Time For A New Trainer?

The Cycleops fluid trainer that I have had (and loved) for about 5 years now has started leaking. :( Can this be fixed and if so, is it worth the bother, or is it time for a new trainer?

call the manufacturer to find out about warranty?

I hunted around but cannot find any of the purchase paperwork.

Not all manufacturers require the paperwork. I deal with outdoor equipment warranty every day. It's certainly going to be worthwhile to make a phone call to them and see what they say. Some times just owning something and or having the serial number if there is one is good enough.

So, did you call them? What did they say?

We shall see how it all turns out, but at this point my warm feelings for CycleOps/Saris and their products has just increased immensely. They told me to pack up the leaky unit together with the roller, send it to them and they will either repair or replace it within 2-3 business days of receipt. Whoo hoo!

Excellent. I deal with soft goods, and I always suggest that one make a call first. For the time it takes to look up an 800 # you never know it just might be worth it!!

That's great service! Good to know!

If anyone has trouble like this with a fluid trainer in the future and cannot get support from the manufacturer, I got mine fixed at a hydraulic shop oriented toward industrial lifting equipment. They were really cool about it, and I am satisfied. If you can't find a shop in your area, look in something like the Thomas' Register for a local listing.

CycleOps has problems with older Fluid trainers leaking. Just call them up and they will send you a replacement resistance unit. Their warranty people are super easy to deal with. I don't think you really need any paperwork.

I sent the leaky unit to CycleOps/Saris last Tuesday. Yesterday, I had a brand new fluid unit awaiting me when I arrived home. Put it on the frame last night (very easy) and gave it a test spin this morning and all systems go! :D

Someone mentioned that CycleOps fluids have this problem, which I had heard, but in 5 years of hard use, I never had a problem. Hopefully I will get that much time, if not longer, out of the new unit. I also very much appreciate their quick turn around time - I was only without my trainer for about a week.

One generation of the Fluid trainers (maybe it was 1st generation Fluid2..?) did tend to have that problem, sometimes it quickly, sometimes after a few years. CycleOps has improved the units a fair amount over the years, and they've always done those kinds of speedy replacements, from what I've heard.