows it to be put away and stored between uses and fits a range of wheel sizes.

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The main product features are:

• Remote shifter for increasing magnetic resistance
• Solid mounting cups to reduce slipping
• Comes with a front wheel riser and quick release fork
• Foldable and easily stored.

The trainer is priced ant the mid-range market for these types of trainers. It is a great unit for all abilities and would suit many bikers from beginners all the way to advanced riders. The setup is more suited to experienced users of indoor trainers.

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Likes and Dislikes

There are many things that I like about this indoor trainer, firstly the color and design is flawless. A bright yellow with black accessories and extras makes the trainer look slick and a lot more expensive than it actually is – which is great for bragging to friends! It is relatively lightweight at about eighteen pounds meaning it can easily be moved and the folding ability allows easy storage, as for me I don’t want my trainer as a piece of permanent furniture. One problem that comes with the possibility to fold the trainer as sometimes when lifting the bike and trainer together it tries to fold up unintentionally. However, I think this is a small price to pay to have a unit you can put away when needed.

The extras that you get with the trainer are also great as often not having a front wheel riser means you have to spend time trying to find something to level the bike out.

The only thing I do not like about the unit is the fact it is more suited to low tread tires and not very effective if using a mountain bike. For me I like to have a trainer that is versatile and does not involve me having to change my wheels to use it. Also the magnetic resistance unit is prone to be very loud.

Customer feedback

Much of the positive feedback received by this unit is linked the value for money with many customers not expecting as much as they got for the price. Easy set-up is a common theme and foldable trainers tend to be already set up ready to use on unpacking. Also a lot of customers think the remote shifter is a huge asset to the bike trainer meaning you do not need to get off the bike to increase or decrease the resistance.

Most customer complaints come from the noise the unit produces and this is again a common problem with magnetic trainers, and the easiest fix people have commented is to use a low tread tire. It appears a lot of the noise is coming from the actual wheel mechanism instead of the resistance unit which has been in some cases caused by faulty parts.

I give this indoor bike trainer a 4 out of 5 wheels.

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The Forza F-2 indoor bike trainer is made by Forza which has a wide range of bicycle products available.

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Description

The Forza F-2 indoor trainer is a mechanical trainer which uses magnetic flywheel resistance to allow the user a smooth and powerful resistance unit to increase or decrease resistance during use. The resistance wheel itself is adjustable which enables a rider to use any type of bike including road and mountain bikes and allows extra room for larger wheels. The frame is made from steel and the roller is magnetic metal but the flywheel mechanism is housed in a plastic container. There are a range of colors available for this trainer.

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The main product features are:

• Heavy duty frame made from steel
• Smooth and powerful magnetic resistance
• Option for an axle adapter (sold separately)

This unit is at the higher end of the market so it is more suited to riders who use an indoor trainer two to three times a week and the steel frame will help advanced riders riding at higher speeds.

Likes and Dislikes

The unit itself looks great and the bright colors make it very desirable and they come in a range of colors to suit your individual tastes or even to match your bike.

It is also easy to set up and it is easy it is to replace the quick release bar with the fork from the Forza unit – also it is silver plated so it can easily be used with road bikes too.

The fact this unit is made from steel is a great advantage as it is very sturdy and supportive without the risk of wobbling when cycling at high speeds. However, with the unit being made from steel it weighs twenty two pounds which is heavier than competitive units. Consequently, moving it around seems to be rather difficult and it is not foldable. On the other hand the unit appears to not be sturdy enough for people above 200lbs.

Another positive to this unit is that it comes with a quick release bar to allow easy transfer of your bike and it is fully adjustable to allow for a range in bike sizes. Often people assume trainers are just for seasoned cyclists with road bikes but this unit will work just as well for a mountain bike.

A potential issue with the trainer is the plastic housing on the resistance wheel which looks to be not very secure and is at risk of breaking under pressure.

Another negative is the noise of the trainer. It becomes very noisy at high speeds, having said that this is a common problem with many indoor bike trainers.

There also seems to be a problem of the swap out fork supplied with the Forza unit being too small to fit all bikes – so checking the length before purchasing is a recommended.

Lastly, the resistance appears to not be as strong as people hope with no way to adjust it apart from using the bikes gears, and the hardest resistance is not even challenging.

Customer Feedback

The general feedback by customers is positive. The common positives that arise from feedback relate to the stability of the unit it being firm and solid based.

I give this indoor bike trainer a 3 out of 5 stars.

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The Magnet Steel Indoor Exercise Trainer is made by FDW who has a small range of cycling based products available. A magnetic design having 5 internal resistance settings to allow you to alter the power needed to turn the rear wheel, it is designed to suit almost any bike from road to mountain with a 26”, 27” or 700c wheel. There is also an adjustable knob allowing you to alter the size to fit your wheel and you have the added ease of being able to change the resistance from your handlebars! A great feature to this product is the ability to fold to allow it to be transported and stored and it is advertised as having a sturdy heavy duty frame.

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All our reviews are independent of any manufacturers or advertisers and if you buy anything through our posts we may get a small share of the sale.

Positives

In my opinion this product seems to tick all the boxes when looking for an indoor trainer, it is quite cheap, seems easy to set up and install however attaching the cable to your handlebars has the potential to be quite tricky. The fact it has variable resistance makes it more desirable than a single resistance trainer so this is a definite plus however I think it looks quite small and cheaply made. From the pictures when comparing to other trainers this one looks particularly narrow which I would then question the stability. This trainer would be most suited to a beginner who wants to simply ride gently and not spend too much on their first trainer.

What the users say

Customer reviews have shown that the main pros to this product are the adjustable settings for the resistance being on the handlebars so no need to stop and change it, also most commented on how easy this product was to set up and that the trainer was pretty stable and sturdy. However this product is quite loud, some reviewers also commented that by changing from hybrid to road tires decreased the noise they still needed to have the TV/headphones up quite loud to block it out. Other negatives by reviewers were that the height ratio from rear to front tire was quite significant so had to put something under the front wheel to level out and that it was not great at high speeds and vibrated a lot. Also the product felt unsteady when rising out of the seat to do speed work. I give this trainer 4 wheels out of 5!

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