81 of 81 people found the following review helpful:
What I expected, only noisier...
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.
48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
Not enough resistance, stripped adjustment wheel couldn't be replaced easily
This is a very basic trainer with very little resistance. This really is best for beginner bikers.
In addition, the tension adjustment knob is made of cheap plastic which stripped and cracked within a few weeks. When I called the company for support they said that they didn't have any extra ones that they could send me. They told me I would have to mail in...
This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
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.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
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.
Update (a few years later): I don't use this much any more, as I got an elliptical machine (which I prefer)... but I've realized this will be great for my summer away when I'll have my bike with me anyway. And if it's raining and I'd like some exercise, I'm all set.
To answer the question from the comment, it's quite easy to put the bike in and out. If you look at the picture, there's a faux axle squeezed between two pins/clamps at the top. The faux axle was the part that confused me (still don't know why it's provided. Your bike goes there, and you just tighten the pin/clamp things to hold the bike in place. The wheel rests on the part at the bottom which might need adjusting for your particular bike, but once that's set, your bike will go in and out without much fuss.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
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.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
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.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
This is a very basic trainer with very little resistance. This really is best for beginner bikers.
In addition, the tension adjustment knob is made of cheap plastic which stripped and cracked within a few weeks. When I called the company for support they said that they didn't have any extra ones that they could send me. They told me I would have to mail in the entire unit to have it replaced. It certainly wasn't worth the cost shipping for a 30-cent piece of cheap plastic.
I haven't done it yet, but I'm going to take it somewhere to have a metal crank welded on to replace the cheap plastic adjustment knob. Until then, I have to use a pair of pliers to adjust the tension.
The unit is easy to setup and to get the bike setup on it. I didn't need to use the extra skewer that was provided but you may if you have an older bike.
I recommend you buy slick tires to use with this (and any other) trainer. I very quickly went out and bought slick tires for my mountain bike because the knobby tires makes too much noise. Even with the slicks the noise is louder than I would like, but this is not the unit making the noise - it's the vibration from the tires which you will have with any unit. Another thing that helped was setting up the trainer and bike on a set of foam floor pads to reduce tranmission of vibrations to the rest of the room.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
This trainer is sturdy and straight-forward to setup. I suggest that you use the supplied axle/skewer if you don't want to visually damage the one on your bike. My axle had a black anodized aluminum lever that would soon be scratched up in the cast aluminum LH side axle holder. The RH side axle holder tends to "munch up" the plastic cap that covers the axle nut -- the 4 plastic ribs on my cap will eventually get smashed flat when adjsting the RH axle holder in. Note that these comments may apply to any trainer, not just the model being rated.
The trainer's frame rigidity could be better, but maybe I just tend to over-tighten the adjusters. The more you tighten the adjusters, the more the frame is spread apart as it clamps the axle in the bike. This is somewhat minimized when the supplied axle/skewer is used since there is no piece of plastic on the nut side to compress.
The lack of a quick adjuster lever would be a hindrance for those who want to frequently install/remove their bike from the trainer. On this model, the LH adjuster will not need to be moved after initial adjustment (after centering the bike tire on the roller). The RH adjuster must be loosened/tightened a dozen rotations to enable installation/removal of the bike. Of course, this is an $80 trainer, not a $250 trainer, so I can't complain much.
I see a few complaints about noise for this trainer. Please note that this has NOTHING to do with the trainer and EVERYTHING to do with the tires used. If you expect to place your mountain bike with knobby tires on the 1.5" diameter roller of this trainer and ride the bike in silence you are sadly mistaken. The fix is simple. Spend $25 on a set of tires with bald centers. I went with a good 26" street tire set that still maintains minimal off-road abilities. Look at the Kenda Kross Plus from Niagara Cycle Works. Or you could install a "trainer tire" that is completely bald/slick if you enjoy changing the tire every time you transition from indoor to outdoor riding. Your choice.
Overall, this is a good deal that qualifies for super-saver shipping. I got the trainer in something like 4 days. Note that this trainer is shipped in the factory packaging, not an Amazon.com box. This probably makes no difference to anyone but while reviewing this trainer prior to purchase I saw someone whining about this...
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
This trainer is great. I have a basic trek mountain fat tire bike and it fits perfectly on the trainer. I was all ready to buy a real spinning cycle but decided to try this instead mostly due to space in my studio apt.I love spinning and I was having a hard time justifying two bikes in my small apt. I will address some of the points made by other posters:
The noise factor: yes,noisy but not THAT bad. I use to have a treadmill and that was noisy as well. If I spin during odd hours, I use the IPOD. Otherwise I blare my stereo. You can get the music loud enough to drown the noise out. I never got complaints from any neighbors when I had the treadmill. Its only 30-45 minutes anyway. If you are doing more than that, its not necessary anyway (speaking as a certified trainer).I suppose you could purchase the road tire to eliminate noise, but I just don't think its worth it. Also, If I want to take a quick ride outside, I would have to change my tire. Changing a tire for this trainer is not necessary. They told me at a bike shop once, that I could not use my fat tire on one these trainers. Its all about whether you can take the noise or not, I guess.
It comes fully assembled, really easy to slip your bike into. Easy to take bike off quickly as well, for a ride outside.
Workout is just like being on spinning cycle at the gym except if you try to do the lifts off the seat, like they do in the classes. It may be my bike, but it wasn't fluid when I tried this. This does not bother me.
If you put the bike on carpet, you do not need the front tire lifter/stablizer. The rear tire is not so high that you feel you are falling forward. If I had hardwood, I would get some kind of mat or get the front tire lifter just to keep the front tire stable.
Lastly, I am hard on any cardio equipment, meaning my workouts are intense and fast. This trainer keeps the bike very stable.
Another item that might help is getting peddle straps to keep feet from slipping forward. This item is also not necessary, but helpful.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
First off, I'm a full-time dad (not an everyday biker)with a new born under six months. Any kind of cardio exercise on my own time right now away from home is practically impossible. So I bought this based on two motives: inexpensive and practical.
I believe the price speaks for itself. Right out of the box, this trainer is practically ready to go. Just had to tighten two bolts on the trainer to my bike's rear axle and that was it.
The ride is actually very smooth and the noise factor for my budget is bearable. The construction of the trainer feels sturdy and well built. I would be surprised if I didn't get a hundred or more hours out of this.
Also want to say, very impressed with Amazon's delivery service. Ordered my trainer yesterday with next day delivery service and within 24 hours it was at my doorstep just as promised.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
I am very satisfied with the Bell bike trainer I ordered. The price was GREAT and the product is as good as advertised. Fortunately, I read several reviews and knew I might have a little trouble getting my bike attached, so I looked up the instructions online. They were more helpful than the skimpy instructions that come with the trainer since I'm "mechanically challenged" and I had to attach a different tire release "thingy" (which came with the trainer, by the way). Also, other users were right about trainers being rather noisy, but because of the reviews I was prepared for that.
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This review is from: Bell Motivator Mag Indoor Bicycle Trainer (Sports)
This bike trainer is no cheap piece of equipment. It is well built and looks like it will last. It is very noisy on knobby tires. I changed my tires to some slicks and the noise was down drastically. Set up was very easy. Just unfold and you are done. This is my first bike trainer so I cannot really compare to other expensive trainers out there. No regrets on this purchase.
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