Is it worth changing from mag trainer to fluid trainer?

[esther-l]

Nashbar sent me spam about trainers on sale.

Especially now (knee surgery), even the lowest resistance level on my mag trainer at home feels too difficult. Is it worth buying a fluid trainer?

Does anyone have experience with Nashbar or Minoura fluid trainers?
thanks, Esther

[Zonda]

I have the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine (http://www.kurtkinetic.com/roadmachine.php)

I've used it about three times.:confused: You can borrow it if you want.

[RickF]

I have both the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine, which I use, and the Cycleops Fluid2 that Kathie uses. Both are good. The Kurt propaganda says that eventually the seals on the Cycleops will fail and the oil will leak out of the resistance unit. The Kurt Kinetic is designed differently and is less likely to fail. We have had our Cycleops for four years, and Kathie uses it at least four hours per week, and it has not failed yet. Even if it does fail, it has a lifetime warranty.

The advantage of the fluid trainer over the mag trainer is that resistance on the fluid trainer is exponentially proportional to speed. Resistance on mag trainers is constant regardless of speed. With the fluid trainers, shifting to an easier gear lowers the resistance (just like on the road), so there is no need to adjust resistance on the trainer. Harder gears gives more resistance, and easier gears gives less resistance.

[Michelle W]

Does anyone have experience with Nashbar ?
thanks, Esther

I'v ordered a few things from Nashbar and been pleased. The one item that was not right was quickly refunded.

[RickF]

Nashbar and Performance are the same company, although their web site and catalogues are different. I have purchased a few things from Nashbar that I could not find anywhere else and have never had a bad experience with them.

[JayC]

I know this probably doesnt mean anything to you but most fluid trainers can be calibrated to work with the KK power meter. If you plan to do any kind of power based training (Which is THE way to train on a bike), that's invaluable. Mag trainers dont work with the KK power meter.

[Michelle W]

Nashbar and Performance are the same company

Well that would explain why the moment I purchased something from Performance catalog, I started receiving Nashbar as well :)