Cycling fanatics like me dread the onset of winter because with winter comes dark and chilly weather that prohibits outdoor cycling. In previous years, I was unable to sustain my fitness levels over the winter months and as a result, my performance in races held in spring suffered severely.
Fortunately, that’s all a thing of the past. My wife (also a cyclist) bought me the Bell Motivator Indoor Bicycle Trainer for my birthday and it has allowed me to weather the winter months without any significant drop in fitness.
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Strangely enough for someone so interested in bicycle modification, I am absolutely terrible at product assembly. Whether it’s a wooden table or a toy robot, assembling products is an impossible task for me. That’s why I was so glad to discover that the Bell Motivator Indoor Bicycle Trainer does not require any assembly, giving it a significant advantage over many other more expensive stationary bike stands I’ve seen which require extensive assembly (though typically it shouldn’t be that tricky). I had this indoor bike stand up and running in less than two minutes.
When discussing indoor bike trainers, probably the most important question is, “How does this indoor trainer compare with outdoor cycling?”
Well, the Bell Motivator Indoor Bicycle Trainer provides such a smooth and steady ride, it comes as close to outdoor riding as any stationary bike trainer I’ve ever seen. This is the first indoor trainer I’ve used that employs magnetic resistance and I must say that the motion really is much more fluid and natural compared to more traditional bicycle trainers.
The magnetic resistance also makes for added realism in the indoor cycling experience thanks to the progressive resistance mechanism which amps up resistance as your cycling speed increases. I’m always drenched in sweat and panting hard at the end of each indoor cycling workout and that can only be a good sign.
Although this Bell bicycle trainer is fold-able, I found it to be extraordinarily durable. Fold-able bike trainers are notorious for their short lifespans, but this trainer has lasted me a year with no problems whatsoever. If any problems do crop up, the product comes with a five-year warranty for defects in materials or workmanship. However, given the high quality of this indoor bike stand, I’m confident I won’t be using the warranty anytime soon.
Good bang for your buck?
Of course, at the Bell Motivator Indoor Bicycle Trainer’s relatively low price point (usually at just under $100), you wouldn’t expect a perfect indoor cycling experience. Definitely not in the quality league of the Kurt Kinetic Road Trainer, or our much preferred CycleOps Fluid 2, but definitely very good value at around ONE THIRD the cost.
If I had to pick one thing to complain about, I’d say that this trainer could be a little quieter. At higher speeds, the whirr emitted by the machine is almost as loud as a vacuum cleaner. Still, as long as you don’t cycle late at night when your whole family is asleep, I don’t see this being a major problem. Plus, you can always use your favorite music to drown out the noise – or just go all professional and buy a trainer tire and trainer mat!
All in all, the Bell Motivator Indoor Bicycle Trainer provides excellent value for money. This stationary bicycle stand’s relatively small size belies its top-notch quality and I’m sure I’ll be using this indoor trainer for years to come.