Tags: Kurt Kinetic Road Machine, Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review
I have a buddy who is in the market for a bike trainer and he asked me for my recommendation. Initially he came to me asking what I ride outdoors but the conversation quickly changed to the criteria he was looking for in an indoor bicycle trainer. It seems I'm hearing more and more of that these days as we've just finished shoveling about 19 inches of snow out here in the midwest. Plus, sometimes you would rather not leave your home to go to the gym but instead just hop on your indoor bike trainer. No problem because I love talking about what keeps me in shape. So, I gave him a couple of manufacturers to look at but he wanted me to give him specific information that would lean him towards buying a specific model. I asked him to give me his criteria for buying a bike trainer. Ok... so I told him to give me a day, I would do my research, and I would get back to him.
Criteria For A Bicycle Trainer:
* Great resistance
* Rides like you are on the road
* Relatively quiet
* Price under $400
* Does not want a roller trainer
* Built to last
* Good reviews
Now, while I know of a few bike trainers that would suit him well, one in particular to me stands out above all the rest. Since he was asking for a specific model based upon the above criteria, I did my research with the promise to met up with him the following day. To make a long story short, I decided to provide him with a full Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review because this bike trainer met all of his criteria. Lets take a look at it here:
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review Video
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review - Offers Great Resistance
So, why would I recommend this particular model? Well, I went back to his criteria and this is what I provided him within the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review. The Kurt Kinetic Road Machine offers what they call a PowerTap calibrated resistance unit. This means that the resistance replicates what you might feel while riding outdoors. This bike trainer automatically adjusts its resistance as you change speed/pedal harder. Some call this progressive resistance. Whether you use this trainer for sprinting, interval training, or a steady cruise, you'll get that simulation of an outdoor ride, without having to battle the outdoor elements. Combined with a 6.25 lb. flywheel, it also allows for a realistic slowdown. So it will take you 15 seconds to coast down from 20mph to a stop, whereas some bike trainers have an unnatural quick slow down or ride in general.
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review - This Bike Trainer Is Built To Last
The Kurt Kinetic Road Machine is a fluid trainer that is rather unique. Some fluid trainers are prone to leak but this Kurt Kinetic Road Machine is guaranteed not to leak. How can you say that? Well, its fluid chamber is totally sealed. There are no moving or rotating parts which penetrate the sealed fluid chamber, thus it will not leak. If you check out competitive trainers, they are only warranted for manufacturers defects, while the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine provides an unconditional lifetime warranty. I won't lie, I like some of the other manufacturers, including CycleOps trainers. However, because they use a drive shaft with rubber seals (o-rings) to spin the impeller within a fluid chamber, those rubber seals may break down. Need more proof about the quality of Kurt Kinetic fluid trainers? Here is another video as part of my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review.
While I've yet to find an indoor bike trainer that is what you might call whisper quiet, the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine fits the bill of being a quiet ride. When looking at trainers, most folks start their search with a wind trainer, then magnetic trainer, and finally a fluid trainer. A general statement can be made that the level of noise from most to least follows the same order. Riders have described this Kurt Kinetic Road Machine as being a smooth and quiet ride.
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine - Product Details
• Measurable and repeatable workload
• 6.25 lb. flywheel for realistic coast-down
• PowerTap calibrated resistance unit
• Sealed fluid chamber with magnetically coupled driveshaft
• Thermodynamically neutral silicone resistance fluid
• 15-second coast-down from 20 mph
• Consistent resistance at multiple temperatures
• 80 cooling fins to dissipate heat
• 2 1/8” roller reduces tire wear
• Lowest operating temperature of any fluid trainer
• Smooth, quiet resistance from 5-3000 watts
• Approved for tandem use
• Guaranteed not to leak
• Unconditional lifetime warranty
• Lifetime crash replacement policy
So, I gathered up all my research and told my friend that I could hand him past reviews that I had done on CycleOps or he could trust me on my opinion and I would give him my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine review. He chose the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine review. Actually, I emailed him because I didn't see him at the gym the following day. I added one thing that may have also sparked his interest. The Kurt Kinetic Road Machine is the official bicycle trainer for the USA Cycling Team. Also, the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine will let you ride both road bikes and mountain bikes as it can be adjusted to work with wheel sizes from 16 to 29 inches. Getting on and off the trainer is a snap. It will only take a minute or two to have your bike on this trainer and a push of the release trigger will let your bike slide out in a matter of seconds.
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review - Pro's and Con's
Amazon gives the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine 4.6 out of 5 stars. Here is what some folks have to say about this trainer.
- "The best trainer you can buy"
- "I am very happy with the trainer. Most impressively, it is much quieter than my previous mag trainer"
- "The greatest feature is the quietness with which it operates"
- "I love it and use it regularly with great results"
- "The Kurt Kinetic is solid and well built, ride is very smooth. Best trainer I've ever been on"
- "Easy to use, quiet, and gives a great ride. I'd highly recommend it"
- "In short, I'd give the trainer five stars just for the unit itself and what it has added to my training. Adding Kurt's service and Amazon's speed, I would rate this product even higher if I could"
I would be remiss if I didn't let you know about a couple negatives that I've heard about the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine. For beginners, I've heard some say it was a little bit louder than they thought it would be. If you've never had the um er luxury of riding a wind trainer (and I still ride a wind trainer depending on the day), you'll come to understand that the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine truly is a quiet ride when compared to a wind trainer or magnetic trainer. The other disappointment seems to be in the written directions. However I'll follow that up by saying that you should receive a DVD with your trainer and it will include detailed instructions for assembly and use of the bike trainer.
Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review - Priced under $400.
Ok. So he told me that he loved my Kurt Kinetic Road Machine review but the one thing that I forgot to send him was the price. He was presently surprised and dismayed when he headed to his local bike shop. They had the unit for sale at $359 but were out of stock. As my friend was now all excited to pickup a Kurt Kinetic Road Machine, I got a call back the same day asking if I had some inside information on where he could buy this trainer. My inside information was that he could order the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine through Amazon. As a bonus he would be able to buy this trainer for less than our local bike shop (it was just under $320 on Amazon) and get free shipping. There is an upgrade to the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine and that is called the Kinetic PRO Trainer Dual Fly-Wheel Trainer. Just like the title implies, it includes an additional 12 lb. flywheel to make the ride even smoother and increases the coast down from 25mph to 60 seconds.
I gave him one other tidbit of advice. If it were me, I would also pick up a riser block (a block which elevates the front tire so you are not leaning forward). About a week later he walked into the gym with a big smile on his face. I can't repeat his exact words but suffice it to say that he could not be happier with his new bike trainer and he thanked me for the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine Review.
Sunday, July 24th 2011 at 3:47 PM |
Anytime