Kurt Kinetic Rock & Roll with Road Machine Resistance Unit review
- Price Paid:$384.00
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User rating:(4.7)
- Would buy again from this company: Yes
- Used product for: 1 months
- # of logged workouts: 457
"The Rock & Roll motion if a noticable and worthwile upgrade over static trainers for a number of reasons. Fluid resistance unit is great.
I don't know if I could have justified it at the MSRP (over $500), but I found it for $480 then had a 20% off coupon and free shipping, so that made it a great value for the $$."jsiegs
Ease of use
I heard Kinetic mounting systems weren't easy, but I've found it to be a snap, maybe 20 seconds to mount once you get it set the first time.
Quality of Construction
Seems very rugged. My one concern is the elastomers breaking down over time, but with the lifetime warrenty, you can get replacements free if that ever happens.
Fit
Fits my bike/a variety of bikes just fine.
Comfort
Best feature of this unit is that its not static. You get the side to side motion along with a very subtle up and down with your pedal stroke. Both combine to give a much more comfortable feel than a static/locked in ride of other trainers.
Adjustability
Fully adjustable, my only complaint is that its not real easy or quick. Locking out the unit to prevent side to side sway is possible, but requires some effort and a wrench with some good torque.
Durability
Can't speak to it much because its new, but with the warrenty, if something goes wrong, you're ok for the life of the trainer.
Value
Kurt Kinetics are pretty expesive compared to other trainers, but I got it because I've heard they are just the best out there and even though they are pricey, still a better value than discount trainers (like my old one). If you can sell yourself on the higher cost of Kurt Kinetics in general, I think the Rock & Roll is a worthwhile upgrade. It just feels more natural and comfortable. I don't have to inhibit my natural sway when standing, which i really didn't like about other trainers. That was worth the extra $100 for me for sure, especially since I'm planning to ride it for years to come.
Appearance
Its big with a large footprint, keep that in mind (but VERY stable because of it, which I really appreciate). But its a trainer, so who cares how it looks?
Customer Service
Haven't delt with yet, but I bought from Performance who has a return policy that will allow you to use the trainer and return for any reason at any time, so you can't beat that if issues arise that you can't solve through Kurt Kinetic.
Performance
Compared to my old mag trainer, its a huge leap forward. The fluid is smooth. Its quiter, but not much, I was hoping for it to be a little quieter, although I just did a 6 AM ride with my roommate sleeping in his room about 20 feet away. He later asked why I didn't do my ride that morning, so it seems to be plenty quiet.
Side to side rocking is really, really great. It feels so much more natural and is more comfortable. And its adjustable, so thats nice. The large footprint makes it super stable, an issue I've had out of the saddle on other trainers. Again, if you can justify the higher cost of a Kurt Kinetic in general, I think the Rock & Roll base is a very worthwile upgrade, especially if you consider that the cost is spread out over many years of using the trainer.
Strengths
Stable. Natural. Comfortable. Lifetime Warrenty. Installing a bike is quick and easy. Fluid resistance unit is very smooth and quieter than mag.
Weakness
Large footprint. Little difficult initial set up, but that was my fault for not having the right tools on hand.
- 5 people use
- 487 workouts logged
- 12614.45 miles / 665.5 hours logged
Ease of installation
Took about an hour to get it together. It wasn't too complicated, I just didn't have the right tools on hand. You need a wrench with some good leverage to clamp down the elasomers which provide the side to side rocking motion.