One of the very best realistic rides out there: the Kurt Kinetic Rock ‘n Roll Trainer!

If you’re looking for one of the very best stationary bike stands out there, then the Kinetic Rock n Roll Trainer has to be close to the top of your shopping list – if not at the very top!

It’s no surprise that this baby makes our list of best bike trainers for 2020, along with its simpler sibling, the Road Machine 2.0, but you really have to get your hands on this one to see just what it can do for you and your training sessions.

Probably not geared for beginners – unless you’re on the fast-track to indoor training superstardom – this trainer ticks all the right boxes for those of you semi-serious, or doubly serious, about your cycling.

What really won us over is the Rock n Roll trainer’s ability to mimic the swaying action you get when you’re on a long climb, or when wanting to kick-off into a sprint for a real cardio workout. An impressive feature that no other trainer has!

Check out the latest discounts on the Rock n Roll trainer HERE

What we really loved about the Kinetic Rock ‘n Roll Trainer

The rock and roll motion of the Kinetic Rock N Roll 2.0 trainer has brought a new twist to the indoor riding experience, no question about it.

The trainer simply allows your bike to move, or sway, as it does on the road. This, in our humble opinion, makes the Kinetic Rock N Roller one of the superior options your hard-earned cash deserves to be spent on.

As well as providing the ultimate realistic ride, it also ensures somewhat of an emphasis on cycling-specific core training; by forcing you to keep to form on your bike, the trainer forces you to concentrate on stabilizing yourself using your core muscles, with more of a focus on the pelvis and leg muscles. This in turn helps ensure the elimination of too much upper-body movement, which also conserves crucial energy as well as making you, well, a simply better cyclist!

And, if you still need convincing that this trainer is for you, then this great little video should do the job…

Some of the Rock ‘n Roll trainer’s main features

• Resistance unit that closely approximates outdoor cycling. It is made up with a 2.5 inch diameter stainless steel roller, with a 6.25 pound flywheel on the right side and a two-part resistance unit on the left side.
• The larger size of the roller effectively reduces the temperature of the spinning parts, which results in less wear and tear on the tires.
• The 6.25 pound flywheel provides the momentum when you speed up, slow down, or hold your pedaling speed.
• The two-part resistance unit provides resistance and a cooling system that prevents overheating. It is composed of an aluminum fluid chamber that is hermetically sealed, containing silicone fluid and magnetic impellers, and a small driver flywheel equipped with six magnets made up of rare earth elements.
• The fluid resistance unit does not use a drive shaft, making it more efficient than other models that employ the shaft in their fluid-resistant designs.
• Uses medical grade silicone fluid and 80 cooling fins outside the aluminum chamber to prevent overheating.
• Comes with a rear skewer, which is easily slotted into your bike’s rear axle.
• Portable size and weight; 26 x 13 x 26 inches and weighing 45 pounds.
• Try and get the revamped 2014 version; it’s slightly more compact and the little tweaks Kinetic have made to it are worth having.
• It fits wheels from 22 inches to 29 inches, and even smaller wheels can be attached, using a special adapter.

Things you need to consider about the Kinetic Rock n Roll 2.0 Trainer

The efficiency of an indoor bike trainer depends on the resistance offered; models that employ wind resistance through the use of fans are noisy, while those with magnetic resistance are limited by fixed resistance, which is not challenging enough for some cyclists. The Kinetic Rock Roll 2.0 Trainer employs a combination of fluid and roller resistance, which makes it more appealing to bikers because it gives the sensation of an actual outdoor ride.

This trainer is best suited for the more serious cyclist, as we mentioned before (if you’re still looking for a serious alternative to the cheap and cheerful trainers that seem to have flooded the market of late, and want a fluid trainer that rocks, try the Road Machine – also from Kinetic, or the CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer – both excellent options). The Rock ‘n Roll trainer suits cyclists who train seriously in order to stay in top condition for those Spring/Summer cycling events by maintaining their skills and stamina – but it is also perfect if you’re after a top class trainer that comes with the thrill of a natural ride. You don’t have to be a Pro to buy this one, just know that many Pros out there do use it for staying in shape or for warming up prior to a race…

Something we weren’t 100% convinced by was the roller design itself, and it may take some time to master because you must control and refine pedal strokes to maintain balance. Otherwise, the rocking and bouncing increases and may cause the bike to lean to one side…and if you start leaning to one side too much a) you’re losing efficiency, and b) there’s a danger your bike could detach itself from the trainer. There is also no dial on the trainer’s tension setting, which means you have to dismount and adjust the setting until you get the right tension feel. Not a biggie, but worth mentioning.

So, bang for your buck?

Well, this beauty isn’t cheap, though you can buy it in various bundles (with other kit elements like a rubber mat or additional skewer), starting at just over $500. But remember you’re getting one of the best in the business and perhaps the ultimate life-like riding experience.

For biking enthusiasts who aim to maintain their core cycling fitness while improving endurance, the Kinetic Rock Roll 2.0 Trainer provides all the fitness fine-tuning you can handle. Though it is pricier, the challenges and freedom of  movement it provides is far more satisfactory than that of even the best fluid trainers.

Worth purchasing if you want the best…