Saris Fluid2 Indoor Bike Trainer, Smart Equipped Option, Fits Road and Mountain Bikes, Compatible with Zwift App

I bought a Cyclops fluid trainer maybe 15-20 years ago. Recently I noticed that it was leaking fluid, and in retrospect it had been getting noisier and running a bit rough for over a year or so. It was time to look for a replacement. I found many options, some very high tech and pricey. I’ve had fan trainers and magnetic trainers in the past. The fluid trainer works best for me. I didn’t need anything that required subscriptions to training services that I could do without. I also did not need something that would generate training data that I had no use for. I just wanted a sturdy, stable, and relatively quiet machine. I opted for a slightly upgraded version of my old Cyclops, which was now available through Saris, the Saris Fluid2. It meets my needs. I’m impressed with how quiet it is. I control the intensity of my effort by varying the gears on my bike or varying my cadence. It was fairly easy to set up. I highly recommend the Sari Fluid2 for someone looking for a no-frills, solid, quiet trainer.

It’s tough to find trainers these days. I was bent on getting a smart trainer, but they were all sold out. i was surprised to find this Cycleops available, considering it’s stellar reputation, but I suppose the trend is to smart machines. FYI: this IS COMPATIBLE with training apps. You’ll need a speed device, sold separately.Pros: well-built, sturdy, quiet, very smooth, even resistance (shift Bike gears to increase resistance—no extra connection/gearing needed), collapsible, easy storage.Cons: set up. It’s actually not difficult, but Saris makes a booklet that is unclear at points. For example, when sliding the pin into the bolt-action side, which will connect to the skewer, you must slide the BEVELED end of the tube in first. This is completely unclear in the directions, but DOES matter when connecting to the bike and tightening things down. Also, make sure the fan and main power unit (both are connected to the same piece of metal, which attaches to the legs), are positioned correctly: the bulky power unit on the left, the fan blade unit on the right. If you reverse these during attachment, it will adversely affect the rear dial adjustment once the bike is mounted. Believe it or not, the manual does not illustrate a fluid 2 trainer, which has these two pieces, so it could be easily mixed up during install.Once I got passed a frustrating moment or two with set up, the trainer worked like a dream. My old trainer, a Giant that is 12 years old, is nowhere near as smooth or quiet as this Fluid 2. I love it. I use a yoga block to elevate the front, but you can use books, a rolled-up towel, etc. If you want to smart train, you’ll need the additional accessory. If you’re happy without it, I believe this is the best non-smart trainer for the money.

Unit is sturdy and durable but could be a lot quieter. Good value for the price point. Non-adjustable resistance and no optional speed/distance meter available.

Saris CycleOps Fluid2 Indoor Bike Trainer, New Fluid2. Easy to assemble. Better than average assembly instructions. Sturdy. Relatively easy to mount bicycle on trainer, especially with the included replacement skewer. Very stable while in use. I recommend the front wheel leveling block and a bike trainer pad (mine is in a room with carpeted floors), even though the trainer and the leveling block do raise the bicycle enough that mounting the bike is slightly more difficult than normal riding mounting. Relatively quiet, though it does make noticeable noise. I have not ridden since summer got in full swing (I live in Florida and this summer has been very hot and humid) but rode 3 miles this morning (day two after assembly) and will push it on up to five miles tomorrow, on the way to my normal routine (I'm 77 yrs old, so not a college athlete going for gold!). Note that to get mileage and speed from a device, such as a Cateye computer, the sensor has to be on the rear wheel when your bike is mounted on a trainer (I had to move my sensor from the front wheel to the back). Also note that wireless devices will often not "transmit" far enough for the sensor to be on the rear wheel and the readout on the handlebar. Took some experimentation to get my Cateye to work reliably after I moved the wheel sensor. Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase at this time. This trainer was recommended to me by my son-in-law, who is a track and field coach (college level) who uses his Saris trainer as part of his training routine for marathons and "ironman" competitions. Seems to have been a VERY GOOD RECOMMENDATION!

I don't recommend this item at all. This item was purchased from Amazon as a Christmas gift to use with my bike. It was an obvious return from at least one other buyer—the box was damaged and had multiple layers of cut tape. The unit itself was scratched and dirty. A machining error prevented the carriage bolt from going all the way through the resistance unit and frame. It was returned. Photos attached, except the last one, are of the unit purchased from Amazon.Hoping for a better experience, I purchased the replacement directly from Saris. It took my husband and I both over half an hour, a 3lb sledge hammer, a pair of pliers, and a wrench to assemble it. The second unit arrived in a significantly damaged box, was dirty, scratched, and had a rusty bolt/connector on the resistance unit (shown in the last photo).I almost returned the unit then and there in favor of one from a different company, but we thought it'd be worth trying to assemble and test with the bike. It was extremely difficult to get the carriage bolt through the resistance unit and frame—this unit seems to have the same machining error as the other.In the end, we were able to assemble the trainer and get the bike onto it. The bike went on very smoothly and the trainer seems to operate in spite of the rusted bolt/connector. We'll see how well it holds up.

Going on two months with this trainer, and it has been fantastic. I have tried other trainers in this price range and so far this one has been the most relibale and consistent.