Just under a grand is a lot of money for a trainer that doesn’t offer the virtual reality experience, but it’s obvious that loads of thought has gone into the design of the PowerBeam Pro.
It screams quality from the moment you start the blissfully easy setup to the point where you’re turning the pedals with a contented grin on your face.
It’s smooth, quiet and CycleOps have totally nailed the stiffness and stability issues that we found detracted from earlier incarnations.
Not having wires to worry about or catch your pedals on is a real plus too, and the PowerBeam Pro incorporates PowerTap technology into a static trainer, so you can guarantee accuracy. Using it at its simplest, just punch in the power level you want to ride at and the unit constantly adjusts to hold you there.
Unlike cheaper turbos that have a power function, the PowerBeam uses a closed feedback loop, which means the computer and resistance unit are continuously interacting to provide smooth and instantaneous reactions to your changes in effort.
Combine this with a PC and the included PowerAgent Workout Creator software, and you have an extremely powerful and versatile training tool under you.