SPORT - INTERVIEW

Interview with Brian Turany, Category Manager at Saris, about CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

Indoor bike trainers, which targeted only to professional cyclists during the first years they were introduced to the market, have become a product that can be reached by every cycling enthusiast thanks to the visionary brands. I talked with Brian Turany about CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers.

Friday, April 19, 2019

Brian Turany

SPORT - INTERVIEW

by Mehmet Kaplan

Since the day it was founded in 1989 by Chris and Sara Fortune, Saris designs and presents products that make life easier for both professional cyclists and those who adopt cycling as a lifestyle. From bike racks to pedals, public bike pumps to indoor bike trainers, Saris make a difference in the world of cycling with the many functional products they design and the different services they offer. One of the main product categories of Saris is indoor bike trainers. CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers enable users to enjoy cycling without leaving their homes. These indoor bike trainers are also a two-way product for both professional and amateurs. CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers are great warm-up and training tools for professional cyclists, and at the same time, allowing cycling enthusiasts to keep fit in their homes and compete with other users all over the world on some online platforms. With its six different resistance mechanisms, CycleOps offers a range of products available to users of all levels from the top level pro cyclists to beginners. CycleOps is the official bike trainer sponsor of the USA-registered WorldTour cycling team, Trek-Segafredo. In order to get detailed information about CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers, I wanted to talk to the most competent person about these products, and I saw that Brian Turany is not only a category manager but also a person who has a passion for cycling. I talked with Brian Turany, Category Manager at Saris, about his life and the features of CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers.

Brian, before talking about CycleOps, could you tell us about yourself? Who is Brian Turany?

One of my first childhood jobs was as a caddy. My friends and I would meet at dawn and bike out to the golf course on a motley crew of BMX, road, cruisers, and hybrids. Those three summers were my favorites right up until I broke my collar bone when I crashed into a bridge railing (14-year-old boys are spazzy and I was no exception). That started a nearly 2-decade hiatus from bicycles for me.

Fast forward to 2004 and I was running a radio station and I decided to sponsor a charity bike ride and ride in the event. It was life-changing. I met some of my best friends, saw parts of Wisconsin I’d never seen before, and I was HOOKED on cycling.

So hooked that I spent switched careers and found myself in the bike industry.

When did you get your first bike? What is the place of cycling in your life right now?

My first “real” bike was a GT Performer in the 4th grade. It was a birthday present and my parents got in for my a couple of months early in the dead of winter. I found it and whenever I could, I would sneak into the basement and start riding it. Our basement was small and crowded, so I go good at endos, manuals, and track stands (I can’t do any of those tricks now).

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

Could you tell us about CycleOps and your team?

CycleOps is a very lean organization. I get to meet competitors at trade shows and events and they talk about their firmware team, or their Mechanical Engineers, or their Electrical Engineers… I talk about Dean, Andrew, and Ed. What we lack in numbers we make up for in hustle.

Sometimes it feels like chaos, but one of CycleOps strengths is that we can stop and pivot very well. If we see a new technology pop up we can drop current tasks and chase it fast.

I’m also very proud of the team we have in the plant. We manufacture in the same building that we design and sell from. So, I walk past the people machining trainer castings and such on my way to and from meetings and if there is something causing them headaches anyone can stop me and tell me what’s happening.

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

What is cycling means for you and your team?

Cycling is creativity for me. I can roll out the door and free form, or compete, or ride a workout and let my mind drift off to think about something that has been causing me trouble at the office.

For the team, cycling is a source of pride. We are proud to build trainers that make cyclists stronger and make people feel better about themselves. When we hear positive feedback about how durable and effective our trainers are, that fuels us to raise the bar another notch.

Technology changes some habits and rules, indoor trainers are one of them. Could you tell us about CycleOps trainers? What are their features?

One of the things CycleOps has done better than anyone else is staying current with bike standards. Our H2 direct drive trainer has endcaps for a road bike, disc road bike, thru axle road bike, and boost MTB. We were also the first and only trainer company to have and XDR accessory for people who are riding SRAM’s new eTap AXS road group.

Trek-Segafredo - John Degenkolb and Gianluca Brambilla - CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

How many different CycleOps trainers do you offer? What are the differences between Smart and Basic trainers?

We have 6 types of resistance mechanisms. Two magnetic resistance units that offer good linear resistance. Both of our fluid trainers have progressive resistance curves that are more lifelike. We also have a patented flywheel design that blows cool air over the fluid resistance unit and that keeps the resistance steady from the beginning of the work out to the end of the workout.

On the electromagnetic level of trainers, we have the M2 which was actually our 4th electronic trainer. We have been doing the “smart” trainer long before apps existed. Then, we have our top tier direct drive trainer, the H2. It is quiet and there is no chance of getting a flat or slipping a tire.

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

How can we decide to the right one for our usage? What type of bike do we need to use CycleOps trainers?

You can use any type of bike for our trainers. If you are on the fence between something like a Peloton home bike, I’d say you should just get an inexpensive used bike and our Mag Indoor trainer instead. You can still use the Peloton app for workouts with a heart rate strap, PLUS you can go for a ride outdoors when you want.

If you are training for fitness or an event, use the same bike you will ride outside. Finally, if you want to compete (not simply complete) that event then you should go for an M2 or H2. The quality of the workout is just that much better.

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

What are the advantages of using CycleOps trainers? What can they change in their user's life? Does Zwift make them more social?

Our biggest advantage right now is durability. The CycleOps Team has really done a great job and I am proud of them.

Trainers can absolutely change your life. Imagine the benefit if everyone just traded a half hour of sedentary time for half an hour on a trainer everyday. It would be amazing.

Zwift defiantly helps people find motivation, and the social aspect is motivation for many people.

Trek-Segafredo - Bauke Mollema and John Degenkolb - CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

What are the most important features of CycleOps trainers that make them different from the competitors in the market?

Compatibility is the biggest. As I mentioned, eTap AXS compatibility and different bike spacing are big. Fat bikes are one of the few standards we are compatible with.

How often do you add a new trainer to your collection?

We try to refresh trainers in some way on an 18-month timeline. Once we believe they are optimized, then they might not change in a major. The Fluid2, for instance, has been completely optimized for a while. The H2, on the other hand, will get revised before the new products we are working on right now come to market.

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

What are you paying attention to the most in the design and development process of new CycleOps trainers?

Movement. We will be releasing products that are more comfortable for riders because they absorb energy that doesn’t go into the drivetrain while you pedal.

What do you enjoy most about using CycleOps trainers in your daily life?

I keep a bike in an old Hammer in my basement year round. I love that I can get a workout in even if it is too cold, or rainy, or dark out to go for a ride. I love not having to think about getting them to work, because all I have to do is plug in the trainer and ride.

CycleOps Indoor Bike Trainers

Could you tell us about the CycleOps Brand Ambassadors program? How can interested readers participate in this program?

We love finding people who are passionate about bikes and also fans of our products. If you want some great deals and want to help us built great trainers, subscribe to the Saris and CycleOps newsletters for updates about the program and application window.

Social media platforms are new showcases for innovative brands. What do you think about the power of social media on buyers' decisions?

Social is a large but murky reservoir of knowledge. Its strength in numbers helps you find out about new trends and products. I surf a lot of social media looking for opportunities to improve CycleOps everyday. I also take a “trust, but verify” approach if the information I am reading seem a little biased or too good to true.

How can our readers follow CycleOps?

Newsletter (both Saris and CycleOps), Facebook (@cycleops) and Instagram (@cycleops) are best.