CycleOps FluidAA Winter Training Kit

I''m in the military, currently studying at West Point, and recently took up cycling as a competetive sport. Since it is starting to get cold and I don''t have the money to buy cold weather clothes, so i decided to invest a little money in a trainer. After extensive research, i decided to get the cycleops fluid2 mainly for it''s high resistance power curve to improve myself for the spring season.

After my first workout on the trainer, all i have to say is that this thing is a beast. I used the included Criterium workout that came with the trainer, and I couldn''t go past the 4th largest cog for more than a minute near the end. Totally smoked from that workout, which is a good thing. The best part of the trainer is the fact that it has the quick release for when you''re done with your workout. I haven''t used a trainer with a knob, but it would probably suck cranking it tight enough for it not to slip.

Setup was a complete breeze, except that there was a rock or some mineral or something in the thread for the quick release which slowed my setup down to 40 minutes trying to get the stupid thing out. Other than that, the setup shouldn''t have taken more than 10 mintues.

The extra money spent on the blocks, mat, and sweat catcher thing are really worth it though. I had 3 big puddles of sweat on the mat when i was done after 40 minutes of spinning. Seeing as sweat is corrosive, the sweat catcher probably absorbed another puddle of sweat that could''ve damaged my bike.

All around, it''s a great set and worth the money if you''re willing to spend the money on it. This is my first trainer, and I didn''t want a cheap trainer that would break after my first year of use and as a warm-up tool before races. Can''t go wrong with cycleops.

I''m a serious cyclist, and when it came wintertime, I broke down and finally bought this trainer in October 2008.

But before I got this one, I bought one resistance trainer, then another, then another, and returned all three in sequence. They didn''t offer a good ''feel'' for the road.

Enter the CycleOps Fluid 2. This has a real road-like feel to it. It''s hard to describe exactly what that is, but when you ride this unit versus cheap imitation models, you''ll know it immediately. It doesn''t "skip" during accelerations is the best way to describe it.

Set up is super easy. Just make sure you have a metal skewer on your rear wheel, as the types your bike comes with are likely to crack. My box had one in it, so it was an easy swap.

Next, screw the adjusting barrel to fit over your rear skewer, slide the yellow handle upward, and voila, you''re done! To increase the tension, turn the yellow handle clockwise. It''s that easy.

After riding for an hour, you''ll notice 1) how quiet it is 2) how smoothly it accelerates 3) how well it dissipates heat (feel it after the ride, and it is barely warm indicating the flywheel is shedding heat, which is the major cause of failure in resistance trainers). Better yet, you''ll notice no wind produced, which always bothered me about other models. If I want hot air blowing up my butt, I''ll listen to an Obama presidential address. There''s no place for that in a bike trainer.

The sturdy yellow handle is the engineering marvel that makes this such a great product. Set it once by turning it to the desired wheel pressure, and you''re done. Then, all you have to do is flip it up to start, down when you''re done. With all the other models, you had to turn the adjusting screw about 1,000 times to start, and repeat to end the workout (or just leave it in the attached position, which is not good for the unit OR the rear wheel). This was a real pain in the wrist. Not so with the "magic" yellow handle (as I like to call it). It is fiendishly clever and I wonder why nobody ever developed it before now.

I like the fact that there is NO cable to increase or decrease resistance. The units with a cable that runs from the unit and mounts on your handlebars are useless, in my opinion. THAT IS WHAT MY 20 GEARS ARE FOR!

After a year of quite frequent use, it remains a loyal servant with nary a hiccup.

Is this expensive? Yes, it is. Is it expensive compared to my $5,000 Cervelo? No, it is not. Is it worth the $$$? Definitely.

If you want a trainer that feels more like a real road ride than any other (and I''ve tried nearly all of them through purchasing [and returning] or at friends'' houses), one that is whisper quiet, and one that does not overheat (indicating excessive wear}, then you will have to splurge on yourself. If not, then why get a resistance trainer?

Buy CycleOps FluidAA Winter Training Kit Now

This is replacing an admittedly old mag trainer that did not quite have resistance needed for a good workout, and was awfully noisy to boot. This trainer scores high marks on usability, silence, and quality. The quality on the trainer was obvious from when I first took it out of the box. Parts are well machined and painted, and fit together correctly. Assembly was straightforward and fast. Also, note that the fluid unit comes with a lifetime warranty.

Another welcome feature is the quick release latch. While I am using this in the winter, and the bike is staying locked in for some time, the sliding latch is a lot more convenient the spinning threaded wheels while trying to center and balance the bike. One can make a coarse estimate and get the bike locked upright, and refine the tightness on the frame from there.

The latching handle for the wheel tension is a big step up from the spring mechanism on mine and other trainers. Those always seem to give me trouble (i.e. slip) when cranking hard. No such trouble here plenty of grip. Which brings us to the tire. Do yourself a favor and get one of the trainer tires. I got Tacx Trainer Tire 700c Special Trainer Compund on recommendation from a friend. Road tires tend to shred up on trainers, and there is a lingering smell of burnt rubber. Also, they will leave a wake of rubber goop behind you, so if you pass on this, watch where you point the back of the trainer. The Continental trainer tire Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer Race Tire is also highly rated, but the Conti beads are a royal Pain to get on and off the rim. Apparently the trainer is even harder, so I shied away. I have Conti road tires and love ''em, but I know how hard they are to mount.

Once riding, I was absolutely stunned at just how quiet the trainer was. Made all of the little noises my bike made spinning loud and obvious. A little tuning later, and one can easily ride and watch TV without needing to crank the sound. This trainer is easily delivering the resistance I need for a workout, and this coming in the middle gears. Haven''t stayed on the big gear for too long yet, so there is plenty of resistance and real cycling feel.

The kit is actually a good value. It comes with a "thong" a terry cloth drip catcher for catching the sweat and holding your remotes for the TV, etc. believe me, you will need it. Also, a mat for protecting the floor and providing a little damping. Another great idea for use in the main part of the house. Finally, a pair of the front wheel blocks that let you set the incline of the bike. Haven''t used these for a really "steep ride" yet, but I do use one so that the whole bike is level on the trainer. Makes a small but perceptible difference.

All of this together made for a great value for me, and I now have an excellent setup (and no excuses!) for getting the winter training in. With all of the snow in the Northeast this winter, even outdoor running is tough to do. Glad I got this.

Read Best Reviews of CycleOps FluidAA Winter Training Kit Here

The Cycle-Ops Fluid 2 is a great trainer. Easy to set up and use. I have not used other trainers, so I can''t compare. The trainer is not at all loud, as I''ve heard others are. It is very stable and simple to set up and use. It''s great to ride indoors during the winter (I live in Michigan), makes the winter go by faster! Takes a bit to get used to as it is different than riding on the road. You cannot "coast" as the trainer slows down very quickly. Although while pedaling the resistance is smooth and feels like really riding. I hate stationary bicycles, but this is my bike so that makes it totally different.

Highly recommend this, definitely worth it and saves me from going to the gym to get a workout.

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This is the first trainer I''ve owned, and I''m more than impressed with how well it replicates the workout intensity of a regular workout on the open road. It was very easy to setup, and the instructions were easy to follow. The only thing I''d recommend that I found out was not to leave your bike mounted on the trainer. I only did this once, but it''s not good for the bike. Enjoy!

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