CycleOps vs. Minoura

I am looking to purchase a bike tainer in the near future. I have read a ton of reviews and many of the posts re: trainers and rollers on this site- good stuff.

I have narrowed my decision down to the CycleOps Fluid2 and the Minoura Hyper-Rim Alum. There is a lot of information out there on CycleOps, but not so much on Minoura or Rim-Drive trainers in general. I like the idea of not having to switch out the tire, but would I be sacrificing quality, resistance, etc by not going with the Fluid2.

Any thoughts on quality, rim-drives, customer service, etc would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

The only experience I have with Rim-Drive trainers was this fall when a friend of mine was looking at picking up a used Minoura. The roller had a small flat spot on it which made the ride unacceptable. He attempted to contact Minoura about a replacement part and was told that they did not stock parts for trainers that old (2yrs).

That said, I have been using a standard Minoura wind trainer for 8 years with nothing to complain about except a little noise.

If you can afford the Fluid2 I would highly recommend it. While I've never had problems getting parts for customers with Minoura trainers, CycleOps service is unbeatable. The unit itself provides a nice progressive resistance and I prefer its wider footprint as it is more stable than the Minoura.

I have a Fluid2 and I highly recommend it. It doesn't wear the rear tire out fast either, which surprised me. I used to have another trainer years ago, can't remember the name but it would leave a pile of rubber dust on the floor beneath the rear wheel. I've been using the Fluid2 for 3 months now 4 to 6 times a week for an hour at a time and the tire still has the flash seam down the middle, no dust on the floor. The trainers roller is smooth metal, not abrasive at all. It works good, no complaints.


Mel

Ditto.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. You have definitely helped me to make a decision. I am going to purchase a Fluid 2 this week- can't wait. I have done quite a bit of research on this so I feel pretty comfortable with my decision. Will let you know my thoughts after a few months.

Thanks again,
Mo

I know it's a little late to help you out, but I've been really satisfied with my cycleops fluid2. I got a good deal on the fluid2 tt which is the one that comes with all the CTS videos. I'd wish I would have saved the 50 dollars and just gone with the trainer. The videos may be good as I get close to racing form, but for now I've been really satisfied with the trainer, quiet, good resistance, and haven't noticed any tire wear since I purchased the unit 3 months ago.

fyi, I got my fluid2 trainer from a local bike store for a very good price with good customer service. They do a fair amount of business online as well, the site is alfredebike.com out of Kalamazoo, MI

Thanks JC..Appreciate your thoughts.