just saw this on ebay and thought someone might be interested. not all the bells and whistles of a computrainer, but these trainers from cycleops are a great deal. this one appears to be new/old stock. i picked one up about a year ago and it’s a solid unit. measures speed, distance, rpm, power, and heart rate. has various standard programs, can be user programmed, and the netathlon software still has upgrades and support as well as additional courses to add and online racing against others. i’ve also had good support from saris/cycleops when i’ve had minor problems, even though the unit is discontinued. check it out…ending soon (and it’s not mine, nor do i even know who is selling it). http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Cycleops-Electronic-Trainer-WITH-POWER_W0QQitemZ180318748503QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCycling_Parts_Accessories?hash=item180318748503&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50
It is not an alternative. it is a trainer with powermeter. computrainer loads power to the wheels.
no, the e trainer has a servo and, like the computrainer, changes the resistance load to the wheel, simulating terrain changes, when using the various courses on a pc, or different programmed workouts on the control unit. like the ct, it has drafting effect that can be adjusted or turned off. the included netathlon software is compatible with many exercise devices and there is an online forum where group workouts are planned and you can go online to race against others, provided you have the course loaded on your computer that they are using for each particular session. it can also, like you said, provide a standard resistance and simply measure the power applied through pedalling.
If you are planning to buy, this is the point you should pay attention…
New in box, unused. Made in 2005. Discontinued by Cycleops. Original MSRP: $899.99
…and your point is? since i just posted this as a heads up to anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive training tool, i have no interest in whether or not it sells or not (it didn’t), but i guess i shouldn’t be surprised by your negativity…at least you’re always consistent. since i have one of these trainers and like it, i saw one for sale at a good price and put the link up. they don’t turn up very often.
yes, it is a discontinued product. that is in my original post and in the ebay listing. so? i have had great support in the past year on my unit from saris and would expect them to continue their excellent service. why was it discontinued? because they outsourced the servo/power unit on these before they acquired powertap. since gaining access to the pt technology, they decided to redisign and build a new unit using a pt compatible module so they could use the same software, etc. still, the old unit works fine and at less than half the original price and less than 30% of the price of a computrainer, i see it as a bargain. i have upgraded the software for improved graphics and added courses to mine and found a data conversion tool to make it wko+ compatible.