The Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer is popular among cyclists looking for a durable and low-noise machine to help them train during the off-season, and is designed with a wider base to make it sturdier during use. Like many of the best bike trainers, it has a quick release mechanism to make mounting easier.
This is a feature usually reserved for higher-end bike trainers, such as the Bike Lane Pro, so it's nice to see it here on a more modestly priced machine. While the Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer has been upgraded in the form of the Nashbar Fluid Pro Trainer, this original model is still good enough for an effective workout using your own bike at home.
If you want to deepen your cardio exercise and love mixing up all forms of cycling, we'd also recommend checking out of guide to the best exercise bikes for guided spin class workouts to increase your stamina and speed.
Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer review: Design
The Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer accommodates 26-inch, 700c and 29-inch wheel sizes. It measures at 23 x 8 x 23 inches folded and 23 x 23 x 23 inches unfolded. At only 20.4lbs, this is one of the lightest fluid bike trainers around. It's also on the less expensive side of the fluid trainer market, while still offering a durable build.
The fluid casing and cylinder give this trainer a good road-like feel and pedal stroke. The base model includes a quick-release skewer to make mounting your bike to the trainer easy.
The Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer folds flat, making it easy to store or travel with, so you won’t have to worry about space constraints if you have a smaller home gym space. The bicycle trainer can also handle user body weights of up to 300lbs. Rubber feet beneath the trainer help to reduce slippage and prevent scuffing.
Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer review: Features
Like the CycleOps Wind, the Nashbar trainer doesn't come with a riser block or ring, so you'll have to purchase one of those separately if you want to enhance your indoor riding experience. As you'd expect, the Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer offers progressive resistance that doesn't require a handlebar toggle to operate it, making it far easier and more intuitive to use.
Fluid bike trainers once had a reputation for leaking when the fluid in the case warmed up. Unlike Kinetic bike trainers, Nashbar offers no guarantee that their trainers won't leak, but it does offer a one-year warranty on the Fluid Bicycle Trainer. Should you want to return the bike trainer after the one-year mark, Nashbar will send you a Nashbar Gift Card with the value of the returned item.
If you're willing to spend a little more money, you can purchase this trainer with an accessory kit that includes a front wheel riser block, a floor mat to reduce noise and keep your floor from getting scuffed, and a handlebar shifter to more accurately tune resistance.
To track your calories burned, heart rate, and distance covered during your indoor rides, we'd also recommend wearing one of the best fitness trackers for cycling and other sports.
Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer: User reviews
The Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer has since been upgraded to the Nashbar Fluid Pro Trainer, which has a higher number of user reviews on Amazon. For the original model reviewed here, and released in October 2016, there are 26 customer reviews, netting the bike trainer a four out of five stars rating.
Positive customer reviews praised the Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer for how quiet it is in use, and how the wider base makes it sturdier to ride. The quick release mechanism was also popular, with users noting that you normally see that type of design on higher end bike trainers, such as the Wahoo Kickr.
One user complained that the Nashbar Fluid needs a flywheel to create a more realistic outdoor riding experience, but overall the existing customer reviews are favorable and recommend the product to others.
Should you buy the Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer?
The Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer is less expensive than a lot of fluid bike trainers on the market, yet it still provides the reliability and stability needed for a good quality bike trainer. We also liked how it was quiet in use too, which is helped by the protective mat to be placed underneath the trainer.
Progressive resistance means that you won't have to mess around with any toggles or shifters in order to raise the resistance, so this alone makes it an easier trainer to use. Overall, the Nashbar Fluid Bicycle Trainer provides a simple yet effective workout on a sturdy and budget-friendly machine, and could make a noticeable difference to your indoor cycling training.
