FWE Fluid Turbo Trainer Review
Evans Cycles in-house brand FWE have increased their product portfolio with a range of indoor trainer products. As it is winter gets into full swing, we were sent the FWE Fluid Turbo Trainer to test.
The Technology
The FWE Fluid Turbo Trainer comes in at around 10kg overall weight. This is made up of the 'A' frame and the fluid resistance unit with flywheel. The unit itself connects to the frame with a single bolt and is fully adjustable in height. This is thanks to the units spring loaded hand screw.
The resistance roller is deisgn to support both 700c road tyres, as well as a wider tyre for a 26" wheel. However, there is no height adjustment in the frame, so the trainer doesn't support a 29" wheel. The legs on the frame are hinged and fold in and out for easy storage. When folded out, the trainer has a sturdy wide base to support intense and high tempo efforts.
In Use
Putting together the FWE Fluid Turbo trainer was surprisingly much easier than I thought it would be. It comes in to main parts - the A frame and the fluid resistance unit. The instructions are simple, which is good as the images aren't the best. I was impressed that FWE provide 2 small spanners to assist you. I managed to put the whole thing together in less than 10 minutes - and I am not very mechanically minded.
Once set up, mounting the bike involves adjusting the hand-screw mounts either side of the turbo. These then lock into place with a nut that screws tightly to the frame. The resistance roller height adjusts with the screw on the fluid unit. All adjustments wind easily and the support clamps hold the supplied, steel quick release skewer securely in place once aligned.
The resistance on a fluid turbo trainer is provided by an impeller rotating in a thick fluid solution. Your gear and tempo then determine then speed of rotation and resistance. This means that the resistance roller needs to be responsive to gear changes and sudden adjustments in speed. The FWE Fluid turbo trainer handles this well. The drive unit runs smooth and quietly, even at higher speed. Changing through the gears, the roller kept up and there was no slipping of the rear tyre.The fluid unit winds in and legs on the turbo trainer fold to make the whole unit easier to store. I found the legs a bit on the stiff side to open and close, but this may just be down to this particular trainer. The wide angle of the legs gives it a good, firm base. Putting the power down out of the saddle, there was a little movement in the trainer. But on the whole it felt well rooted and the rubber shoes help prevent you moving across the floor.
However, the lack of height adjustment in the legs means the trainer wobbles slightly if not level. But this shouldn't be significant if you are using the turbo trainer in the garage or a room at home.
FWE Fluid Turbo Trainer Review Conclusion
For many riders the turbo trainer is a necessary evil over the winter. But love them or hate them, if they are good, they serve a purpose. The FWE Fluid turbo trainer is a good trainer. The assembly is simplistic and shouldn't cause to many problems for people. FWE even send you the correct size spanners. In use I found the drive smooth and responsive and the fluid resistance unit is pretty quiet. Overall the trainer is sturdy and at no point did it feel like it couldn't handle me pounding on the pedals. It may lose points with some people for not supporting a 29" wheel. it Despite not being a big name in 'indoor trainers' I am suitably impressed by the FWE Fluid Turbo Trainer. It is a strong option for anyone looking to invest in a fluid trainer and retails at a competitive £149.99 - exclusively from Evans Cycles.