The Minoura 850R Mag Bike Trainer is a solidly constructed and extremely versatile trainer. I have not had a lot of time on this trainer at the time of this writing but enough to give a pretty accurate assessment of the pros and cons of this Minoura Bike Trainer.
The Minoura sets up easy in spite of some of the most horrible directions I've ever read. Fortunately I am male, so I don't need no stinkin directions but a few minutes and the Minoura Mag 850 Bike Trainer was put together and ready to go. The Minoura gets thumbs up for a foot operated pedal that moves the flywheel up against the rear tire but thumbs down for smallish cranks that make loading the bike into the trainer a bit more annoying than it has to be. Not a deal breaker but it could be designed better.
Riding the Minoura 850R Mag trainer provides a solid workout. It's reasonably quiet compared to say a wind trainer or a lower end Mag trainer but not as quiet as the better fluid trainers on the market. Seven resistance levels are controlled by a remote cable that you can clamp to your bars and these resistance levels provide a solid workout that will get your heart pumping and keep your lungs and your quads in shape. The Minoura will not provide what I would call a realistic ride feel but it is decent and as expected from a trainer in this price range.
Who Should Buy the Minoura 850R Mag Trainer
The target buyer for this type of trainer is the average cyclist who doesn't care about simulating the exact feel of road riding but rather just wants to stay in shape and get a good workout. Minoura has a good quality reputation in the bike trainer market and this Mag trainer is a reasonable example of that quality. It is not priced out of the range of the average rider and should give a solid ride, a great workout and years of dependable Mag trainer powered useage.
The Minoura Magturbo-850 Series tire drive Rear Wheel Trainer has an expert-level 850 gram flywheel that fits 24" to 700c wheels, and folds flat for storage. Extra powerful magnet increases high range of resistance by 23%. Extra powerful magnet increases high range of resistance by 23%.
Perfect for Me
Review Date: March 21, 2007
Reviewer: J. Mettee, Glen Rock, PA USA
Over time, I've found that I can't stand treadmills, elliptical machines, stair climbers, etc. But for some reason, I can sit on a spinner/stationary bike for 30 minutes & not care about time, so I decided to get a trainer for my mountatin bike instead of a dedicated stationary bike.
I searched the net for a week & decided that I wanted one with variable resistance. I chose this one, got it for about $140 shipped with the riser block & the handlebar shifter. The unit is designed well. It holds my bike well. The resistance levels are very adjustable when combined with the speeds on my 21-speed mountain bike. I can easily fine tune the tenstion level from effortless to very difficult.
One thing to mention: I have knobby mountain bike tires. As others had said about trainers, the units can be noisy because of the tires. Mine was fairly loud, but didn't bother me. However since my wife works out at the same time, she found it annoyingly loud. After the first 30-minute session, my tire was noticable worn & there were rubber bits on the floor. The trainer will wear out terrain tires. I got a "comfort tread" tire for dedicated use on the trainer. It is much quieter, but not silent. My wife is much more pleased with this tire as she can hear her MP3 player or the TV while she is working out.
I like it. It works great.
Review Date: November 10, 2008
Reviewer: M. Drever, Houston, Texas
I like this thing. It is super quiet. The folks that complain about the noise probably don't realize that mountian bike tires are really noisy indoors and out. They probably don't ride places that are as quiet as their homes. I have a Bianchi Brava road bike. The adjustment thingy really is not necessary, the speeds on your bike should suffice. It to simulate different riding conditions takes practice and getting to learn how to set it. Buy one and ride this thing, it'll give you boner legs.
Magnetic Trainer
Review Date: April 23, 2008
Reviewer: R. Lukas, Ohio, USA
I purchased this product last year and still use it. It has been trouble-free and is great for helping me keep in shape. Winters are long here in Ohio, so I just hook up my bike and pedal away. Easy to install....I love it!
The Minoura 850R Mag Bike Trainer is a solidly constructed and extremely versatile trainer. I have not had a lot of time on this trainer at the time of this writing but enough to give a pretty accurate assessment of the pros and cons of this Minoura Bike Trainer.
Perfect for Me
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