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Kurt Kinetic Road Machine review
- Price Paid:$370.00
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User rating:(4.4)
- Would buy again from this company: Yes
- Used product for: 1 months
- # of logged workouts:
"Overall it's a good buy and should serve me well for many years. Definitely something to look at if you want a rock solid trainer that gives a good option for virtual power."jrensink78
Ease of use
There are really only 2 interactions with the trainer directly. First, mounting your bike. With the included skewer, it was easy. The other is tensioning the drum to your bike's tire. Two very mild complaints that prevent me from giving this a 5.
First, the quick release on the mounting works. But you do need to release quite a bit of tension before you can actually engage it. I don't know if there's a good way around that though.
Second, when tensioning the drum to the bike wheel, you spin a knob on the back. They say to sping the knob a certain range of turns once the drum makes contact with the wheel. But when loose, the drum has some play in it. So depending on if it is leaning forwards or backwards a bit, that would affect when the bike tire touches the drum. My solution is it just hold the drum back with my free hand until the drum makes contact with the tire. Not a big deal, but it'd be nice if I didn't have to do that.
Quality of Construction
Seems pretty rock solid and no cheap parts. From all of the reviews that I've read, these are supposed to be bullet-proof and I haven't seen anything that would make me disagree yet.
Fit
These will fit both 650 and 700 size wheels. I use a 700. It raises your tire a pretty standard height, so you could use most any front wheel mount that you want.
Comfort
In terms of audial comfort, it's not too loud for the type of trainer that it is.
Adjustability
As with the Fit category, it will adjust to work with 650 and 700 size wheels. May not fit all specialty sizes.
Durability
Seems pretty rock solid and no cheap parts. From all of the reviews that I've read, these are supposed to be bullet-proof and I haven't seen anything that would make me disagree yet.
Value
It's not the cheapest trainer by any means. But I give it a good value for the following reasons.
It should be bullet proof and last many many years.
If by some ridiculous miracle I need more resistance in the future, they do sell a larger fly-wheel. Super highly doubtful most people would ever need it though.
It is the recommended trainer for doing virtual power with trainerroad.com, so you can get realiable power readings without having to pay for actual power.
Appearance
Looks like a normal trainer.
Customer Service
Haven't had to use them. But I've heard really good things.
Performance
It's doing everything that I need it to. With the tension I use, slippage is almost non-existant (I tension at a medium level and use a trainer tire). It gives way more than enough resistance. I can hit any HR zone just in the small ring. It has a reasonable spin down period. Overall it feels good.
Strengths
Quality construction, reasonable volume, good performance, and great virtual power integration with trainerroad.com.
Weakness
A bit pricey and some small annoyances when adjusting.
- 10 people use
- 437 workouts logged
- 12424.38 miles / 642.75 hours logged
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Ease of installation
The trainer itself was all pre-assembled and folder up. I just needed to unbox and unfold. They also included a skewer to use for your rear wheel. It was a simple swap out on my bike and it was ready to be mounted to the trainer.
Doesn't get much easier.