CycleOps has been building turbo trainers for over 10 years and for 2009 releases three new Pro series trainers, with the flagship model packing PowerTap technology.

PowerTap hubs are increasingly popular among cyclists of all levels, and now CycleOps has made the obvious step of integrating the technology inside a turbo trainer for the cyclist who wants to take their training to the next level.[What’s that? A bit harder? – ed.]

The Powerbeam Pro contains all the same gubbins you get inside a PowerTap hub and plugs it into an all-new stand, which features across the Pro range. With the Powerbeam Pro you can have real-time feedback on your power output via a wireless handlebar mounted control unit, and you can set the resistance to automatically adjust throughout your workout so you can maintain a given power output. It’ll handle up to 1600 watts of sustained resistance.

The control unit offers an easy-to-use interface and the supplied software makes for easy programming of training sessions, and the flywheel has been “…precision engineered to optimize inertial effect with limited dead weight for smooth, real world feel”.

CycleOps will also offer two more affordable models, the JetFluid Pro and SuperMagneto Pro. The JetFluid Pro builds on the oil-based resistance unit with a new cover over the roller to push cool air onto the housing to avoid temperature build up from adversely affecting the performance. Meanwhile the SuperMagneto Pro is a magnetic-based unit with four selectable resistance settings, ranging from ‘spin’ to ‘road’, ‘interval’ and ‘mountain’ settings.

CycleOps are among the smartest-designed trainers out there; I’ve always found them easy to set up and rock solid stable in use, but the company has redesigned the stand to make the folding legs even more stable while performing intervals, with adjustable feet to level out uneven flooring. The three new trainers are also claimed to fold more compactly than previous models too, and a quick-lock cam lever makes getting your bike in and out a no-hassle affair.