Customer Reviews: Read 96 more reviews...
 No complaints at all here...just what I wanted and expected January 5, 2006
A. Brown (Tampa, FL)
156 out of 165 found this review helpful
I agree with all the comments posted before this post. The BELL MAG Trainer is just what I wanted. I am a 27 year old that is still riding his GT Outpost Trail mountain bike from 8th grade and what I wanted was a trainer that was not EXPENSIVE and functioned.
There are very few reviews for trainers which is why I chose to review this one. I took a chance and bought this one blind. I have no experience with other trainers but from what I can tell, they are all basically going to do the same function and this one does it job.
Noise was the main problem when I first tried it with my "knobby" mountain bike tire on the rear; but this was quickly fixed by a much smoother 14 dollar Bontrager Tire (26x1.95) from my local bike shop. It became much quieter due to the tire change; which I should have done a long time ago since I do mainly road biking.
Moving the bike is sort of a pain but it is manageable. I move it from my garage to my living room in a matter of 5 minutes. It is light enough that I would think just about anyone could move it. The whole setup is a little bulky though. This will vary between bikes. Mine is very heavy due to its age (it was bought new around 1992).
I will close with my finale comments here. I am now purchasing a riser to level out the bike (which could be done with 2x4's or old books), I am also going to buy a sweat catcher even though I have a piece a carpet underneath the bike (I do not like the sweat dripping on the bike), and I am also going to buy a book holder. The book holder is so I can catch up on my many magazines (I think it may be difficult to do heavy reading while riding). Otherwise, I would be content with watching movies or TV (such as the USC vs Texas game that is at the half as a write this).
I hope this helps any and all who read it.
Sincerely.... Tripp from TPA
 What I expected, only noisier... February 1, 2006
Sheryl Cowan (Mali, West Africa)
45 out of 45 found this review helpful
I was happy to find that there is no assembly required. It was very easy to set up. It works fine, and is a very sturdy and good-quality piece of equipment. However, it is noisier than I thought it would be. Well, I did choose the cheapest bike trainer I could find, so maybe you get what you pay for.
Just what I wanted.... but loud December 31, 2005
Mainiac (Maine, USA)
37 out of 39 found this review helpful
This is just what it should be, really, and maybe it deserves 5 stars for that. The instructions were confusing because there's an extra unexplained part, but I figured it out (you don't need the extra axle). I am not a serious biker; this is just to get some exercise w/o buying an expensive piece of equipment.
What I'd totally forgotten about what the noise a bike trainer makes (and this is the main reason I'm posting, in case you've also forgotten or didn't know). Looking online just now, I've seen it likened to vacuum cleaning, and that's about right. I'm not sure that any other bike trainer would be better on this front... maybe the rim trainers are.
Bottom line: this is fine. If you can deal with the noise, get it.
Fantastic ! - Better than expected April 23, 2006
D. Dreyer (California)
20 out of 20 found this review helpful
I don't have any other comparison, since this is the first I have ever purchased, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received it just two days after I ordered with FREE shipping.
The trainer itself is solid and works better than I could have hoped for, cost a lot less than buying an exercise bike.
I am not a cyclist and bought this to simply turn a regular bike into an exercise bike.
There was zero assembly required, just unfold it and place your bike in, super easy, when you want to ride the bike out on the street, it's free in less than 30 seconds.
The only con I would say about this, is that it is loud if you have nobby treaded tires, from the previous review, I can see how a smooth tire would quiet it down, You do or can get use to the noise of it, However, you can also release the tire from the tension roller an ride like a regular bike.
Highly Recommend, I don't think you'll be sorry on this one.
Considering The Very Low Price The Bell Trainer Is Near Perfect February 17, 2007
mp3support@wi.rr.com (WI, United States)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
There are trainers with more features than the Bell but you will pay a lot more. If you are new to indoor biking then the Bell Trainer is the perfect way to start. You can always upgrade to a $500 trainer later if you feel the need. There is no adjustable resistance mechanism on the Bell. You adjust the resistance using your bike's gears. Simplicity is a good thing IMHO! Some reviews have complained about noise. I've heard noiser Trainers than the Bell. My exersize cycle makes way more noise. In comparison the Bell is rather well behaved in that regard. The build quality on the Bell is VERY solid. The bearings seem to be of high quality. The flywheel is machined and polished steel. It comes out of the box already assembled. Mounting the bike on the trainer was easily done alone. A skewer type quick release hub is included if needed (I needed one). Amazon's low price and free shipping makes it a steal and is the best deal I could find anywhere. I absolutely love my Bell Trainer and highly recommend it.
|
