LeMond Revolution Bike Trainer – New Gear

Winter is looming. The cold, snowy weather is great for my backcountry skiing adventures, but it puts the hurt on my cycling fitness. I’ve been mulling my options for the offseason and hadn’t really considered bike trainers because most are wonky and awkward at best.

The new LeMond Revolution Bike Trainer, however, looks different and may provide that real road or MTB-like feel that other trainers lack. While it’s not cheap at $499, this bike trainer looks to be different enough and better in so many ways that it could quickly pay for itself in reduced tire wear and improved workout performance. Plus, this one looks to be truly versatile enough for both road or mountain bike use. A quick cassette swap and you’re golden.

Available next month, the new Revolution Bike Trainer just might become the gold-standard in the bike trainer market. Read on for the official press release on this new trainer.

WOODINVILLE, WASH. (September 10, 2010) – LeMond Fitness today announced its groundbreaking LeMond Revolution™ indoor bike trainer, technology that solves the “connection and feel” problems associated with traditional bike trainers. A direct drive, progressive resistance trainer that integrates with a bike’s drive train, the LeMond Revolution creates a real-road experience and eliminates inconsistent and difficult tire-to-roller connections with a design that requires a user to simply remove a bike’s rear wheel and slip the bike onto the trainer.

“This is a gigantic leap forward for indoor trainers,” said LeMond Fitness founder Greg LeMond and three-time Tour de France champion. “The LeMond Revolution’s direct drive technology gives the experience that riders have on the road, only now you can get it in the convenience of your living room. Our new trainer features a highly-engineered, weighted flywheel that is designed to replicate the inertia of a rolling bicycle, something we call High-Inertia Technology (HIT). Just like when riding on the road, the LeMond Revolution permits you to coast or freewheel, while its HIT delivers progressive wind resistance just like in real-world outdoor conditions. The design creates a smooth, natural feel while pedaling and eliminates inertia lag when the rider slows down or changes gears.”

For people who are serious about cycling or who want to recreate the unique feeling of outdoor cycling indoors, the LeMond Revolution’s High-Inertia Technology provides the solution to better, more realistic, more enjoyable indoor training and riding, making traditional roller-based trainers obsolete.

“Compared to traditional roller-based trainers, the Revolution represents the difference between riding on the road, on a great bike, on a great day and riding your bike with a flat tire, uphill, in sand. Who wants to ride in those conditions?” said LeMond.

The initial concept for the Revolution dates back to 1978. Intrigued by LeMond winning the Junior National Road Race Championship that year at the age of 16, one of Greg’s neighbors, Larry Brown, a physicist and inventor, collaborated with Greg to build a trainer that would contribute to Greg’s training. In 1981, when Greg turned professional at the age of 19, he moved to Belgium and took the garage-built trainer with him. Living in Belgium, with its cold and rainy weather, Greg was able to train as effectively indoors as outdoors and as a result never missed out on training ride. Greg capitalized on that ability and his aggressive training schedule to become in 1986 the first American to win the Tour de France, and Greg remains today one of the few riders to win the Tour de France three times.

Features and Benefits — Why Choose the LeMond Revolution?

Direct-Drive Technology – Direct-drive technology permits a user simply to remove the back wheel and attach the rear dropouts to the trainer, eliminating inconsistent and difficult tire-to-roller connections.

High-Inertia Technology – A highly-engineered, weighted flywheel replicates the inertia of a rolling bicycle by letting the bike to coast or freewheel naturally with a wider range of resistance, creating a smoother, more natural feel.

Versatility – The LeMond Revolution works with all road, mountain or cyclecross bikes using Shimano or SRAM 8, 9 or 10 speed dérailleurs (Campagnolo adaptor also available).

Equipment and Rider Friendly – By eliminating the need for a rear wheel, the LeMond Revolution saves wear and tear on the user’s bike, including waste associated with blown inner tubes and worn tires. The Revolution’s stable platform reduces bike flex and allows cyclists to ride out of the saddle without fear of unduly stressing their bike frame.

Validation – The LeMond Revolution is the official trainer for the Garmin-Transitions Professional Men’s Racing Team.

Performance Data – Beginning in late Fall 2010, cyclists will be able to purchase a Power Pilot for the LeMond Revolution and record, upload and download watts, cadence, heart rate, calories, speed and distance, creating the most advanced trainer available today.

Starting at $499, the LeMond Revolution™ will be exclusively available through LeMond Fitness beginning in late September 2010. For more information, visit www.lemondfitness.com.

About LeMond Fitness
Greg LeMond founded LeMond Fitness in 2002 with a mission to help individuals achieve their fitness goals and train more productively. LeMond Fitness reflects Greg’s passion for cycling products that break the mold. Tired of indoor training and exercise bikes that provided nothing close to the real experience of cycling, Greg designed products that reinvented the category, making LeMond Fitness the industry gold standard for high quality and exceptional performance in stationary cycles. Designed like great road bikes, all LeMond Fitness exercise and training bikes offer user-friendly adjustments and innovative cycling programs to make workout and training programs more effective.

More Info: Visit LeMondFitness.com