@Scott: No, the Fluid 2 does not come with a computer. However, if you have a wireless bike computer (the Cateye Strada is relatively cheap), you can mount the sensor to your rear tire, which will give you speed and distance.

@Nick: Though you won’t be able to replicate the full-out effort of a 10% grade, 5 mile hill climb, you can still get an excellent workout in a short period of time. Instead of focusing on consistent power output, I’d recommend interval training (both aerobic and anaerobic), which will increase your capacity for sustained efforts. I do various intervals 3-4 times per week in the off-season (when I can’t get out and ride) and being a novice (only been riding 2 years) I can definitely say it’s made a difference every time I get back on the road.

@Anka/Josh: I haven’t tried the other two, but I’ve used the Fluid 2 for over a year, and the quality is exceptional. No complaints, and well worth the cost. I’ve watched football, movies, and listened to music, without having to blast the sound. It’s “loud” only when you’re at top-sprint levels. For those times (anaerobic intervals) I’d recommend a set of wireless headphones, but even then it’s not exactly necessary.

@Paul: From what others tell me, and from what I’ve seen from my own use, there’s two main reasons for the tire wearing down. One: heat build-up on the roller – but when you ride in 115° weather in the summer, you’re gonna get that anywhere. Two: unclean roller/tire. I used to use a second bike, but it wasn’t the same layout as my main bike, so I wasn’t getting as good training out of it. If you’re going to use your primary bike, make sure to clean any/all road debris from the rear tire prior to mounting. Also, check the trainer roller once in a while to make sure it doesn’t have any dirt/rubber build-up/gouges/etc. I have Michelin Pro Optimum tires – not exactly cheap – and didn’t notice any significant extra wear. But the Optimums use a heavier rear-tire compound to resist wear, so that might’ve helped.

As for extra stress/wear on components, I find that hard to believe. The skewer itself, maybe, but you can buy a cheap, strong steel skewer for $15 instead of using your nice outdoor skewer. The rest of the bike is going to be exposed to the same vertical, lateral, and torsional forces you’d normally have on a good ride. Just remember that when standing/pushing hard, you have to pull on the handles to counteract your pedal force. Otherwise the trainer in that case will be the one holding the bike upright against your hard pedal strokes. And believe me, my bike might not be high-end, but it’s a solid middle-ground $3k+ bike that I cherish dearly, so if I thought there was a chance for serious damage, I wouldn’t do it.

Hope this helps. Keep rollin’.