Fluid Rolling

I've been using my trusty stationary roller for quite a while now.  The convenience factor for weekday morning cycling sessions is a huge benefit.  It's not the most exciting way to train (or to ride) but it certainly gets the job done.  Using the roller still gets me very sweaty, even though it's now been moved to the garage, where I keep the garage door open as I train.  But sometimes I need to do workouts with higher heart rates, and then the roller doesn't provide enough resistance to get the heart rate high enough. 

And that's where my new toy comes in, the Kinetic Road Machine Fluid Trainer.  My triathlon coach tells me he has been using his for nearly ten years, and has not had any issue with it.  I recommend getting it with the Riser Ring as it will help level your bicycle.  They also sell a non-slip mat, but I think any plain old yoga mat will do.

The fluid trainer is about three times more expensive than the stationary roller, but even after just one session on the fluid trainer, I can tell it is well worth the investment.  It is capable of providing much more resistance and allows me to sustain a high heart rate without trying to maintain an unrealistic pedal speed.  A knob at the back of the unit controls how much resistance you have, which helps with some of the training regimen.  It can help mimic a long hill and make for some really tough cycling.  The one funny thing about the fluid trainer is the fluid - actually sounds like fluid rolling around behind you.

A complaint I often read on the various review website is the noise produced from the fluid trainer.  I don't find it any louder than the stationary roller, though I have the benefit of using them in an open garage rather than in my living room.  I also listen to the radio with earphones on.  In the garage, I don't find any trouble holding a normal conversation and normal voices though.

In the end, for those triathletes and cyclists in a time crunch or who might not want to ride in inclement weather, this is the trainer to get.